We recently connected with Elle Blakeney and have shared our conversation below.

Elle, appreciate you joining us today. How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

It was not until my third year of nursing school at Clemson University that my passion for Aesthetic Medicine arose. After we began clinicals I recognized that the typical nursing path was not going to work for me. My years at Clemson were formative and during that time I recognized that I was not willing to give up my passion for art. Being artistic, creative, original, and independent were all qualities that were profoundly important to me, and I knew that if I couldn’t utilize these in my profession, I would not be content. Simultaneously, I recognized that I craved long term relationships with patients, something that does not fit into the mold for nurses working in hospital settings.

With these two epiphanies in mind, I thought that I had chosen the wrong profession. I sought out a nursing career because of my love for science and anatomy, but I needed to tap into my other passions as well.

Through much research I came across the field of Aesthetics. It was then that I recognized there was a field that would allow me to melt my passions together. I researched the profession day in and day out and concluded that I would be an Aesthetic Injector… but how would I ever get there?

That is the very question that many of you face, and I wish I had an easy answer for you, but I do not. The profession of Aesthetics has grown immensely since I have become a part of it. When I first began, there were only a couple practices in Charleston, SC who had injectors, most of which had been injecting for at least a decade. This was not a common career path at the time which only contributed to the many hurdles I faced.

My nursing program had never heard of a nurse injector. Frankly, I think they thought I was crazy. I recall sending in a slide for our graduation PowerPoint that played as we were pinned and the nurse in charge asking me if I had to include the details of what I were doing post-graduation because it was going to be confusing to those attending. With uncharted territory comes adversity, but that only makes reaching your goal more rewarding.

Wow have times changed. Now I believe 4 out of the 35 girls I graduated nursing school with are pursuing the same profession that I so dearly love.

Getting my first job was not easy, and if it weren’t for a mutual family friend, I don’t think I ever would have gotten my foot in the door. I am incredibly grateful for my first mentor and will never take the opportunity she gave me for granted. My advice to anyone pursuing a job in Aesthetics is to network. Network with injectors, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and other professionals in your area. Ask to shadow them, see them as a patient, do your own research, and put yourself out there. These jobs are not filled on indeed or job application websites, they are always word of mouth.

Elle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For those of you who have not met me or do not know specifically what an Aesthetic Injector does, we focus on the non-invasive side of beauty. We are often paired with plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and MDs or work independently. I am a registered nurse but many of my colleagues are PAs, NPs, DMDs, or MDs.

Specifically, I offer injectable treatments such as Neurotoxins, Hyaluronic Acid Based Fillers, Biostimulators, PRP/PRFM injections, and more. These treatments focus on negating or minimizing the many processes of aging. Through self-exploration and research, I have developed a passion for the preventative side of aesthetic injectables. My goal is to normalize aesthetic procedures and make them approachable to all of you.

I personally thrive off of human connection. I guess you could say I’m extroverted, but I realize that my true joy comes from connecting with others on a deeper level and getting to know them personally. Not the surface-level conversations, I crave the deeper ones. As I touched on previously, the main reason I have found such an organic home in this industry is the lasting relationships.

These relationships allow me to see my patients dark, light, happy, & sad. I get to build genuine relationships/friendships and learn individuals’ entire stories. Most importantly, I get to be a small light for them in times of darkness, and they do the same for me.

You know, sometimes spending 30 minutes with someone for a routine Botox appointment does them (and I) way more than just a smooth forehead. Sometimes that facial balancing with filler gives them the confidence to take the new job, leave the negative relationship, better parent their children, or get back on their feet from whatever has them down. I firmly believe we have to do things for US to remind ourselves that we are important too. This stuff is just as important to me as it is to my patients.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think what sets my work apart the most is how I make my patients feel. Transparency is everything to me and I think that translates to my clients. Above all else, my goal is to instill confidence in the women and men that I get the pleasure of meeting in my chair. I meet my patients where they are. At this point in my career, I attract patients who are in it for the long haul, which has only added to my love for what I do. I will never suggest a treatment that will not place you in a better position in years to come, and I will never augment you or make you look unlike yourself. I am not for everyone, but I am the perfect provider for some.

I personally am against the scare-culture of aging. Aging is not a negative concept, and I am against treating it as one. I often tell my patients, “I will grab your hand and walk you through this path we know of as aging. Together we will age gracefully”. I don’t want you to look 10 years younger, I want you to look age-appropriate, but I want you to look the best in your friend group.

My last famous words are, “My name is on your face when you leave my chair and I do not take that lightly”. Existing and future patients, thank you for trusting me with your face. Although the artistic side of my profession is where my passion lies, I think my favorite part of my business is creating lifelong, trusting relationships with you guys.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

This is a complex answer because I feel confidently that unless you are always pushing to learn more and grow in your leadership role, you are not doing your best. I have learned a lot in this space, and it has been one of my favorite areas of growth in my business thus far. As all small/large business owners are aware, your team is everything. Without a supportive and passionate team, small businesses are subject to failure because each team member is a fundamental part of your business’ success and growth, and you can NOT do it alone.

I do my best every day to make all of my team members feel appreciated, supported, and recognized. I think recognition is more important than most realize. Recognize the good, the bad, the ugly, and the passion. In my industry, there is a lot of passion, but also many personal interests. I have found that team members perform best in spaces that they are passionate about, and I like to keep the chain of communication open in regard to this. As your team members grow personally and professionally, so do you, and that is always a win. Lastly, as all my team members know, I believe that defining roles, setting personal and professional boundaries, and recognizing expectations in the workplace are all fundamental to having a happy and healthy team.

Stay tuned for something new that will be launching around March or April of 2023. This new passion project stems from my many moments of thinking, “this could be easier and more accessible” and I think you will all love it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elleontheglow.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elleontheglow/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElleBlakeneyRN/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elle-blakeney-rn-bsn-b5a277191/