We were lucky to catch up with Giana Thompson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Giana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
I’ve always been drawn to medicine, wellness, and natural remedies, but this interest and curiosity grew stronger during the time of the pandemic. At the time, I was in nursing school and also running a COVID testing site out of my childhood doctor’s private practice. I took my immunity very seriously during this time, I didn’t want to get sick; not just for myself, but for the people around me. This led me to start diving deeper into ways to boost my immunity, respiratory health, and overall support for my body beyond just hoping for the best.
That’s when tea and herbal remedies became more than just an interest. I started researching herbs: their properties, how they interact with the body, and how they’ve been used to address common ailments. I began blending my own teas, testing them on myself first, then sharing them with friends and family. What surprised me was how well people responded — not just physically, but emotionally. There was something grounding and empowering about taking wellness into your own hands.
My training in nursing gave me a strong appreciation for the progress and life-saving impact of modern medicine. But at the same time, I became more aware of how much we overlook the support that already exists around us such as herbs, food, vitamins, minerals. I started thinking about creating custom tea blends for specific ailments such as boosting immunity, supporting a cold/flu, stomach discomfort, nausea, migraines, menstrual cramps etc..
I would later scale the business from oral tea and incorporate IV vitamin therapy and cosmetics. It is everyone’s birthright to live a life full of health and wellness; to look good, and to feel good. Hence the name, Birthright Wellness.
Giana , 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?
My name is Paisley Giana Thompson, but I go by my middle name, Giana. At my core, I’m a lover of life. I love to travel, to learn, and to fully experience the world around me. That curiosity about people, health, how we feel and function has influenced a lot of what I do today. I’ve always been drawn to healthcare, and even though the exact path has evolved over time, health, wellness, and caring for people has always been the constant. My first degree was actually in psychology, and while I didn’t jump straight into that field, it really does influence how I practice today. Understanding human behavior, emotions, and the mind body connection plays a huge role in how I care for people; not just clinically, but holistically.
Currently, I’m a registered nurse and a doctoral candidate pursuing my Family Nurse Practitioner degree. I’m also trained and certified in aesthetic nursing and IV hydration therapy. My clinical background is primarily in emergency and trauma nursing, but truly, I’m a pediatric nurse at heart. Pediatric emergency care, in particular, holds a very special place for me.
Birthright Wellness is both my brand and my business, and it represents the foundation of what will eventually become my medical spa and private practice. Birthright Wellness is about accessible, intentional, whole-person care. I believe in the importance of health and wellness inside and out because when you look good, you feel good. Currently, I offer IV hydration therapy, injectables, dermal fillers, PRP treatments, and of course custom tea blends.
One of the things I love most about nursing is the range of opportunities it offers. I’ve worn many hats in this field and I’m still discovering new ones. Aesthetic nursing is an area I’ve intentionally leaned into, and it’s something I truly love. I appreciate both the science and the artistry behind it. I enjoy learning about facial anatomy, making people smile and helping them to feel good in their skin. I genuinely enjoy learning new procedures and perfecting my craft.
As I advance in my nursing education and scope of practice, my vision is to merge my clinical experience, aesthetics, wellness, and integrative therapies into one cohesive approach. I don’t believe care should be fragmented. People deserve to feel supported physically, mentally, and emotionally and my goal is to offer care and services that represent that.
What I’m most proud of is building something that aligns so deeply with who I am, a brand rooted in education, empowerment, and the belief that wellness is not a luxury, but a birthright. I want people to know that when they come to Birthright Wellness, they’re being seen as a whole person not just a symptom, a treatment plan, or an aesthetic goal.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
One of the very first things I learned when entering the aesthetics space is that it’s a field that demands thorough research and intentional decision-making. As a registered nurse, there’s so much that has to be understood before you can even think about offering services; compliance, scope of practice, state regulations, insurance, and liability all come into play. It’s not something you can rush or figure out as you go.
In terms of manufacturing, I don’t personally manufacture the injectable products themselves those are produced by pharmaceutical companies but sourcing and selecting the right products is its own complex process. Practicing in Georgia, which is a restricted state for nurses, added another layer. In order to legally order the medications and products required for aesthetic services, I must work under the supervision of a licensed physician.
That made the first and most critical step finding the right medical director. I was very intentional about this. The physician I work with now has over 15 years of experience in non-surgical aesthetics and functional medicine, and she’s been an incredible resource. Through our collaboration, I’m able to establish accounts with pharmaceutical companies and trusted suppliers to meet my practice’s needs safely and legally.
Choosing which products to use, especially neurotoxins and dermal fillers, can feel overwhelming at first. Botox is the most well-known brand, but there are several high-quality neurotoxins on the market, including Jeuveau, Dysport, and Xeomin, all of which offer excellent results when used correctly. Each product behaves slightly differently, requires specific techniques, and has its own pricing structure. Learning those nuances takes time, experience, and continued education.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that patient preference matters just as much as clinical knowledge. Different clients respond better to different products, and those differences can impact outcomes, longevity, and overall experience. Understanding how each product performs and matching it to the individual is essential to achieving good results.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Pivoting is something I’ve grown very comfortable with and honestly, very good at. Life moves fast, circumstances change, and in both healthcare and entrepreneurship, flexibility is essential. When you’re building something from the ground up, especially in a highly regulated field, things rarely go exactly as planned.
Birthright Wellness is actually the result of multiple pivots, and it’s still a journey I’m actively on. In the very beginning, my brand was actually called Birthright Holistics, and it focused on tea blends and herbal wellness. I loved the concept, and it aligned deeply with my values but I quickly learned an important lesson; passion alone doesn’t pay the bills. The profit margins simply weren’t sustainable, especially as I started thinking long-term about growth and financial stability.
This was also around the time I started to pursue travel nursing. Once I took my first assignment, it became clear how difficult it was to maintain a hands-on business while
Contact Info:
- Website: https://birthrightwellness.com
- Instagram: @birthrightwellness
- Facebook: Birthright Wellness
- Other: TikTok: birthrightwellness
Image Credits
Photographs by: De’Shawn Crawford (@UVLifestyle)