We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katerina Gallus. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katerina below.
Katerina , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
My medical career started in the Navy and although serving in the military was rewarding, I looked forward to the chance to create my own thing. For most doctors, starting a practice from scratch is daunting as we have little to no experience in the business world and business management is not part of medical school curriculum. When starting your own practice there are so many things to consider – from renting or building out the physical space, managing employees, inventory and accounting – the list goes on and on. It is best to give yourself plenty of time to get educated. This can mean reading everything on the subject, speaking with those who are already established and asking lots of questions. I think that networking and being involved with your professional societies is an undervalued resource. As I was transitioning from the Navy to private practice, I became involved with the Women Plastic Surgeons group for my national society. Early on (and even now!) having connections when you need to phone a friend is such an asset. You will gain knowledge from those that are more experienced and share experiences with peers. This is important because you will make mistakes, you will doubt your decisions – the wisdom and encouragement of others will help you through the challenges.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I grew up on a sailboat and for most of my life I have lived near a beach. When I was younger, I thought I would be a marine biologist. Eventually I decided that medicine was a better fit – and started the long road to becoming a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. My college and medical school training was through military scholarships and when I became an official board-certified plastic surgeon, I served 12 years with the United States Navy. My time spent taking care of our military soldiers and sailors was so rewarding. Treating those who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan was a true privilege. Now I am a proud business owner and founder of Restore SD Plastic Surgery. My team and I offer a welcoming space for patients to learn about plastic surgery procedures and choose what will best meet their goals. We love helping patients on their journey to increased confidence – whether it be from facials to a mommy makeover. Surgery is a life changing experience and I want my patients to know we are with them every step of the way.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I originally started the practice with a longtime colleague that I thought I knew well. After 18 months he informed me he needed to leave the practice and look for an employed position – the lean years of startup were not for him. By the end of 2019 I was on my own and exploring my options for owning a practice initially built for two physicians. I regrouped and had the opportunity to spend time with many of my peers at a women’s plastic surgery conference for advice and encouragement. No sooner than I returned to San Diego ready to start anew Covid happened, and I had to close the office for 6 weeks. My only comfort was that I was not alone in facing this unprecedented challenge – everyone was figuring it out with no blueprint for the future. The pandemic was a lesson in how to pivot – try to figure out a new way of doing business when all the rules have changed, and the future is unknown. Being flexible and creative was paramount. Without risk there is no growth and at that time I chose to collaborate with others outside my field. The cross promotion allowed me to continue to educate about skin care, non-invasive modalities, and plastic surgery as well as develop new relationships. By the time I was able to reopen safely the concerns about running Restore SD on my own seemed a distant memory. I had tackled that challenge in the absolute worst circumstances and grown stronger – now it was about building my future.
Any advice for managing a team?
It is so important to create an environment that allows for collaboration. If you are unable to be willing to hear feedback, you will miss out on important perspectives. Everyone needs to feel valued and respected. One of the most challenging parts of this is making sure that not only does the team feel comfortable with you but that they are working together. If a member of the team is disruptive or creates drama you may be the last to know. Finding a group of people that genuinely get along and support each other is super challenging and I appreciate the awesome group of women that work with me now. Letting them know that is essential – this year we started celebrating Fifth Fridays. Any month that has a fifth Friday we plan an office outing – try a new lunch place or activity. Having fun for a couple of hours outside the office and then allowing everyone to go home early keeps us all motivated. I also make sure my team stays happy by being compensated with what they value – whether it be time off or goal-based bonuses.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://restoresdplasticsurgery.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restoresdplasticsurgery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RestoreSDPlasticSurgery/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-gallus-8808a62b/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RestoreSDPS
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChuFFMd4bauIfHr1wgIRTQA
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/home/Bezbe7NkvrJ6GRDntphTvw/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@restoresdplastics
Image Credits
None