We were lucky to catch up with Sara Cole recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sara , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Aesthetic medicine is a ‘for profit’ specialty of medicine. Insurance does not cover the elective procedures that we perform. For this reason, providers may offer services that will not improve the patient’s quality of life or help the patient aesthetically, but rather make the provider more money. There is an epidemic of providers not knowing how to say ‘no’ to patients for the sake of keeping the patient’s health and best interest at heart. We live in a world of ‘overfilled’ faces that need rehabilitation, dissolving, and additional education. This is also the only branch of medicine where practitioners allow their patients to dictate what and how much they want. “I want a syringe of filler in my lips” or “I want 20 units of Botox in my whole face”. It is our job as the provider to provide a thorough assessment, discuss patient goals, and create a treatment plan that is specific to each patient with several factors taken into account. Would you ever walk into your Cardiologist’s office for an appointment and say “you know what, I’ll take 25mg of Metoprolol rather than the 5mg, thank you.” At my practice it is common to say ‘no’ to the patient and it needs to be in every provider’s vocabulary in this field of medicine.

Sara , 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?

I am the owner and operator of Siren Medical Spa an aesthetic medicine and wellness practice in Glassboro, NJ. I am a board certified adult gerontological acute care nurse practitioner who specializes in aesthetic medicine. My attention to detail and dedication to unparalleled patient safety as an acute care provider has elevated my practice as a practitioner in aesthetics. I had the pleasure of working under renowned board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Steven L. Davis for 6 years as his lead aesthetic practitioner, and I am beyond grateful to call him a mentor and colleague. As an Allergan Medical Institute Trainer, I am passionate about educating other providers and and advocate for aseptic technique and safe practice. My focus is for the patient experience to be delightfully calming and positive, and I am dedicated to offering my patients exceptional natural results throughout their aesthetic journey. It takes emotional motivation for a patient to seek out cosmetic treatments. Whether it is a recent divorce, being self conscious about an asymmetrical upper lip, or any other event that may ignite the curiosity in meeting with me, I am honored to provide their care and establish a trusting relationship. I am proud of what I do because it helps bring back confidence, joy, and so many other various emotions that are unique and specific to the patient. I pride myself on our natural results that allow the patient to age gracefully. We want you to look just like you, just more refreshed. The best injectables are undetectable in my opinion, we want to keep your friends and family guessing.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I never speak negatively about any providers, peers, coworkers, or patients – regardless as to what they have done. The moment you open your mouth and something negative comes out, the patient/provider relationship and even the relationship amongst your colleagues changes. I don’t tell other’s secrets, I don’t gossip, and I don’t complain about something as simple as a patient coming in late or not coming in at all. AND I most certainly do not do any of this on a public platform like social media. Would you want your therapist complaining abut the patient before your appointment? Would you want your stewardess disclosing something negative about the pilot of your plane? I truly believe that the patient and provider relationships I have attracted are because of my reputation in being positive and trusting.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Investing in my continuous education. Best practices and techniques change and it is vital as a medical provider especially in aesthetics to stay up to date. Your skill and results is the most effective strategy for growing your clientele in my experience. Beautiful results and a positive experience is key. Happy patients tell their friends and family who end up becoming patients. I would rather have 100 followers on social media and a full book rather than 1 million followers and negative reviews any day of the week.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thesirenmedicalspa.com
• Instagram: @the.siren.medical.spa and @saracole_rn

Image Credits
Green suit photo: Endless Smiles Photography