Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Suzanna Gasso. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Suzanna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
After spending over a decade as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in NYU Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), I made the decision to pursue a career in the aesthetics industry. I wasn’t a Nurse Practitioner for over a decade, but I did work for NYU for over 18 years now. I have been an NP for 9 years. Even though I always had the desire to pursue it, but I waited until what I believed to be the right time in my life: my two kids were grown, and I had established my reputation in my hospital.
It all started with a serious investment in my training courses. However, the biggest challenge I faced when starting in this industry was that no one wanted to mentor me. Countless providers turned me down if I asked to take private courses or shadow them, because of how competitive this market is. And no one wants to train their next potential competitor.
I began with taking Empire Medical courses for beginner lessons in botulinum toxin and dermal fillers. Then, I decided to go to my country of birth Azerbaijan, and take in-depth private courses with Dr. Yegana Kerimova. Thousands of dollars and dozens of classes later, I became certified in injecting botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, biostimulators, and later polydioxanone threads.
When I started my practice 6 years ago, I was just thinking about treating my friends, coworkers and relatives. Once word got out that I was a good injector and my patient satisfaction rate was high, more and more colleagues from NYU came to see me and brought their family and friends. That’s when I quickly came to learn that word of mouth is golden in this field, because at this point I still hadn’t opened my social media account.
I even started to do house visits with my NYU girls, and they called it “Suzie’s Botox Parties”. They’d bake cookies in the shape of syringes and lips, and I’d bring my injectables. The second the parties grew from 10 to close to 30 people. Oftentimes, there were medical providers not just from NYU: I met doctors and nurses from different hospitals too. With how fast these parties were growing, I knew I finally had the basis to officially open my own place.
This lesson goes to all my students that I teach: Do NOT start your practice without establishing your reputation somewhere else first. I witnessed a lot of failure with graduates fresh out of nursing school who opened their own businesses without building any clientele. My hospital background in the ICU is what gave me my communication skills, bedside manner, and a sense of professionalism that’s second to none. My colleagues knew my work ethic and trusted me with their faces without any hesitation. They’re all my loyal clients to this day.
I have no regrets about the state of my business and where I’m at right now in my career, but I do think about one major what if: What if I started earlier? But I know I made my decision solely based on my need for a work/life balance, especially while my kids were young.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have lived and worked in four countries: I was born and raised in Azerbaijan, moved to Russia at 17, then moved to Israel at 24. I came to America at 30.
I say this because it helped me understand different cultures and their different standards for women’s health, wellness and beauty. I am most proud of establishing myself as a practitioner who not only speaks four languages and has lived in four countries, but as a provider who has a deep understanding of procedural outcomes for different ethnicities: now both male and female.
I knew I wanted to break into the beauty industry since I was 16 years old. I had a dream to open a place for women where they can treat themselves to any kind of services: makeup, hair, facials, injections, gym, psychologist, and just create an overall safe space for them to build relationships with other women. Looking back on it now, I can say I aim to put this vision into my practice every day.
Because I was always bullied and teased for having a big nose, all I thought of was how and when I could change it without going through a big surgery. Once I became a practitioner, I centralized my field of study on the Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty. To this day, I’ve developed techniques specific to each ethnicity and their anatomy. When I opened my social media, it quickly became the signature procedure of my practice, with us seeing about 6-9 patients a day for it (both national and international)!
But my patients not only come to me for my skills. My staff and I, we’re like a family. And when you come to us, we want you to feel like a guest in our home. A procedure shouldn’t just be a procedure— it should be an experience. A chance to treat yourself and feel cared for. It is the culture I curated for my business, and funny enough, our patients love it there enough to tell me they “never want to leave”!
Another key thing about myself is I am definitely a workaholic. When I started, I worked overnights at the ICU four times a week, slept for about 3-4 hours in the morning, and then went to inject my patients at SG Aesthetics. I am also a sponge when it comes to knowledge: I always want to offer the latest and greatest procedures at my practice, making it a priority to attend at least two aesthetics conferences a year. But note, I never offer a product to a patient that I haven’t tried on myself or my staff members first.
As far as products and services go, I started with botox, dermal fillers, and PDO Thread Facelift procedures. I’m best known for my signature Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty and Facial Harmonization procedures.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
My reputation in aesthetics was initially built on my reputation at NYU Hospital. Through injecting my colleagues, we decided to throw Botox parties every 3-4 months, and they brought me new people to inject every time!
Now being in the industry for 6 years, other than my work speaking for me, my reputation precedes me as a trustworthy and openly-honest injector. I am not afraid to turn patients away from procedures, especially if I believe they do not need it, or they will not like their results. My ICU experience also plays a role in the trust aspect. It allows me to assess my patients based on their health background/history, and even diagnose other diseases to refer patients to specialists before any aesthetic procedures.
Other than my experience, I would say it is my knowledge-base that shows my patients how much effort I put into my education. Other than attending 2-3 conferences a year, I also have 4 degrees hanging on the walls of my office as a reminder of what it took to get me here.
My social media profiles have also been a large factor in connecting me with people and allowing them to get to know the personalities of me and my staff virtually, before stepping foot in the office. Instagram specifically has connected me with other practitioners from around the world, meeting them at international conferences.
Last year, I also became a Galderma Aesthetic Injector Network (GAIN) Faculty Trainer, which has also built my stature in the realm of aesthetic injectables. With that role comes nationwide recognition for my capabilities.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
A. Communication skills. You must be able to handle each patient with grace, and understand where their concerns are coming from. Some might say that providers in the business of beauty have to take similar approaches than that of psychologists.
B. Personality. In the era of social media influencers, it’s no longer about how good the quality of your work is. It’s also about the face behind the hands that do these services. Patients want to know their practitioners on a deeper level now than ever before.
C. Business acumen. Do not enter this industry if you’re not ready and willing to compete. I don’t believe in competition myself, but for those just entering the field, know that it’s a very saturated market.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sgaesthetics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sg_aesthetics_ny/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sg_aesthetics_ny/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanna-gasso-23136a298/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjqWLBL7PcexUcZvEm4uOkQ
- Other: TIKTOK @suzannagasso
Image Credits
For my headshot and staff photo: Matt Ehnes