Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tanya Atiyeh Gallagher CRNP, AGPCNP-BC. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tanya, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

My journey in medical aesthetics has been filled with moments of learning, growth, and a defining leap that transformed my role in the field. The decision to establish our own space and grow our team was more than just an expansion, it was a pivotal step that challenged me to extend beyond my comfort zone as a practitioner and embrace the broader responsibilities of leading a practice. I’ve learned that a well-rounded team is essential for the best possible service, allowing us to provide better care and a more luxury experience.

My fascination with medical aesthetics began not as a practitioner, but as someone who experienced firsthand the confidence that aesthetic improvements could bring. This personal experience, combined with a deep-seated passion for both the medical and artistic aspects of the field, drove me to immerse myself in aesthetics. It was the first obsession I’ve found that I never tire of. My husband would often joke about me continuing to read and watch procedures in bed at night, even after working all day.

The decision to lead my own practice was never part of the original plan but arose from circumstance. Our expansion from there was out of necessity and a desire to offer more to our clients. Supported by my husband, whose business experience complemented my passion and clinical expertise, our growth has been a natural result of continually adding to and improving the client experience.

The defining moment of my career, however, was when we opened our first physical location and began adding additional staff members to our team. Until this point, I had been renting space in medical offices and traveling to multiple locations each week. This decision marked a transition from thinking of myself as a solo provider to leading a team and brand. This move was driven by the need to accommodate a growing waitlist of clients, which had reached nearly a year, and to offer them a more luxurious, better equipped, and personal space. It also cemented our practice’s ongoing ethos: a steadfast belief in quality and putting the client experience above all else. This moment underscored everything we had achieved and set the stage for our future growth. It certainly required a lot of risk, including investing all we had saved for a first home, personally guaranteeing a several year lease, and the challenge of finding and trusting a team to uphold the reputation I had worked so hard to build and now relied on.

The biggest test I faced was transitioning from a provider focused solely on treatments to leading a practice. The shift required learning a whole new set of skills – managing a team, understanding legal responsibilities, finance, marketing, IT, and making decisions that would shape the future of our practice. Over time, I’ve learned to delegate these tasks to those best equipped to manage them. My husband and team have been able to take on most of the business responsibilities, allowing me to concentrate on what matters most: the experience and results of our clients.

Opening the doors to our first location was both stressful and incredibly exciting. The investment went beyond financial; it represented an emotional and professional leap of faith. I still have video of us rearranging décor and product at 6 AM the weekend before opening to ensure everything was perfect. Initially, hiring and training the right team was daunting, as I had previously controlled every decision and aspect of our day-to-day operations. However, the process turned out to be the most fulfilling aspect of our journey. It did take working with several candidates to find the perfect team, but we’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with a group of professionals who are not only highly skilled, but also share my relentless pursuit of excellence. We’re committed to not just maintaining, but continually elevating our standards. Together, we aspire to be recognized as the best in the field, always seeking ways to improve and redefine what this industry should be.

As I look to the future, I’m eager to continue the organic growth that brought us to where we are today. We’ve recently expanded into a new 5300 square foot facility, which represents not just our growth, but also our ambition to offer more to our clients. Leading with a commitment to quality and striving to continually provide a better experience has always been the cornerstone of our success. Time and again, we’ve invested in enhancements that some business owners and advisors would consider unnecessary. These investments, sometimes seen as extravagant, are fundamental to us; we trust that every enhancement makes a noticeable difference to those we serve. This unwavering belief in doing more, even when it’s not the easiest path, has been the key to our success. It’s the subtle yet significant differences that our clients experience that have fueled our growth and, we believe, will continue to do so.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I always had a passion for taking care of others and knew I wanted to enter nursing from a young age. I graduated with my BSN in 2015 and began working as a critical care nurse. I found the job very rewarding, but I also had a passion for beauty that wasn’t being fulfilled.

Growing up, I was always insecure about my lips and would find myself hiding my smile. After hearing about the aesthetics industry, at 23, I finally built up the courage to visit a local medical spa for treatment. Within 30 minutes, I felt so much more confident; my most insecure feature had instantly become one of my favorite.

Shortly after, I began training in aesthetics while still working at the hospital. I couldn’t get enough and found myself reading, watching video, and practicing in all my free time. I quickly discovered that I had a true talent for it, and it was a passion that never burned out. I was able to go full time about a year later.

I later ended up leading my own practice, Allure Aesthetics, offering cosmetic injectables such as neuromodulators and dermal fillers, laser and phototherapy treatments, PRP/PRFM treatments, our trademarked full face refreshers, and medical-grade skin care. We specialize in natural-looking results and corrective procedures to help clients feel more confident in themselves. We pride ourselves not only on our results, but the luxury experience we deliver to clients.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Each step of my journey has had its own challenges that required perseverance, but two periods stand out to me that were particularly demanding. First would be my entry into the field and second would be my return to school while still running our practice, both of which required a lot of sacrifice.

When I entered into the field, I was still working night shift at the neuro ICU at my local hospital. During the day I would train in aesthetics, but I could not afford the loss of income from my regular nursing job. I continued to do both until I slowly began seeing clients and could eventually go full-time a year later. Although this was challenging, it didn’t feel like a difficult choice, as I knew this is what I wanted to do. I would continue studying during whatever free time I had to try and accelerate my way into the field.

Later in my career, while running our current practice and managing our current team, I went back to school at night to earn my masters and become a nurse practitioner. This was more difficult, as my role in running the practice was already one that required 24/7 attention. With great support, I managed to get through full-time school and work full-time (except for when clinical days overlapped) to avoid any negative impact on my clients or team. It was a lot of sacrifice from both me and my husband, and we had to put off major life events like starting a family and moving out of our one-bedroom apartment until we got through this period.

Both turned out to have a profound effect on my life and career and I’m grateful for the opportunities and to have persevered. I also believe that making these sorts of sacrifices is a major contributor to my success and has strengthened my confidence.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

I credit my passion for this industry with all my success. It’s what has allowed me to dedicate so many hours into improving, make such large investments into seemingly small nuances of our practice, and to make personal sacrifices for my career. There are many amazing providers in this field, but there are also many who enter it for financial reasons, and I just rarely see that work out long-term. I just don’t believe they would accrue the practice hours or make the same sacrifices that would make them stand out and be able to compete with those who have a true passion for it.

I often compare my mindset for the industry to an athlete or artist. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find one who rose to the top of their field without truly loving what they do, and I think clients can feel that. It would just be too difficult to approach each day with same level of commitment, and the accumulation of the decisions made each day are what create your brand and reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://allureaestheticsllc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allureaestheticsllc
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/allureaestheticsofpa