Accountability with Empathy: Creating Ownership Without Burnout in Aesthetic Teams

BUSINESS OF AESTHETICS | EXPERT PANEL TRANSCRIPT

Transcript

Creating Ownership Without Burnout

Redefining accountability, feedback, performance, culture, profitability, and leadership without sacrificing empathy.

PARTICIPANTS

Don Adeesha (Host)

Full session transcript

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Accountability with Empathy

Amy Lynn 00:00:03

Recording in progress.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:00:09

Signed… Right. And… seems like everyone's here for now. Alright. So, good evening, and welcome to the Business of Aesthetics Expert Panel, where your success matters. Tonight, we are tackling the single hardest balancing act in the industry. Accountability with empathy. Creating ownership without burnout. I'm your moderator, Don Disha, and we are here because the old way of managing, leading through fear and micromanagement, is driving your best talent out the door, but the opposite, being too nice, is diminishing your profitability. Tonight, we're going to fix that. At least try to…

Amy Lynn 00:01:05

Right?

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:01:06

At least try it.

Christin Trujillo 00:01:07

No. Words of wisdom.

Amy Lynn 00:01:11

Exactly.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:01:13

Wonderful. So, we will definitely be trying our best to help you fix that. But before we get into things, we'd like to give a massive thank you to our Platinum sponsor and growth partner, Echo Marketing, founded by Narin Arul Raja, the very same founder of the business of aesthetics. For nearly 20 years, ECHO has held Aesthetic practice owners across the globe stop being the best-kept secret in their town. They believe that great care deserves great visibility. And now here's a small tip from our team at ECWA, something every practice owner should be thinking about. The way… Patients find you online is changing rapidly. So, search engines and AI tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, voice assistants, now give quick answers on the page. This means people may not be clicking through the way they used to. So, traditional search is still important, it is just evolving. So the question becomes, how do you stay The practice patients trust and choose. Well, the answer is simple. Build enough authority and trust so search and AI see your practice as helpful and a reliable source. That means clear, expert-driven content, accurate profiles, consistent names, addresses, phone details, strong reviews, and pages that answer real patient questions in a simple, helpful way. In this world, it is not only about being found, it is about being easy to understand and easy to choose. Stick around to the end, we have something that can help you take the next step, with confidence and grow your practice. No. Here is a roadmap for the next hour. first of all, we're going to redefine accountability, so that's, like, moving from who is to blame to how do we solve all this together. Then we're going to get into some of the feedback frameworks. How to correct behavior without crushing morale. And then, the financial link, connecting empathy directly to your bottom line, and of course, last but not least, real-life solutions. How to manage conflict and underperformance with compassion. And, to guide us through this. topics, let's meet the experts. For tonight. First of all, we have Amy Lynn. Amy didn't just build a clinic, she built a standard. As the founder of Gloderma and Glow Academy, she realized early on that clinical results mean nothing if the patient experience is flawed. She is the creator of The Art of Reversal, and a master at blending precision safety with emotional intelligence required to lead high-performing teams. Amy, welcome to the panel.

Amy Lynn 00:04:10

Thank you so much.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:04:12

Absolutely. Right. And joining her is Kristen Trujillo. Kristen knows the numbers that keeps you awake at night. As a founder… founding partner at Maven Financial and author of Med Spa Profitability, she has taken a look at the books of hundreds of practices. She knows exactly how a lack of accountability leaks money from your business, and how to plug those holes to scale, grow, or exit. Kristen, great to have you at the panel.

Christin Trujillo 00:04:45

Thank you so much!

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:04:47

Absolutely. Now, then… Let's get into the main ca- Q&A section here. Right, my first question goes out to you, Amy. Let's start with the definition. In clinical aesthetic environments where precision and safety are non-negotiable, how do you define accountability in a way that elevates standards without creating fear or hesitation within your team? Over to you.

Amy Lynn 00:05:16

I think the biggest thing as a leader is holding yourself accountable, quite honestly. I see this so many times in aesthetics, and in this industry, and other industries as well, that it's always the blame game, right? when do we dial back in and also hold ourselves accountable in order to make a positive change? So I think that's something that has shifted with me as well, with my… from beginning to now, and evolvement is really important. And that's how I approach everything, is that how do I play a position, or, you know, how can I provide a solution, but also, where am I involved with this whole situation? And communication is key.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:06:02

Okay, now, Amy, many leaders confuse the accountability with policing. What is a mindset shift that a leader needs to make to stop policing and start empowering?

Amy Lynn 00:06:15

Yeah, like, I mean, it's been almost 10 years now, I can't believe it, since I opened up Gloderma, and I see my involvement, and my squad, and my team, we're family, and I think we're all evolving together, so policy, procedure, it's… there's always a standard, there's a core. And what I always believe in is that autonomy within a framework is key. So I want everyone within my organization to also be leaders. So there's… yes, I'm the owner of Gloderma. own our Glow Academy, but there is hierarchy, we have leadership, but also, how do I continue to grow and inspire and mentor other leaders within the organization? And I think that, like, through this whole process, just… continued communication, like, check-ins, and these, like, different little, like, they're very, very simple, but they're really important, especially as you grow and bring on other employees to your organization. Be really selective as far as, like, who you bring into the squad, because energy is our vibe here. So, whoever's around us. Whether it's patients, whether it's squad members, it's really important, and I'm very protective of that. We need to make sure that's always contained.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:07:30

Can you give us a story of how this evolution came about? What was it like when you first started, and how is it today?

Amy Lynn 00:07:37

How much time do we have?

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:07:40

Got a few minutes.

Christin Trujillo 00:07:42

Employees did you start with versus how many employees do you have now?

Amy Lynn 00:07:45

We have 14 employees now. When I started, it was only me. And then, that was me. I started off as a single injector, and, the story is… it's pretty crazy when I think back and look at it. I just did a training the other day with my original rep, Kathleen, who is with Galderma, who met me, and I was, like, doing… all these crazy different things, but she saw something in me, and probably something I didn't see in myself, and that's what I really want to bring out of all of my team and squads, that if I identify that type of talent, or something that they don't see within themselves. I want to bring them out and really, like, empower them to do the best that they ever could. So, I would say the light switch, as far as, like, really dialing in, as far as, like. who I select, and maybe not taking everyone into the… into the squad, but basically, like, being really selective with who I bring into it and being more intentional. Came through a lot of… a lot of, like, life and personal and also work, like, balance type of, issues, I would say that. But I think it was evolving from day one.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:08:55

Okay, got it. Now, Kristen, let's look at the numbers. From a financial and operational standpoint, where do you most often see accountability gaps affecting profitability, and what patterns tend to signal that ownership is missing inside the practice?

Christin Trujillo 00:09:12

Well, I'm gonna touch on what Amy just said. But… and I'm gonna get in a lot of trouble for this, so if I have any folks that we work with on here, just plug your little ears, but honestly, we probably talked about this. It's always the owners, and it's always the leaders. So, in terms of accountability and performance opportunities, if it's financial profitability. There's opportunities with the owners not taking accountability to themselves, and not identifying what is holding me back, or what is the barrier with my team. And then, if it's the team not performing, it's the owner, actually. It's their responsibility. So, Amy, you mentioned vibe, and culture is a huge… thing. So, you know, whenever you are building and you're growing a business, the people that you have on your team, whether it's just one or two people, or it's 14, one person that's underperforming that makes a huge impact in the total dynamic of what's going on in the business. Absolutely. So, you know, I… yeah, I'm sure you've got examples of wrong person, wrong place, right?

Amy Lynn 00:10:26

100%, but then when you look back, and you reflect, you're like, okay, I should have been more on the point. And that's why me, now, and moving forward, is I hold myself accountable. What have I done that I could have done better? Hold myself accountable. make sure that I trust the people that are around me, helping me to lead, so I'm able to do the things I want to grow. And that's the bottom line, but always staying in tune and in touch, because If someone else is not performing, if we're talking numbers, and I'm not a numbers girl, let me just tell you, like, I'm the worst for that, right?

Christin Trujillo 00:11:02

That's like, we all have our place in the world.

Amy Lynn 00:11:05

That's why we all work together, but let me tell you, I'm like a doer, I'm a leader. But that micromanagement piece, like, that's not my jam. That's why I need to make sure that my, leadership is aligned with that, because I don't like doing all that stuff. I need everything to flow, so whether I'm here physically or not, or if I'm on to the next project, I need to make sure my team is completely aligned. and doing the mission, and that everyone's happy. So, my thing is. Like, you have to, like, look back and say, okay, if this employee maybe is not aligning with me right now, what have I done? And check yourself. Hold yourself accountable for that. And if you have all the checks off, you're like, okay, I did my best I could, it's time to let them go. You know, like, that's kind of, like, what I do, so… I think accountability is huge in leadership, and I think that's lacking a lot, honestly, in leadership. I think egos take over. They think, you know, you get your… your head starts spinning, you're getting all this attention, you lose contact, you lose connection with your team. But really, it goes right back to leadership. And I think that it's really important, no matter what, that you stay on a pulse for that.

Christin Trujillo 00:12:19

It's really true, and I'm just gonna touch on a few things that you said, but… It always is leadership. So if you have an underperforming staff, it is leadership. Whether it's the owner, or whether you have leaders in place, it's the leadership either not giving them the resources to be successful, or not holding them accountable. And I believe accountability is kindness. You don't scale a business, and you don't grow a business. You don't retain employees unless you have systems and processes. Unless you are introspective and you're looking at yourself. And how can I support those that are around me, that are around me? Like, I joke about this all the time, but I hire really, really smart, intelligent people over here at Maven. And I talk about this a lot with my clients, but if I were to apply at Maven, there's no way they would interview me. But I want so much to surround myself with the smartest, most brilliant, kindest. people that fit our vibe. Like, we don't have a finance bro vibe over here. Like, it is… it's very warm and, you know, all of the things that I'm looking for, but we also have systems and processes. If someone is failing, I look at myself first, and then I look at, you know, what… what else is in the way?

Amy Lynn 00:13:35

100%. I joke about this, this is a little fun story. So when we did the build-out, when we, you know, expanded and into Globe Academy, which is where I'm sitting right now, I said, I want a big girl office that's, like, my own space, and it's, like, I have five children, so it's like, I want my own personal space.

Christin Trujillo 00:13:54

Yes.

Amy Lynn 00:13:54

Do you know where we all hang out? right back in my office. It's like a sorority house, right? But we're efficient, and we get things done, and we're working. But we enjoy each other, and that's, I think, something like that connection. There's always a balance with, like, being, like, the leader, and also having a leadership staff, and then so on and so forth. But for me, like, I want that family connection that we know when it's time to work, but we can also be real with one another, and I think that's why our culture really, like. like, it's so amazing that people don't… they want to be a part of it, right? And until they experience it, like, we don't want to leave here either, and that's what we also cultivate for our patients.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:14:37

Kristen, I'm just curious, do you have any examples for us of, like, a before and after of, you know, leadership identifying this gap, of accountability, and then, you know. Solving it, and how did that look like? On the page.

Christin Trujillo 00:14:54

Yeah, so… You know, I don't specifically do leadership or coaching or anything like that, but I can tell you that every practice that I work with that has high turnover, I notice certain things. And it's always lack of accountability. Like, I hear the same things from this owner to this owner to this owner. It's like, ugh, well, they just didn't work out, and they weren't doing this. And they weren't doing that. And I hear this over and over and over. And then the businesses and the owners that are really, really successful, or that, you know, maybe they do something about it. Like, me personally, and I talk to a lot of my clients that are struggling with this. Maybe there's an opportunity to hire an executive coach. I have an executive coach. We… I actually, for my team, I keep an executive coach on retainer, so that anyone that wants to leverage them to navigate a difficult situation, to grow and develop in one aspect. of their career, whether it's executive presence, or it's communicating effectively, if it's, you know, navigating a tricky situation. I think it's really, really important. You know, I think we're very comfortable talking about therapy with each other anymore, but, you know, recognizing how I show up in business is really important, how I show up for my team. And so, you know, those are some of the things that I talk about, and also some of the things that are pretty consistent. So, if I see someone struggling and failing, profitability, team. There's typically an opportunity there.

Amy Lynn 00:16:37

Kristen, what is the common thread, though? Just basically the leaders not holding themselves accountable, and they're blaming… It's not them. …everything else. It's never them. But think about that in life, right? Like, you meet a friend, you meet a significant other, and it's like, it's never them, right? So I think, like, on my journey, it's like, okay, where have I… where have I played a role in this, and how can I do better? Therapists? Absolutely. Astrologists? 100%. Spiritualists.

Christin Trujillo 00:17:06

100%, yeah.

Amy Lynn 00:17:08

We have a board of, like, you know, basically support teams, and it's like… and because I'm open to all of it, because we can all, all always do better. The second anybody says, I got it all figured out, like, that's what's scary. And the second that everyone says that, like, everything's going great, but everyone's walking out the door, and you're not… you know, retaining amazing people and stuff, you need to look yourself in the mirror. And realize that you might be the problem. And, like, that's, I think, something that, as leaders and also, like, business owners overall, need to start, like, taking a pause and saying, okay. here we are, and, like, here I am, so let's… it's not always everyone else's issue. Like, I might be the…

Christin Trujillo 00:17:52

And it's a.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:17:52

And Amy…

Amy Lynn 00:17:53

Humbling experience, 100%.

Christin Trujillo 00:17:55

It puts you in a vulnerable place, and a lot of people, it's very uncomfortable, so…

Amy Lynn 00:18:01

I experienced that when I went through my divorce, right? I mean, it went through, like, me putting on this act, and I had to open up Gloderma, and everything was fast and furious, and everyone thought I had the perfect life. It gets exhausting after a while.

Christin Trujillo 00:18:15

Yeah.

Amy Lynn 00:18:15

And then you have to pause and, like, figure it out, and reset, and that's okay. And I think that patients can feel that. I think that my squad members feel that, that you don't always have to put on the act. You can be vulnerable, you can feel safe. And you be in a place that you're supported and loved with, and I think that, as far as retention, that's gonna give you so much value in the long run, as far as happiness and also success.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:18:42

Let's talk a little bit more about that, Amy. As a clinical trainer working with providers at different skill levels, how do you set clear performance expectations while still honoring that individual growth curve and learning style?

Amy Lynn 00:18:54

It's a great question. So, we… so I've evolved with this as well, as far as, like, who I bring in and who I'm going to train and mentor. So, I can say, really happily, I'm looking at Cheryl right now, who's our Director of education, and so many other things. We were the first in the country to actually have, accreditation with Drexel University in Philadelphia, so right in our backyard, to have an official aesthetic medicine co-op. So, this is not only exciting just for us, but for our industry, that now we're being recognized as and actual specialties. So, there's a track. So, as, like, I've learned as… through the process, I've had people who have had experience, no experience. how much dedication I've learned what I need to give to my providers also to be successful, because I don't want to just put somebody in the chair, or in front of the chair, and just say, go inject, like, revenue money, like, that's not it. it is about the whole person, it's a holistic approach. But, Cheryl and I worked on this, and we were the first to do this, which is really exciting. So, we basically have a 6-month co-op with Drexel University, which means that they do their internship or co-op experience with us. Which is awesome, so no one ever wants to leave. So that's been a great retention as far as, like, having somebody come in, try it out for 6 months, and…

Christin Trujillo 00:20:23

I mean, till now, it's been 100% as far as retention with that.

Amy Lynn 00:20:28

So they get to really see, like, behind the scenes. They get trained on front desk, they get trained as a medical assistant, they're in the room all day, every day, they're getting the education. They get to see all of it, and they have access to it all. From there, it's what are you going to do with it? So as far as, like. setting someone up for success. We are really intentional, and we want to make sure that, like. This is actually something they want to do. This sounds great to the majority of people. We want to get out… I mean, I was ER trauma, and I actually loved it, but, you know, get out of these other clinical settings, but, like, what are your intentions? Do you understand the person as, like. the actual, like, human beings who are trusting you with their finances, their personal life, like, they're, like, what do you want to do with it? We are not… like, you know, Groupon, term-by-number, like, kind of thing. We are… we are focused on that person, so I think that's one thing that we've done as far as, like, maintaining standards overall, is making sure that we vet people, and we take people in. that they actually experience the whole thing. From in and out, understand that it's a lot more than just, like, putting something to their face. And to a person, because I hold our patients to, like… I mean, they're… they're my family. Like, they're all of ours, and I would never, ever set someone else on either end of the syringe for not to be successful.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:21:52

There we go. And, Kristen, let's talk a little bit more about the HR side of things. When practice owners struggle with underperformance, how can they address it in a way that protects both team morale and the long-term health of the business?

Christin Trujillo 00:22:07

So, Amy has talked a lot about this, and I don't know if you've said this word, but it's true… it's very… it's very obvious in how you're talking about how you support your team and how you recognize, you know, hey, I am still a person, and I have gone through, you know, peaks and valleys in terms of not just my personal life, but, you know, sometimes work is hard, sometimes life is hard. And I think showing up with authenticity is just so key. Like, we are all human, but the energy must be high, like, and we need to be aware of that, and the vibe must be, you know, where the vibe needs to be, but I think, you know, having that authenticity Is really, really important, especially if you're having difficult conversations. And I also… have a very… you know, I… you said, like, how do you make it not rigid, but I… I have this process that is a performance infrastructure within my organization, and… I also have processes for everything. So how can I set expectations? And it's not personal. Whenever I have a conversation about performance, it is… this is the standard of operations here.

Amy Lynn 00:23:30

Yes.

Christin Trujillo 00:23:31

it's setting the standard. And I talk to our clients about this a lot, so if there's inconsistencies, you know, let's think about patient care.

Amy Lynn 00:23:39

And you were talking about, you know, I want the patients to, like, I'm not going to put somebody that is not skilled.

Christin Trujillo 00:23:46

Like, with a syringe, with this patient, because, you know, I care about the person, but I also care about the patient. Like, what if there's a different experience happening in every room? That's a problem.

Amy Lynn 00:23:55

Right.

Christin Trujillo 00:23:57

That's a big problem. And then, performance infrastructure. So, monthly touch bases. I do this with all of my team members. So, and there's different team members that report to different people, but, like, Steve and I had a conversation today. We have a conversation every single month. And we… and it's very open, so he gives me feedback, I give him feedback, and we identify what we're gonna work on and what we need to change. And… I need to hear it, and sometimes I don't want to hear it, but back to, I'm gonna be authent… you know, have authenticity, I'm gonna be authentic, and I'm gonna have to be humble sometimes.

Amy Lynn 00:24:37

Excellent. Really uncomfortable sometimes.

Christin Trujillo 00:24:42

Oh, tell me that I'm great, and that I'm beautiful and perfect, and like, that's all I want to hear.

Amy Lynn 00:24:46

Affirmations, no, but… how to dial in, and that's kind of, like, the era that I'm in right now, too, like, going through different, like, you know, situations and stuff. It's really, like, focusing in with, like, who do I trust? Who can I be that, like, you know, humble and just, like, raw with? And help me just, like, just get everything, like, back in order, which… it's a great process, but I think that's… that's the way so many people are probably thinking, and they're just afraid to take that chance. But do it, like, with the right people, because…

Christin Trujillo 00:25:20

Right.

Amy Lynn 00:25:21

That's really important.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:25:23

How are you choosing the right people, Amy?

Amy Lynn 00:25:25

Oh, Lord have mercy on me. Kristen, maybe you should take this. How am I choosing… I'm very selective, and I… I, I take my time, for sure. Because, you know, there's… there's times that even if you think that people who are, like, for you and looking after you and everything like that, I gave too much of my trust to that. And I think that moving forward is that I always have to have somewhat of a pulse. on the heart of the business and whatever's going on. So that's a learning curve for me, and I'm excited, I'm not afraid to admit it, and I think that the more people that hear it, I think many people have been in that situation, and that, you know, it's very easy to get into you know, you're doing your thing, you have all the excitement, you're… you have a team going in, like, you know, we're medical providers, we didn't go to business school, we're not CPAs, we didn't know any of this stuff. Like, I was ER trauma, mother of five, like, took a class. hustled, like, concierge, and then here we are at Gloderma, and, like, you're just going, right? How many people are in that same situation, where they're, like, just going, but then it's time to just take a minute? And say, how can I do this better? And how am I not going to repeat the past, right? As far as, like, the different, like, things, because people take advantage of you, and they do. And that's… That's human nature, right? People see an opportunity, they might take advantage of you. But you have to forgive that, and just move beyond it, and I think that's the biggest thing. Don't let that be a block. Take it as a learning opportunity on how you can be better moving forward in the future with momentum. And I think that now I'm just very, very intentional with who I align myself with, whoever, whether it's the squad, my leadership team. CPAs, like, you know, financial advisors, like, everything like that. Now it's time to, like, clean it up, get the core tight, so I can continue to grow with stability. And consistency, and that's kind of, like, my momentum moving forward, is that, because we can all get caught up with that, and it's exciting, and it's great, but then you take a pause, and you're like, whoa, what is going on behind the scenes, even if everything is looking like it's going great?

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:27:50

Yeah. Yeah, and I'm curious, Amy, how do you… how are you reflecting and really moving beyond? What… what's driving that? How does that look like for you on a real basic sample?

Amy Lynn 00:28:03

Roble's example, I think it's just, like, being… holding myself accountable. And taking a pause, and just kind of… not pause in business, or pause in what I'm doing, but just kind of really reflecting and taking a moment to say, okay, here are the systems, what's working, what's not. Because I'm with you, Kristen, like, big time. I am obsessed. with perfecting, like, standard operating procedures. Like, I love to make procedures better, and like, how do we do this? And we're always re-evaluating that in our office, but like, to take a true moment to say, like, okay, what loose ends maybe could be tied up in a loop? why are we not doing it this way? I'm kind of, like, perfecting that way. I hate saying perfecting, I didn't mean to say that, but, like, basically making it more improved and better, and that we're all working together for the same goal. And, yeah, I think accountability… I love the name of this, because I think that it's really… it's real. I think that we all need to hold ourselves accountable more.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:29:06

Right. Now, Kristen, how does empathy show up in leadership decisions relate to compensation?

Amy Lynn 00:29:13

Budgeting and scaling, especially when difficult financial choices need to be made.

Christin Trujillo 00:29:19

Yeah. So… I'm gonna talk about some things that Amy was just talking about, but, you know, you asked her about, like, how do you put the right people in the right place? And… or how do you identify who you're gonna bring on your team? And she answered, well, I take my time. And I think it is really important. So, if you are trying to be profitable, sometimes, you know, slow. is better, and taking your time to get there, and being really intentional about who you add and what you add. Not, you know, trying to collect all of the shiny devices that you see at the show, just to… have them. I don't… I don't know what's going on. And then, like, oh, I want to have 50 locations, or I want to have 50 employees. Well… 50 employees in 50 locations, that's a lot more problems, so why do you want that? And what is the goal? And, you know, are you really understanding where you're at? But I think, you know, if you're having difficult conversations with their team around… with your team around compensation, I get asked about compensation about 17 times a day. That's all we do. We talk about compensation all the time. It's… sensitive to people. Money is sensitive to people. It's people's livelihoods. It's, You know, and the owner, they have… they're on one side of the spectrum, and the employee is on the other side of the spectrum. So, I… I think it's important to also have some standardization with your compensation structures. I think that if you can tie compensation around performance. that it's really helpful, and it makes it, you know, hey, you're coming to me for a raise, but there are opportunities to get raises here. So, you know, something that I like to put together and implement is there's an opportunity for the folks that are making hourly, there's an annual review. Where, based on their performance with all of these different things, they can earn an increase in their base wage. And then, for people that impact, you know, other things within the practice, you can have KPIs, you can have Lots of different things that you evaluate performance on, and if they're contributing to grow the business, if they are making the business a better place, if they're changing the business, you know, we have… these things called core competencies, and it's, like, 12 different things, and it's not just like, did you make money today? It is things like, are you responsible? Do you have integrity? Do you… are you… communicating effectively, collaborating with others, and there's, like, 7 definitions under these. So, it makes having these performance conversations, it's… I'm taking the emotion out of it.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:32:13

Right.

Christin Trujillo 00:32:14

How are you demonstrating these things? And, like, it's just… it's pretty clear. So, I'd say if you don't have an infrastructure and you're constantly battling with a team, because we hear it all the time, like, hey, so-and-so came to me about a race. I'm like, okay, well, do you have a performance review process?

Amy Lynn 00:32:31

You have something that you show adds value, so accountability goes both ways, right? Yes. You can sit there and say, as a leader, I'm holding myself accountable, but you have to hold your staff, your squad, accountable as well. Because everyone will ask, ask, ask, like, as much as they want, but, like, how are you going to do it on the return? So I agree with you completely, Kristen, with what you're saying, like. It's holding everyone accountable.

Christin Trujillo 00:32:59

Everyone. with empathy and providing transparency, so…

Amy Lynn 00:33:03

That's it, we got the trifecta.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:33:06

but transmission.

Christin Trujillo 00:33:08

But we're… I think we're done here.

Amy Lynn 00:33:09

Drop my mic and walk away. Authenticity and transparency, I mean, there we go, secret sauce.

Christin Trujillo 00:33:17

Yes!

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:33:18

Secret solved. Okay, fantastic. Thank you for the…

Amy Lynn 00:33:23

How you doing? Exactly. I'll do a check-in.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:33:27

Now, we do have a question from one of our audience members here. Lizette, is asking, what does work-life balance look like for employees? Can you tell when employees are getting burned out? Amy, let's start with you.

Amy Lynn 00:33:42

Sure. I'm really big with that, for sure. I've had to adjust a lot of things as far as, like, work-life balance. I hate the word balance, right? Because it's, like, I think that's so much pressure. I think it's, like, everyone thinks, like, what am I balancing, and this and that. There's always going to be something, if you're pouring more into a cup at one time, something else might be lacking. So, work… I'm really, really supportive of all of my team members. We literally, like, if someone needs babysitting, my kids are, like, babysitting, like, my squad members, like, little kids, because they're all older now, or, like, we work together, like, it's very cohesive, but that's the environment that we have. And no one takes advantage of that, which is amazing, because I think it's really important that you have a work-life balance. I never want anybody to feel that they're drained and, like, they're missing out on something because they're here. We all have to put in the effort, and when you earn that, then, like, that's something that I really have a strong, you know, value for.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:34:47

And when can you tell when employees are getting burned out?

Amy Lynn 00:34:49

We talk.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:34:51

Okay.

Christin Trujillo 00:34:51

Yeah, you need to talk.

Amy Lynn 00:34:54

Easy That's it.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:34:56

I hope…

Amy Lynn 00:34:57

Communication.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:34:59

Okay, no talk, and…

Christin Trujillo 00:35:01

I can touch on that a little bit. I mean, just going back to the things that Amy and I have both spoken about, but just having these monthly touch bases, and I don't know how often… you know, I talk to my team every day, but these monthly touch bases are very… they're very intentional, and we have an agenda, and we talk about things, so there's a feedback exchange, there's things that you're working on. And there's, like, this portion of, like, how are you doing? And, like, tell me what's going well, tell me what's not. Tell me what's standing in your way, let's talk about that. So, I don't want to be surprised by burnout. Now, I also am very much of the mindset, I do not subscribe or believe that there is this thing that every day is perfectly balanced. It's a very long spectrum of… It's never like that. Some days are harder, and some weeks are more demanding, and some are not. But can we all support each other in a way? Like, I've got a very flexible, you know, my team works really hard, like, the folks that I work with. So, you know, just kind of giving an example like that, but I am also going to be flexible. If somebody, like, needs to do something, there's, like, a personal something going on, like… you've got a sick relative, or, you know, actually don't even ask me about PTO, like, just make sure you follow this process, and let me know, and how can I support you in this time of need? And if I have somebody that takes advantage of it, then I probably have the wrong person on my.

Amy Lynn 00:36:37

And you're done. I mean, that's… that's the thing, it's like, if that happens, but, like, that's… I think we've weaned a lot of that out here, honestly, probably 100%. And we all support one another, because we all actually love to be here with each other, and we go through, like, withdrawal, but, like, we're all working together for the same goal, is to make people feel and look more confident. glow out in the universe, and I know that sounds very cliche, but that's always been our motto, and… people come in, even any of our squad members, they might be having a day, and they can decompress, but we know that we can compartmentalize and do that, and we can figure it out after, but everyone leaves feeling better, you know? And that's always been the mission with that, but I think that Making sure that you communicate and you talk about it, that if someone's feeling lost or going through something, just talk about it. Communication is key.

Christin Trujillo 00:37:35

It's… it really is. It's so key. I've had multiple conversations over the last 6 months. Like, we have had a lot of growth. So with a lot of growth, I am constantly having to hire. And if I'm constantly having to hire, as you know, and you'll see this on the clinical side, but if you are spending all of your time training. Then you're not doing other things, and training someone to do something takes double the amount of time. Right. So, just being, you know, cognizant, having these touchpoints, recognizing when you need to make decisions in your business. If you are very aware, if you're very in tune, if you're constantly evaluating how the team is doing, how processes are going, you know, patient satisfaction, we're talking about, you know, you and your practice, like, are patients leaving feeling this way? Because the last thing that I would want is for a patient to feel the energy of it being stressful in my environment. So I take a lot of things that are going on with me as a business owner, and… because it's all relative. But.

Amy Lynn 00:38:40

I agree with you a million percent, honestly. I can't… I can't even say a thousand percent, a million percent. Because then it dilutes the brand, and it dilutes the business.

Christin Trujillo 00:38:51

It does.

Amy Lynn 00:38:51

So that's why you need to pour into them, but they need to pour it back to you as well. It needs to be a relationship. Right? So, like, it's not so much, like, what I can do, but it's also up to you to identify the people that are gonna pour it back to you as well, and then everyone wins. It's very simple.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:39:11

communication, and structured communication at that time.

Christin Trujillo 00:39:15

Jim's here.

Amy Lynn 00:39:16

There we go. We have the trifecta. We have to, like, brand that.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:39:21

Absolutely. So, before we continue, I would like to share a small message from our sponsor here. So, we are halfway through, and we've talked a lot about ownership and gaps. One of the biggest gaps is new patient flow. You can have the best internal culture, but if your phone isn't ringing with high-value patients, the stress will return. So earlier, we asked when a patient searches for you by looking up either Botox near me, Morpheus 8 costs. Lip fillers before and after near me. Are you the practice that gets found, trusted, and chosen? Well, our sponsor, Echo Marketing, are supporting over 500 plus healthcare practices, and they are offering something incredible, especially for this group here tonight. So, it is a complimentary marketing strategy meeting. In your strategy session, you'll sit down with a senior marketing analyst who already works with thriving aesthetic practices across North America. You'll get a live audit of how you can attract more clients, build your reputation, and grow sustainably. The marketing analyst will actually spend several hours researching your online presence, your competition, your local SEO, everything. And they'll come to the call ready to walk you through custom recommendations just for your practice. Now, this session is designed to help you answer those questions and fix anything that's not quite working. It's usually a $900 valued session. Completely complimentary for you tonight. You'll see a QR code on the screen, you can scan that with your phone to book your session, or check the chat for a direct link. It'll take less than a minute to book. Availability is limited since, as I mentioned, every audit involves real research into your local market. Now, perhaps here's how to think about offers like this. What's the risk if you say yes? Honestly, it'll just be your time, there's no obligation whatsoever, but what's the risk if you don't? Well, you might be missing out on something that could really help you grow your practice in 2026. So I'll leave that with you, but truly, encourage you to book your opportunity, and it'll be time well spent.

Amy Lynn 00:41:30

Thank you.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:41:32

Thank you, Amy. Right. So… Amy, let's talk about the mechanism of correction. What does effective feedback look like in a high-performing aesthetic team, and how do you ensure it motivates and Motivates improvement rather than defensiveness.

Amy Lynn 00:41:53

That's great. So we do a culture survey at least once annually, just so, like, it's totally anonymous. And, I mean, anonymous, but I get to see what the answers are, but I'm just kidding. But it's a really good self-evaluation as well, that, like, everyone can feel really confident that if there are areas that they feel they could be lacking. We just did this recently, and it was so cool, I will say, comparing 2 years ago to now. like, the practice gaps and, like, the concerns, I mean, it was like… it was like a 180 night and day. And I was just so proud of, like, my team and, like. me, a little bit, too, that, like, we've… we've identified, that's why you do this. Like, so when you have these, like, culture, like, you know, evaluations. you have to be raw and real, and I never want anyone to feel like they have to, like, answer these questions, because they are afraid, right? Because we're a team, and we're a squad, and a family, like I said. But compared to 2 years ago, to now the growth that we've made. In leadership, in what we've done to basically execute some of the concerns from back then. I was, like. I was so happy. It was like this, like, I'm like, wow, like, we're doing… we're doing pretty good. So we… we… we do do those. We make sure that we're consistent with, squad meetings, as far as, like, you know, general, like, check-ins, like. day-to-day, like, here we are with this, because, you know, we're a busy practice, but we are also very close, but a lot of times, like, not everyone's connected to the communication, so we make sure that we're really consistent with that. And, What was the original question? I'm gonna ask you again. Was that… how do we do it together? Because I could just.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:43:46

So, it's… Of course, what does effective feedback look like in a high-performing…

Amy Lynn 00:43:51

So, effective feedback was… so, I went back and I looked at the comments from 2 years ago. And I could have either gotten, like, like, oh my god, like, you know, back up and, like, upset, and like… mad, or just assumed who said what, or this and that. No. what I did 2 years ago was look at that feedback, and I… and I played it into a way that was going to be effective and implement that moving forward. And I executed that. So, when look… like, it's almost like 2 years goes like this, right? A lot of the feedback was not pointed directly to me, but how things could have been done better culturally. You know, on the day-to-day. there was a lot of things, like, happening. Not necessarily… it wasn't, like, that bad, but I took it, but I'm, like, looking at it 2 years later. I'm, like, so happy that the feedback is completely… it's like night and day. And I'm just… I think that that's how I take the VBAC. I love constructive criticism, especially with people that I love and value, but, that was really an eye-opener, and I was really proud of, the entire team and squad.

Christin Trujillo 00:45:09

proud of you, I love that story!

Amy Lynn 00:45:11

Yeah, it was cool. Like, I do the, Gallup Strength Finders, you know.

Christin Trujillo 00:45:17

Yeah, I didn't.

Amy Lynn 00:45:17

Sweet. I love that, right?

Christin Trujillo 00:45:20

Yes.

Amy Lynn 00:45:20

And I had everyone redo it, because I wanted to see, like, how they grew within that, because we are… we're always growing, so it was interesting to see, like, what someone's strengths were, or, like, two, three years ago, to what they are now. And it just shows evolvement, and then… but actually, the culture survey, which I've stressed this a lot in our conversation, is so important to see the difference from either… even, like, 2 years ago to now. You think you're doing great, but then you're like, wow. look where we've moved into, that, like, I'm just really happy about that.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:45:56

That's wonderful. And is it something that is scheduled to happen, like, annually?

Amy Lynn 00:46:02

Annually, yes. Once a year we do that. As far as, like, squad meetings, we do that, like, every month. As far as check-ins, but we have routine with leadership, like, even, like, twice a month, just to check in with providers, make sure everything's good. It's an open door here, as far as, like, scheduling and, like, just, like, making sure that we have time for that, even if I'm off-site. Communication, again, comes into a big play, but making sure that you schedule even, like, once a month, or every other month. A whole group setting to, like, sit down and say, like, this is what's going on, these are our goals, and making sure that all communication from every single aspect of the business is being handled.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:46:46

Right. Kristen, you, seemed like you wanted to add something there?

Christin Trujillo 00:46:50

I just got really excited about a culture survey. I think it's… I'll send it to you. We made it up. Yes. I… I use one with my business, but I encourage this for a lot of practice owners, especially if we're having conversation after conversation about performance, about… Just people not meeting expectations, and lack of accountability, and… I had a similar experience, actually. We did one maybe 2 or 3 years ago, and there were some things about the way that I show up as a leader. And there were also things where I had someone that was in the… wrong person, wrong place, right? So, it's really important to evaluate, and this is not specific to my business, so I talk about my business whenever I'm talking to practice owners, because it's all the same. It… I'm not doing needles in a face, like, I accidentally went to a cadaver lab once, like, Lord help me, that was not my place in the world, I'm in the world of spreadsheets. But, you know, we're… where I'm taking care of practice owners, you're taking care of patients. There's systems and processes, and there's… there's… there are things that need to be, you know, pretty consistent, and a lot of similarities, but… You know, there was a lot of just feedback in general. identified it, really reflected, it hurt my feelings. And once again, being humble is just gonna have to be part of it. Like, it's not gonna feel comfortable. And I, like, sometimes I've got my instinctive nature is to take things personally. I can't take it personally. I have to… I gotta do something about it. I need to sit with it. Because my instinct is to feel frustrated, and like, that couldn't be me. That was somebody else, obviously.

Amy Lynn 00:48:47

Not to… not to intervene, what is your sign?

Christin Trujillo 00:48:50

I'm a Taurus.

Amy Lynn 00:48:51

Okay, I'm a Gemini, so I'm a cusper, though, so I get that. Just wanted to… yes.

Christin Trujillo 00:48:57

Well, we prefaced that we were gonna mix astrology into this before we started, so here it.

Amy Lynn 00:49:02

It's really important.

Christin Trujillo 00:49:04

And, Mercury retrograde, we had the, yeah, the lunar eclipse.

Amy Lynn 00:49:08

All the things.

Christin Trujillo 00:49:09

Like, all the things.

Amy Lynn 00:49:10

Using, like, right?

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:49:11

I had to lose.

Christin Trujillo 00:49:12

Literally.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:49:12

Yep. Right now.

Amy Lynn 00:49:14

It's actually happening as we speak.

Christin Trujillo 00:49:17

As we speak. So, anyway, we're gonna have to wrap this up so we can all bask in it, but anyway, so… I had to make some changes. I worked with my executive coach, I brought her the feedback, and… I think if you take anything away, if you reflect on yourself, if you look in the mirror, like you said, if you… send your clients a survey. It sounds like you'll… like, if anybody wants to reach out to Amy, she's got a culture survey for your practice. I think that's a really great best practice to at least do once a year.

Amy Lynn 00:49:51

Yeah.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:49:51

Wonderful, wonderful. And, we have a question from one of our attendees as well, Akash. Asks, patients, you know, requests, questions, problems are 24-7, but employees aren't. How do you mitigate that without doing it all yourself and burning out as the owner? Amy, let's say…

Amy Lynn 00:50:12

I have an amazing leadership team that we have systems aligned. As I, like, I know I've mentioned that we're very family-oriented and we're very cohesive, but we do have a lot of systems aligned as to who and what you go to for certain things. even in a smaller… I would say, you know, we're 13, 14 people, we have some per diems here now. I think that's really important with that, and that's why I don't get burned out. So, I travel a lot, I educate a lot, I… that's… Like, as a business owner, it's like, what do you want your life to look like? Do you want to be stuck in, like… not suck, but like, is that what you want to do the rest of your life? Or do you want to grow a legacy for not only yourself, but also your family, and everyone that comes into it, so that you have flexibility in order to experience other opportunities? I mean, that's where I'm at right now. And you need to make sure that you have the core tight, and that you trust every single person that's working with you from start to finish, and everything in between, in order to do that, because Why, why, why do people start businesses, right? Like, I'll ask you guys that. Like, why do people start businesses? Just so what? make money? Or do you want a lifestyle? Do you want a legacy? Do you want to, like, provide that for every single person around you? So that's… that's where I'm at with my point. It's like, it's not about the money, it's not about the fame, it's about how do I make a system that everyone is also… basically, like, gaining and, like, thriving and doing great, but I also am enjoying my life.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:51:56

There we go.

Christin Trujillo 00:51:57

I think that is such a great point. You know, back to the accountability piece, I feel like so many people think that they are participants in life, and that life is happening to them. Correct. But we're creating it, and you're creating your business, and that's why you, as the owner, as the leader. it's foundational for you to identify what needs to be better. I talk about SWOT analysis. So, are you as a leader, not just, you know, being pensive and retrospective or introspective about what is happening, and… and how can I make this better? You know, the processes and the systems that you put in place when you… it was just you, versus two people, versus three people, it probably looks a lot different now that it's 14, right?

Amy Lynn 00:52:48

Absolutely. Absolutely. You just have to put the right people in alignment. That are aligned with your involvement, basically. And there's gonna be some that come and go, and you have to be accepting of that. And I think that that's what happens sometimes. So… I question sometimes people who want to open up their own practice, and they think it's all… It's a lot, right? But it's worth it if it's for the right reason.

Christin Trujillo 00:53:16

And you put yourself in a position that you align yourself with the best people in the world, like.

Amy Lynn 00:53:21

I couldn't imagine… I, like, I… I pinch myself sometimes. And I'm like, me, like, 15 years ago, I could never thought that I was doing this in a gazillion years, right? It just happened, it was very authentic. And I'm so grateful each and every day, but I didn't force any of this. I didn't put out my intention for money, for, like, success, for fame, or anything like that whatsoever. I just wanted to make a positive impact, and I just went with it. So, I mean, but you need to have your systems align in order to actually maintain that and sustain that.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:53:59

Kristen, I have a follow-up question from, the previous question, actually. Yeah.

Christin Trujillo 00:54:04

Okay.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:54:05

with regards to, you know, handling criticism from your teammates, having a look back at things, right, the annual review. So, you mentioned, both of you all mentioned that, you know, you had to kind of do a little bit of a double take on your own involvement in, you know, how you are showing up. So I'm just curious as to what was the best format that you got feedback in that made the biggest impact.

Christin Trujillo 00:54:34

For me, I get feedback regularly from my team whenever I'm having these one-on-ones. I advise practice owners, if you are not doing this, and you don't have a system, and a lot of the issues that we talk about on a day-to-day basis, it goes back to there are no performance, there's no opportunity for you to have conversation with your team. For you to understand and have open conversation. Because they're intimidated to receive the feedback, it's also overwhelming and intimidating to give the feedback. A lot of people don't want to have these tough conversations. And it's not tough, it's kind. And I think what Amy was saying, like, you know, you had positive intention, and it wasn't to get X, Y, and Z. And I talked to a lot of… a lot of folks that are like, oh, I heard this med spa thing is really taking off, I think I'm gonna open them, and I'm gonna be sitting on an island in 5 years after I acquire 50 of them. And I'm like, well, you know. like that. But anyway, I don't mean to pop your bubble, but anyway, you know, the business owners that are really, really successful, they… they are evolving, and they're having fun, and they're doing things the right way, and if something is disruptive. in the energy, the environment, the output, the patient care, the leadership, the community, all of the things, then they recognize it, and it does go by just like that, because you're just working. And it's not even cognizant that you're doing it, you just want to do good. And the business owners that want to do good and be good, they get good.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:56:19

And Kristen, what I really meant was, like, okay, I'm going to give you some feedback now, as part… as your employee. And so, I'm gonna say, Kristen, I don't… I don't like how you are holding the meetings. Or, do you want feedback like that, or else something… like, because you mentioned KPIs, being responsible for them, you know, part of the core competencies, or should I be giving you feedback like Kristen? I think… I'm not… I… I bring the data.

Christin Trujillo 00:56:52

I get what you're saying now, that's a great question. It's a very great question. And Amy, I'm sure you have to do this with your team, but it's really important that we are psychologists as an owner, and you need to understand it's not your employee's responsibility to change who they are and how they communicate to you. It is your responsibility as the owner and as the leader for you to flex to them, always. So, whenever I am talking to people. really anyone. I am studying how you are. Do you like… information in bite-sized pieces? Do you like it very direct? Do you… do I need to soften it? Because what I say to this person, even if it's the same message and the same outcome, I'm going to tailor it to you. And I think it's really important that you take that time, and you are… who am I surrounding myself around? How can I show up for them?

Amy Lynn 00:57:51

So we talk a lot about what are your love languages, right? So… so I can… and it sounds funny, but honestly, like, everybody learns. And, like, how do I cultivate that… that human, right, and to be the best person. I cannot… I have 5 children. I cannot parent all my 5 children the same way. They're 5 different humans, right? So, how could I expect to have, like, a standard of how I'm gonna bring out the best in this one, in this one? as a squad, I need to learn them and understand, like, what motivates them, and how can I, like, also cultivate, like, that sort of consistency. Within organization, and it can't always be like, so, this is what you do, like, black and white. No, you have to be adaptable. You have to humanize every experience, whether it's seeing patients and also with your squad in that direction. So I think it's really, really important.

Christin Trujillo 00:58:49

Okay, so I give the analogy about, you know, I use animals and I use plants. So, are you gonna teach a fish to climb a tree? No, I'm not gonna teach the fish to climb a tree. I'm gonna teach the bear to climb a tree, or the cat to climb a tree. And if you think about the team around you, you probably have some tomato plants, and you've got an orchid, and you have a succulent, and I cannot give them all the same amount of sunlight, and the same amount of water, and the same environment. Because that succulent, it's going to die in this environment, but if I put it in this one, it will thrive. Right. So…

Amy Lynn 00:59:25

I love that analogy, that was beautiful.

Christin Trujillo 00:59:28

Thank you.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:59:29

Thank you so much for the answers, and now we have arrived at the top of the hour. So before we wrap things out, a rapid-fire session, real quickly. Amy, let's see, what is one sentence you want every leader to write on a post-it note and stick onto their computer tomorrow?

Amy Lynn 00:59:50

Oh, jeez. Live every day like it's your last.

Don Adeesha (Host) 00:59:56

Okay. Absolutely. Kristen, what is the one financial habit that will give them the peace of mind to lead with empathy?

Christin Trujillo 01:00:10

The one financial piece of advice that will allow folks to lead with empathy.

Don Adeesha (Host) 01:00:15

I think that is a loaded question, Dawn.

Christin Trujillo 01:00:18

But… I… I do think that… you know, your financials shouldn't be scary, but you should be looking at them, and you should be aware of them. And so, if you are aware, it's gonna make them less… Frightening and less intimidating, so you can… act with empathy and not make rash decisions, because I haven't looked at it in 6 months, and oh, now there's a problem. There's a leaky bucket that I gotta… I got a plug, but…

Amy Lynn 01:00:48

Let's do one more rapid fire. Come on, let's go. Come on, Don. Come around.

Don Adeesha (Host) 01:00:54

Well… How about if we wrap it up by saying, if a practice owner wants to immediately strengthen accountability while maintaining empathy, what's the foundational shift they should prioritize first?

Amy Lynn 01:01:05

That's a long sentence I want to say. What should I prioritize? What do they want their life to look like moving forward? And it's not always about the moment, it's about what do you want in the big picture, right? Your foundation, who you surround yourself with, and make sure that you are always protected, for sure.

Don Adeesha (Host) 01:01:29

Okay. Kristen, same question to you.

Christin Trujillo 01:01:33

I will default to Amy's answer, because that was perfect and beautiful.

Don Adeesha (Host) 01:01:37

Thank you.

Christin Trujillo 01:01:38

Yes.

Don Adeesha (Host) 01:01:39

That truly… that truly was.

Christin Trujillo 01:01:42

I know! This was so fun! Yeah. Let's do it again.

Don Adeesha (Host) 01:01:46

Amazing, amazing. So, we've covered incredible ground tonight, from redefining accountability to the financial frameworks that support it, as well as communication being such an integral part in it. Amy Lynn, Kristin Trujillo. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and insights with us. Two final reminders to everyone, the ECWA gift, claim your complimentary Equa Strategy Meeting. If patients in your city are searching for injectables, lasers, body contouring, make sure you're the one they find, trust, and choose. Links in the chat, one last time, limited spots, book now. Feedback. A survey will pop up as you exit. Please take 30 seconds to fill it out. It'll allow us to bring even better events to you. And of course, to our audience member, remember, empathy is not weakness. It is the field that allows accountability to stick. On behalf of Business of Aesthetics, I'm Dana Deisha. Go build a team that owns their results. Good night, everyone.

Amy Lynn 01:02:49

Good night.

Don Adeesha (Host) 01:02:51

Night.

BOA •