This week, AmSpa founder Alex R. Thiersch, JD, sits down with Lina Colleli, MSN, FNP-C, founder of Artmedica Aesthetics in Northern Virginia. Lina shares her journey from fashion and beauty into aesthetic medicine, what it has been like launching her own medical spa, and why she believes the pretreatment consultation is one of the most overlooked yet powerful tools in the industry. She breaks down her signature approach to building trust, educating patients, and creating treatment plans that drive both satisfaction and retention. Lina also reflects on social media’s role in her rapid growth, the realities of business ownership, and her long-term vision for teaching and empowering the next generation of injectors.

Key Moments in the Conversation

• Lina’s background and journey from fashion editing and freelance makeup artistry to aesthetic medicine;
• What inspired her to open ArtMedica Aesthetics and the emotions of launching the practice;
• The surprising challenges of business ownership, including inventory management and onboarding staff;
• How social media built her patient base and continues to drive 90 percent of new inquiries;
• Why the pretreatment consult is an essential yet undervalued aspect of patient care;
• How she structures a consult to uncover true concerns, educate clearly, and build long-term trust;
• Strategies for setting expectations, discussing pricing, and guiding patients without feeling sales focused;
• Navigating patient information overload from social media and correcting misconceptions with biology and science;
• Managing a four to five month waitlist and her plans to grow a clinical team to better serve patients;
• Her long-term goal of building an educational academy and stepping into a larger teaching role;
• What she is looking forward to at Medical Spa Show 2026.

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This week, AmSpa founder Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Jennifer Orechwa, founder and CEO of Salt Marketing, a boutique agency helping medical spas and aesthetic practices turn their story into strategy. Orechwa shares why Salt Marketing chose to focus on aesthetics, how StoryBrand became her go-to approach (she’s a certified coach!), and the proven strategies med spas need to build with authenticity. Listen to learn:

• The five-part framework for a marketing system that attracts, converts and scales;
• How StoryBrand positions the patient as the hero, and why that matters;
• Common marketing mistakes med spas make and how to fix them;
• Affordable resources for small med spa or solo practitioners;
• AI and how to keep your brand authenticity as you grow.

Find more insights at saltmarketing.co and check out the Worth Your Salt podcast.

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The male aesthetic market is growing, so we spoke to the expert to find out how to get them in your med spa’s door. This week, AmSpa founder Alex R. Thiersch, JD, sits down with Terrence Keaney, MD, board-certified dermatologist, co-founder of SkinDC, and clinical associate professor at George Washington University, to explore what drives men into aesthetic practices and how providers can meet their unique needs. From seasonality trends and internal marketing strategies to the impact of GLP-1 medications and the rise of hair restoration, Dr. Keaney shares data-driven insights and practical tips for attracting and retaining male patients while delivering natural, confidence-boosting results. Listen for insights on:

• Why men remain an underappreciated demographic and how to change that;
• The treatments men want most: neurotoxins, jawline contouring, and hair restoration;
• How internal marketing and re-consults increase male patient engagement;
• The role of social media and word-of-mouth in influencing men’s decisions;
• Addressing fears of “looking unnatural” and combating filler misinformation;
• GLP-1 users: five aesthetic concerns and how to treat them;
• Why regenerative medicine is the next frontier in aesthetics.

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Adding longevity services doesn’t have to mean massive overhead. In this episode, AmSpa founder Alex R. Thiersch, JD, talks with Jaclyn Kawwas, Head of Commercial at Peak Health, about how her team built a platform that makes launching or expanding longevity medicine simple and profitable for aesthetic practices. Learn how Peak combines personalized protocols with advanced diagnostics, including comprehensive lab panels and imaging to metabolic monitoring, wearables, and performance testing. This conversation covers:

• Kawwas' career path and why she pivoted to longevity health;
• What “longevity medicine” means and how it differs from functional medicine;
• The biggest barriers for patients and providers in accessing longevity care;
• How Peak Health’s infrastructure and telemedicine platform work for med spas;
• Practical steps to launch longevity services without heavy investment;
• Driving revenue and retention while expanding your audience; and
• Marketing support and early access partnership opportunities.

Learn more and apply for early access at getpeakhealth.com. --

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“How can you make sure that you feel as good about your face as you do about your body?” AmSpa founder Alex R. Thiersch, JD, sits down with Tara Capalbo, MBA, General Manager and VP, Head of U.S. Aesthetics at Galderma, for a live conversation at AmSpa headquarters.

They talk about how millions of GLP‑1 users are reshaping aesthetic patient demand, Galderma’s phase IV clinical study on facial changes after medication-driven weight loss, and the new Sculpt & Lift injection paradigm designed to help patients restore their appearance with natural-looking results. Listen for insights on:

• Her transition from pharma and first six months leading U.S. Aesthetics at Galderma;
• The GLP‑1 phenomenon, declining visit frequency among traditional aesthetic patients, and why Galderma invested early in a phase IV study;
• What the research found about “Ozempic face,” facial volume loss, and skin laxity, and new restorative combination treatment options with Sculptra and Restylane;
• Expert consensus on when to start treatment during the weight-loss journey and how to package care with share-of-wallet in mind;
• Launching a direct-to-consumer campaign that reframes filler language for patient confidence;
• Provider tools: in-office pamphlets and digital assets to bring up aesthetics earlier in the patient journey;
• What’s next at Galderma: 2026 launches, GAIN training, and global trends.

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Are missed calls and slow responses costing your med spa business? In this episode of Medical Spa Insider, AmSpa founder Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Yan Lee, Head of Sales and Partnerships at Zidy, an AI-powered communication platform designed to help aesthetic practices book more appointments, increase Google reviews, and streamline client communication. Lee shares how Zidy consolidates messages from text, phone, social media, and web chat into one intuitive dashboard, enabling med spas to respond faster, schedule appointments after hours, and attract more clients. Listen to learn:

• How Zidy started in real estate and evolved to serve med spas.
• Why AI phone answering can boost revenue for small practices that miss calls during treatments.
• How Zidy’s unified inbox improves response times and client satisfaction.
• Why Google reviews matter for search visibility—and how Zidy automates requests.
• How a California med spa tripled reviews and booked extra appointments after hours using Zidy.
• Pricing options, AmSpa member discounts, and what’s next for AI in aesthetics.

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This week on Medical Spa Insider, we revisit a conversation with Michael Olson, sales manager at MyAdvice. Together, he and AmSpa’s Alex Thiersch discuss the changes in marketing strategy that medical spas need to make as they grow. Their conversation includes:

• Marketing needs specific to the aesthetic industry;
• How partnerships with marketing firms should work;
• What to look for when choosing a digital marketing company;
• Changing your marketing strategy as your practice grows;
• How your online presence gets people in the door;
• Big changes that would require you to rethink your marketing;
• Marketing to retain your top providers;
• And more!

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Can artificial intelligence drive the ability to be more human? This week on Medical Spa Insider, AmSpa founder Alex Thiersch sits down with Rachel Sanders, MBA, Chief Marketing Officer of Rhodium Software (Rhodium.is.beauty). Sanders, whose career evolved from investment banking to wellness entrepreneurship, describes how Rhodium uses AI to help clinics drive growth so they can focus on the human connection at the heart of every patient interaction. Listen for:

• What Rhodium is and how it makes your EMR smarter;
• Five core areas Rhodium automates: retention, loyalty, analytics, workflows, and communications;
• How Rhodium simplifies scheduling and campaign building;
• Why ease of use is critical for med spa tech adoption;
• Why AI-native platforms outperform retrofitted tech;
• Rhodium’s growth and its mission to support human-first care;
• Using trained AI to answer aesthetic questions after hours;
• The future of aesthetics, women’s health and the client experience.

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