Hi Cassie, please tell us about your experience as an RN and CRNA.

I went to Emory University for nursing and worked as a CVICU nurse in Atlanta for 3 years before returning to VCU’s Nurse Anesthesia program. I’ve been working as a CRNA in Richmond, VA since 2012. I loved working as a CRNA (and still do), however I did get tired of the overnights, call, and lack of flexibility. Not to mention my anesthesia group had been bought out 3 times since I started working! Each time someone else was dictating my pay, my benefits, and my work schedule. I was sick of it…

Why did you decide to open an aesthetics and Botox clinic?

Sometime around 2018 a good friend of mine told me she gets Botox, and I was surprised. She wasn’t the stereotypical “type of person” I thought got Botox. She looked really natural. Then she started listing off all our other friends who did too, haha! And my immediate thought was, “I should inject Botox.” Even before I started receiving treatments myself, I knew it seemed like something I would like. My CRNA background had made me an expert with facial anatomy and procedurally with needles, which is one reason why I love teaching this! So, I thought on it for a while, and once I took my first class, I was full steam ahead! I loved the idea of this business giving me the opportunity to be an entrepreneur and dictate my own schedule. I also loved that I could start slowly while working full time and cut back on my CRNA hours as my aesthetics practice grew.

What types of patients do you typically see in an aesthetics clinic?

The majority of my clients are females in their late 20s to 50s. About 10% of my clients are men at this time, but it is also a growing market and just as a bonus, it takes double the Botox to treat men, which means double the profit! I have clients across every tax bracket contrary to what many people expect. I have schoolteachers, doctors, CEOs and college students. The one thing they all have in common is they want to feel a little bit better about their appearance.

What do you find rewarding about aesthetics and providing Botox injections to your patients?

I love seeing the look on clients’ faces when they look in the mirror and smile. I’m not changing the way anyone looks, I’m accentuating their best qualities and minimizing ones that bother them. The confidence in which we move through the world is tied to how we feel about ourselves. I love the personal connection and trust that my clients share.

Is there a passive income opportunity at all with aesthetics for the nurse practitioner?

As you grow a medspa, you can hire injectors, estheticians, practice manager, etc. However, I find when I’m working for my own business, it doesn’t feel like work! No clocking in or out and all the hassles that come along with employment. If anything, I have to set time aside where I don’t allow myself to work so I can enjoy the fruits of my labor. I’m about to take a 6 week long trip to Siesta Key with my family to do just that while the nurse practitioner on my team runs the show at the spa!

If your state allows it, you can also hire RNs to do the injections for you after you have done the Good Faith Examination on the patient. In many full practice authority states, a nurse practitioner can act as a medical director for a medspa, so again, there are passive income sources there!

Do you feel like there is any type of experience that would be ideal for the nurse practitioner interested in doing aesthetics and Botox injections? Could a relatively new nurse practitioner do this?

In my opinion really any NP can do Botox injections. It is a skill to be learned just like we learned so many other hands-on skills throughout nursing. Being comfortable with needles and having a good aesthetic eye are very helpful. There is an art to this, but there is also a technique that can EASILY be learned through step-by-step instruction. Hands on training is not completely necessary for the nurse practitioner who is comfortable with a needle, as neurotoxin injections themselves are easy and safe as long as you have the education behind you.

Justin Allan who operates Elite NP utilized my video instruction only to begin doing this for his men’s health patients with great success so far, so in my opinion, any nurse practitioner can learn to do this with the right information.

Are Botox injections safe?

Yes. The best and worst thing about Botox is that it only lasts three months. All undesired effects of Botox will wear off in that time.

How much did it cost you to start your aesthetics practice?

Ballpark $10,000, give or take a few thousand depending on your area. Check out https://injectablesedu.com/botox-business-start-up-cost/

How profitable can a basic aesthetics practice providing Botox be?

Doing Botox can be very profitable! It’s a cash business with return customers every 3 months. Botox alone can make a great side business doing mobile/concierge Botox and can grow into a full blown med spa. The first tier of Botox businesses are friends and family and/or a Botox party or 2 a month. If you can treat 5 people on a regular basis (30units per person every 3 months), you will break even in your business which includes courses, malpractice, and everything else. If you have your sister-in-law, neighbor, best friends’ wife, etc. as patients, you can start a break even Botox business and, for the most part, get your own product for free! (Who can’t use an injection here or there for themselves?). As you can see, you can become profitable very easily. There is a low bar for entry with this, and you will be eligible for business tax deductions from your LLC to boot!

How difficult is it to get started?

It is as difficult as you make it, but with the right steps, it is very attainable for any nurse practitioner. As far as barrier to entry, the financial and time investment is very doable, even if you are working full-time! You need to take a quality class (like the Elite NP Aesthetics and Botox Course), research you state laws to see if you need a medical director, open pharmaceutical accounts, and order the medical supplies. Once you do this, you are ready to roll.

Has malpractice insurance been an issue?

Malpractice insurance can be obtained from multiple companies and may be covered under the policy you already carry for yourself. A typical aesthetics policy is $2000/year.

Any specific regulations that a nurse practitioner interested in aesthetics should know about?

There are significant regulatory differences based on your state that can impact things like who can be a medical director, what staff can you hire to inject for you, etc. We talk about how to find these answers in the Elite NP Aesthetics and Botox class just FYI.

Are there any certifications or licenses that an NP needs to have to get started with Botox?

Malpractice insurance will ask for a certificate from completing an aesthetics course which you will receive from most courses, including ours. But the short answer is, NO, a certification is not required to do this.

Any additional information you would like to share to the Elite NP readership about aesthetics and Botox injections?

I love doing aesthetics, especially Botox as it is safe, effective, profitable, and my patients love it. I would highly recommend that any nurse practitioner consider doing this as a side hustle.

I also wanted to mention that I will be offering Elite NP Hands-On Only classes for anyone who takes the online course and wants to have hands on training with me in person. The online course will teach you everything you need to know to get started, but some people still will want hands on training, which is why I am providing this. I’d also recommend checking out injectablesedu.com for even more beginner free info and resources.

Thank you for the interview Cassie! It has been a pleasure collaborating with you on the aesthetics course and I learned a tremendous amount about neurotoxin injections from the clinical education you provide in the course. I am now doing this in my men’s health practice as an accessory service and so far, the response has been tremendous!

Reminder, the Aesthetics and Botox Clinic Course is still on sale until 7/3. This course will teach you everything you need to know to get an aesthetics practice up and running in addition to teaching you the clinical foundation of Botox/Neurotoxin injections! We cover everything you need to get started. Be sure to take advantage of the discounted price before the sale ends on 7/3!