Building a 5-Star Med Spa: Team Culture, Social Media, & Patient Loyalty- Interview w/ Haley Wood

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In the world of medical aesthetics, there is often a perceived gap between clinical expertise and business acumen. Many practitioners excel with the needle but struggle with the spreadsheet.

In a recent deep-dive discussion on the Med Spa Success Strategies podcast, we sat down with Haley Wood, a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner and the founder of The Look Aesthetics in Franklin, Tennessee. With over 19 years of injection experience, 16 years as a nurse practitioner, and recognition as one of Real Self’s “Top 25 Most Loved Injectors,” Haley offers a masterclass in bridging the gap between being a great provider and running a profitable, sustainable business.

Below is a comprehensive breakdown of her journey, her philosophy on team culture, her contrarian marketing strategies, and her disciplined approach to financial management.

The Origin Story: Building a Foundation Before Building a Business

Haley’s entry into aesthetics was not a straight line, but rather a calculated journey of gathering expertise. Like many in the field, she began her career in critical care nursing. Nineteen years ago, while living two hours away from Lexington, Kentucky, she decided to try her hand at aesthetics at a small med spa.

It was a “trial year.” She packed up her son, moved to Lexington, and immersed herself in the industry. The spa was owned by women with a background in television marketing, which gave Haley an early education in branding and presentation—she recalls the “waterfall and makeup” that made the career feel glamorous. However, the training was trial-by-fire; she would learn how to crack open a vial of Botox on a weekend and have six patients waiting for her on Monday.

The Pivot to Plastic Surgery

After a year, Haley realized she loved the industry but lacked core medical depth. When the 2008 recession hit, she moved to Nashville and secured a position with a plastic surgeon, Dr. Moore. She spent eight years working alongside him.

This period was critical. It wasn’t just about injecting; it was about understanding anatomy, complications, and the surgical side of aesthetics. She describes this as her “NBA training camp,” preparing her for the major leagues of ownership. When Dr. Moore began transitioning toward retirement, Haley realized it was time to branch out on her own.

Eight years ago, she founded The Look Aesthetics. She quickly learned that while she had mastered the clinical side, the business side—legalities, compliance, state regulations, and profitability—was a completely new challenge that required a different set of skills.

Social Media: Education Over Entertainment

In an era dominated by TikTok trends and viral dances, Haley has taken a decidedly different approach to social media. Her philosophy is grounded in credibility and trust, not entertainment.

The “No Dancing” Rule

Haley believes that the pioneers of aesthetic nursing paved the way for professionalism, and sensationalized content detracts from that legacy. Her goal on social media is to educate and demonstrate authority.

• The Content Mix: She blends educational content with “behind-the-scenes” business insights and personal life.
• “Mississippi Moments”: Haley utilizes downtime (like her drives to Mississippi) to answer real patient questions via Instagram Stories. These unscripted, authentic moments build connection better than polished studio content.

Radical Transparency

One of Haley’s most effective social media strategies is sharing her “failures” or pivots.

• The Morpheus8 Pivot: She recently shared that her practice sold their Morpheus8 device because they were getting better results with Softwave. Instead of hiding this, she made a video explaining the decision to her patients.
• The CoolTone Mistake: She openly admits that buying a CoolTone device was one of her worst business decisions.

By admitting when she is wrong or when a treatment protocol changes, she builds immense trust. Patients know that she is chasing the best outcome, not just trying to sell the equipment she currently owns.

Building an “A-Team”: Culture, Hustle, and Leadership

A thriving practice cannot rely on the owner alone. Haley has built a culture defined by “hustle” and high standards.

Defining Hustle

For Haley, “hustle” isn’t about working yourself to exhaustion; it’s about taking initiative and ownership.

• The Injector’s Responsibility: It is not the front desk’s job to fill the schedule; it is the injector’s job. Haley expects her providers to walk patients to the front, dictate exactly when they need to return (e.g., “I need to see you in September”), and ensure the relationship is nurtured.
• The “Tight Ship”: Hustle means showing up 30 minutes before the first patient to ensure towels are warm and the room is perfect. If a team member consistently arrives five minutes before their first appointment, they are not a fit for a luxury brand.

Managing “B-Players”

Not every employee is a superstar, and that can be acceptable depending on the role. Haley acknowledges that “B-Players”—those who are consistent, safe, and do their job but lack that extra drive—have a place, provided they don’t hinder growth. However, if a B-Player is comfortable capping their revenue at $15,000 a month and the practice needs to grow, Haley will hire a new provider to create competition and push the ceiling higher.

The Communication Rhythm

To maintain culture, Haley implements a rigorous meeting structure:

1. Monday Morning Huddle (8:15 AM): A 15-minute debrief on the week ahead and any red-flag patients from the previous week.
2. Monthly Meeting (1 Hour): Discussing policies, new products, and changes.
3. “Acknowledgements”: At the end of monthly meetings, the team goes around the room and acknowledges each other for specific unseen acts of kindness or hard work. This ensures everyone feels seen and heard.
4. Leadership One-on-Ones: Haley has a leadership core (Office Manager, Clinical Lead, Esthetic Lead) who hold one-on-ones with their respective direct reports.
5. Annual Retreat: Once a year, the clinic closes for a full day. The team goes off-site (e.g., a rented house in Franklin) with a leadership coach to discuss wins, gaps, and personal development.

Personality Testing

Haley utilizes Enneagrams, Love Languages, and StrengthFinders to manage her team effectively. Knowing that one employee is motivated by money (Enneagram 3) while another is motivated by acts of service allows her to tailor her leadership style to get the best out of each individual.

Marketing Strategy: The “Anti-Special” Approach

The Look Aesthetics does not rely on “Product of the Month” specials. Haley believes monthly discounts train patients to be loyal to the dollar rather than the provider. Instead, she uses specific, high-impact strategies.

1. The Semi-Annual Gift Card Sale

Rather than discounting services, Haley runs a gift card sale twice a year.

• The Offer: Buy a large denomination, get “free money.” For example, buy a $3,000 gift card, get an extra $400 loaded onto the account.
• The Result: This strategy generates massive cash flow. In her most recent sale, the practice generated over $200,000 in revenue in a single eight-hour day.
• The Benefit: It banks cash for the practice and gives patients flexibility to use their funds on any treatment without being locked into a specific package they might not need.

2. The Annual Treatment Calendar

Haley’s team creates a physical annual calendar for patients during their consultation.

• The Plan: They map out the entire year. “We are doing Toxins in January, May, and September. In July, we are doing Softwave. In October, we are doing filler.”
• The Impact: This visual aid serves as a treatment plan. By pairing modalities (e.g., microneedling three weeks after every toxin appointment), she increased revenue for that specific combination from $6,000 (previous year) to over $19,000 in the same timeframe.

3. The 40-Minute In-Room Commercial

To ensure consistency in messaging and cross-selling, Haley hired a videographer to shoot unscripted, conversational videos with her staff.

• The Content: They discuss treatments like CoolSculpting, Daxxify vs. Botox, and skincare.
• The Execution: This 40-minute loop plays on TV screens in the treatment rooms. It prompts patients to ask questions about services the provider might not have had time to bring up, standardizing the education process across the practice.

Navigating Industry Trends: Fillers, Devices, and Biostimulators

Haley observes that the industry is currently experiencing “filler fatigue.” Due to years of overfilled faces and new trends on social media, patients are fearful of looking unnatural. While she believes fillers will always have a place (especially for volume loss related to GLP-1 weight loss), she notes a shift toward devices and biostimulators like Sculptra.

The Device Philosophy

Haley is conservative with device purchases. Her rules for buying expensive equipment are strict:

1. The 50% Rule: If she cannot pay for half of the device upfront in cash, she does not buy it.
2. The Champion: She never buys a device unless a specific staff member is ready to own it. Her esthetician, Amy, is the “unicorn” who champions devices like Softwave and BBL/Moxy. If the staff isn’t passionate about it, it becomes a coat rack.
3. Virtual Events (AIG): Instead of in-person open houses (which are difficult for her demographic of busy moms), she partners with vendors to host virtual webinars. Patients watch a 12-minute presentation from home, get a special offer, and buy online.

Financial Discipline: Knowing the Numbers

Perhaps the most critical advice Haley offers is the importance of financial literacy. Early on, she didn’t know the difference between net and gross profit. Today, she works with a fractional CFO (Maven Financial) to monitor the health of her business.

Key Financial Metrics

• Profitability Over Revenue: It doesn’t matter how much you bring in if your expenses are too high. Haley warns against paying front desk staff unsustainable wages (e.g., $50/hour) just to be “nice.” The business must be sustainable.
• Inventory Management: She tracks inventory by the unit, not by the area, to ensure every dollar is accounted for.
• Debt Management: Haley carries construction loans and device loans but keeps them on 5-year terms. She is comfortable with leverage as long as the interest rates are reasonable (under 7%) and the practice is cash-flowing sufficiently to cover the notes easily.
• The “Unsaleable” Practice: She notes that many owners run their businesses as lifestyle hobbies. When they try to sell, they realize the business has no value because there is no profit margin. Even if you don’t intend to sell, you must run the business as if you are going to sell it.

Moving from Good to Exceptional: Unreasonable Hospitality

Finally, Haley attributes her retention and reputation to the concept of “Unreasonable Hospitality.”

• The Experience: From the moment a patient calls (where one person is dedicated solely to nurturing phone leads) to the moment they arrive, the experience must be cohesive.
• The Details: Treatment rooms feature black-and-white photos of the staff’s families to humanize the team.
• Personal Touches: If a patient has a birthday coming up, the team prepares a gift bag with samples ahead of time.
• Protecting the Team: Exceptional hospitality does not mean being a doormat. Haley is quick to “fire” patients who are rude to her front desk staff. She lives by the motto: “I would rather see the back of your head leaving once than the front of your face coming in twenty times if I can’t make you happy.”

Conclusion

Haley Wood’s success at The Look Aesthetics isn’t a result of a magic marketing bullet. It is the result of 19 years of clinical discipline, a commitment to authentic leadership, and a rigorous adherence to financial health. Whether it is tracking every unit of Botox or holding a team retreat to strengthen culture, the “devil is in the details.”

For those interested in learning more, Haley is currently developing a coaching membership site for nurse practitioners launching their own practices, set to launch in late 2024 or 2025.