Wondering how to see the first 5 New Injector Misconceptions? See Part I here. I spill the tea on the most common new and aspiring injector misconceptions. Take it from someone who has learned many of these lessons the hard way.
6. Taking Botox and Filler introductory courses together
It’s normal to think you are saving money by taking a combined Botox and fillers class. You’re motivated and excited to get started. And you heard that the real money is in dermal fillers anyways. But once again, this is a bit of a trap. Let me explain.
It takes a lot of mental bandwidth, time and money to lift Botox® services off the ground. You need to get your malpractice, supplies, business setup, and client base (don’t forget this minor detail!). And your filler client base is going to come from your tox clients. You give your client a great tox treatment and she will trust you with her face for filler.
What I found out the hard way, is that you’re not ready to implement fillers on day one of your aesthetics journey. And if you wait a couple months before starting to further train on fillers, you find yourself needing to start completely from scratch. Which likely means investing in another thousands of dollar into course.
Whenever you implement a new service, it’s imperative you are prepared to deal with complications that arise. When we talk about filler complications the risks are higher and require more preparation to treat them than fillers. You must be knowledgeable and ready to deal with a vascular occlusion before you start injecting fillers. This is also a sterile implant that should be done in an office setting, not mobile.
I wrote an entire article about this topic of why it is smart to start with Botox®-only at first. And then as soon as you are off and running with tox and truly ready to implement fillers into your practice, then you go for your filler class.
When you are ready to start offering dermal fillers, we offer Dermal Filler Policies and Procedures and Aesthetic Dot Phrases for charting them!
7. Thinking this will lead to more time with your family
Do not underestimate administrative time commitment among other things. Many practitioners start, like myself, while working another job. That full-time or part-time job provides the financial stability needed to invest in a new business. But when this is the case, your fledgling business is born from your free time. The business takes away from time with friends and family and really every spare minute.
I started my journey with the desire to have more time with my family. Being a business owner, I think, is better described as flexibility and control of your schedule. Not more time with family. When you run your own business you can take any day off you please. No one will fire you (well scorned clients might!) The problem is, when your business is your baby, completely reliant on you, it’s very hard to keep it from taking over your life! Even keeping you up at night like an infant as well!
Even though I verbalized that I wanted more time with my family, I think a big part of me was looking for being excited and passionate about my career. I always considered myself lucky to have a great job with good hours that paid well. I truly thought that people who believed they needed to “love” work were making themselves miserable with misguided expectations. There is a reason we get paid to work! I now know that the saying, “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life” to be true. But that knowledge has come at the emotional and (initially) financial expense of my family.
I’m happier than I have ever been and fulfilled by this purpose in my business. But I ask you to take a look at your personal finances and your personal life. Ask yourself, can they both sustain a 1 to 2 year deficit? If this is your passion, it is worth the dedication. But a shift from employee to business owner does not come without a true mindset shift.
8. Believing if you build it, they will come
New injector wishful thinking! My mentor, Suzanne Jagger, gave me this phrase, “If you build it, they won’t come!” Wow, completely opposite of what we have been told!
When I started my business, I had thoughts like, “My friends will all come to me and refer their friends!” Wrong! Well for the most part. Turns out my real best friend is Google!
Reality check, we are not in the time of word of mouth referral primarily. We are in the time of the internet where we Google and want hard evidence. Sure, a referral might start as word of mouth, but then that client will Google you. You better have Google My Business, Instagram, Facebook and a website. You are right now thinking, do I really need all of those?! Yes, ALL OF THEM. And really probably Tik-Tok too!
Potential clients are looking for before and after pics as well as a feeling for you as a person and an injector. People relate to other people. The truth is, learning to inject is not the hardest part of this job. Becoming a business person is. Marketing is a new skill much further from our background than injecting someone’s face. This job is many jobs in one. And just being a great injector will not be enough.
9. I’ll just take the closest and cheapest introductory class
NO! You didn’t pick your nursing school, medical school, physician assistant school, etc. without researching. Why would you pick you foundational course for your new business blindly? Check out our Botox Course Comparison Chart first. Ask some important questions about the course you are looking for.
What is the class size? Who will your instructor be? How much hands-on time is included? Does it provider ongoing mentorship? Is there in-depth business information? Where is the class held in an actual med spa? Will I get to inject a full face?
Common pitfalls of classes are numerous. Many classes are held at big hotels with large groups. The instructors are hit or miss. Being a good injector does not necessarily make a good teacher. There is typically little or no ongoing support after your class. And notoriously there is a lack of models to inject. The biggest disservice in my opinion is the lack of practical business knowledge. Most courses don’t cover ordering information, cost of product, and how to start your business. We are all comfortable learning new clinical skills, however many practitioners starting an aesthetics practice do not have a strong business background.
10. Assuming the business will succeed because you are a strong clinician
As medical providers, it can be scary to depart from steady and lucrative employment. When considering entrepreneurship, it is most conservative to come from a financial place of strength and have you personal finances in order. Before you are ready to take on profit and loss statements, you need to have a good understanding of where you are starting from. I’d recommend having a minimum of 6 months of living expenses saved up and accessible. I’d also recommend understanding your net worth. I can go on and on about personal finances as it is a passion of mine, however, I’ll save that for a future article!
Once you do take the leap into entrepreneurship, you absolutely must dive into the numbers. It is not a given to be profitable in aesthetics. In fact as a small business and new injector it’s an uphill battle. I’d recommend reading business books, finding a mentor, and surrounding yourself with a good CPA and bookkeeper. There is plenty of room for success when you have the right tools and the passion to run your own business. But, it will not happen if you neglect the business side. Dedication to your craft as an injector is what draws most clinicians into this field. However, dedication to marketing, cost of goods, legal aspects, and management are what makes a small business thrive.
Looking for more guidance on your steps into entrepreneurship:
- Don’t be afraid to ask. It’s a lot to take in. Schedule a FREE consultation call with Cassie today and we can talk through your questions.
? Ready to hone your skills and make money with Botox? Take a look at our available online & small group hands-on Botox training
