Podcast Summary: Living The Red Life
Episode: Founders of Altera Aesthetix: Restoring Confidence, Not Just Faces
Host: Ray Gutierrez (Guest Host for Rudy Mawer)
Guests: Janie & Martina, co-founders of Altera Aesthetix
Date: October 27, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode delves into the transformative power of medical aesthetics, not just for physical appearance but for restoring confidence and emotional well-being. Janie and Martina, founders of Altera Aesthetix, share their philosophy and approach to cosmetic procedures, focusing on patient-centric, ethical, and medically sound practices. They address the changing cultural landscape, industry challenges, marketing in a "before and after" world, education and safety, and what it means to be women entrepreneurs building a values-driven business.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Shifting Perspectives in Aesthetics
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From Luxury to Mainstream
Procedures like Botox have evolved from being exclusive to TV housewives and the wealthy, to a mainstream self-care option.“Ten, even 20 years ago… something like Botox was something that only housewives you watched on TV were doing… But that has changed so much in the last 10 years.” — Janie [00:20]
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Confidence, Not Cosmetic Perfection
The goal isn't to change faces, but to help people feel like themselves and restore confidence.“It's not like, necessarily, I don't ever want to change somebody's face, but just to make them feel more confident in what they've already got going on.” — Martina [01:41]
2. Patient-First Approach
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Personalized Consultations
Each client is asked what specifically bothers them, rather than being upsold or having their features critiqued.“We hand somebody a mirror and say, what's bothering you? It's not like what I see, it's what you see.” — Martina [02:30]
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Conservative, Incremental Treatments
Rather than offering a package of unnecessary treatments, they prefer to start with the one issue that matters most to the client.“If I can fix that for you, your confidence has gone way up…once one thing's fixed, you're gonna find the next thing that you wanna fix.” — Janie [04:45]
3. Aesthetics as Instant Therapy
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Emotional Impact
They often witness emotional releases, especially in new moms or those experiencing life changes, when clients see themselves “restored” in the mirror.“We've had so many people just like cry in the chair just because it finally makes them feel like them again.” — Martina [00:48, 04:01]
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Common Concerns
Tiredness, aging, or loss of ‘freshness’—commonly addressed via Botox and filler—bring significant confidence boosts.“Botox is a great way to fake that you look like you've slept.” — Janie [05:42]
4. Combating Stigma and Misinformation
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Addressing Fears of Looking "Overdone"
Many clients (and their partners) fear unnatural results due to visible bad cases, but skillful work should look invisible.“Your husband is only aware of people that have bad Botox and filler…there's tons of women walking around with good Botox and filler.” — Janie [06:13] “We're also really big on all of our injectors looking not overly done. Right. So it almost looks like they have had nothing done.” — Martina [06:58]
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Education via Social Media
They dedicate resources to educating potential clients about different procedures, debunking myths, and building comfort.“We do do a lot of education on social media and things. And that helps people understand because this is very foreign to people…” — Janie [07:40]
5. Marketing—Challenges and Strategies
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Instant Gratification vs. Long-Term Care
While some procedures offer quick results (e.g., filler), others like microneedling require patience—a challenge in American culture.“For Americans, that's hard. We want instant gratification…some of it you have to do over time.” — Martina [08:05]
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Taboo and Privacy
Sharing before/after photos is tricky due to lingering stigma, with most clients valuing discretion."You'd be surprised how challenging it is to get a before and after…we're lucky if they tell…their best friend and their sister." — Janie [08:43]
6. Safety, Regulation & Training
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Comparison to Global Standards
The US lags behind countries like South Korea or the UK in terms of product variety and regulatory ease, but maintains higher safety standards.“We're like this big in the aesthetic market. The world is like this.” — Martina [12:24]
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Vet Your Injector
The lack of strict regulation means unqualified individuals sometimes perform injections—patients must check credentials.“Are they actually a medical provider? Cause guess what, there are places near us that they're non medical provider and they're buying it off Amazon.” — Martina [13:45]
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Refusing Unsafe or Unethical Requests
Not every request is honored if it’s unsafe, outlandish, or not in the client’s best interest.“We say no a lot. I always feel like I don't do weird. So if you ask for something weird, I'm probably going to say no.” — Martina [14:39]
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Training is Intensive and Ongoing
Medical aesthetics is a specialty requiring substantial investment in anatomy knowledge, safety, and technique.“Our first year in practice, we spent at least 30, $40,000 a piece in training...so it's something that's super specialized, and rightfully so.” — Janie [17:47]
7. Industry Competition & Collaboration
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Ethical Business Practices
They avoid “cash grab” approaches focusing on lifetime clients and building trust.“It's a lifetime patient versus something...if you...it's a cash grab...that's not what we're trying to do. We're not trying to give you more insecurities than you came in with.” — Martina [10:43, 11:31]
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Community Over Cutthroat
Despite competition, they value collaboration in the close-knit Savannah market.“I do think that, for the most part, we are kind to one another...There's enough to go around for everybody.” — Martina [23:33]
8. Women in Business and Empowerment
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Resilience & Adaptability
Flexibility, taking risks, and willingness to pivot are key lessons for entrepreneurs.“We're willing to take a leap and we're willing to pivot. Most people get stuck.” — Martina [26:53]
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Work-Life Balance & Team Culture
They strive to create a supportive workspace that values growth for employees and themselves.“…we wanted to establish something where we could have a work life balance…We've created this company now where people are able to get that.” — Janie [27:18]
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Mentorship Model
Their new focus is helping others launch, not micromanaging mature branches.“What we can do is say…We're going to help do the beginning part…and then you get to do with what you want to do.” — Martina [27:56]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On why client-centered care matters:
"You give us what the problem is, and we'll give you the answer." — Martina [00:00, 15:34]
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On the emotional impact of aesthetics:
"We've had so many people just like cry in the chair just because it finally makes them feel like them again." — Martina [00:48, 04:01]
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On the changing stigma:
"Botox is like, you went on a two year vacation. That's what it is. Like in a bottle." — Martina [05:52]
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On the safety and complexity of the profession:
"You can blind a person. Let's be real. This isn't just like...Everyone just thinks it's, like, fun." — Martina [19:14]
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On business philosophy:
"We're not trying to give you more insecurities than you came in with." — Janie [11:31]
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On collaboration vs. competition:
"There's going to be plenty of times where you need that colleague or you need that friend to be able to call and say, hey, this happened...I think that that's always going to be more important…than whatever you're going to accomplish by making an enemy out of somebody." — Janie [24:27]
Important Timestamps
- 00:20 – Janie on Botox becoming mainstream
- 01:41 – Martina on enhancing confidence, not changing faces
- 04:01 – Martina on emotional experiences in the chair
- 06:13 – Janie addresses stigma & misconceptions (husbands, “bad Botox”)
- 07:40 – Janie discusses the crucial role of education
- 10:43 – Martina & Janie on starting conservative and building relationships
- 12:24-13:45 – The US vs. global standards and patient safety
- 14:39 – When and why they say “no” to clients
- 17:47 – Intensive, ongoing training; medical background necessity
- 23:33-24:27 – Competition, collaboration, and finding your “injector match”
- 26:53-27:56 – Women in Power: resilience, adaptability, and mentorship in business
- 29:23 – Where to find Altera Aesthetix online
Connect with Altera Aesthetix
- [Altera Aesthetix on Instagram/Facebook (Savannah, Richmond Hill, Statesboro)]
- Martina: @injector_martina
- Janie: @thebusynurse
Tone:
Upbeat, candid, and supportive, with expertise laced with humor and humility. Both founders emphasize the intersection of science, artistry, and human connection in their field.
This episode is a masterclass not only in the aesthetics business but in values-driven entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence in client care, and women’s leadership in a rapidly growing industry.