Med Spa Success Strategies

Episode: Building a Safe, High-Performing Med Spa That Sets You Apart

Host: Ricky Shockley

Guest: Jenny Hartley (Founder & Medical Director, SkinSynthesis)

Date: December 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into what it takes to build a med spa that excels in both patient safety and exceptional patient experience. Ricky Shockley interviews Jenny Hartley, a former ICU nurse practitioner turned aesthetics leader, to unpack her approach to running a high-performing, safety-focused med spa in Seattle. Jenny shares her perspective—drawn from 18 years of critical care medicine—on how rigorous safety protocols, personalized care, and relentless business learning set her clinic apart and have driven her stellar reputation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jenny’s Journey: From ICU to Aesthetics

[01:53-02:45]

• Jenny spent almost two decades as a critical care nurse and nurse practitioner.
• She transitioned to aesthetics in 2019, seeking “a huge yin and yang in my career”— from treating people in their worst moments to enhancing quality of life for thriving patients.
• “Now…doing something to enhance their confidence.” (Jenny, 01:53)

2. Patient Safety: A Core Value and Operational Priority

[03:21-11:14]

a. Mentality Shift from Critical Care to Aesthetics

• In the ICU: margin for error is accepted due to high-risk scenarios and urgent need.
• In aesthetics: elective procedures mean “complication rate should be as close to zero as possible.” (Jenny, 03:21)
• Jenny’s approach: “Backward thinking”—systematically identify, prevent, and plan for every possible complication.

b. Simulation Labs & Protocol Development

[04:57-06:34]

• SkinSynthesis hosts vascular occlusion simulation labs—practicing real scenarios in aesthetics (mirroring emergency medicine’s simulation training).
• Sells protocols for managing complications (e.g., occlusion, nodules, infections, blindness).
• “We really are the experts in complication management and patient safety.” (Jenny, 05:54)

c. Industry Gaps & Uncomfortable Conversations

[06:34-08:07]

• Many avoid deep safety discussions because they’re scary and highlight preparedness gaps.
• Common deficiencies: absent protocols, inadequate emergency meds, unqualified medical directors.
• Notable quote: “If you’re uncomfortable, you need to really ask yourself…are you trained to do the procedure? Are you really ready? Should you be doing it?” (Jenny, 06:53)

d. Supplies and Emergency Readiness

[09:05-10:12]

• Most overlooked supply: enough hyaluronidase (Hyalinex)—Jenny recommends 12-16 vials, more for multi-injector clinics.
• “Vascular occlusions can happen to anyone at any point.” (Jenny, 09:48)

e. Practical Safety Tools

• Detailed emergency kits/tackle boxes for vascular events, with protocols printed out for quick action.
• “Someone in your office could be grabbing that—your protocol should be printed out in that tackle box.” (Jenny, 10:54)

3. Excellence in Patient Care: Designing the “Michelin Star” Experience

[11:14-16:40]

a. Core Pillars: Clinical Excellence & Relationships

• Jenny chases “Michelin star” level service—clinical outcomes and exceptional patient relationships.
• “World class and best at what you do, but then also maintaining those relationships.” (Jenny, 12:44)
• Details that matter:
  • Longer appointments
  • Handwritten thank you cards for new patients
  • Personal text follow-ups after treatment
  • Remembering patient milestones/events

b. Small Gestures, Big Impact

• “Sometimes it is just a tiny little drop in one place to take a really good result into an amazing, knock-your-socks-off experience.” (Jenny, 12:24)

c. The Human Touch Amid the AI & Automation Trend

• Jenny’s clinic resists excessive automation to preserve genuine connection.
• “There’s nothing like it…and it’s become so rare because there’s so much AI.” (Jenny, 14:44)

4. Delegation, Team Culture & Relationship Ownership

[19:31-21:10]

• Distinct responsibilities: the desk sends educational info post-appointment, but personalized text follow-ups are always by the provider.
• “That’s just way too much to bring someone in to delegate. And it also can be kind of intimate.” (Jenny, 20:15)
• For larger practices: relationship ownership must be ingrained in the culture to support retention.

5. VIP Treatment vs. Universal Excellence

[22:11-27:45]

• The 80/20 rule: 80% of revenue from 20% of patients—but, “I reject that concept of the VIP patient. Everyone is a VIP.” (Jenny, 23:07)
• Recognizes loyal clients with small gifts (Christmas, birthdays), but strives to ensure all patients feel valued.
• Caution against public displays (VIP lounges) that might alienate others.

6. Clinical Ethics vs. Business Pressures

[31:23-33:35]

• Jenny emphasizes never letting business targets override patient needs.
• “I’m just obsessed with maintaining a moral compass and maintaining really tight ethics and never compromising.” (Jenny, 31:23)
• Works with management for financial strategy but keeps clinical integrity at the forefront.

7. Leadership & Team Development

[34:42-38:09]

• Sees her team as an extension of her patient-care mission: “You’re responsible for helping build someone’s career.”
• Practices include:
  • Regular team and management check-ins
  • Personal growth sessions (Colors Insights, “How I Like to Be Managed” forms)
  • Team outings to luxury experiences, followed by debriefs to import great service ideas
  • Secret shopping other spas for benchmarking

8. Consultation Process: Structured, Educational & Customized

[39:07-42:10]

• 45-minute consults; usually separate from treatment except Botox.
• Jenny reviews history, anatomy, lifestyle, timeline, goals—then delivers a prioritized, written treatment plan.
• “They have problems that we have solutions for. We need to present the solutions and then let them determine their timeline.” (Jenny, 41:36)
• Stresses transparency—explaining both process and costs, using financing options when needed.

9. Balancing Education & Implementation

[44:30-47:26]

• Book recommendations:
  • Unreasonable Hospitality
  • The Energy Bus
  • Traction
  • The Five Types of Wealth (Sahel Bloom)
• Conference pro tips: always have a plan, review agendas/goals, and carve out post-conference time to implement.
• “You’ll take a whole notebook of notes and you’ll come home, and then you’re just back to the grind and nothing ever changes.” (Jenny, 44:30)

10. Long-Term Vision & Legacy

[47:48-48:40]

• Wants the SkinSynthesis brand to be synonymous with “clinical excellence” and transformative, evidence-based care, experienced in an “oasis”-like, custom, patient-centered environment.
• “You are the main character. We’re really customizing your entire experience to give you value and to improve your quality of life.” (Jenny, 48:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Safety Mindset:
  “In aesthetics, these are elective procedures. So that margin for error, for anything else to happen, for complications, should be as close to zero as possible.” (Jenny, 03:21)

• On Overcoming Fear in Safety Protocols:
  “If you’re uncomfortable, you need to really ask yourself the question, are you trained to do the procedure? Are you really ready? Should you be doing it?” (Jenny, 06:53)

• On Patient Experience:
  “If there was such thing as a Michelin star for a med spa, that’s what I’m chasing.” (Jenny, 11:32)
  “Handwritten thank you cards… That’s what we’re striving to do.” (Jenny, 12:54)

• On True VIP Treatment:
  “I really reject that concept of the VIP patient…Everyone is important.” (Jenny, 22:59)

• On Balancing Business and Medicine:
  “Doing the right thing, it always pays off.” (Jenny, 29:05)
  “I’m obsessed with maintaining a moral compass and maintaining really tight ethics and never compromising being a business owner and growing a business.” (Jenny, 31:23)

• On Implementation:
  “The knowledge isn’t very powerful if it’s not put into action.” (Ricky, 46:26)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Jenny’s Background: 01:53-02:45
• Patient Safety Approach & Protocols: 03:21-11:14
• Creating Michelin Star Patient Experience: 11:14-16:40
• Delegation & Relationship Ownership: 19:31-21:10
• The 80/20 Rule & Rejecting VIP Culture: 22:11-27:45
• Ethics vs. Business Pressures: 31:23-33:35
• Leadership & Team Development: 34:42-38:09
• Consultation Process: 39:07-42:10
• Book & Continuing Education Recommendations: 44:30-47:26
• Brand Vision for the Future: 47:48-48:40
• Where to Find Jenny & Protocol Resources: 48:50-49:38

Resources & Contact

• SkinSynthesis: skinsynthesis.com
• Instagram: @skinsynthesis / @jha_skinsynthesis
• Email: admin@skinsynthesis.com
• Safety/Protocol Courses: Next vascular occlusion simulation lab in Seattle, January 24, 2026.
• Med Spa Magic Marketing: medspamagicmarketing.com

Tone:
Conversational, practical, matter-of-fact, and personal—Jenny’s voice balances clinical seriousness with the warmth and human connection central to her spa’s ethos.