By Alex R. Thiersch, JD, CEO of the American Med Spa Association (AmSpa)

Starting Friday, June 7, AmSpa will host its first Medical Spa Boot Camp of 2024 at the Grand Hyatt Denver, and we’re extremely excited for the opportunity to once again help medical aesthetics professionals develop their practices and maximize their profits. There are more than 11,000 medical spas in the U.S., and that number is growing every day. Standing out from the crowd is more difficult than ever before, but medical spa owners and operators who attend AmSpa’s Medical Spa Boot Camps will get a leg up on the competition. There’s still time to register for the event—just sign up here. Here’s a quick overview of the program:

Friday, June 7

The Boot Camp kicks off with a welcome reception, sponsored by Allergan Aesthetics.

• 6 – 7:30 p.m.: Friday Night Kickoff Reception—Meet other medical aesthetic professionals from across the country to build your community. This event features a full open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres.

Saturday, June 8

The Boot Camp begins at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast. My opening keynote follows at 8:30 a.m. From there, we will move into the main program:

• 9 – 10 a.m.: The Plan, presented by Bryan Durocher (Durocher Enterprises)—What are the most effective ways to develop a business plan for your medical spa? Medical spa consultant Bryan Durocher discusses the ins and outs of the planning process and helps determine how long it realistically takes to open a practice.
• 10 – 10:45 a.m.: The Financials, presented by Judy Kozlicki (Skytale Group)—Do you know your medical spa’s strengths and weaknesses? This presentation will discuss how to maximize, predict and follow up on financial metrics to reach your medical spa’s financial goals.
• 1:15 – 3:15 p.m.: The Law, presented by Jay D. Reyero, JD, (ByrdAdatto) and Alex R. Thiersch, JD (AmSpa)—In this presentation, Jay D. Reyero, JD, and Alex R. Thiersch, JD, will discuss the long-standing and emerging legal issues that every medical spa owner needs to know about. As you can imagine, there is a lot to cover here, since new concerns seem to be arising daily.
• 3:45 – 4:30 p.m.: The Marketing Plan and Social Media, presented by Laura Alvarez (Aesthetica Medical Spa)—Learn the right marketing techniques for your medical spa, along with budgeting frameworks and a social media strategy that aligns with your goals and manpower.
• 4:30 – 5:15 p.m.: The Power of a Proper Consultation, presented by Lisa S. Jenks, MD (Genesis MedSpa)—As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Learn how to put your best foot forward with effective patient consultations—and how to turn them into consistent business.

Saturday continues its programming with drinks and appetizers from 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. Spend more time face-to-face with leading medical aesthetic vendors.

Sunday, June 9

The Boot Camp begins at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast.

• 8:30 – 9 a.m.: How Emotional Intelligence Will Make or Break Your Business, presented by Cathy Christensen (AmSpa)
• 9 – 9:30 a.m.: KPIs: How Knowing Them Will Maximize Your Revenue, presented by Judy Kozlicki (Skytale Group)—Judy Kozlicki from Skytale Group will teach you about the top 12 most important service categories and common mistakes to avoid. This session will help you determine how to increase your hourly value and learn to measure your KPIs to increase overall profitability.
• 9:30 – 10:15 a.m.: The Team, presented by Bryan Durocher (Durocher Enterprises)—A medical spa is only as good as its personnel, so it’s important to make sure you hire a staff that can do everything you want it to—and more. In this session, you’ll learn about recruiting, hiring and retaining employees who can make your medical spa dreams come true.
• 10:45 – 11:30 a.m.: Choosing the Right Treatments for Your Medical Aesthetics Practice, presented by Taylor Siemens, NP-C (Vitalyc Medspa)—Siemens will teach you how to weigh and assess the right treatments for your practice to offer, from injectables to lasers to ancillary treatments, like hair restoration and sexual wellness offerings.
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Medical Spa Success Panel, Moderated by Cathy Christensen (AmSpa); Panelists: Shelby Cooper, MSN, RN (Glam Rx Aesthetics); Danielle Mathers, RN, BSN, CANS, and Brad Mathers (The Luxe Room); Shania Sheikh-Carrasco, BSN, RN (Amani Aesthetics)—Medical spa leaders will discuss their paths to growth and success in this dynamic industry.

*CME credit is not available for the Denver Medical Spa Boot Camp.

Meet Our Denver Medical Spa Boot Camp Faculty

Laura Alvarez, Aesthetica Medical Spa

Laura Alvarez began her professional marketing career working for ad agencies in Utah and Brazil. She was introduced to medical aesthetics in 2016 when she helped a medical spa client plan their annual open house. Watching the live demos, the presentation and the innovative treatments intrigued her. Today, Alvarez has seven years of experience in medical aesthetics. As the marketing manager at Aesthetica, she leads a team of three and is responsible for lead generation for 12 providers. Alvarez has her finger on the pulse of market changes, Google updates and new trending treatments.

Cathy Christensen, AmSpa

Cathy Christensen is the President and chief operating officer of the American Med Spa Association (AmSpa), and has been with the company since its infancy, joining as director of operations in 2013. Prior to this, she worked in the publishing industry, where she began as an editorial assistant and transitioned into her second career in operations of AmSpa after climbing the ladder to become the editor-in-chief of Skin Inc. magazine and the conference director of the Face & Body events. Christensen has contributed to AmSpa’s significant growth since 2013, and oversees team members who specialize in marketing, membership, sales, events, legal and content. She prides herself in her ability to embrace challenges and persevere, and even have a little fun while doing it.

Bryan Durocher, Durocher Enterprises

Bryan Durocher is the author of Wake Up… Live the Life You Love… in Beauty, and is the founder of Essentials Spa Consulting and Durocher Enterprises. Durocher was named one of the “Top 20 People to Know in the Beauty Industry” by Global Cosmetic Industry magazine, and provides coaching, consulting, global industry trends and marketing solutions for medical spa, spa and industry professionals internationally. Durocher Enterprises has been published in many articles and has provided business education internationally at a variety of national and international industry events.

Lisa S. Jenks, MD, Genesis MedSpa

Lisa S. Jenks, MD, opened Genesis MedSpa in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2007. Since its opening, Genesis has grown tremendously, moving from a four-treatment-room facility into a seven-room facility in 2012. In 2017, three additional treatment rooms as well as a waiting area for male clients were added. Under her direction, Genesis has won the BBB’s coveted "Excellence in Customer Service" award each of the five times it has applied for it and has won numerous "Best Of" awards. In addition, Genesis is in the “Top 250” tier nation-wide with Allergan. In June 2023, Princeton MedSpa Partners acquired Genesis and retained Dr. Jenks as the medical director. Dr. Jenks has been a speaker for Syneron/Candela and has written numerous articles and lectured on how to start successful medical spas. She has been a member of Skin Inc.’s advisory board and has been a mentor with Nonclinical Careers for Physicians since 2017. Together with Ashley James, Dr. Jenks established DermAesthetics Consulting (DAC) in 2019. In 2023, she gave up her partnership in the organization, but has continued as medical director and as an instructor.

Judy Kozlicki, Skytale Group

As head of medical aesthetics and plastic surgery for Skytale Group, Judy Kozlicki’s extensive experience gives her a deep understanding of the aesthetic space. She gets to know each client’s practice individually, identifies the opportunities for growth, adapts best practices, and works alongside owners to bring their vision to fruition. A trailblazer in the business of aesthetics, Kozlicki has held executive-level positions in solo practices, small group practices and large-scale national medical spa operations for more than 16 years. Throughout her career, she has been keenly focused on building quality teams, improving financial visibility and accuracy, making operational process improvements and coaching teams.

Jay D. Reyero, JD, ByrdAdatto

Jay D. Reyero, JD, is a partner at the ByrdAdatto law firm. His practice focuses on the representation of business clients, with health care being the core of his practice. His health care and regulatory expertise involves the counseling and advising of physicians, physician groups, other medical service providers and non-professionals. Specific areas of expertise include federal and state health care regulations and how they impact investments, transactions and various contractual arrangements, particularly in the areas of federal and state anti-referral, anti-kickback and HIPAA compliance.

Taylor Siemens, NP-C, Vitalyc Medspa

Taylor Siemens, NP-C, a board-certified nurse practitioner recognized by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, is a dynamic force in the world of aesthetic medicine. As the vice president of operations at Vitalyc Medspa and the founder of My Aesthetic Training, she seamlessly marries the expertise of a practitioner of medicine with that of a multi-site business operator. Siemens's journey into aesthetic medicine commenced as an operating room nurse specializing in facial plastic surgery. Through her diverse patient interactions, Taylor has honed a profound understanding of the aging process, fueling her skillset in crafting comprehensive, multi-modality treatment solutions that align seamlessly with patients' aesthetic objectives.

Alex R. Thiersch, JD, AmSpa

Alex R. Thiersch, JD, is the founder of the American Med Spa Association, and he is also a partner at the business, health care and aesthetic law firm of ByrdAdatto. He has extensive experience representing industry professionals before state medical boards and is one of the most sought-after speakers in the country regarding matters of practice management and medical aesthetic law, including conferences for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the Global Aesthetics Conference, Vegas Cosmetic Surgery, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, the Medical Spa Show and others.

Get to Know Our Medical Spa Success Panelists

Shelby Cooper, MSN, RN, Glam Rx Aesthetics

Shelby Cooper, MSN, RN, is the dynamic force behind Glam Rx Aesthetics, a thriving medical spa in Utah that achieved the remarkable milestone of becoming a million-dollar practice within its first year. With a passion for aesthetics and a keen eye for detail, Cooper combines cutting-edge techniques with an unwavering commitment to safety and the client experience. She is dedicated to empowering injectors, both beginners and experienced, with one-on-one courses that emphasize the importance of developing an aesthetic eye, ensuring client safety, and mastering the art of business and building clientele. Her approach is not just about teaching skills—it's about fostering a supportive community where competition takes a backseat to collaboration and mutual growth. Cooper believes in the bigger picture of medical aesthetics: patient safety and satisfaction. It is this focus on the patient experience that she believes has been the driving force behind her success.

Brad Mathers, The Luxe Room

Brad Mathers, hailing from Australia, is the owner and co-founder of The Luxe Room, a multi-location med spa group based in Colorado. His extensive knowledge and experience in business operations and marketing have been instrumental in the company’s rapid growth and expansion. Before establishing The Luxe Room, Mathers ran a successful digital marketing agency both in Australia and the U.S. His startup mindset and proficiency in implementing unique growth strategies have been key drivers behind The Luxe Room’s success, significantly enhancing operational effectiveness within the organization. As the co-founder and co-CEO alongside his wife, Danielle, Mathers has led The Luxe Room to secure the #1 spot on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 Regionals: Rocky Mountain list for 2024, achieving a 2,800% revenue growth over a two-year period. This accolade underscores the company’s impact within the highly competitive medical spa industry and is a testament to the amazing team they have built.

Danielle Mathers, RN, BSN, CANS, The Luxe Room

Danielle Mathers BSN, CANS, is lead trainer and educator for The Luxe Room, and a national GAIN Trainer for Galderma. With more than 12 years of experience in cosmetic injectables and skin/laser therapies, she is a recognized leader in the field. As the co-founder and Co-CEO alongside her husband Brad, Mathers has helped lead The Luxe Room to secure the #1 spot on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 Regionals: Rocky Mountain list for 2024, achieving a 2,800% revenue growth over a two-year period. Her team's commitment to clinical excellence, ongoing education and transformative patient outcomes and satisfaction has been pivotal to this success. A passionate educator, Mathers has trained with countless industry leaders and regularly attends top conferences worldwide. Mathers's dedication to excellence and education ensures that trainees, mentees and The Luxe Room's practitioners receive industry-leading education. Her focus on delivering the most advanced treatment outcomes makes her a sought-after speaker and mentor in the medical spa industry.

Shania Sheikh-Carrasco, BSN, RN, Amani Aesthetics

Shania Sheikh-Carrasco, BSN, RN, founder of Amani Aesthetics since 2020, embarked on her educational journey at 18, fueled by a passion for art, beauty and medicine. Her interest in aesthetics was sparked by her personal experiences with Poland syndrome, leading her through numerous plastic surgeries and medical spa visits from a young age. These experiences, insecurities and doubts drove her toward a nursing career, eventually steering her into aesthetics. After obtaining her nursing degree, she explored aesthetics, training with renowned providers worldwide. With her syringe as her paintbrush, she realized her growing passion for aesthetics, prompting her to establish Amani Aesthetics in her hometown of Artesia, New Mexico. Starting from a modest 100-square-foot room and expanding to a custom-built medical spa, she has built a trusted patient base over four years. Sheikh-Carrasco’s mission is to offer ethical, results-driven aesthetics with a modern, minimalist touch, emphasizing patient education and natural-looking treatment outcomes.

Visit Industry-leading Vendors

Also, you’ll have the chance to visit with a number of exceptional vendors through-out this event. Attend the Denver Medical Spa Boot Camp to check out the latest and greatest from the following companies:

• Aerolase
• Allergan Aesthetics
• Boulevard
• CareCredit
• Environ/DermaConcepts
• Galderma
• Lumenis
• MedShark Digital
• Merz Aesthetics
• Nextech
• PatientNow
• Podium
• Sciton
• Skytale Group
• ByrdAdatto
• AmSpa

We hope you can join us in Denver on June 7 – 9. This AmSpa Medical Spa Boot Camp is your opportunity to join us to get your medical aesthetic business headed in the right direction and learn tried-and true business strategies that can take it to the next level. Sign up here to register!