Beyond the Needle: The Aesthetics Business Podcast

In this episode, Emily shares the Instagram strategies that are actually working right now for aesthetic practitioners and clinic owners.

With social media constantly evolving, it can be difficult to know where to focus your time. Should you be creating Reels? Carousels? Following trends? Chasing viral content? Posting every day?

In this episode, Emily cuts through the noise and explains how Instagram should really be used by aesthetic clinics- not as a platform for vanity metrics but as a tool to build trust, attract the right patients and generate enquiries.

This episode is...

In this episode, Emily sits down with Eleanore Quadri, Founder and Clinical Director of Revive Cosmetics, an award winning, CQC-registered medical aesthetics clinic in Kent. Together, they unpack what it really takes to build a bespoke aesthetics clinic from the ground up.

After successfully building two clinics, Eleanore shares the realities of planning permission, CQC compliance, budgeting, contractors, clinic design and the lessons she'd do differently next time. 

If you've ever considered building a clinic, converting a property, creating a home based clinic or moving away from rented premises, this episode offers a candid behind t...

In this episode, Emily sits down with leadership consultant Marcus Haycock for part two of their strategic leadership series. This conversation dives into self‑awareness, communication styles and how Discovery Insights Profiling helps clinic owners build stronger teams, reduce conflict and improve patient consultations.

Marcus explains how Insights Profiling uses a four‑colour energy model to reveal communication preferences, strengths, blind spots and stress behaviours. Unlike simple personality quizzes, Insights provides a 20+ page personalised report that helps leaders understand how they show up, how others experience them, and how to adapt their communication for better outcomes.

Th...

In this episode, Emily sits down with Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz, chemical engineer, skincare formulator and founder of Skin Masterclass, to unpack one of the biggest untapped revenue streams in aesthetics clinics- skincare consultations and retail.

Cigdem explains why most practitioners unintentionally leave 20-40% of potential monthly revenue on the table, how ingredient based education transforms practitioner confidence and the exact consultation shifts that turn skincare from an afterthought into a high value, predictable revenue stream.

If you’ve ever felt awkward recommending skincare, struggled to convert consultations into product sales, or wondered how top clinics ac...

In this episode, Emily is joined by Dr. Harriet Turnbull, Global Chief Medical Officer and Head of Training at Derma Medical, to break down exactly what the journey into aesthetics should look like. From choosing the right training provider to building confidence, avoiding common mistakes and navigating the business side of becoming an injector.

Dr. Harriet has spent over a decade across general practice and aesthetic medicine, and she’s trained thousands of practitioners nationwide. Her perspective is honest, practical and rooted in real‑world experience making this episode essential listening for anyone considering a career in aest...

In this episode, Emily sits down with transformational leadership consultant Marcus Haycock, who brings over 25 years of experience in the aesthetics and pharmaceutical industries. This is the first instalment of a three‑part leadership series designed specifically for clinic owners, injectors, and managers who have found themselves in leadership roles accidentally.

Marcus introduces the concept of the “accidental leader”, explains why imposter syndrome is so prevalent in aesthetics, and breaks down the four foundational pillars of effective leadership. Together, Emily and Marcus explore how internal dialogue, communication style, and self‑awareness directly impact team performance, clinic culture, and long...

In this episode, Emily sits down with AI trainer and business strategist Emma Michael to demystify AI for clinic owners and practitioners.  

If you’ve ever opened ChatGPT, typed a basic prompt and wondered why the output felt generic, robotic, or unusable this episode will change everything.

Emma breaks down what AI actually is, why most people are using it incorrectly, and how to get results that genuinely save time, reduce mental load and support your business. She explains the difference between generative AI and human judgment, why prompts matter more than people realise, and how...

In this episode of Beyond the Needle, Emily dives into one of the most misunderstood topics in aesthetics and that is confidence.  

Not the polished, effortless confidence you see online but the real psychology behind fear, visibility, comparison and the courage required to grow an aesthetics business.

This episode builds directly on the limiting beliefs conversation from Episode 2. Emily breaks down why confidence is not the absence of fear, why waiting to “feel ready” keeps practitioners stuck and why the people who appear confident today were once exactly where you are  they simply acted before they f...

In this episode, Emily sits down with Yogeeta Bawa  co‑founder of Time Clinic, multi award winning clinic owner  and founder of The Invisible Business Partner to talk about the side of aesthetics most practitioners never get trained for and that is running the business.

From hiring to systems, finances, boundaries, overwhelm and operational structure, Yogeeta brings a rare perspective- a corporate management background combined with hands‑on experience building and scaling a two‑site clinic alongside her husband, Dr. Bawa.

If you’re a clinic owner who feels constantly busy but not actually moving forward, t...

In this episode, Emily explores one of the most under invested yet most powerful growth levers in aesthetics: patient experience. 
Not just the treatment itself, but everything that happens before, during and after the appointment. The clinics with long waitlists, consistent referrals and years long loyalty aren’t just producing great results they’re delivering an experience that makes patients feel seen, valued, and genuinely cared for.

Emily breaks down the entire patient journey, from the moment someone discovers your clinic online to the way they feel weeks after their appointment. She shares the small, sensory, and e...

In this episode, Emily sits down with Dr. Kamran Amjed- medical doctor, multi clinic owner, CQC registered manager and founder of Consultation Catalyst, the UK’s first CPD approved consultation training program for aesthetic practitioners.

If you’ve ever wondered why your marketing is strong but your revenue doesn’t reflect it, this episode will give you the answer. Dr. Kamran explains why conversion rates drop the moment a clinic owner steps back, why inconsistency between clinicians costs clinics thousands and how to build a consultation framework that any team member can follow confidently and ethically.

This...

In this episode, Emily explores one of the most overlooked  yet most powerful drivers of business success in aesthetics- your mindset.  
While strategy, marketing and pricing matter, the beliefs you hold about yourself, your skills and your business often determine your ceiling long before external factors ever do.

This episode dives deep into the limiting beliefs that show up repeatedly in the aesthetics industry. Emily breaks down the five most common limiting beliefs she sees in practitioners, explains why they exist and gives you practical tools to dismantle them so you can show up more confidently an...

In this episode, Emily dives into one of the most predictable challenges aesthetic practitioners face every year and that is keeping their clinic busy and their revenue strong during the summer months.

Whether you’re already experiencing quieter weeks or you want to proactively protect your diary, this episode gives you a complete summer strategy covering treatment positioning, retention, new patient acquisition, retail revenue and how to use downtime to strengthen your business long‑term.

Emily breaks down why summer slows down, what your patients actually want right now and how to adapt your marketing, offe...

In this episode, Emily breaks down one of the most frustrating challenges aesthetic practitioners face- Instagram reach that has completely plateaued.  
You’re posting consistently, you’re putting in the effort, yet the same small group of people see your content every time. No new eyes. No new followers. No new patients.

This episode explains why that happens and more importantly, how to fix it in a way that works for busy clinic owners who don’t have hours to spend creating content.

Emily introduces the concept of the lived experience hook, a powerful content...

In this episode of Beyond the Needle, Emily sits down with Sarah Louise- founder of SLA Medical, SLA Academy and The Business Injection.

Sarah’s journey is remarkable: from training in Australia and working alongside leading plastic surgeons, to moving to the UK with no network, building a clinic from her back garden, navigating single parenthood and eventually creating a business that runs without her while she lives in Dubai.

Sarah breaks down the difference between having a personal following and building a real brand, why so many practitioners accidentally create jobs instead of assets an...

In this episode, Emily breaks down one of the most powerful yet most misunderstood marketing tools for aesthetic practitioners and that is storytelling.  
Not the fluffy, overly personal kind but the practical, strategic storytelling that helps patients see themselves in your content and builds trust long before they ever book.

With AI now able to produce competent content at scale, Emily explains why competent is no longer enough and why the practitioners who stand out will be the ones who can communicate human insight, real observations and genuine perspective.

This episode gives you a c...

In this episode, Emily sits down with voice and public speaking coach Emma Gaskin, a former NHS speech therapist who now helps women in business, TEDx speakers and leaders communicate with clarity, confidence, and authority.

If you’ve ever felt confident speaking to patients in clinic but freeze the moment a camera turns on this episode will change the way you think about your voice forever.

Emma breaks down the psychology behind why so many aesthetic practitioners struggle to show up online, why your voice gets smaller when you’re being watched and how conditioning, over...

In this episode celebrates five years in business and takes you behind the scenes of what it really looks like to build and grow a successful aesthetics business. 

Whether you're an aesthetics practitioner just starting out or a clinic owner stuck in the messy middle, this episode will help you understand why things feel hard, what to do about it, and how to build a business that feels aligned, intentional, and sustainable.

Connect with Emily:

In this episode, Emily is joined by Fiona Macaskill, founder of YDY Aesthetics Business Coaching, to explore a topic that affects far more aesthetic practitioners than they realise: confidence. While many clinic owners believe they need better marketing, clearer strategy, or more qualifications to grow, Fiona explains how the real barrier often sits much deeper in how practitioners see themselves and their role as business owners.

Fiona shares how self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and a reluctance to fully step into the identity of a clinic owner can quietly limit growth. From underpricing treatments and avoiding visibility to hesitating...

In this episode, Emily explores one of the most common challenges facing aesthetic practitioners and clinic owners: creating consistent, high-quality content without it taking over your time.

This episode explores a more structured and realistic approach to content creation, showing how you can plan and create a full month of content in under five hours without sacrificing quality, clarity, or connection with your audience. Rather than focusing on doing more, Emily explains how building a simple content system can reduce the mental load and make the process far more manageable.

If you’re an aesthetic pr...

In this episode, Emily is joined by Courtney Le Borgne, founder of Hosted Aesthetics and the Hosted Leadership Summit, to explore what it really takes to grow a successful and profitable aesthetics business.

Emily and Courtney break down why so many practitioners struggle to scale their clinics, despite having strong clinical skills and a loyal client base. From overcomplicating strategy to focusing on the wrong areas of the business, they explain how easily growth can stall when decisions aren’t grounded in data, customer understanding, and clear commercial thinking.

If you’re an aesthetic practitioner or c...

In this episode, Emily explores one of the most common challenges facing aesthetic practitioners and clinic owners- procrastination.

Emily breaks down why procrastination happens so often in business and how it can quietly stall progress for even the most talented practitioners. From delaying marketing tasks to putting off big decisions about growth, pricing, content, or visibility, procrastination can keep clinics stuck in the same cycle year after year.

The conversation also focuses on the importance of mindset when building an aesthetics business. Whether you're launching a clinic, growing your patient base, or trying to establish...

In this season finale episode, Emily breaks down one of the biggest shifts happening in aesthetics right now. And that is more and more patients are searching for clinics with AI instead of Google or Instagram.

Platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot are already influencing who gets recommended when people ask questions like “Who is the best aesthetic clinic near me?” or “Who can I trust for injectables?”. And unlike traditional search engines, AI doesn’t show long lists of options. It gives a small number of answers. 

Emily explains why this matters for aesthetic p...

In this episode, Emily breaks down one of the biggest frustrations aesthetic practitioners face when it comes to marketing: running out of content ideas.

If social media is something you’re constantly leaving until the end of a busy clinic day scrambling to post something, anything, this episode explains why that cycle happens and how to finally break it.

This episode walks you through how to build a repeatable content system based on the work you’re already doing in clinic. Emily explains how to create clear content pillars that reflect your patients’ real lives, concer...

In this episode, host Emily is joined by Natalie Fletcher, founder of Naturally Flawless Aesthetics, a midwife turned aesthetics practitioner and a standout example of building a values led aesthetics clinic from the ground up.

Natalie shares her full journey from nearly two decades in the NHS to running a thriving private aesthetics clinic built on natural results, patient trust, and ethical decision-making. What began as juggling NHS shifts, free consultations, and working across 11 different clinic locations has evolved into a fully established clinic with a growing team, advanced devices, and a strong brand reputation.

...

In this episode of, Emily  breaks down exactly how social media marketing for aesthetic clinics is changing in 2026 and what practitioners need to do differently if they want to keep growing without burning out or chasing every new trend.

After a year of noticeable shifts in engagement, reach and conversion, this episode explores why the old strategies many clinics relied on such as perfect feeds, before and afters only, generic educational posts and polished branding, these are no longer enough. Instead, Emily explains how platforms like Instagram and TikTok are now built around discovery, trust and human c...

In this episode, Emily is joined by Sara Cheeney, founder of Pure Perfection Clinic and one of the UK’s most in-demand business coaches for aesthetic practitioners.

With over 15 years in aesthetics and a clinic that has stood the test of time since 2008, Sarah brings a rare combination of clinical credibility, commercial strategy and unapologetically honest insight. Since 2019, she has coached hundreds of clinic owners through pricing decisions, hiring, systems, marketing mistakes, device investments and the often misunderstood reality of becoming a KOL.

This conversation cuts through industry noise and “shiny object syndrome” to focus on wha...

In this episode, Emily breaks down one of the most common fears aesthetic practitioners face and that is the January scaries. After the chaos of December, when clinics are fully booked and running at full speed, the sudden quiet of early January can feel unnerving. But Emily reframes the entire conversation by explaining that January is only quiet when it hasn’t been designed to be anything else.

This episode explores why seasonality hits some clinics harder than others and how to engineer a busy, profitable start to the year instead of falling into panic mode. Emily ta...

In this weeks episode Emily Ruse is joined by Dr. Hazel Parkinson a GP, aesthetic practitioner, dermatology expert and women’s health advocate. With over 20 years of NHS experience, postgraduate dermatology training and a thriving private clinic in Warwickshire, Dr. Hazel brings an exceptional depth of insight into the intersection of skin, hormones, menopause and whole-person care.

This conversation goes far beyond injectables. Dr. Hazel breaks down what truly impacts midlife skin, why stress and sleep matter just as much as skincare, and how hormone changes show up on the face long before patients recognise the symptoms. He...

In this weeks episode Emily tackles one of the biggest challenges aesthetic practitioners face and that is getting high-quality patient testimonials and on camera content without making patients feel exposed, judged, or uncomfortable.

Unlike other industries, testimonials in aesthetics come with layers of privacy, vulnerability, identity, and stigma. Many patients love their results and will happily tell you privately but don’t want their face on Instagram or their treatments discussed publicly. This leaves clinics stuck, even though social proof is one of the most powerful tools for building trust and driving new enquiries.

If yo...

In this episode,  Emily sits down with Dr. Bethany Rossington, award-winning aesthetics practitioner, speaker, mentor, and founder of Renavé Clinic. Beth’s story is anything but straightforward- from wanting to be an orthodontist at 13, to working in oral and maxillofacial surgery, to launching her first aesthetic treatments from her spare bedroom while on maternity leave.

Shaped by science, empathy, and first-hand experience with facial trauma, Beth has built a clinic with intention, strategy, and a strong sense of purpose. In this conversation, she shares the real journey behind that growth, the challenges, the pivots, the renovation nightmares, the mi...

In this episode,  Emily sits down with Dr. Magdalena Bejma, founder of Dr. Bejma Bespoke Medical Clinic one of Yorkshire’s most trusted aesthetic practices known for its natural, regenerative results and patient first approach.

Dr. Bejma shares her inspiring journey from GP to clinic owner, revealing how curiosity led her to discover a new passion that combines artistry, anatomy, and medicine. In this candid conversation, she opens up about the realities of leaving the NHS, overcoming fear, and building a brand rooted in integrity, education, and long-term patient relationships.

Whether you’re an aesthetics practit...

In this season finale, host Emily Ruse breaks down one of the most misunderstood but powerful tools for clinic marketing right now: Instagram Reels.

If you’ve been avoiding reels because they feel overwhelming or you think you need expensive equipment or influencer style transitions this episode will change your perspective. Reels don’t have to be complicated. In fact, the most effective ones are short, simple, and built on strategy.

Whether you’re a solo injector or running a team, this episode will give you a repeatable system for creating reels that don’t just loo...

In this week's episode, host Emily Ruse reveals why most clinic events fall flat and how to transform them into powerful growth tools that actually fill your diary.

Too many aesthetics clinic host events that look good on Instagram but don’t lead to bookings. Patients sip bubbles, flick through a brochure, and leave without committing. But when you design events with intention, they become one of the most effective ways to attract new patients, nurture existing ones, and position your clinic as the go-to in your area.

If you’ve ever hosted an open evening...

In this episode, Emily dives into one of Instagram’s most underused yet most powerful tools for clinics and practitioners which is Instagram Stories.

While many aesthetics businesses rely heavily on reels and feed posts, stories are often left as an afterthought or worse, used incorrectly. But stories are where your warmest audience lives the people who already follow you, know you, and are considering becoming your patients.

If you’ve ever felt like stories don’t “work” for your business, or you’re not sure what to post, this episode will show you how to turn stories...

In this episode, Emily Ruse sits down with Dr. Jessica Halliley, founder of Your Beauty Doctor, aesthetics trainer, GP, KOL, and mum of two.

Dr. Jess’s journey will resonate with so many practitioners- balancing long NHS shifts, late night home appointments, and motherhood, before scaling into a thriving clinic with a growing team and a respected brand built on integrity and natural results.

This episode is packed with real insights for aesthetic practitioners who are navigating growth, feeling stretched thin, or wondering how to scale without burning out.

If you’re an aesthe...

Getting leads isn’t the problem for most aesthetics clinics converting them is. In this episode, Emily breaks down exactly how to transform more of your inquiries into booked consultations and paying patients, without feeling pushy or resorting to discounts.

If you’ve ever wondered why your diary still has gaps despite a healthy number of inquiries, this episode will help you fix the real issue- your conversion process. Emily shares a proven framework that covers mindset, speed of response, qualifying leads, handling objections, and closing the loop so you can consistently fill your calendar and increase reve...

In this week’s episode, Emily is joined by Corinne from Patient Perfect to talk all things memberships- why they matter, how to structure them and how to make them work for both your business and your patients.

If you’ve been thinking about launching a membership but feel unsure about pricing, value, or where to even start, this episode is packed with no fluff advice.

Emily and Corinne cover the most common mistakes aesthetic practitioners make when creating membership models, the key mindset shifts you need to make it profitable and sustainable, and how to avoi...

In this weeks episode, Emily breaks down the TikTok hype and whether it’s a smart move for aesthetic business owners.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to jump on TikTok because “everyone’s doing it,” this episode will help you make a decision based on strategy not stress.

Emily shares why TikTok isn’t a magic wand for bookings, the key differences between TikTok and Instagram, the questions you should ask before adding another platform to your plate and how to avoid wasting time on content that doesn’t move the needle.

Connect with E...

In this episode, Emily speaks with Emma Ross, founder of ERA Aesthetics & Wellness, Northern Ireland’s first sanctuary dedicated to combining advanced medical aesthetics with holistic wellness practices.

Emma, a former nurse and midwife, shares her journey from clinical healthcare into aesthetics, the decision to open her own intentional space, and how turning 40 became a catalyst for redefining both her business and personal purpose. Alongside her creative director Megan, Emma dives into how they built a brand rooted in self-worth, connection, and authenticity, far beyond the traditional “clinic” model.

Whether you’re an aesthetic practitioner looking t...