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The Challenge: Balancing a Hectic Schedule and Family Life
As a full-time anesthesiologist and critical care physician, Dr. Seif was balancing a 60-70 hour work week and family life.
"Medicine is great, super rewarding, but it’s high-intensity work. Burnout is real," he explained. “I wanted to do something that allowed me to be more present for my family, especially my three boys."
Initially, he planned to start an IV hydration business but quickly realized he wanted to get into aesthetics so he could provide care for patients in a more relaxed setting.
“My goal is to give my clients full confidence so that when they walk out of my medspa, they look and feel their best.”
However, Dr. Seif faced a few key challenges. Balancing his demanding hospital schedule and family life while starting a new business was no small feat. He also recognized that though he had the medical expertise, he didn’t have the full capacity to conquer the business know-how.
“In medical school, they don’t teach you how to start a business,” Dr. Seif reflected.
He was also wary of navigating the complex legal requirements for aesthetics and IV hydration services in a highly regulated state like California.
“Without the help of Moxie, I don't know if I would have been able to launch on my own. One of the biggest hesitations I had was I didn’t know everything I needed to do to get the business up and running from a legal perspective, compliance perspective, and all the things that go into hiring, space selection, and understanding the competition.”
The Solution: A Partner to Lighten the Load
Dr. Seif partnered with Moxie to get the partner, business know-how, and tools he needed to launch with his limited time and busy schedule.
"I did a lot of Googling about how to start a medspa or get a medspa up and running," said Dr. Seif. “When I found Moxie it was an immediate light-bulb moment. I didn’t have 50 hours a week to pour into a business —that’s the biggest challenge I faced — but Moxie could help me make up for the time I didn’t have.”
With a trusted partner by his side to guide him through every step of the launch process, he was given the confidence he needed to dive into the aesthetics world.
“Having Moxie as a partner behind the scenes, holding my hand, and being accessible whenever I needed to ask a question was amazing— at any part of my day I could open up my phone and shoot a text over and get an immediate answer with next steps.”
He also got the confidence and assurance to navigate California’s stringent laws regarding medical aesthetics.
"I was worried about compliance because California is really stringent on things. Moxie had a clear checklist and knew the California regulations. They handled everything—from required trainings to setting me up with a lawyer, and setting up my pharma accounts,” he explained.
With Moxie managing the practical aspects of launching, including helping to secure a location, setting up contracts, and ensuring that SM Drip had all the necessary medical supplies and pharma accounts, he could spend more time with his family and at his demanding job.
“Moxie gave me a clear checklist and took so much off my plate, especially given my two other jobs."
The Result: A Seamless Launch and Fast Growth
With Moxie’s support, Dr. Seif was able to go from idea to open in just over three months. “I didn’t have a year or more to spend figuring this out,” he said.
“It's one thing to have the idea of starting a business and then waiting a year, or a year and a half to go from the idea to that first client you're seeing. Moxie was able to help me do it within three months, and I felt great going through the process. They connected me with a lawyer and gave me a checklist of one thing at a time that I needed.”
SM Drip has thrived since its opening, with a team of 5 now providing aesthetic treatments such as Botox, fillers, and IV hydration services.
Post-launch, Moxie has been by his side to help keep the business running smoothly, stay ahead of ever-changing regulatory and compliance laws in California, and ultimately grow the medspa. And as a result, Dr. Seif can spend more time with his family while still pursuing his passion for providing top-tier patient care.
“It was a no-brainer. I like to think of Moxie as my partner, always in the background, allowing me to control everything about my business, but with all the support I needed to launch and always available to ask any questions I have.”
