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The Challenge: A Lack of Time and Capacity
Michelle had long practiced in a high-volume dermatology setting but decided to shift her focus when she found her passion for cosmetic dermatology and patient care was overshadowed by routine procedures.
“After 15 years of dermatology practice, I decided to shift my focus and work in medspas,” Michelle recalled. “I decided to open my own medspa because working at other medspas wasn’t fulfilling the type of procedures I wanted to do. I didn’t feel valued, I was treated like a commodity — what they cared about at the end of the day was meeting sales quotas.”
She launched her medspa with another partner but soon found they couldn’t offer the long-term support she was looking for. Michelle needed a partner who could handle the administrative complexities so she could focus on her patients, grow her brand, and spend time with her family.
“I worked with another partner to launch my business, but after a year, all the things they initially took off my plate dwindled over time to the point where I was losing sleep and working so much harder on the back end of things and wasn’t present for my family, I knew I needed to make a change.”
The Solution: A Partner to Ease the Burden
Michelle weighed her options — looking into going off on her own or picking a new partner — and ultimately decided Moxie was the right fit for her moving forward.
“I heard such great reviews and recommendations from other providers that had joined Moxie, it was a no-brainer.”
She was able to seamlessly transition to Moxie so she could continue to grow her medspa in the way she wanted.
“Moxie ended up being the right fit for me because they do all the things I need. They're there for me when I need them, but they're not there when I don't need them — that allows me to feel very independent and feel very supported and comforted that they have my back, but all of this is me.”
From an all-in-one, easy-to-use platform to inventory tracking, compliant business operations, and preferred pricing, Moxie took the burdensome tasks off Michelle’s plate.
“I would say Moxie's best feature is Moxie Suite. We're able to schedule appointments seamlessly, communicate with patients, track inventory, and easily set up integrations. I can get everything done through one online platform. It’s really amazing to have one platform that offers all of those things.”
Michelle also appreciates the peace of mind that comes with Moxie’s compliance knowledge. “Moxie helps with compliance a great deal — they definitely prioritize it, and they have very competent, knowledgeable people. I feel very, very confident and supported and very comfortable with the compliance and legal aspect that Moxie offers my practice.”
Her favorite part of working with Moxie? The team that has her back.
“My favorite part of working with Moxie is my team. The team is wonderful and it takes a village to run a practice. They're very communicative, responsive, supportive, knowledgeable, and very competent.”
The Result: A Healthy Life Balance and Thriving Practice
“With Moxie, I knew exactly what I was getting — I knew that they were going to help support me and that allowed me to focus on my patients.”
One of Michelle’s biggest concerns when transitioning to Moxie was losing her existing patient base. However, with Moxie’s efficient communication systems, none of her patients were left behind. “When I transitioned to Moxie, I was really pleased to see that none of my patients were lost. The effective communication tactics that Moxie used ensured that I would retain my clientele,” she says.
Beyond retaining clients, Michelle saw a significant boost in revenue at Étoile Aesthetics SD, even during slower months.
“I was very happy to see that my revenue increased quickly and was consistently at that increase for several months. Even in slow months, I did better than I expected. I always get a little nervous when changing things, but I feel like it just got better.”
But it wasn’t just about revenue—it was about balance. Michelle now enjoys more time with her family while still delivering top-tier care to her patients.
“Moxie gave me an added layer of support and comfort by taking care of the little things that I don't want to do — I want to focus on the bigger fish, like my clients and patient care. I’m happy to say I have a much better balance in my life now, I’m able to focus on my patient care and have the time and mental and physical capacity for my family,” Michelle shared.
Today, Michelle is thriving as both a business owner and a mother. She has also expanded her practice through partnerships, including a successful collaboration with a Pilates studio for quarterly pop-up Botox events.
Conclusion
Michelle Cote’s journey with Étoile Aesthetics is a testament to the power of combining expert care with savvy business operations. By partnering with Moxie, Michelle was able to focus on what matters most—her patients and her family—while also growing her business. Whether you're starting out or looking to scale, the right support can make all the difference. Book a call to learn more about how Moxie can help you launch and grow your business.
