Diamond Hands Podcast with Leslie Tracey

Leslie Tracey
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

Conversations with the founders, executives, and operators shaping the future of medical aesthetics. Hosted by Leslie Tracey, executive brand advisor, founder of Diamond Hands Media and author of Be Intentional or Be Irrelevant.

  1. 5d ago

    Episode 103: The Rep Will Show You the Reel. Ask Who Ran the Study

    Note: This conversation is for educational purposes only. Consult qualified medical professionals before implementing any new procedural techniques, laser safety protocols, or equipment purchases.    Why do clinical trials miss what combination therapies really do, and what separates evidence-based authority from influencer-driven visibility?    In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with longtime friend Dr. Joel Cohen, Director of AboutSkin Dermatology and DermSurgery, board-certified dermatologist, and fellowship-trained laser, aesthetic, and Mohs surgeon. With more than 320 published articles and book chapters, he shows clinicians how to turn the literature into long-lasting results.    Known as "Safety Joel," Dr. Cohen lays out the standards behind his practice and research unit, from optical wavelength verification to foot-pedal isolation, and how he evaluates new energy-based equipment.    They also get into running clinical trial days, vetting device updates, and spotting unmet patient needs, from green-tinted post-resurfacing sunscreens to new combination modalities.    🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube     🔗 Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Dr. Joel Cohen  💼 LinkedIn: Dr. Joel Cohen on LinkedIn  🌐 Practice Website: AboutSkin Dermatology & DermSurgery  Remember: “When you walk into the room with a patient, be completely present. Turn off the cell phone, eliminatedistractions, and focus on what matters to them. Real authority is built on evidence, patient safety, and delivering meaningful, reproducible outcomes.”   — Dr. Joel Cohen    Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a dermatologist, plastic surgeon, clinician, or practice manager looking to elevate their safety standards, evaluate capital equipment objectively, and incorporate evidence-based combination therapies.  🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_    Disclaimer: The content in this episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, medical, surgical, or financial advice. Clinical protocols, outcomes, and candidacy vary by provider, patient profile, and jurisdiction. Laser safety standards, device settings, and combination protocols vary by manufacturer, facility, and regulatory requirements. Individual results are not guaranteed. Always consult qualified medical, legal, and financial professionals before implementing new procedural techniques, purchasing equipment, or adopting business strategies.

    Episode 103: The Rep Will Show You the Reel. Ask Who Ran the Study

  2. Oct 2

    Episode 102: Your medical degree is your leverage. They are counting on you not knowing that.

    Note: For educational purposes only. Consult a qualified legal professional before negotiating or executing any contracts. What actually happens when a medical aesthetic provider or clinician signs a brand deal without understanding usage rights, exclusivity clauses, or the true value of their licensed credibility? In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Kameron Buckner, Esq., attorney, content creator with over 200K followers across platforms, and founder of Social Docket. Over five years, Kameron has advised hundreds of creators on contracts, negotiations, and brand partnerships, helping them secure higher-paying deals and protect their work. She breaks down the legal fine print clinicians miss when partnering with device, skincare, and medical supply companies — how usage rights, paid-ad whitelisting, and broad exclusivity clauses lock providers out of future revenue, dilute brand equity, and create uncompensated liability. Together, Leslie and Kameron cover digital leverage, content ROI tracking across the full funnel, and how an AI-powered legal infrastructure protects intellectual property without the admin burden. 🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube 🔗 Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Kameron Buckner, Esq.  💼 LinkedIn: Kameron Buckner on LinkedIn  📸 Instagram: @kameronbuckner    Remember: “You are the leverage. The creator economy doesn’t run without creators. Never give away perpetual usage rights or broad exclusivity without getting paid for the future revenue you’re sacrificing.” — Kameron Buckner, Esq.    Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, injector, or creator looking to protect their content, understand usage rights, and negotiate brand partnerships with legal confidence.    🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_    Disclaimer:   The content in this episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, medical, surgical, or financial advice. Clinical protocols, outcomes, and candidacy vary by provider, patient profile, and jurisdiction. Individual results are not guaranteed. Always consult qualified medical, legal, and financial professionals before implementing new procedural techniques or business strategies.

    Episode 102: Your medical degree is your leverage. They are counting on you not knowing that.

  3. Sep 25

    Episode 101: The Needle Got You Here. It Will Not Get You Where the Field Is Going.

    Note: This conversation is for educational purposes only. Consult qualified medical professionals before implementing any new procedural techniques.    What does it take to move beyond the needle, rethink how the face ages, and build entirely new aesthetic categories?    In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Dr. Yan Trokel, board-certified maxillofacial surgeon, founder of the Y LIFT Network, and creator of the Y LIFT, SurgiLIFT, Chiseled, and Silhouette. Trained at Columbia University and UT Southwestern, his work in facial reconstructive surgery became the foundation for a different way of thinking about aesthetics.  Dr. Trokel argues that surface-level filler was never the answer. He explains the bio-mechanical case for closed-space bone-level volumization and details how intramuscular biostimulators and GLP-1 shifts restore sculpted contours without surgery — not as trends, but as logical extensions of how the face actually ages.  That thinking built VASTOZ, a conference designed not to inspire but to implement. Better judgment, better outcomes, and systems that actually scale. Leslie and Dr. Trokel get into what scaling really means and why quality control is the only answer — rigorous enough that any practitioner can reach a safe, repeatable standard before personal judgment ever enters the room.    🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube     🔗 Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Dr. Yan Trokel  📸 Instagram: @yantrokelmd[Text Wrapping Break]  🌐 Y LIFT Official Website: ylift.com[Text Wrapping Break]  🏥 VASTOZ Conference: November 13–14 at The Pierre Hotel, New York City    Remember: "Outcomes are what we sell, not just products. Growth is pain, and failure is growth—if you learn from it. In aesthetics, 99% is scientific protocol and 1% is artistic flair. Real structural transformation happens when you restore the foundation from the inside out." — Dr. Yan Trokel    Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, surgeon, or practice owner looking to elevate their structural techniques, incorporate body harmonization, and deliver total-patient regenerative care.    🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey__    Disclaimer:  The content in this episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, medical, surgical, or financial advice. Clinical protocols, outcomes, and candidacy vary by provider, patient profile, and jurisdiction. Individual results are not guaranteed. Always consult qualified medical, legal, and financial professionals before implementing new procedural techniques or business strategies.

    Episode 101: The Needle Got You Here. It Will Not Get You Where the Field Is Going.

  4. Sep 18

    Episode 100: The First Year We Hit Twenty Million — We Spent Every Dollar of It.

    What does it take to leave the helm of big-brand aesthetic marketing, walk away from corporate security, and co-found a practice that scaled into a multi-state, influential brand?  In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Jake Laban, former US Head of Aesthetic Portfolio Marketing at Allergan and co-founder of Skin by Lovely, alongside his wife, Lovely Laban, GNP-C, MSN. Jake shares the unfiltered story of leaving a senior corporate career during the 2008 financial crisis to build an injectable-only clinic in Santa Monica that grew into a multi-location powerhouse across California, Oregon, and Washington.  Jake shares the true cost of taking the entrepreneurial leap, contrasting the illusion of corporate job security with the daily realities of running a P&L where revenue is vanity, and margin is sanity. He candidly shares the hard-learned lessons of scaling, including the operational mistakes of running a “20 million-dollar non-profit,” the nuances of transitioning to an employee-owned model, and why shifting from a culture of entitlement to joint accountability saved their business.  Together, Leslie and Jake discuss the power of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), the critical need for documented SOPs, and why the future of aesthetic practice longevity lies in balancing high-touch patient trust with operational discipline.    🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube      Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Jake Laban  💼 LinkedIn: Jake Laban on LinkedIn  🌐 Practice Website: Skin by Lovely  🎙️ Podcast: Injecting Leadership Podcast (Co-hosted with Todd Reed)  📚 Mentioned Literature & Frameworks: Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business (EOS) by   Gino Wickman | Uncommon Accountability by Brian P. Moran    Remember: "Revenue is vanity, and margin is sanity. Scaling and trust aren't mutually exclusive, they must be built together. Take emotion out of management by setting clear policies, written expectations, and joint accountability."   — Jake Laban    Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, practice owner, or aesthetic entrepreneur looking to scale sustainably, build strong operational systems, and foster a culture of accountability.  🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_

    Episode 100: The First Year We Hit Twenty Million — We Spent Every Dollar of It.

  5. Sep 11

    Episode 99: They Didn't Ghost You. You Were Too Slow.

    What is the actual financial cost when an aesthetic practice operates across five fragmented technology systems, and why do conventional lead follow-up workflows fail to capture modern consumer demand?  In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Shannon Blake, Director of Aesthetic Partnerships at Podium, who has spent over six and a half years leading Podium’s expansion into the medical aesthetics vertical. Shannon breaks down the operational reality facing practice managers and patient care teams who waste hours daily toggling between disconnected EMRs, CRMs, phone systems, and texting platforms.  Shannon shares data from secret-shopping studies across hundreds of practices, contrasting average after-hours response times (over eight hours) with the modern consumer expectation of two minutes or less. She explains how AI-driven operating systems — when properly trained on practice-specific SOPs and brand voice — can convert cold leads, automate appointment reminders, and mine dormant patient databases for high-margin treatments without compromising patient experience.  Together, Leslie and Shannon detail the dark work required for successful AI implementation, the boundaries between automated messaging and human clinical consultation, and the essential questions practice owners must ask technology vendors regarding HIPAA compliance, self-training capabilities, and platform maturity.  🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube    🔗 Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Shannon Blake  💼 LinkedIn: Shannon Blake on LinkedIn  🌐 Company Website: Podium Aesthetics Solutions  “AI employees don’t come out of the box ready to slay it for you. Garbage in, garbage out. If you take the time to document your SOPs, brand voice, and protocols, an AI agent will work tirelessly to capture every single lead and mine lost revenue sitting in your database.”    - Shannon Blake  Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a practice owner, office manager, or patient care coordinator looking to eliminate fragmented software, decrease lead response times, and scale practice revenue with AI-driven workflows.  🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_

    Episode 99: They Didn't Ghost You. You Were Too Slow.

  6. Sep 4

    Episode 98: Less Than 1% of Business Owners Are Bankable. Are You? with Micah Smith

    Disclaimer: This conversation is for educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, lending, credit repair, or financial advice. Lending standards, credit reporting, rates, and eligibility vary by lender, product, business profile, and jurisdiction. Consult qualified financial, legal, tax, and lending professionals before making decisions.    Why do so many practice owners with great personal credit still hit a financial ceiling when attempting to scale, acquire equipment, or open new locations?    In this episode, Leslie Tracey welcomes back Micah Smith, President and CEO of Micah Abigail LLC, credit restoration expert, and host of the Rebuild and Rise podcast. She breaks down the distinction between personal credit and business credit architecture, and why relying on personal guarantees or cards that don't report to business bureaus quietly limits growth.    She defines what it means to become "bankable", a status held by less than 1% of business owners, and explains why high-rate factor loans and Merchant Cash Advances are the expensive alternative to SBA funding that most practice owners default to by default. She also walks through what banks actually evaluate: Dun & Bradstreet profiling, FICO SBSS scores, lender compliance, and low-five bank ratings.    Together, Leslie and Micah cover the real impact of Buy Now, Pay Later platforms on patient credit, the risk of over-relying on patient financing, and why bankability is the foundation of practice valuation, leverage, and any exit strategy worth building toward.    🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube      🔗 Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Micah Smith  📸 Instagram: @fitcreditdoctor  🎙️ Podcast: Rebuild and Rise Podcast  📚 Mentioned Literature:   The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel   Profit First by Mike Michalowicz    Remember:   "Personal credit gets you started, but business bankability builds your legacy. Wealth isn't just about the top-line revenue you generate—it's about the capital you retain, the leverage you hold, and the foundation you build."   — Micah Smith    Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, practice owner, or entrepreneur looking to build business credit, achieve bankability, and scale their practice with financial leverage.  🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_

    Episode 98: Less Than 1% of Business Owners Are Bankable. Are You? with Micah Smith

  7. Aug 28

    Episode 97: Perfect Is the New Problem with Dr. Scott Miller

    Why does true aesthetic mastery rely on anatomical restraint, individual proportion, and an uncompromising, patient-first philosophy? In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Dr. Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS, owner and board-certified plastic surgeon at Miller Cosmetic Surgery in La Jolla, California, and author of Authentic Beauty: Defining a New Standard for Care and Results in Plastic Surgery. Fellowship-trained under the legendary Dr. Bruce F. Connell, Dr. Miller brings over 30 years of surgical expertise to discuss why he has spent his career avoiding fleeting trends in favor of long-term patient integrity and natural results. Dr. Miller breaks down the core philosophy that the patient is the hero, and the surgeon is the guide, explaining why knowing when not to operate is as critical as surgical execution. He details how to establish pre-consultation trust, why commodifying aesthetic procedures harms patient safety, and how subtle anatomical nuances—like hyoid bone position or orbital bone support—dictate optimal surgical and non-surgical outcomes. Together, Leslie and Dr. Miller cover the concept of “perfectly imperfect beauty,” how to build a highly sophisticated practice team that acts with one voice, and why true practice branding stems from internal core values—Quality, Integrity, Safety, Service, and being a great place to work—rather than vanity metrics or social media trends. 🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube     🔗 Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS  📸 Instagram: @millercosmeticsurgery  🌐 Practice Website: Miller Cosmetic Surgery  📚 Mentioned Literature: Authentic Beauty: Defining a New Standard for Care and Results in Plastic Surgery by Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS  Remember: “Show me your incentives, and I’ll show you your results. True branding isn’t about billboards or social media trends; it’s eye-to-eye connection, deep anatomical knowledge, and showing patients you care through every single action.” — Scott R. Miller, MD, FACS    Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, injector, plastic surgeon, or practice owner committed to upholding high anatomical standards, individual facial harmony, and patient-first ethics.  🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_

    Episode 97: Perfect Is the New Problem with Dr. Scott Miller

  8. Aug 21

    Episode 96: You Did Not Hire the Wrong People. You Built the Wrong Systems.

    Why are so many busy, high-revenue aesthetic practices still struggling with profitability and high team turnover?  In this episode, Leslie Tracey sits down with Kara McClanahan, MBA, MHA, CMPE, CEO and Managing Partner of Aesthetic Practice Partners, COO of Genesis Lifestyle Medicine, and Founder of Elevate Esthetics Foundation. With over 30 years of experience spanning esthetics, practice administration, corporate medical device executive roles, and multi-site operations, Kara brings a 360- degree perspective few consultants can match to practice scaling and practice efficiency.  Kara breaks down why practice owners often misdiagnose operational issues, focusing on top-line revenue or client acquisition when the real culprit lies in compressed profit margins and flawed staffing infrastructure. She explains how to align brand identity with practice positioning, why culture must be woven directly into standard operating procedures rather than superficial perks, and how to simplify product offerings to eliminate retail confusion.  Together, Leslie and Kara cover the hiring and onboarding lifecycle, detailing how to write culture-centric job descriptions, why the first 90 days of employee training dictate long-term retention, and how practice leaders can cultivate future leaders from within while maintaining an active talent bench.  🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube  🔗 Resources & Links  👤 Connect with Our Guest Kara McClanahan, MBA, MHA, CMPE  💼 LinkedIn: Kara McClanahan on LinkedIn  🌐 Practice & Consulting Website: Aesthetic Practice Partners | Genesis Lifestyle Medicine  📚 Mentioned Literature: Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman  Remember: “You have to be as cognizant of the experience your team has as you are of your patients. Employees who feel valued, supported, and properly trained are the ones who stay long-term.” — Kara McClanahan  Enjoyed This Episode?  If this episode resonated with you, share it with a clinician, practice manager, or aesthetic practice owner looking to optimize their operational systems, improve profit margins, and build high-retention teams.  🎙️ To connect with your host, Leslie Tracey  (Founder, Diamond Hands Media | Author | GAIN Business Faculty):  📸 Instagram: @leslietracey_

    Episode 96: You Did Not Hire the Wrong People. You Built the Wrong Systems.
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Conversations with the founders, executives, and operators shaping the future of medical aesthetics. Hosted by Leslie Tracey, executive brand advisor, founder of Diamond Hands Media and author of Be Intentional or Be Irrelevant.

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