In this greatest hits episode, we revisit a conversation between AmSpa President and CSO, Cathy Christensen, and top leadership coach and bestselling author Sohee Jun, PhD. They discuss the myth of balance, Jun’s journey into leadership coaching and her advice for overcoming challenges as a business leader. Their conversation includes:

• Why she’s allergic to the word “balance;”
• Integrating our priorities and thinking about our values;
• Her journey to organizational psychology and leadership coaching;
• What working with a leadership coach looks like and who her clients are;
• Advice for cultivating a team of leaders;
• Recognizing when to pivot and elevate your leadership style;
• The challenge of leading multigenerational teams;
• Her keynote at the 2023 Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference.

Reignite your passion to lead with mentorship from aesthetic innovators, entrepreneurs and renowned experts at the 2025 Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference, October 3 - 5 at Terranea Resort in Southern California. Learn more about the connections and experiences that await you at experiencewalc.com.

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Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa President and CSO Cathy Christensen speaks with Cy Wakeman, drama researcher, New York Times bestselling author of No Ego, and 2023 world's number one leadership guru, to discuss reality-based leadership. They talk about common leadership challenges in medical spas, including managing diverse teams, implementing standardized processes, and balancing in-office and remote work. Their conversation includes:

• Why you should be managing the energy of your team, not their behavior;
• How to clean up your thinking, find your impact and take the next right action;
• Why stress comes from the story we make up about reality;
• Train to act, not react: Co-regulating to diffuse drama and look beyond ego;
• The four types of boundaries leaders must set in the workplace;
• Standardizing processes to eliminate errors and improve safe patient care;
• Cy’s upcoming keynote presentation at the Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference (WALC).

For a masterclass on restoring sanity in the workplace and calling your team up to greatness, join Cy Wakeman at the Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference October 3 - 5, 2025, at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Her closing keynote, “Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama and Turn Excuses Into Results” will give leaders the tools, techniques and proven coaching models to skillfully navigate the interferences of drama, hardwire personal accountability and help their teams deliver on their business goals. Learn more and register at experiencewalc.com.

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Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa founder and CEO Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with RealSelf CEO Minou Clark to discuss the platform’s transformation into a dynamic, consumer-first destination for aesthetics. Clark shares how RealSelf is evolving to meet the needs of today’s beauty consumer by embracing med spas and amplifying the human side of aesthetics.

• Clark’s transition from Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media to her first CEO role in aesthetics;
• RealSelf’s evolution from a plastic surgery directory to a multifaceted consumer platform;
• How social media shifted aesthetics from taboo to pop culture and self-actualization;
• RealSelf’s rebrand: modern UX, aspirational design and intuitive navigation for younger users;
• Launching seamless booking to remove friction and drive conversion across providers;
• Supporting coexistence between med spas, plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists;
• RealSelf’s commitment to vetting quality providers and elevating industry standards;
• Clark's vision for activism, how aesthetics changes lives, and more!

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Music by Ghost Score