I Used To Cry Before Every Lip Filler Clinic!
Kelsey Bailey, founder of KB Aesthetics, is consistently in first place on Glowday in London, achieving amazing reviews and tons of new patient bookings. We chatted to Kelsey about her journey into aesthetics, her advice for other new practitioners and how using GlowdayPRO has been transformative for Kelsey’s business.
Hi Kelsey! Thanks for chatting with us. Without wanting to sound too ‘X-factor’ about it all (cue Westlife track), we’d love to find out more about you and your journey!
So, do you still work in the NHS?
Yes, I have a 50/50 split with the NHS and my business. I have considered going full time with KB but I have always loved doing a bit of everything and find it difficult to do repetitive work, hence why I stayed so long in acute medicine and now practice nursing. Variety is the spice of life for me!
What made you decide to give aesthetics a whirl?
When I moved to practice nursing from being a ward sister, I felt like I had more time on my hands with no more 12 hour night shifts, I thought why not! I must have been mad as I was still doing my postgraduate certificate at the time. But I have always been creative and I liked the idea of being able to create whilst nursing as well as being able to continue my medical nursing. It felt like it was the best of all worlds for me!
Did you find it difficult?
It’s the hardest thing I have ever done. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing from the very beginning and still sometimes think what on earth am I doing - but I’m sure we are all like that! I remember doing my first Instagram post and thinking why am I even bothering?
I used to cry before my first lip filler clinics as I was terrified I would cause more damage than good… and invoices and accounting, don’t even ask me about that! However, slowly but surely I’m getting the hang of it all!
We can’t imagine you crying Kelsey! You seem so confident! So, how did you build up your patient base?
I first started attracting clients on Instagram and of course family and friends. I would do their treatments for dirt cheap to get my confidence up and get photos I could use to put on Instagram! Then it was word of mouth for a long time. I then joined GlowdayPRO and the more reviews I got coupled with my existing clients, I began to to fill every single clinic I opened!
Why do you think you receive such incredible reviews that have put you in the top spot for aesthetics treatments in London?
I am always asking myself why my patients give me such lovely reviews, it’s honestly so difficult to take praise! I think all healthcare professionals are like that, we don’t get into the NHS for a review do we? We do it because we care! I need to remember that I work really hard in KB, and go out of my way to support my patients after treatment and give them the best possible experience. The reviews are the absolute icing on the cake for me and help me to continue believing in myself.
Do you ever say no to patients?
Yes I do sometimes get some difficult patients and this is normally because of unrealistic expectations and body dysmorphia. I will not put more filler into already overfilled migrated lips.
However a lot of patients do listen to my advice to dissolve first and start fresh. I need to be able to sleep at night and going crazy with a needle for extra money is not my thing.
Where do you stand on unreliable patients, the flaky ones who mess you around with appointments?
I now charge late cancellation and no show fees and I don’t let them off - but I found this soooo difficult at the start! However, I’ve realised my time is valuable and since I have stopped waiving the fees, I have had hardly any patients let me down! If people realise they can cancel last minute with no repercussions then they will carry on doing it.
All of the clients who I have charged late or no show fees have ALL booked back in and arrived on time which I think says everything.
It’s hard to shift that nurse mind to a business mind but when you start losing revenue it gets easier to protect your business else it won’t last very long.
Allow us to be a little self-indulgent for a moment, but can you describe how joining GlowdayPRO has been beneficial for you?
GlowdayPRO has 100% helped KB Aesthetics London in every way! I was getting a steady flow of clients before but when I decided to move to GlowdayPRO, which includes a profile on Glowday, I really noticed the growth in new patients. I will always ask my patients where they found me and while lots are word of mouth, it’s then 50/50 Glowday and Instagram with a small amount from TikToK of all places! Even when patients find me from social media, they all check out my Glowday profile and look at my reviews and that makes them confident with their choice to go for me. Reviews have absolutely increased the amount of clients I get - it has made the world of difference!
We know some practitioners are cautious or nervous about moving away from their current software provider, what would you say to them?
I would say - just do it! I tell everyone who asks to go for GlowdayPRO. I’m sure people think you sponsor me or something, but it’s because you have everything in one place.
My admin has practically vanished since switching and I don’t need to even think about reminder messages or to ask for reviews - it’s all done for me. Even paperwork - every document like the medical questionnaires and consent forms is digital and in one place - neat and tidy, bish bosh!
And all of my patients who I had before I joined GlowdayPRO now all use it with ease to book in, instead of asking me what I have available and they can even pay directly through Glowday - they don’t even have to bring a card to their appointment!
What advice would you give to other nurses thinking of starting out in aesthetics, what should they do before they make the jump?
The advice I would give to a fellow practitioner about to start out is breathe! It can be a very lonely thing starting a business when you are still working for the NHS and if you are like me in the beginning, you don’t know anyone else who does aesthetics to ask questions and get in their head.
I learnt by doing - in every sense. I literally had to force myself to go and do my first clients because I was sick with fear but I always did it - it’s scary injecting faces but honestly, it gets better!
Social media is also terrifying but honestly worth it! Do DCAM to give you a good start- it’s great! Also practice. Unless you are confident or getting confident in your techniques and skills with injecting, it will come across. Give yourself bundles of time to take care and time with each client! Then you just need to get organised with documentation and payment etc but just join GlowdayPRO for that… sorted!
What training do you rate?
Training wise, do as much as you can, however, you will only get good at anything if you just keep doing it! When it comes to lips, I have now developed my own technique that works for me that gives me good results. It’s when I got good at the basics that I did further training as I could really understand what the trainers were talking about! Now I find it easier to apply what I learn into actual practice.
What’s your plans for the future?
I hope to be able to keep growing KB Aesthetics London steadily whilst trying to find that perfect work/ life balance. All I know is that the more I keep pushing forward, the busier but easier it is getting. I feel more in control, less anxious and ready for what’s coming next… just gotta keep breathing!