Melisa went through several careers before finding hers: she started in international business, continued with genomic sciences and ended up studying medicine. She entered a vascular surgery residency at one of the most respected hospitals in the country, and halfway through the six years she made a brave decision: to quit and dedicate herself to aesthetic medicine.
Today she has her own practice in Metepec. In this episode she told us how she dares to break expectations, how she educates a market full of myths and how she explains that results take time. It is a useful story for anyone whose business is widely misunderstood.
The problems she faced
1.Following the path others expect
Melisa admits that for years she followed other people's expectations. She entered the most demanding residency and was the only woman in her program, in a class of just two people. She liked it, but she realized she was doing it for what others expected, not for what she wanted.
2.Finding your path late
Before medicine she tried international business and genomic sciences, and worked for a year at a translation company. She says she would have loved to discover aesthetic medicine sooner, because she would have saved years of wear on her mental health. But every step taught her something.
3.The stigma of your own industry
Among colleagues, aesthetic medicine is often downplayed, as if it were for someone who "could not get into a residency". If you ask a doctor whether they recommend an aesthetic specialist, she says, they will probably say no, without knowing how much training is involved or how many scientific publications support the treatments.
4.Clients who want discretion
Many patients arrive saying "I do not want my husband to find out" or "make sure it is not noticeable". Melisa says her results aim to look as natural as possible, but with a visible change, so someone says "you look great" even if you credit the gym. She compares the stigma to that of therapy: many people go but do not admit it.
5.A market full of myths
In her practice, about 90% of her patients are women and 10% are men. Many men are interested but do not take the step. And there are myths, like that these treatments are only for older women or only out of vanity. Her work is part consulting, part education.
6.Clients who expect a magic wand
Some treatments take time to show. Melisa says some patients get desperate and want immediate results. She reminds them that it is not magic: "there is a reason they call you a patient", she jokes, and she has to explain it from the first consultation.
7.Opening something of your own with support, but without depending on anyone
When we recorded, she had been in her practice for barely a month. She says her greatest achievement is being able to open something of her own, without depending on anyone, although she recognizes the people who helped her get there.
What she learned (and it can save you years)
1.Do not let other people's expectations decide for you
This is her main advice: you do not have to meet any expectation except your own. If you do not like the path laid out for you, change it. Melisa quit her residency in the third year and today she is grateful she did.
2.Position yourself around a clear purpose
Her approach is self-care as a form of self-love. Her patients do not have to "change their face", she says, but feel better and look more rested. It is a message of acceptance and improvement at the same time: accepting yourself does not mean you cannot change something.
3.Document the results
Before each treatment, she takes photos of her patients. Afterward, they compare them together to appreciate the changes and see whether anything is missing. Often, she says, you can see it in the sparkle in their eyes and in how much they smile. It is a simple practice that works for any service with visible results.
4.Educate your market with content
Melisa posts educational content and self-love messages on her Instagram, and explains processes and common questions to break myths. She says she wants to build community, not just sell treatments.
5.Get your schedule in order
She describes herself as "the girl with the markers": she has a calendar with everything written down and her own hours that she tries to respect. To balance her life with her partner, her family and her dogs, the trick is a good calendar and sticking to it.
6.Do it scared
Her closing message: even if you are afraid, do it. Your family may say you are crazy, but if you feel that is the way to go, change careers or do something else. Time will pass anyway, and following your goals is never wasted time.
“If you are afraid, do it afraid. It is fine.”
Is something like this happening to you?
If your business offers a personal or widely misunderstood service, go through this list:
Listen to the full episode
This is only a summary. The full conversation has many more details, stories and tips. Watch it in full on YouTube (it is recorded in Spanish; turn on the captions and choose Auto-translate to read it in English) or find every episode on the Pandas Creativos podcast page (in Spanish).
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