The GlowGetters

By: Ellyn Lusis

There is a place that people whisper about in Guelph. You might have heard it mentioned after you’ve noticed someone looks great. They look freshly vacationed, relaxed. Themselves, but better. ‘ArtMed’, you might hear someone say as this is explanation enough. ArtMed has become known as a bit of a cosmetic time machine. Where you can turn back the clock a bit, focus on yourself and your selfcare.

ArtMed is a cosmetic medicine clinic located just north of downtown Guelph on Woolwich Street. The clinic is a boutique practice that offers a comprehensive range of services and products to treat the concerns of their clientele and help them achieve their aesthetic goals. Walking into ArtMed, it’s easy to think you’re in a spa, but it is a medical clinic. “We are not a surgical clinic but we are a medical clinic”, the owners of ArtMed, Jane and Mary clarify.

Their business journey began when Dr. Mary Peirson was a physician 30 years ago. “I worked in everything from public health to private care.” She had rosacea at the time and was being treated at a nearby clinic. After years of treatment, Dr. Mary was approached to buy the clinic. She immediately asked her sister, Jane Watson to partner with her due to her business experience. Now, Dr. Mary is ArtMed’s Medical Director and Jane serves as ArtMed’s Business Director. Since both ladies possess an extraordinary amount of entrepreneurial hutzpah, they jumped in.

After making the leap, Jane quickly realized she had a lot to learn about this particular industry. “I started taking business courses, reading everything I could about the industry, taking seminars and workshops and getting help and advice from Innovation Guelph and the Guelph Chamber of Commerce. I signed up for all of the classes that I could take.”

Their efforts paid off and they have recently expanded their space on Woolwich Street where they have been for the last six years. Designed entirely themselves, the aesthetics reflect their keen eye for beauty and design. The entire clinic is bright and filled with light, with an atmosphere emulating a spa. It feels luxurious, warm, and inviting all at the same time. You know you are going to be well taken care of here.

“We use a few terms to try and describe ourselves: We are a centre of excellence, we are a home for aesthetics, we are a community of care.” Caring about their patients’ well-being means sharing knowledge with them. “We love to educate our clients. We spend a lot of time and money educating our team, and we like our clients to be invested in their comprehensive care. It’s not about spending a lot, it’s about slow, continuous improvement and being consistent.”

ArtMed ensures their staff are highly trained and keep up with changes and developments in this ever-changing industry. They want their clients to know that they are in good hands and to feel safe and comfortable in their clinic. Safety is always a priority for their team.

Whether you are in need of Botox or Dermal filler, ArtMed offers a one-stop solution to all of your aesthetic needs. Laser or photo facials with broadband light (BBL) are also quite popular and “are a bit like taking an eraser to your brown spots on your face.” BBL can have an anti-aging effect as well. “If you start early you can slow down the aging process of your skin” Dr. Mary advises. Soft Wave is another poplar treatment at ArtMed which allows clients to tighten the skin without surgery. It all amounts to short treatment time, with little to no downtime for the client and long-term gains. You, but better. “The word Art in our company name is perfect. We really do think of a face as your canvas.”

The team at ArtMed wants you to look like the best version of you. Although their focus is on you looking your best, the ArtMed team always respects your budget. They don’t do the hard sale commonly found in this industry. They want their patients to feel confident, by enhancing their natural beauty. They will tell you if they feel that a treatment might not enhance your beauty or compliment your face. “We err on the side of the medical”, Dr. Mary says, “in our approach and ethically by how we treat our clients.” They understand that some clients may arrive in a vulnerable state. “We listen first, and we are always very respectful of their concerns and wishes.”

During the pandemic, ArtMed had to understandably shut down several times. Once they reopened, they saw a significant increase in the number of patients of all ages and genders. “People were looking at themselves on Zoom for two years” Jane joked. They also used it as an opportunity to open their online store to better service their clients. “We found government support for women entrepreneurs”, Jane said. “We regularly seek out those opportunities so that we may benefit from them. Women should not be afraid to seek out help. You’ve got to go look for it, they’re not going to come to your door.”

When asked what advice they would have for young female entrepreneurs, Dr. Mary had this to say: “Seek out help regularly and consistently. There are a ton of resources out there for women. Look for those opportunities and use them all. Always be ready to fail and pick yourself up and fail again and pick yourself up again. Women should know that every time that you make a mistake, it’s because you are an entrepreneur, not because you are a woman.”

Jane reminds women to ‘put yourself first’. Since a woman’s career path can be waylaid or paused for family reasons, “don’t be afraid to put yourself back in the game and don’t worry if you aren’t credentialed or accredited in some way. As an entrepreneur you’ll never stop learning, you just need to start.”

Knowing your worth comes up in our conversation as well. Sound advice for business women, by business women. “Value your time, your knowledge base and what you’re bringing to the table. If you’re choosing to be in business, it’s got to be something that you are absolutely invested in and passionate about. Make sure your motivation is clear, because you are going to need to come back to that again and again.”

Jane also has advice when it comes to a business partnership. “Take advantage of the differences and different perspectives you can offer each other. It’s been a strength for us to hear and use each other’s perspectives.”

Both Jane and Dr. Mary stress the importance of being invested in your community. “Take care of others and be giving.” ArtMed invests back into their local community by supporting several non-profits and charities including Hospice Wellington, the Foundation of Guelph General Hospital, St. Joseph’s, GuelphWellington Women in Crisis, the Guelph Humane

Society, and Big Brothers Big Sisters, just to name but a few. “It’s a privilege as entrepreneurs to be able to support charitable organizations in our city. One of the things I like best about being an entrepreneur is to be able to support our own community. We believe it’s important to pay it forward.”

Dr. Mary and Jane are laser-focused on what it takes to make a practice thrive. By putting patients first and educating themselves and their team, ArtMed has proven that success can be built by lifting women up, and that it’s never looked this good. q

To find out more information about ArtMed, their services and treatments, go to artmed.ca

Alicia Robertson Chair (2021–2023) Board Member (since 2016), The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital Founder and CEO, Lemonade Life

Nearly 20 years ago while working in the corporate insurance world, I envisioned a different kind of benefits insurance company: while most advisors were chasing big firms with large head counts, I wanted to take care of small businesses that were feeling brushed aside when it came to finding affordable, effective benefits. The entrepreneur in me was born, and so was Bensol

I’ve been privileged to work closely with hundreds of small business owners and their employees to build extended health benefits programs. I’ve been able to guide them, and without any doubt, I’ve learned a great deal from them about how to be a successful employer.

While the rules of employment seem to be transforming at a fast pace these days, four fundamentals that small businesses hold dear are emerging to be more important than ever for companies that want to attract and keep top quality talent.

Focus on wellbeing: benefits like dental, drugs and eyeglasses are the starting point. Great employers are also emphasizing mental health care, financial support like budget counselling and RRSP matching, and wellbeing spending accounts –for some, it could be yoga classes or guitar lessons, others might be better off with a new mountain bike. A wellness account lets them decide.

Flexibility rules: sure, it’s been the buzzword lately, but the best employers I’ve known have been buzzing about it for years. This ranges from hybrid work policies and flex hours to allowing time off for volunteering or when a little one has pink eye. Health spending accounts are becoming more popular as they give employees the power to direct their benefits where it serves them best.

Communicate effectively: put the time into providing a detailed overview of employee benefits – not just once, but often. Be open about the business’s goals, have regular town hall dialogues, and be sure to invite employees into the benefits renewal process so they have a voice – and listen to what they have to say.

Create a culture people talk about: it all comes together in an enviable culture that people want to tell their friends about. It’s not all stocked bar fridges and casual dress. Effective company cultures are grounded in trust, kindness and empathy. One client brings a massage therapist to the office (ok, that was pre-pandemic), some plan elaborate fun days for people to unwind, while others are sure to spend one-on-one time to let their people know that they matter to them.

Keeping great people means putting the work in – starting with a great benefits program that suits the needs of a specific business. The Chambers Plan is uniquely designed for small businesses, with stable rates and lots of flexibility.

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