«MEDICAL BEAUTY IS NOT EQUAL TO THE NET FACE, BUT A BETTER AND MORE CONFIDENT VERSION OF YOU»
Meet Lillian Liao, a physician who recently launched her own clinic “TrueSelf Skincare” in Shanghai. An aesthetic clinic that focuses on internal beauty and natural remedies for women.
What made you decide to launch your own medical clinic ?
I opened Trueself Skincare in August 2018. I always wanted to be in the industry, I am en entrepreneur at heart (I wrote an essay in junior high school about becoming an entrepreneur one day). I wanted to challenge myself before I turned 40 and decided to launch my own practice. I knew if I didn’t I would regret it, no matter wether it is successful or not.
Did you always want to work in the field of medical aesthetics ?
I always loved medical related things; at the same time, I also loved fashion and aesthetics, and medical beauty just combines the two as they say "Beauty is An Art, We made it a Science”. I hope that I will use my expertise, as well as the resources of the medical industry, quality products and excellent technology,to transform clients into their more confident and younger selves.
Did you have any mentors in the medical industry ?
Thanks to the work experience of the top 500 Fortune companies in the world, different mentors have given guidance and help in the workplace at each stage of work; however, in the process of my life, my mentor is my father. In high school he gave me a word as a gift "yi." “Yi” is represented in Chinese, and his ambition is firm and unwavering. He hopes that I can have perseverance when doing things.
Can you tell me a specific challenge that you surmounted in the beginning of your career?
In the past, in foreign companies, the division of labor was defined, and there were many supporting departments. Since the start of my business, everything has to be done by myself. Even before I used to go to the medical institutions in the United States to do training and do business communication, I did not practice it myself. Understand the state's policy on private medical institutions to site selection, design, and decoration of a medical institution. This process has also encountered many difficulties, and there are many places that do not understand, that is, while learning to ask and doing research. This process also suffered a lot of losses, and took a lot of detours, but the help of doctors, friends, etc. in the industry, gave me a lot of advice, sharing their knowledge and experience, and resources for me. For example, the light and colour temperature of the light that the professional doctors do facial assessment are different from the soft light source and colour temperature of our usual home. In order to achieve professional results, I’ve had to rework, install and dismantle one lamp three times. The equipment has finally achieved satisfactory professional results.
How do you find balance ?
Actually I struggled very hard with that in the beginning of opening my business. I spent more time at work and sacrificed time for me to spend time with my family, so that my time is fair to everyone. It’s important to find the right person to do the right thing in order to improve efficiency. It has allowed me to focus better on certain tasks to grow the business.
Our team's partners are very caring for me. They are very diligent and understand that it’s not easy to start a business. In order to get balance, it’s important to have a lot of help and collaboration from everyone around me.
What advice would you give medical professionals who want to open their own clinic ?
If you are engaged in a medical-related career, you must be able to wake up to your own conscience and strictly control the quality of medical care. Medical care is about life, health, and beauty, and the most important core that can guarantee this is quality.
Tell me about your future projects ?
We will prepare a series of small-scale events, use the resources of our industry to invite manufacturers and trainers of products and instruments, as well as authoritative and experienced doctors. In this type of event, you can get the right information, expert one-on-one consultation, and crossindustry exchanges.
What does success represent to you ?
We strive to be excellent in medical care and appearance, and seriously do the right thing. TRUESELF succeeds, it means to me that more customers recognize our concept of being beautiful and younger. This kind of success means to me that the things I insist on doing (my initial heart) are correct. I bring the good to more people. This to me is success in my career, but also in my life.
TRUESELF SKINCARE是我们的第一个店， 2018年8月18日开业。我内心一直想做一个实业， 做一个企业家（我初中曾经写过一篇作文说我希望我未来可以做一个企业家）， 所以我对自己说：嘿，在40岁之前挑战一下吧，不然自己会后悔的， 不管成功与否，大不了重新再去找工作。
你一直想成为一名医生吗？
确切地说我一直想做也喜欢做和医疗相关的事情;而同时我也喜欢时尚和美学, 而医疗美容刚好将这两者结合在一起, 引用一个我很喜欢的产品的slogan: “Beauty is an Art, We made it a Science” 美是一门艺术,我们使其成为科学; 我非常希望我用我的专业知识, 以及医疗行业的资源,将好的产品,优秀的技术,正确的理念, 转化成令顾客满意的效果,让他们更加自信更加年轻.
你有导师吗？
归功于在全球五百强外资企业的工作经历,每一个工作阶段都有不同的mentors在职场中给与指点与帮助；然而在我人生的成长过程中我的的mentor是我的父亲，高中的时候他给我一个字作为礼物“毅”。“毅”在中文里代表，志向坚定而不动摇， 他希望我做事能有毅力， 认准一个目标就要持之以恒的区努力；到开始工作的时候，我的第一份工作在强生医疗做医疗器械销售，他送我一句话：做生意先作人。这个字，以及这句话一直是我的准则， 在创业的路上， 它们帮助我克服一个个的困难，给我加油打气。
你能告诉我你职业生涯初期遇到的具体挑战吗？
以前在外企，分工很细，也有很多支持部门。创业以来，什么事情都得自己干。 即使之前在美国艾尔建( Allergan)经常去医美机构做培训，做运营交流，毕竟没有自己实践操作过。 了解国家对民营医疗机构的政策到选址，设计, 装修一个医疗机构 ，这个过程也遇到很多困难，也有很多不懂的地方，就是边学边请教边琢磨研究，慢慢这样一步步把店开出来了， 这过程中也吃了不少亏，走了不少弯路， 但是非常行业内的医生，朋友等等的帮助， 给我很多建议， 分享他们的知识经验，以及资源给我。举个细节例子， 专业医生做面部评估的灯光的光源和色温和我们平时家用的柔和的光源以及色温都不一样，
为了达到专业的效果， 我一个灯就曾经返工3次， 装了拆， 拆了装， 总算达到了满意的专业效果。
你怎么找到平衡?
其实我并没有觉得我做得很好， 我在工作上投入的时间多了， 自然就牺牲了陪伴家人的时间，所以说时间对每个人都是公平的。在工作中，找到对的人做对的事情，提高效率，我就可以解放出来去规划， 去考虑更多的事情。 我们团队的伙伴都对我很照顾，他们很勤奋也很能理解我创业的不易，都在积极地为TRUESELF的发展尽力。 在生活中，我的家人给了我大的帮助，特别是我的先生和女儿，他们给了我很大的包容和支持。 我先生的工作也很忙，也经常出差，但是只要他不出差的周末， 他都会负责做早饭，辅导女儿学习， 让我能够睡个懒觉。我的女儿在我心情低落的时候会给我个温暖的拥抱， 也很自觉的自我管理，自己做作业。
成功对你来说意味着什么?
中国的医美行业鱼龙混杂， 充斥着很多过度和虚假的不和谐的音符，我们应该对医疗、对容貌充满敬畏，认真地去做真的，对的事情。我不能说我要或者我能改变行业风气，但是如果哪天TRUESELF成功了，对我意味着，更多的顾客认可我们对美、对年轻化的理念（医美不等于网红脸，你还是真实的你，但已是一个更好更自信的你；真正的美丽,不用模仿,更不用追赶,找回最真实的自己,从心而美,重新更美.）并且得到了他们想要的满意的效果。 而这样的成功对我而言，意味着我坚持做的这些事（我的初心）是正确的，我把美好带给了更多的人，这也是一种善缘。