Catalyst

Z TEO shares how the road to their successful dermatology practice was laden with character-building decisions, calculated risks, and leaps of faith

Z Teo shares how he and his wife built a beauty and wellness empire—from its early beginnings to the huge success it has been

In an alternate universe, Z Teo could have been a lawyer. While the Singaporean doctor grew up playing around his father’s clinic and thinking that he would follow his dad’s footsteps, he discovered a love for the arts and humanities during his teenage years. “I’ve always been told that I should become a doctor,” says Z. “As with children growing up, however, I started discovering other subjects in school. I liked English literature, history, and the arts—in fact, I excelled in those subjects. Math and science were a bit of a challenge, but you know how it is with Singaporeans—we are not supposed to struggle academically,” he quips.

Challenges aside, Z was able to study well enough to get accepted in medical and law school. “I veered toward law at first, as it was artsier and geared toward communicating with people. However, I had Singaporean parents—it’s understood that their children should take over the family practice and that we follow what they say,” he notes. “Needless to say, I proceeded with my studies in Glasgow.”

“There were things about medical school that I both loved and disliked,” Z admits, preferring clinical work and interactions with patients over fields like anatomy. “When I met Aivee, she introduced the world of dermatology to me, and I fell in love with it. Cosmetic surgery was the perfect merging of my interests: a touch of artistry and dealing with people at a personal, individual level.”

MAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

“Since I was used to seeing my dad in the clinic all the time, I always thought that building one should be the natural next step after I was done with my practice,” says

Z. The couple started with small clinics in Las Piñas Doctors Hospital and the Asian Hospital before opening the first Aivee Clinic in Bonifacio Global City.

“I clearly remember, around 10 to 12 years back, how doctors still held the practice of banding together to buy machines for the clinic,” Z reminisces, talking about the Thermage machine they had back then. “We had twenty patients sharing that machine, so each would pitch in a hundred thousand pesos to cover the cost of buying one. Then, each doctor had to reserve the machine and show their schedule to other doctors.”

Z recalls that the turnaround time would take time—so long that one day, Z and Aivee decided to buy their own machine instead. “When you have patients in need of treatment, you certainly wouldn’t want to keep them waiting, right? You have to strike while the iron is hot. So, we made that purchase and placed it in the clinic ourselves. Since then, we’ve had our patients enjoy the convenience—when they come here, they speak with us about their needs, and we deliver it straight away,” he notes. “This has been the foundation of the trust our clients give us for the past decade. I even think that we’re the dermatology center that has the most machines in the country.”

If one visits the Aivee Institute today (or any of their clinics in Manila), one would be astounded at the expansive spaces, opulent furnishings, and state-ofthe-art equipment present in the facilities. While Z considers this as a game-changing standard in the industry, it was also a giant leap of faith for the couple. “I remember back in our BGC clinic in 2009 thinking that we were prepared to expand to a bigger location down the road. It was about 450 square meters—that was a large space to fill up!” Z exclaims. “We planned to bring in our doctors and dermatologists from the old clinic to this bigger space, so everybody can share it, and we can manage the costs.”

However, in the middle of constructing the new space, the unthinkable happened—a good number of their doctors bailed out. “I remember staring at this open space, thinking, ‘should I get myself out here and return to our small clinic, or stretch myself and give it a shot?’ It was a challenging time, emotionally, mentally, and financially,” Z recalls. “We went for it either way and pushed with the bigger clinic with greater equipment and interiors.”

“We have a lot of people to thank for supporting us at that time,” Z says. “Our friends from the media, celebrity friends, and loyal clients helped spread the good word, and people just kept on coming. It was heartwarming to see many clients trust us back then when we were still young dermatologists in the industry.”

CHANGING THE GAME

Z would find himself staring at an even bigger empty space in 2016 when they decided to open the Aivee Institute. “I think that changed the game completely. A 1200-square meter clinic was unheard of. However, Aivee and I had the same conversation we had when we opened that BGC clinic six years ago. ‘We built it, they will come,’ we thought. And we pushed through again.”

With more real estate at their disposal, not only did Z and Aivee incorporate all their facilities in the institute, but they also set up a café serving healthy food and beverages. “It was Aivee’s idea to build a café. Patients were always waiting so long in the clinic, so we thought of constructing a space where they can relax and have coffee,” Z says. “We went into F&B research immediately, hired a chef, and at one point, I was even ordering stoves and buying kitchenware! It was a fun process, however, and we’re happy that clients responded well to the café and the institute as a whole.”

The grand scale that Z and Aivee presented with the A-Institute continues to astound new and loyal clients whenever they visit the facility. “For the first time, we finally had a place that competes with international standards. Of course, it’s still a far cry from South Korea’s huge beauty clinics, but even the Korean clients and visiting doctors from abroad are impressed with the place.”

REIMAGINING BEAUTY AND WELLNESS

“I was more impulsive in my youth. I felt the need to build something and just go for things. Now that I bear heavier responsibilities toward my family and people, I’ve learned to exercise a bit more caution,” Z says. “However, I’m still a risk-taker and entrepreneur at heart. I still enjoy building and growing things. These make me happy.”

Looking ahead, Z is adamant about maintaining the trust of their clients and keeping the idea of expansion on the horizon. “There’s still a lot of space for growth. At the same time, managing our existing clinics in the country and Singapore is already challenging enough. I think it’s natural for us to add more clinics, but we have to figure out properly first how we’re going to do it. You can’t expand too quickly, but you can’t get left behind as well.”

Z predicts that beauty procedures will become more accessible in the coming years, and advancements in technology will usher in more efficient treatments. “Anti-aging will always be in demand. I think there will be quicker, less invasive treatments in the coming years. The industry will also delve into dermatology at the cellular level—going deep down into DNA and chromosomes to look into cellular health.”

“There’s no point in looking good when you’re dying on the inside, so I think beauty and health will definitely go hand-in-hand in the future. There will be an emphasis on looking and feeling great from the inside out. I’m even convinced that, in five to ten years’ time, there will be a pill or tablet that will reverse cell aging,” Z proclaims.

As these futuristic procedures become reality, Z hopes that The Aivee Group will be at the forefront of providing their clients with a good quality of life. “We won’t be just a beautification place; we will be a center that will provide our patients with better, healthier lives. I think that’s the direction that we should embark on.”

“There’s nopointin lookinggood whenyou’re dyingonthe inside,soI thinkbeauty andhealthwill definitelygo hand-in-hand inthefuture.”