Episode 107: Fierce Women in Aesthetics: Alisha Rose Merlo
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
Release Date: 05/09/2022
Episode 295: Real Estate, Acquisitions & Real Leadership: How Dr. Melissa Hubiak is Building Life-first Wealth
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like to build a thriving, multi-location aesthetic business while staying grounded, humble, and values-driven… this episode is your permission slip. Melissa Hubiak, MD is a quiet powerhouse, a contrarian thinker who has scaled her practice not by following the industry “rules,” but by rewriting them. From growing up with no electricity as the oldest of six, to navigating a pandemic right after a massive expansion, to purchasing multiple buildings and stepping into the role of CEO, Melissa has built her empire with resilience, creativity, and...
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Episode 294: The Future of Aesthetics
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
If you’re craving clarity in a noisy industry, if you want to grow without sacrificing your sanity, if you’re committed to excellence and hungry for sustainable, grounded success, this episode is for you. As we wrap up 2025, I’m sharing the real, unfiltered thoughts I’ve been wrestling with behind the scenes, observations from a year spent sitting with small groups of founders across the country, breaking bread, and talking about the realities of leadership in our evolving industry. And what I’ve seen is this: We are living in an era of performative success. Visibility is being...
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Episode 293: 90k in 90 Days Challenge
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
In this episode, I’m closing out 2025 with a real, honest conversation about what it takes to finish the year strong and set yourself up for an impactful 2026. I spent the entire day deep inside the numbers of my business, reviewing every program, every metric, every lever, and it reminded me how important it is for us as CEOs to pause, assess, and identify the one main constraint that’s actually holding us back. I’m sharing why so many of us get caught trying to fix problems that haven’t even happened yet, and how that tendency keeps us from addressing the simple but powerful issue...
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Episode 292: Stop Asking for Permission to Lead
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
In this episode, I’m getting real about the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being a CEO, especially as we close out Q4. Between the external chaos, the end-of-year pressure, and the constant push to perform, it’s easy to lose trust in the one thing that built your business in the first place: your own wisdom. I’ll share why so many high-achieving women find themselves second-guessing their decisions and outsourcing their confidence to “experts,” accountants, and Facebook groups — and how to break that cycle for good. We’ll talk about what it really means to lead through...
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Episode 291: Female Founder Forum, Part 2: Building Loyalty Programs That Actually Work
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
In this episode, we’re continuing the conversation from part two of our Female Founder Forum with three incredible founders—Gabrielle Hudson (Onyx Medical Esthetics), Lauren Grandanetti (Sunday Skin), and Morgan Kraut (MK Esthetics). Together, we’re diving deeper into what it really takes to design, price, and scale a membership program that drives loyalty, profitability, and lasting impact. We’re talking about the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts that transform memberships from a discount plan into a true growth engine for your business. You’ll hear how these women built...
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Episode 290: Female Founder Forum, Part 1: Building Loyalty Programs That Actually Work
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
In this special episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast, I’m bringing you Part 1 of our Female Founder Forum, where I sat down with three powerhouse women in aesthetics—Lauren Grandanetti of Sunday Skin, Morgan Kraut of MK Esthetics, and Gabrielle Hudson of Onyx Medical Aesthetics—for a raw, unfiltered conversation about building loyalty programs that actually work. We’re talking about the truth behind memberships, what makes patients stay loyal, and how to design programs that build community, protect your margins, and grow recurring revenue without discounting your value. This...
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Episode 289: From Overwhelmed to Disciplined
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
As we round the corner to the end of the year, I know how hard it can feel to stay motivated — especially when you’re leading a business, a team, and a vision that never stops evolving. In this episode, I’m opening up about what it really takes to stay consistent and focused when your energy dips and motivation fades. I’m sharing the mindset shift that changed everything for me — the one that helped me evolve from a high-achieving entrepreneur into a disciplined, impact-driven leader. These are the habits that carried me through the highs and lows of building a business and continue...
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Episode 288: What World-Class Brands Do Differently With Memberships
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
In this episode of The Fierce Factor, I’m unpacking the truth about loyalty programs, and why so many in aesthetics are missing the mark. We’ve been sold the idea that memberships and loyalty programs are the secret to patient retention. But here’s the reality: most are designed backwards. They rely on discounts, lock patients in with contracts, and create operational chaos — all while eroding profit and burning out your team. I’ll share what the world’s most trusted brands, think Costco, Starbucks, and Peloton, understand about loyalty that most aesthetic practices overlook....
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Episode 287: Building Premium Loyalty That Converts
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
Loyalty programs are everywhere in aesthetics, but most of them are built backwards. In this episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the industry’s most misunderstood business strategies: loyalty and membership programs. While consultants and conferences love to hype memberships as the silver bullet for retention, the truth is, loyalty isn’t built by locking patients in, it’s earned by investing in them. I’ll share how to design loyalty programs that actually drive growth, protect margins, and inspire long-term patient relationships, not...
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Episode 286: Leading Through Chaos
The Fierce Factor with Kaeli Lindholm
Lately, I’ve felt the weight of uncertainty pressing in from every direction. Maybe you have too. The world feels unsettled, people are anxious, and as leaders, we’re left asking: What does this mean for my business? In this episode of The Fierce Factor Podcast, I’m opening up about the “elephant in the room”—the fear and doubt so many of us are facing—and I’m sharing the five strategies I’m leaning into to lead KLC through these times of external friction. From thinking bigger than my current circumstances, to upgrading my inner circle, to reframing obstacles as...
info_outlineThis week I am sharing a special Fierce Factor Encore episode with Alisha Rose Merlo, Senior Director of Professional Relations at Colorescience and Founder of The Inspo Zone on LinkedIn. She joins us to share her journey to the aesthetics industry, the importance of elevating others and how to be the most authentic version of yourself.
Leaving New Jersey to attend school for a Degree in Speech Language Pathology, Alisha knew three things: she was never getting married, never having kids and never driving a minivan. Looking back now, a married mother and grandmother of two, Alisha’s biggest learning from that time is never say never.
Alisha goes on to discuss hurdles in her life and career, both self-imposed and external. The best advice Alisha can offer is that if you have to wait, make use of the waiting. Have patience, gain knowledge and learn to apply it. Be ready when the opportunity does come.
Networking and building community is about elevating others and adding value according to our fierce guest.
In this episode Alisha offers advice to her younger self (shouldn’t we all!?). Take the time to recognize the milestones as you reach them. Be present. Don’t compromise your integrity to advance, and pursue everything you do with a heartfelt passionate intensity.
Watch the full podcast interview on YouTube here
Enjoy!
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