Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP 315: Value in Ourselves: Exploring the Truth About Med Spas with Carmen Vitton

• Sophia Yvette

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What makes Carmen Vitton with Vio Med Spa Plano a Good Neighbor?

Breaking down beauty barriers with laughter and expertise, Carmen Vitton brings warmth and wisdom to this episode as she shares the story behind Vio Med Spa Plano. After 35 years as a speech-language pathologist navigating the frustrating world of healthcare reimbursements, Carmen found a new calling in the aesthetic industry where client satisfaction—not insurance companies—drives success.

Carmen shatters the myth that med spas are exclusively for women, celebrating how men are embracing skincare, treatments for fine lines, and muscle-building services. She offers fascinating insights into generational shifts around beauty treatments: from her peers whispering about Botox in corners to younger people proudly posting about their aesthetic journeys on social media. Even baby boomers—America's fastest growing demographic—are increasingly discovering the confidence-boosting benefits of non-surgical treatments.

What sets Vio Med Spa apart is their commitment to medical excellence. Unlike day spas, they maintain rigorous standards with comprehensive consultations, proper screening protocols, and treatments performed only by licensed professionals using FDA-approved products. The name "Vio" itself stands for "Value In Ourselves," embodying their philosophy that self-care is a worthy investment for everyone. Located near Trader Joe's at Park and Preston in Plano, they welcome curious visitors for tours and offer consultations with both medical providers and estheticians to create personalized treatment plans.

To learn more about Vio Med Spa Plano go to: 🌐 VioMedSpa.com/locations/Plano

Vio Med Spa Plano
📞 945-284-0815

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 3:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a med spa? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, carmen Vitton, with Vio Med Spa, plano. Carmen, how are you today?

Speaker 2:

I'm doing well, Sophia. How are you?

Speaker 3:

I'm doing great, Carmen. Now we are so excited to learn all about you and your business. Can you start by telling our listeners just a little bit about your company?

Speaker 2:

Sure, I am. With Vio Med Spa Plano. I actually opened the store, the spa, the med spa in October of this last year and we are part of a larger, nationally recognized industry leader in the provider of non-surgical aesthetic treatments and services, and we are super excited to share our expertise and our offerings with the Frisco, plano areas, north Dallas and surrounding areas. So it's our goal and our mission to empower our guests through personalized care to try to help them look and feel their best, and that's actually that's our, our motto. Our tagline is that we're helping guests look and feel their best.

Speaker 3:

So, Carmen, how did you originally get into this business?

Speaker 2:

Well, I actually am a consumer of med spa services myself and I actually have been working for the last 30, 35 years as a speech language pathologist and I've been in the healthcare industry equally as long, operating rehab companies and that's physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, and that's what my background is in and I use the services, love the services.

Speaker 2:

But it became increasingly difficult for me as a healthcare provider to seek reimbursements in a timely manner. We had 50 plus locations all over the state and we'd bill, you know, a significant amount every month and we would get a significant amount of denied claims in return. And so, you know, it just seems that frustrating, sophia, in that the traditional healthcare insurance companies you know Medicare, medicaid, private insurance the reason for living is to not pay the provider, it seems. And so it became increasingly difficult to operate a company, and I checked out the med spa. I learned a little bit about VO, loved what I heard, learned that there was a franchise opportunity, and so we traveled to Ohio, which is where their headquarters is located, loved what we had, just to what the Ryans we call them collectively, the Ryans there are two gentlemen and loved what they had to say, loved them, loved their organization and now we are the proud operator of Vio Med Spa in Plano, but also serving the Frisco area in Plano but also serving the Frisco area Amazing.

Speaker 3:

Now, being in the beauty industry, I know that misconceptions are, you know, something that many, many come across. What is the most common myth or misconception you come across in your med spa?

Speaker 2:

There's been a couple of them. I think the biggest one that I've encountered thus far is that med spas are just for the ladies, and it couldn't be further from the truth. Men care equally as much about their physical appearance, how they feel, their skin, their weight, their libido, you know whether they're dehydrated, whether they've got fine lines and wrinkles, and, of course, everyone cares about their muscle mass. Given that it's the latest, it's being touted as the leading predictor and indicator of longevity, and so men are looking for the same thing we are, and there is nothing wrong with it. I think folks of my generation seem to think oh, it's just for ladies, it's a chick place. And young men I'm so delighted to see and hear. You know, they care about acne, they care about skincare. I met a young man the other day who knew what a toner was Sophia and I was, so I loved it. Now, I absolutely loved it.

Speaker 2:

But I think also, you know, it's it's, it's it's no-transcript, and there may be providers like that out there.

Speaker 2:

But VO aspires very much toward a very high level of compliance, education and training, and so we are constantly focused on making sure that we're following all the rules, the regulations. We are buying consumables that are only from the manufacturer, medications that are only from FDA-approved pharmacies. We use equipment that is calibrated, only provided by folks who are trained, licensed, certified and educated to provide those services, and so I think that's really a misconception, that you know it's sort of like a spa or like a day spa, but it's not. A med spa is very much a medical practice, and so when you visit us, you should receive a proper medical intake, a screening, your health history, your medical history, you should be provided with a list of contraindications for any services that you're sought, that you're seeking, and there will be consent forms. And so it is a medical practice, and I think people are very surprised when they find out how involved it is and how it does differ from a day spa. Sophia.

Speaker 3:

Most definitely Now we know marketing is the heart of every business. How do you currently market your business and who are your ideal clients?

Speaker 2:

Well, I think our evolving clients are changing. Our clients are evolving. Let me say that Again. I alluded to my generation before, when we'd be at the party, sophia, I'd be in the corner with my girlfriends talking about where'd you get your Botox, whispering and just kind of keeping it hush, hush, whereas young folks, youthful generations, people that are your age, embrace it, they celebrate it, they're having the party because they got the services, they got the treatment, they got their filler, their Botox, whatever. And I think it's a different perception of you know, my generation saw it as ooh taboo, plastic surgery or not. Even we're not doing surgeries, but you know that's bad, that's not, it's not all that bad. But non-aesthetic services are not a bad thing. And so they're becoming more embraced by the baby boomer generations, and I think we're seeing a higher volume of those generations because there's more of them. The baby boomers have just quadrupled in this country and we're seeing more seniors in this country than we've ever had in the US before and will for the next couple of years, and so and will for the next couple of years, and so they too are our fastest growing customers that we would like to target.

Speaker 2:

We do a lot of social media marketing. We do a lot of business to business education and training events, and so we like to partner with like minded businesses and providers and invite people in, give them a tour, let them get to know us a little bit. We just had an Emsculpt event this last week and we did it with a young lady who I think was on your podcast, tiara Harris from Geosology, and we had a great time presenting both of our businesses to our guests who came in, and so it was a great turnout and so that way we got to showcase both of our businesses and hopefully those folks will bring a friend. We always have a share the love card where we offer 50 to 75 dollars off. Bring a friend next time, you both get 50 to 75 dollars off, so that helps.

Speaker 2:

Really, the best way to unlock the discounts with VO MedSpa is, you know, becoming a member. Either there's a banking membership that we can do, and then also there's sort of like a facial membership, if you will, and I just want to share with you about VO, the V-I-O. It stands for value in ourselves. I don't know if you can see my logo, but this is what it this is. Oh, I'm going to put my screen down just slightly, there's our logo. So it means value in ourselves, and that's really what self-care is. You are placing a value in yourself. We are an investment. We should take care of ourselves, and Lord knows we women.

Speaker 3:

We deserve it, and so do you men and Lord knows, we women, we deserve it, and so do you men Most definitely. Amen to that.

Speaker 2:

Now, have you ever thought about having your very own podcast, carmen? I have not.

Speaker 3:

No, Outside of work. What do you like to do for fun?

Speaker 2:

Oh gosh. Well, you know what, sophia? Now, I never thought of having a podcast, but I have to tell you I do love myself a microphone and a podium, so I do enjoy that. But no, what I love to do when I'm not working is I love to travel, I love to explore new places. I'm a foodie. Love to eat, love to dine. The DFW is a mega plex, we know for dining options. You know bars and lots of great places, lots of entertainment. So just love to go out and play and have a good time, have fun and explore new things.

Speaker 3:

Amazing. Now please tell our listeners one last thing they should remember about Vio Med Spa Plano.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that you can check us out online. Feel free to look us up. You can book online as well. So if you go to VioMedSpacom forward slash locations, slash Plano you'll go ahead and come right up to our booking link, but you can see all the services that we provide. I would love for your listeners, sophia, to come in see me. Let me give you a tour. I would be honored to do that.

Speaker 2:

We're actually located on northeast corner of Park and Preston in Plano. We are right next door to the Orvis, in the same shopping center excuse me with Trader Joe's, and so I'd love to have you come in and give you a spin, as I call it. Come in for a tour. Or, if you don't want to mess with that and you'd like to learn right about the services, feel free to give us a call and schedule a consultation. That's the best way to come in. You can meet with a medical provider, either one of our nurse practitioners or a physician's assistant, as well as the medical esthetician, so you really get the benefit of both worlds of expertise. You get a medical provider as well as a skincare expert, and I would recommend doing a consultation as well. You can read our reviews. We've got a few reviews. We haven't been open that long, but you can also check us out on Instagram, facebook and LinkedIn and our phone number, sophia, is it okay if I give that? 945-284-0815. Again, we're 945-284-0815. We'd love to see you guys.

Speaker 3:

Well, Carmen, I really appreciate you being on the show today. We wish you and your business the best moving forward.

Speaker 2:

Awesome. Thank you, sophia. I appreciate it. Have a great day Frisco and Plano.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfriscocom. That's gnpfriscocom, or call 469-221-9345. Thank you.