It's Good to Be Home

I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous stepping onto the stage in Australia.

It's a tough crowd. Us Aussies and Kiwis tell it exactly how it is, and if you're not

up to scratch, you'll know about it.

To add to the nerves, Juv'ae, who had kindly invited me to speak at their annual

conference, also gave me the topic. It wasn't one I was immediately passionate

about, but I knew if I leaned into my own experiences and stories, I could turn it

into something practical and hopefully leave people with a few pearls they could

take straight back into their own practice.

I also had the opportunity to lead two workshops on lower-face toxin,

but somehow they turned into conversations about business operations,

leadership, and building a practice. I absolutely loved that. It reminded me that no

matter where we are in the world, practitioners are all asking many of the same

questions.

The conference was held on the beautiful Gold Coast at The Langham Hotel. The

venue was stunning, the food was exquisite (let's be honest... every great

conference starts with great food, and my stomach always comes first), and the

very first thing I noticed was how sun-kissed and beautiful everyone looked.

What also struck me was how many attendees were at their very first conference.

In America, we're incredibly fortunate. There are educational events almost every

other weekend, giving practitioners endless opportunities to learn, connect, and

grow. In Australia, those opportunities are fewer and farther between.

The conference was hosted by Juv'ae, a company founded in 2009 by industry

pioneers Melissa Isaia and Nicole Schmid-Sanele. What started as a small

cosmetics business has grown into something truly remarkable, creating

opportunities for practitioners across Australia to build business and do it safely.

From the moment I arrived, I couldn't have felt more welcomed. People openly

told me they had signed up for the conference because I was presenting (I truly

couldn't believe that!), and many said it was lovely to finally meet me in person

after following along on social media or Patreon.

I am truly gobsmacked by the kindness, generosity, and gratitude shown by every

single person I met.

One of my special moments was having my mum in the audience. It was the very

first time she'd ever watched me present on stage.

Afterwards she looked at me and said "Well... it was all just common sense really. If people were doing their job properly, they should have known all of that already."

Nothing quite humbles you like a Kiwi mum, they are going to knock you down a

few pegs and reminds you to stay grounded.

Since arriving home, the messages have continued to flood in through social

media. Practitioners have shared that the lecture and workshops gave them the

confidence to introduce new ideas into their practice, or simply reassured them

that what they were already doing was the right thing.

Nothing compares to knowing you've added value to someone's career and perhaps made their path just a little easier.

Australia, thank you. Juv'ae, thank you for inviting me and for creating

opportunities that continue to elevate so many women in aesthetics.

And to everyone who came to say hello, asked a question, shared a hug, or sent a

message afterwards... thank you.

It's good to be home, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.

Big hug,

Rana

The Gold Coast, Australia