Last week, we shared some exciting news: Derma Health is now part of the Elase family. (Missed the announcement? You can catch up here).
It’s a new chapter, but if you’ve ever walked through the doors at Derma Health, you already know what’s always mattered most (and that part isn’t changing). We’re still the same people and we provide the same great care.
And behind every great spa is someone who built it from the ground up. For Derma Health, that someone is Trish, the founder who turned a vision into a place people describe as family. We sat down with Trish. Here’s what she shared.
Interview with Trish
Elase: If a longtime member described Derma Health to a friend, what’s the one-line reputation you’ve built that you’ve trusted Elase to carry forward?
Trish: I would say the biggest thing is that they are treated like family.
Elase: How important was it to merge with someone who would keep your same values and same great care?
Trish: Values and great care is number one. We are not just four walls. The people that are here is what makes us great, and that’s why clients come to us, it’s for the people. So, we have to make sure the values are there: being transparent, doing the right thing when nobody is looking, standing behind our words, standing behind our treatments, all those things. Speaking straight to each other, listening generously to each other. And yeah, that’s who we are, and that was number one on the list. One of the most important things we did when we found a partner was to find somebody that was just like us and I feel like Elase is. I have known the Elase people for 15 years, Carrie and Matt, so I know who they are, and I’ve known Stephanie for probably 5 years, and I know she is very similar.
Elase: What are you most excited about with the merging of two brands?
Trish: The biggest thing is that Elase is going to give us the opportunity to go places we couldn’t go before on limited resources. When you have the resources of a bigger company, and a company backing you that has the same values, the same care for the people, the same care for the client experience, and quality of what we do AND you get the resources to go with it… we’re unstoppable. What we can do is amazing. What we can do with additional training, additional equipment, and technology will make a great difference for all the people that work here and for the clients.
Elase: What sold you on saying yes to Elase?
Trish: Knowing Carrie and Matt and being on the advisory board with them—I had more than just a phone-call relationship. Kylene is another person that I knew from Elase. One of the biggest things was knowing what I didn’t want; I’d done enough research and planning on this years in advance. I think Elase is taking the smart way of doing this to get all the resources behind one name. I want everybody to feel like this is Elase, this is us, we are all one. Financially stronger, more unified. All those things.
Elase: We often say the foundation of a company is built on trust and expertise. What would you say to your members today, as you hand off the keys to this next chapter?
Trish: Trust, and the people. Because again, when you come to Derma Health, you are not coming for the four walls, you are coming for trust and care. That comes from the people. And it’s the same people. Same care, different era. That’s just what it is. You are going to walk in, and the only thing you are going to notice is there’s going to be a different name. You will be taken care of just like you always have been.
Elase: Okay, we have to ask. Is there a memory from the early days that still makes you laugh?
Trish: Someone was calling to get laser hair removal for their cat, and I’m like, “Really?” Are you really being serious, or am I on the radio?
Elase: Finish the sentence: “New era, same care” means…
Trish: It means that you have to continually reinvent yourself. So this isn’t an “oh my gosh, end” to something. This is the beginning of something. It’s the same care, the same quality people. It’s just a whole new us on steroids, because we now have more resources.
Elase: As you step back from the day-to-day, what does this next season of life look like for you and what are you most looking forward to about supporting Elase from the sidelines?
Trish: We have always run Derma Health with best practices in mind, so I spent a lot of years in CEO roundtables learning what best practices are, reading the best books on what those are and I think it will be really fun to help in that regard. If my age wasn’t getting there, and I feel like I should retire somewhat… it’s just, sometimes it’s hard, because I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here and keep doing this because it’s fun. But at some point you have to retire and do other things. We just got back from a trip of a lifetime: a catamaran trip. We sailed for 10 days, we scuba dived and snorkeled, and went to restaurants. The water is so incredibly blue.
Elase: Where does your own passion live in all of this?
Trish: It’s the beauty industry. Beauty, we always said, starts from the inside out. So, it’s what’s inside: it’s the nutrition, it’s the wellness inside, that’s what shows up on the outside. I can do all sorts of things with lasers, but at the end of the day the most healthy thing you can do is eat right and drink water. We were so much in the wellness space, and the industry went all the way to aesthetics, so heavy, and I just said, “Oh my gosh, I can’t do both” and we were killing it on the aesthetic side. So now, to come full circle, it feels really good that we’re back to the wellness side, because that’s where my passion lies. And of course, we all want to look good, but like I said, beauty starts from the inside out. That was always our mantra.
Elase: Last thing. Is there anything you want clients to know?
Trish: The most important thing is people knowing who we chose was very intentional. Even just talking with friends who say, “This is so great, you can get out of there and retire” That is not at all what I want. I want them to realize this is just going into the next era. We got it to where we could with the resources that we had, and it’s time for it to go somewhere else, time for it to be bigger and that means needing more people, more money. It has to be run a little differently because of that.
And it’s still women-owned! That’s one of the biggest things that matches up with Elase. We never set out to intentionally build a women-led business, but that’s the industry we’re in, and I love that it’s going to keep being that way.
An Exciting New Chapter
Two brands, one mission. When Derma Health and Elase came together, it was never about trading one name for another. It was about giving the care you already love more room to grow. The experience remains personal, the care remains expert, and your provider’s still in your corner.
We can’t wait to evolve your experience as we embark on this new journey. Together, we’ll reshape the med spa landscape, one season at a time.
Step into our next chapter with us. Curious what’s next for your care? Let’s start with a conversation → find your nearest Elase
