Adriana Gagnon

A lot of it comes down to the people I’ve surrounded myself with and being willing to learn from them. I’ve been really fortunate to have great mentors, colleagues, and people who believed in me throughout different stages of my career.

My mom has probably been my biggest influence. She taught me the value of education, hard work, and continuing to push yourself even when things don’t go as planned. Watching her build her own career, earn both her MBA and Master of Science in Finance, and always encourage me to aim higher shaped a lot of who I am today.

I’ve also been very fortunate to work with people who taught me so much along the way. One of the physicians I worked with, Dr. Shelley Glover, had a big impact on me professionally, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything I learned while working with her.

I also think there’s a lot of value in being resourceful. I don’t always know the answer, but I’m willing to ask questions, find it, and learn from the people around me. Hard work, consistency, and learning how to adapt when things don’t go as planned have probably made the biggest difference.

Take care of your people. I’ve learned that a great team really is the heart of a business, and people perform differently when they feel respected, supported, and valued. I’ve also learned that it’s far more costly to constantly hire and train new employees than it is to invest in and retain a great team. Lead with empathy, treat people well, and create an environment where they genuinely want to stay.

At the same time, being a good leader doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations. You can have empathy and still hold people accountable. You can be kind and still have high expectations.

I’ve also learned the importance of recognizing what people are naturally good at. Not everyone is going to excel in the same role or in the same way. Sometimes good leadership is simply recognizing someone’s strengths and giving them the opportunity to use them.

Don’t wait until you feel completely ready. I definitely didn’t have everything figured out when I took some of the biggest opportunities in my career, but those are usually where I learned the most. Work hard, build genuine relationships, and advocate for yourself.

Also, keep researching and stay curious. Aesthetics and wellness move fast, so I’m constantly learning and keeping up with what’s changing. Now that I’m working in dentistry, I’m learning a whole new side of healthcare. You don’t have to know everything going in, but you do have to be willing to learn.

AI and technology are creating a lot of opportunities in healthcare, especially around efficiency, communication, and the patient experience. The challenge is using all of that without losing the human side of healthcare.

I also think patients have to do their research. There’s so much information out there, especially in aesthetics and wellness, and it can be hard to know what’s actually right for you. There’s also a huge opportunity on the business side of healthcare. Providers are incredibly skilled clinically, but they aren’t necessarily trained in operations, marketing, finance, sales, or business development. That’s an area I really enjoy, helping connect the clinical and business sides so practices can grow while still delivering a great patient experience.

How I treat people is really important to me. I try to lead with empathy and kindness, whether that’s with my team, patients, or the people in my personal life. I also believe in doing the right thing, even when it isn’t necessarily the easiest option.

I think there’s a lot of value in being able to admit when you’ve gotten something wrong. I’ve made mistakes, both personally and professionally, and I’d rather learn from them than pretend they didn’t happen.

I’m still learning all the time, and I hope I never get to a point where I think I have everything figured out.