For Merz Aesthetics, customer loyalty is more than a marketing initiative; it’s a guiding philosophy that influences every aspect of the brand’s identity and operations. As a global medical aesthetics company with a strong family-owned heritage, Merz Aesthetics places deep emphasis on building trust and delivering meaningful experiences that resonate with both healthcare providers and patients. In a category where confidence and care intersect, the company recognizes that loyalty must be rooted in both emotional connection and practical value.
At the center of this strategy is Xperience+, Merz Aesthetics’ award-winning U.S. loyalty platform designed to be both impactful and effortless. While the program is celebrated for its simplicity, it’s underpinned by a thoughtful, evolving strategy that adapts to the needs of a diverse and dynamic audience. From streamlining the user journey to ensuring that rewards feel genuinely valuable, Merz Aesthetics is committed to making loyalty easy without sacrificing depth.
The brand’s approach is led by Donnarie Hales, Director of Loyalty Strategy and Experience, who plays a key role in shaping how the brand balances innovation with simplicity. Hales emphasizes the importance of designing a platform that not only meets the practical needs of providers and patients but also reflects the emotional core of the aesthetics experience. With a focus on listening, evolving, and staying ahead of consumer expectations, Merz is working to create deeper connections with the next generation and building loyalty in an industry grounded in beauty, trust, and transformation.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Good afternoon and good morning everyone, and
welcome back to Leaders inCustomer Loyalty.
It's great to have you with usevery Thursday for a new episode
of Brand Stories.
In this episode, we will behearing from Donnery Hales, the
Director of Loyalty Strategy andExperience at MERS Aesthetics.
Donnery, thank you for joiningus.
How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'm wonderful.
How are you?
I am wonderful, how are you.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I am wonderful we finally got rid of some rain
here in Cincinnati and the sunis out.
So anytime that happens wecelebrate.
But for those in our audiencewho might not be familiar with
MERS Aesthetics, can you give usa short introduction to the
company and how and why it wasstarted?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Mers Aesthetics is afamily-owned business.
It's been family-owned forabout 115 years now.
It's a medical aestheticsbusiness.
It has a long history ofempowering healthcare
professionals patients to liveevery day with confidence.
So we have a product portfoliothat includes injectables,
(01:05):
devices and skincare, and ourgoal is pretty simple we aim to
help people look, feel and livethe best versions of themselves.
However they define it, we'reheadquartered here in Raleigh,
north Carolina.
If you can't tell, they hiredlocally for me with this North
Carolina accent, but they havecommercial presence in about 90
(01:25):
countries.
So it's a part of the MERS group, which is a larger holding
partnership, but the MERSaesthetics piece is housed right
here in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Amazing and can you share a little bit about what's
led to MERS success over theseyears?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, I think their success it's been both on the
aesthetic and therapeutic side.
It's really been that focus ontheir customer and how those
products help the customers.
So being able to be on bothsides of that industry with a
portfolio of products to be ableto help people where they need
it with the right products, onboth that aesthetic and
therapeutic side.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Awesome.
Well, I was really interestedin hearing more about your role
with the company, especiallywhen I saw your title Loyalty
Strategy and Experience.
More and more, we're hearingabout the inability to separate
those two things within a brand.
If you really want to bedriving loyalty, experience is
part of that.
So can you tell us a littlemore about your role and what
(02:24):
positions you've had that ledyou to be in the place you are
now?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Absolutely.
I have been with MerzAesthetics for a little over two
and a half years now.
I would say I've spent 20 yearsin just the realm of marketing.
But I agree with you.
I was like it is very difficult.
Any good marketer has nowrealized it's very hard to
decouple marketing, customerexperience and now loyalty.
You can pick up your phone andyou can look at anything that
(02:51):
you deem your favorite loyaltyapp or your favorite loyalty
experience that you're gettingfrom various stores and
experiences and you can't escapeit.
I think that is where marketinghas really evolved, is what we
consider loyalty retention andgrowth is really all rolled into
marketing now.
So I would say, particularlythe last seven years of my
(03:13):
professional career, I wasfocused on both customer
experience but also thetechnology side of enhancing
that experience.
So when I saw a role open hereat Merce Aesthetics for provider
and patient loyalty, to me thatwas just a culmination of some
of the areas I had been focusedand I personally love making
(03:33):
sure the customers are happy.
So happy customers, getting agreat experience from end to end
, not just a loyalty program, issomething I'd focused on in
prior roles, so I felt like itwas going to be a great fit here
as well.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Amazing, and so you know keeping people happy is not
an easy task.
So what keeps you up at night?
What are the biggest challengesor opportunities that you face
in your position right now?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah, I think anyone who has loyalty or experience in
their title.
It's such a large bandwidth ofopportunity.
The opportunity is endless.
But the opportunity also is solarge because when you think
about loyalty to any brand orany business, it touches every
experience that they have, fromdigital platforms to digital
(04:22):
frameworks, to websites toin-person experiences, from
walking across the threshold ofa retail store.
Anyone that has customerexperience or loyalty.
That's what keeps you up atnight.
You can't own everything, butyou really want to do everything
to elevate the company'sexperience and at the end of the
(04:42):
day, that really comes down totechnology and data.
I have never met anyone who cantell me a perfect, seamless
story of dealing with technologyand the data.
But that's what keeps me up atnight, but that's what keeps me
excited every day is when youcan bring those two things
together to create seamlessexperiences for customers.
It's very rewarding, but Icompletely agree with you, it's
(05:06):
difficult but a largeopportunity to keep your
customers very happy.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Awesome.
So within you know talkingabout customers, you know we've
seen a lot of shifting thingsand across all kinds of aspects
of different industries, fromtechnology to, you know,
economic issues, how is themedical aesthetic industry
changing and how are you seeingyour customers, in particular,
changing?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
You know, I think really the biggest change in
aesthetics came during a largeresponse to COVID.
I think before COVID, I thinkabout aesthetics of it was a
little bit taboo, right you?
I think before COVID I thinkabout aesthetics of it was a
little bit taboo, right, I thinkof people my mother's age or
people even a little bit olderthan me.
You knew that they lookedbetter, you knew that they
(05:54):
looked refreshed, but it was alittle bit of a hush hush topic.
Covid came and I don't know ifyou remember the Zoom face trend
.
I mean, even right now youcannot be on an online meeting
without glancing and looking atyourself.
So during COVID, everyone wasat home, everyone was meeting
virtually and all they werelooking at was themselves.
(06:16):
They weren't looking at theirpartners on the call, and that
really made people recognize itwas time for self-care, it was
time for kind of home relaxation.
So during COVID you really sawa rise in aesthetics across the
industry.
That, combined with influencers, social media, people being
(06:36):
very open with health, fitness,wellness, that has really
removed the taboo nature of whydoes your skin look so good?
Why are you keeping such ayouthful look?
It has gone from.
Where do you get your hair doneall the way through.
What kind of toxin are youusing?
It's just not as taboo as itonce was.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
That's really interesting and I can say from
an anecdotal perspective.
I've noticed that, like amongpeople that I know talking more
about it, for sure since COVID,so that makes total sense.
Yeah, so are you seeing anymacroeconomic changes that
concern you from a customerexperience perspective and how
are you responding to some ofthis uncertainty right now?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
You know I think with every situation in the world
you know, every year bringssomething new that everyone has
to face and particularly whenyou look at the economics of any
industry, you have to berealistic that aesthetics is
voluntary, right.
So I think it becomes down toprioritization where you place
(07:41):
it in your life, the type ofself-care that you're looking
for, the type of look that youwant to maintain that becomes a
factor in what you decide to do.
You will see people that Irecently saw a trend on TikTok
of people were talking aboutwe're this far in the recession
and talking about how they'renot getting their hair colored
as often.
I think that's one of thetrends that we're seeing in
(08:02):
aesthetics is the boom of COVIDand people being at home and
having a little bit morediscretionary funds.
Also now is coming back to thereality that where you invest
financially is going to have tobe prioritized in the economics
that we're in or every timeeconomics start to change.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
For sure, and one of the things that we've
consistently been hearing latelyfrom a lot of different retail
brands who are members ofLoyalty360 is the customers
search for value.
Is that something that you'recontinuing to see, and what does
that look like in your world?
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Absolutely.
I mean, I think there is alwaysfinancial value.
No matter where consumers arespending their money, there's
always going to be a variationof what they consider value
that's tied to their decisionmaking.
So when you're consideringaesthetic treatments, it is an
investment in your health andappearance and well being and
it's a cash service.
So they're not only looking forthe value to get the long
(08:57):
lasting results that they arelooking to get and in the
products that they're choosing,but I do think that there is
always going to be value from afinancial perspective of I want
products that make me look andfeel the way that I feel on the
inside.
But also there's that financialcomponent and how do I make it
the most valuable and rewardingpossible, which is where the
(09:17):
loyalty programs and aestheticsreally helped us support.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Awesome.
Well, speaking of coming out ofthe pandemic, in 2021, MERS
Aesthetics launched ExperiencePlus and with just over three
years, you've grown to have over1 million members in your
program.
What differentiates yourloyalty program from others in
the aesthetics or the skincarespace to have such an amazing
milestone in such a short amountof time on?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
in such a short amount of time.
Yeah, I mean, the aestheticindustry is really, I say, wild.
It's such an interesting placefor loyalty to play because it's
so different than retail based.
While I was at Loyalty360, thatwas a big focus of.
One of our topics is we areB2B2C and our B2B partnerships
(10:03):
with our healthcare providersare the critical differentiation
for all aesthetic loyaltyprograms.
So, first and foremost, ourproviders are determining the
best product that's going togive the patients the results
that they desire, and the growthof the program is a testament
not only to the portfolio ofproducts but also the trust that
our providers have in thoseproducts.
(10:23):
So the recommendation from ourproviders for our patients of
our products is absolutely thebiggest driver, and that
secondary result is theparticipation in our loyalty
program.
So not only are our providersmaking recommendations about the
products, but our providers aresigning patients up into the
program.
When you think about optinginto loyalty programs at a
(10:46):
standard retail location, it isa very individualized experience
depending on the healthcareprovider or med spa that you're
visiting.
So you know we've been wildlysuccessful over the last couple
of years.
We've exceeded actually 1.4million members, but that really
is a driver to our partnershipwith the providers and the trust
(11:06):
they have in the products andthe program.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
That's amazing.
And so when we think about yourloyalty program and I think you
may have touched on this alittle bit from the loyalty from
the medical provider side andthose referrals and signing
people up but what kind ofcustomer behaviors are you
driving through the program forthe end users?
Is it frequency or referrals,brand advocacy, like what are
(11:30):
the important things that youguys are getting back from that
program?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I mean, it is the storyline for every loyalty
program.
You want consumer and customerretention and you want growth.
First and foremost we want apatient to be happy with the
outcomes of their treatment.
But when you only have theopportunity outside of the
skincare sector to see a patientthree to four times a year,
(11:55):
you've got to be very impactfulwith your loyalty program.
So we do want to drive thatretention.
I want them to be happy withtheir treatment, I want them to
love how they look, but then Ido want them to be able to earn
on those treatments that theylove so that they can redeem
that for discounts and reallyplay in that financial value as
well.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Amazing.
So I guess, more generally,what does customer loyalty mean
to you and to MERS Aesthetics,and how does Experience Plus fit
into that vision you have forcustomer loyalty there?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I mean, I think I took it very personally when I
started working here, because,while you could say we're a
corporation, the fact that weare the size that we are and
that we of gaining the trust andloyalty from our customers
because we need to gain thetrust from two different
customer sets it's that B2Bcustomer as well as that B2C.
So no matter what you are,whether you're B2B or B2C you
(13:01):
want to feel valued by thecompany that you're doing
business with.
So I think that is where itbecomes such a critical piece,
not only for our company but forour overall strategy, because
we really do function and wehave the mindset of family owned
and we want our customers tovalue working with us as much as
we value working with them.
(13:23):
Amazing working with them,amazing so how has your loyalty
and CX strategy evolved sincethe launch of your program?
You know, I think once again,if you can ever look up and get
outside of the, what does ittake from a technology
perspective to make the strategywork?
(13:43):
We are looking at the aestheticindustry, right.
What are some of the trendsthat we're seeing in aesthetics?
What are things that are reallygoing to support our providers
to drive their business?
But it's also very important tostart looking at that CX
strategy from that largercustomer experience lens and
going to places like Loyalty360and hearing about loyalty from
(14:05):
other points of view outside ofthe industry.
You know we're the mostrewarding program for patients
and providers in aesthetics, butour goal is always to make sure
that it's customer first.
So I would say our strategy hasalways been simplicity.
We want to be the mostrewarding and the most simple
(14:25):
because we are duplicative toour providers day to day as
they're checking out theirpatients in their office.
They're signing them up for ourprogram.
So our strategy over the lastthree years is be valuable to
the providers, have value forthe patients, but we want it to
be simple.
I want it to be simple for ourpatients to understand what
(14:47):
they're getting and how theyredeem, and we want our
providers to be very happy.
So I say that of we've reallykept it with make it simple and
make it work well, but now Iwould say our next phase is how
do we evolve to really enhancethe program outside of where it
has been the last three years?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Awesome.
Yeah, that's definitelysomething that we heard a lot at
Loyalty Expo last month was thepeople the refrain of
simplicity was happening acrossa lot of places and leaning into
those programs and making themeasy to use.
But have the methods that youuse to engage or the rewards for
customers changed and how doyou see that evolving as you
(15:27):
move forward?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Well, I think that is where every loyalty program
ends up sitting there rackingtheir brain of what can I offer?
That's different, I think youknow simplicity for us has been
very hefty rewards.
We have good cash discounts,same day treatments.
We have high earning on pointsand treatments that they can
come back for discounts.
(15:49):
So over your aesthetic journeythere are so many easy ways to
earn and redeem so thatsimplicity we always want to
ring true.
Thinking about what's the nextstep.
It was eye-opening to me atLoyalty360 and hearing a vendor
(16:10):
like Kobe show some consumerinsights that the things that
you think the consumers want theearly access to sporting events
, to concerts, the differenttypes of exclusivity I think
everyone struggles with of whatdo they bring in next to their
loyalty program was actually notthe highest ranking things.
So the highest ranking thingsthat we were seeing was birthday
(16:33):
bonuses, sign on bonuses,referring friends.
It was very self-serving, whichisn't a selfish way to look at
it.
It was a nice reminder thatwhen you're thinking about that
strategy, keep it simple foryour consumer to earn.
Keep it simple for yourconsumer to get those rewards.
(16:55):
That's rewarding to them.
So I can't tell you what ourvery next thing is.
I think we left the recentconference with.
It gave us a differentperspective of we have to think
outside of the box, but we haveto think in a very simple manner
of what is additive to thatpatient's value.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
That's really interesting and kind of leads me
to my next topic.
You know, something that we'vediscussed in the past is the
importance of engaging youngerconsumers, and we know that's
something that many beauty andaesthetics brands are actively
working on, you know, especiallyas Gen Z has more buying power
and so there's a new kind ofcohort of consumers that need to
be communicated with.
(17:30):
Brands are finding that there'sa gap between what Gen Z and
millennial audiences say theyvalue, like personalization or
purpose driven brands or thosekind of VIP experiences but
there's a gap between those andhow they actually behave when
choosing treatments or providers.
Have you seen some of thisdisconnect within your customer
base and how is MERS addressingthe challenge of engaging this
(17:54):
next generation of consumers?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Yeah, I mean I always laugh.
I was like I have a wonderfulteam.
Our loyalty team here isundoubtedly, I think, probably
the best loyalty team there isin aesthetics.
But we laugh across our team.
We see the generational gaps.
So it's always eye opening,even looking at our own little
loyalty family here at MERS,what we understand and the value
(18:17):
and the ideas that someone myage, which will you know, remain
unsaid versus some of thepeople in the team that are
younger.
It has been interesting to gothrough those conversations of
how do you evolve a loyaltyprogram to fit what is now a
very wide audience.
So, as I mentioned before, thegrandmothers and mothers of my
(18:39):
time that would not speak oftheir aesthetic treatments are
now those Gen Z to youngmillennials who are very open
and the way that they'redeciding to spend their money
and the way that they'redeciding to take care of
themselves often varies.
I think everyone that we'reseeing is becoming more
aesthetically conscious and theconversations aren't taboo, but
(19:03):
I can't tell you that we figuredout that perfect code.
I think consumers today areseeking an overall holistic
approach to beauty and wellness.
I think those value adds are alittle different and at the end
of the day.
It does have to be what isbringing the most value, and I
say that ending in a questionmark.
(19:24):
So that was my very long answer.
Ethan, we're not quite sure yet.
I think easy earning, easyrewards, easy discounts are
table stakes.
But where is that next thingthat really has that tipping
point with those audiences?
I think everyone's trying tocrack the code on right now.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Absolutely.
I've heard a lot of differentattempts at it, but I don't know
if anyone's I was hoping youwere going to give me the hot
take.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Give me the code.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
If I had one I'd share it with you.
I think you know it's kind ofindustry specific in a lot of
cases and you know everyone'strying to figure out that
digital and IRL experiencethat's going to really create
loyalty and create value forthose customers.
So absolutely.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
That's what makes it.
I will say, of all the thingsI've done in my 20 years of
marketing, loyalty has been themost fun, the most frustrating
and difficult, but mostrewarding, because it really is.
Marketing has always been howto speak to people, how to
connect with people, how todrive those decisions, but
loyalty adds such a complex butchallenging layer on top of that
(20:34):
.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Absolutely.
That's why we do what we do andwhy we have this podcast, so
folks can share these things,because that's what we're here
for, and that's what we're herefor.
So what would you say is thenext big?
Speaker 2 (20:54):
thing for customer loyalty and customer experience
that your brand is focused on orsomething that you're looking
at investing in.
This year, I mean, I think forus investing, there are going to
be two areas that we have avery large focus on because we
have two very importantaudiences.
We're never going to give up onsimplicity.
Feedback that we get from ourhealth care providers are we are
the most simple program to useand I'm challenging our team of
I believe we can make it evenmore simple.
(21:15):
We need it not to beduplicative.
I want it to be additive to theday to day and the life of
their offices and the life oftheir patients.
So for me, the focus on theprovider side over the next
couple years is we want to driveon the B2B and B2C loyalty
program side.
We want to keep it simple,profitable and easy to use so
(21:36):
that provider feels the valuefor them and for their patients.
Now, on that patient side, Idon't have exactly what the next
big thing is, but I think youknow some of the additions we've
done to the program this yearis starting to set us apart,
which is technically it's prettyhard to do.
In aesthetics, a lot of theprograms are running table
(21:57):
stakes.
A lot are following each other,but that's where we're
challenging ourself of.
I think we have to think alittle bit larger than
aesthetics of how we want toconnect with those consumers and
those patients, becauseaesthetics really ties into such
larger areas of your life withhealth and wellness.
So, you know, I don't, I don'thave once again here's, here's
(22:21):
what you can see from us overthe next year, but we're going
to keep it simple for ourproviders.
We want it to be enjoyable forthem.
We do not want it to besomething that they feel like
they have to do.
And for the patients, we justwant them to feel valued.
We want them to understand thevalue of the program because it
is still fairly new in themarket.
(22:42):
We want to grow that awarenessand we want to see them keep
coming back and engaging withthe program, because we're going
to be very open this year ofgetting the feedback of, as a
patient, what do you want fromus Because that's where we're
going to find the most value isbeing very feedback driven and
how we enhance the program.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
That's a great place to start.
But, looking back on yoursuccesses, what are two or three
things that you're most proudof for your program?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah, I think you know the top three.
I've already said this word.
It's easy to use, it's thebiggest compliment that we get.
That's where we want to.
You know, stay focused andwe're proud of that.
But we also added a rewardstore for a patient and we're
proud of that.
But we also added a reward storefor a patient.
So this was the first aestheticfacing reward store that that
patient is earning those pointsin a provider's office and they
(23:33):
have historically been able touse and redeem those points for
discounts.
But now they can sit at home,redeem from their phone to get
skincare delivered directly totheir doorstep.
So that provides a new dynamiclayer that really kind of
matches how they're living theirlife outside of an aesthetic
office.
So that provided a new dynamicfor our program and an
(23:55):
opportunity for patients toengage with us differently.
So that was a huge win for usas well.
And then I would say it's justbeen the overall growth of the
patients in the program.
I completely give, you know,kudos to our providers and the
support that they've given usand our products and the program
.
That is what has driven us toover 1.4 million members.
(24:17):
That, to me, is, you know,something worth celebrating.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
That's awesome.
It definitely is.
That's awesome, it definitelyis.
Well, the last question I havefor you, and somewhat
self-servingly what canLoyalty360 do to help you and
your program's growth?
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You know it's going to be such an easy answer.
I think it is just bringingeveryone and loyalty together so
everyone gets very focused ontheir industry or what their
competitors are doing and justsometimes keeping their program
going and running smoothly.
And Loyalty 360 has reallygiven you the opportunity to
(24:56):
come together with all types ofloyalty partners across the
industry.
So to me that has been thebiggest value is look up from
aesthetics, look up from yourretail part of the industry,
because while loyalty programsare 100% the same across the
board, they are also sodifferent.
(25:16):
At the end of the day, we areall speaking to the same
consumers.
Which consumers and where arewe meeting them?
And their lifelong journey maybe different.
But I think that's the biggestvalue that Loyalty360 provides
is it's a community for us tocome together to drive success
across consumers.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
That's amazing.
I couldn't have said it bettermyself.
So for all you brand marketersout there who aren't members,
now you know why it's so greatto be a part of Loyalty360.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Yeah, and there's very few places.
I always tell everyone.
Anytime I have the opportunityto speak to an audience, I
always start with tell me yourfavorite loyalty program.
It was so nice to be in frontof an audience and say oh you
are the loyalty program, so youare your own favorite one.
And to be a part of a communitywhere we all talk in points was
(26:08):
my running joke of we talk inpoints, we talk in redemption.
That's a unique experience andit's a great platform that
Loyalty360 provides.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Awesome.
Well, that brings us to ourworld famous quickfire questions
.
We like to keep the answers forthese to like one word or
phrase just as fun way for theaudience to get to know you a
little bit better.
So I'm going to jump into it.
What is your favorite word?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
I have too many words .
I have too many words.
The awful first quickfirequestion.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
What is your least favorite word?
Speaker 2 (26:45):
You know this comes from, you know, a traumatic.
I don't know why.
It was embedded in me at ayoung age.
I don't know why.
I don't like the word belly.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
I don't know what excites you.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
You know, if I was going to stay focused on my
professional life, what excitesme is providing a great customer
experience.
But if I was going to stayfocused on my professional life,
what excites me is providing agreat customer experience.
But if I was going to answer asa 43-year-old with a hobby,
what excites me is winning atennis match, because that's
what I like to do outside ofwork.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Awesome.
What do you find tiresome?
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Tiresome, whether your personal life or
professional life, I would say.
Facing people that areindecisive.
That is tiresome.
I am overly decisive and I liketo pick a path and move forward
.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
What book do you like to recommend to colleagues?
Speaker 2 (27:38):
To colleagues oh wow, I don't know about colleagues
and I usually get a lot of mixedreactions about this.
I am a huge fan and I have beenfor a number of years since
high school of the great Gatsby,so you know people either love
it or they hate it.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Awesome.
What profession other than yourown would you like to attempt?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
A philanthropist.
I would love to be, you know,independently wealthy.
I would love to be very helpfulin the world, you know, as soon
as my potential pro tennisprofession dies out.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
What do you enjoy doing that you don't get to do
often?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
I would say isolated vacations.
I just came off.
It made me realize.
I just came off seven daysbeing completely disconnected
from the world, reading a lot ofbooks, enjoying the quiet.
I think in our normal life, ourpersonal and our professional
life, we're always connectedright.
We always have a phone, wealways have the internet, we
(28:42):
always have someone contactingus.
So I think that made me realizeafter this last vacation I
don't get to do that and Ishould carve out more very
specific time to have that typeof break.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Awesome.
Who inspired you to be theperson you are today?
Speaker 2 (29:00):
My grandmother, my grandmother whose name is
Tynesie.
She was a very independent,decisive lady that believed life
came with challenges, andchallenges weren't hard.
They were something tocelebrate when you got through
them, and I feel like that iswhat has shaped me and has led
me through my future.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
Awesome.
What do you think about at theend of the day?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Oh, what time is my next meeting?
In the morning.
I think that is what usuallycrosses my mind right before I
go to sleep.
But you know, I am a workingmother, so you know what I
typically think about is arunning list of what tomorrow
holds.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
And how do you want to be remembered by your friends
and family?
Speaker 2 (29:48):
And how do you want to be remembered by your friends
and family?
I want to be remembered assomeone who cared about them as
much as they cared about me.
I think as you get older andyou do have loss in your life,
that makes you understand howyou remember people and it kind
of makes you think differentlyof how you would like to be
remembered people and it kind ofmakes you think differently of
how you would like to beremembered.
(30:09):
So I want my friends and familyto remember me as a kind and
caring person that feltreciprocal to them.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Amazing.
That's wonderful.
Well, Donnery, thank you somuch for taking the time to
speak with us today.
This was a wonderful interview.
It was great talking with youand getting an update on MERS
Aesthetics.
We really appreciate you givingus your time and I look forward
to hearing more about yourcontinued success later in 2025.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
We look forward to it .
You're going to see us again atLoyalty360 with all types of
good new things to celebrate.
Thank you so much for your timetoday.
Good afternoon and good morning everyone, and
welcome back to Leaders inCustomer Loyalty.
It's great to have you with usevery Thursday for a new episode
of Brand Stories.
In this episode, we will behearing from Donnery Hales, the
Director of Loyalty Strategy andExperience at MERS Aesthetics.
Donnery, thank you for joiningus.
How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'm wonderful.
How are you?
I am wonderful, how are you.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I am wonderful we finally got rid of some rain
here in Cincinnati and the sunis out.
So anytime that happens wecelebrate.
But for those in our audiencewho might not be familiar with
MERS Aesthetics, can you give usa short introduction to the
company and how and why it wasstarted?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Mers Aesthetics is afamily-owned business.
It's been family-owned forabout 115 years now.
It's a medical aestheticsbusiness.
It has a long history ofempowering healthcare
professionals patients to liveevery day with confidence.
So we have a product portfoliothat includes injectables,
(01:05):
devices and skincare, and ourgoal is pretty simple we aim to
help people look, feel and livethe best versions of themselves.
However they define it, we'reheadquartered here in Raleigh,
north Carolina.
If you can't tell, they hiredlocally for me with this North
Carolina accent, but they havecommercial presence in about 90
(01:25):
countries.
So it's a part of the MERS group, which is a larger holding
partnership, but the MERSaesthetics piece is housed right
here in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Amazing and can you share a little bit about what's
led to MERS success over theseyears?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah, I think their success it's been both on the
aesthetic and therapeutic side.
It's really been that focus ontheir customer and how those
products help the customers.
So being able to be on bothsides of that industry with a
portfolio of products to be ableto help people where they need
it with the right products, onboth that aesthetic and
therapeutic side.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Awesome.
Well, I was really interestedin hearing more about your role
with the company, especiallywhen I saw your title Loyalty
Strategy and Experience.
More and more, we're hearingabout the inability to separate
those two things within a brand.
If you really want to bedriving loyalty, experience is
part of that.
So can you tell us a littlemore about your role and what
(02:24):
positions you've had that ledyou to be in the place you are
now?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Absolutely.
I have been with MerzAesthetics for a little over two
and a half years now.
I would say I've spent 20 yearsin just the realm of marketing.
But I agree with you.
I was like it is very difficult.
Any good marketer has nowrealized it's very hard to
decouple marketing, customerexperience and now loyalty.
You can pick up your phone andyou can look at anything that
(02:51):
you deem your favorite loyaltyapp or your favorite loyalty
experience that you're gettingfrom various stores and
experiences and you can't escapeit.
I think that is where marketinghas really evolved, is what we
consider loyalty retention andgrowth is really all rolled into
marketing now.
So I would say, particularlythe last seven years of my
(03:13):
professional career, I wasfocused on both customer
experience but also thetechnology side of enhancing
that experience.
So when I saw a role open hereat Merce Aesthetics for provider
and patient loyalty, to me thatwas just a culmination of some
of the areas I had been focusedand I personally love making
(03:33):
sure the customers are happy.
So happy customers, getting agreat experience from end to end
, not just a loyalty program, issomething I'd focused on in
prior roles, so I felt like itwas going to be a great fit here
as well.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Amazing, and so you know keeping people happy is not
an easy task.
So what keeps you up at night?
What are the biggest challengesor opportunities that you face
in your position right now?
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah, I think anyone who has loyalty or experience in
their title.
It's such a large bandwidth ofopportunity.
The opportunity is endless.
But the opportunity also is solarge because when you think
about loyalty to any brand orany business, it touches every
experience that they have, fromdigital platforms to digital
(04:22):
frameworks, to websites toin-person experiences, from
walking across the threshold ofa retail store.
Anyone that has customerexperience or loyalty.
That's what keeps you up atnight.
You can't own everything, butyou really want to do everything
to elevate the company'sexperience and at the end of the
(04:42):
day, that really comes down totechnology and data.
I have never met anyone who cantell me a perfect, seamless
story of dealing with technologyand the data.
But that's what keeps me up atnight, but that's what keeps me
excited every day is when youcan bring those two things
together to create seamlessexperiences for customers.
It's very rewarding, but Icompletely agree with you, it's
(05:06):
difficult but a largeopportunity to keep your
customers very happy.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Awesome.
So within you know talkingabout customers, you know we've
seen a lot of shifting thingsand across all kinds of aspects
of different industries, fromtechnology to, you know,
economic issues, how is themedical aesthetic industry
changing and how are you seeingyour customers, in particular,
changing?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
You know, I think really the biggest change in
aesthetics came during a largeresponse to COVID.
I think before COVID, I thinkabout aesthetics of it was a
little bit taboo, right you?
I think before COVID I thinkabout aesthetics of it was a
little bit taboo, right, I thinkof people my mother's age or
people even a little bit olderthan me.
You knew that they lookedbetter, you knew that they
(05:54):
looked refreshed, but it was alittle bit of a hush hush topic.
Covid came and I don't know ifyou remember the Zoom face trend
.
I mean, even right now youcannot be on an online meeting
without glancing and looking atyourself.
So during COVID, everyone wasat home, everyone was meeting
virtually and all they werelooking at was themselves.
(06:16):
They weren't looking at theirpartners on the call, and that
really made people recognize itwas time for self-care, it was
time for kind of home relaxation.
So during COVID you really sawa rise in aesthetics across the
industry.
That, combined with influencers, social media, people being
(06:36):
very open with health, fitness,wellness, that has really
removed the taboo nature of whydoes your skin look so good?
Why are you keeping such ayouthful look?
It has gone from.
Where do you get your hair doneall the way through.
What kind of toxin are youusing?
It's just not as taboo as itonce was.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
That's really interesting and I can say from
an anecdotal perspective.
I've noticed that, like amongpeople that I know talking more
about it, for sure since COVID,so that makes total sense.
Yeah, so are you seeing anymacroeconomic changes that
concern you from a customerexperience perspective and how
are you responding to some ofthis uncertainty right now?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
You know I think with every situation in the world
you know, every year bringssomething new that everyone has
to face and particularly whenyou look at the economics of any
industry, you have to berealistic that aesthetics is
voluntary, right.
So I think it becomes down toprioritization where you place
(07:41):
it in your life, the type ofself-care that you're looking
for, the type of look that youwant to maintain that becomes a
factor in what you decide to do.
You will see people that Irecently saw a trend on TikTok
of people were talking aboutwe're this far in the recession
and talking about how they'renot getting their hair colored
as often.
I think that's one of thetrends that we're seeing in
(08:02):
aesthetics is the boom of COVIDand people being at home and
having a little bit morediscretionary funds.
Also now is coming back to thereality that where you invest
financially is going to have tobe prioritized in the economics
that we're in or every timeeconomics start to change.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
For sure, and one of the things that we've
consistently been hearing latelyfrom a lot of different retail
brands who are members ofLoyalty360 is the customers
search for value.
Is that something that you'recontinuing to see, and what does
that look like in your world?
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Absolutely.
I mean, I think there is alwaysfinancial value.
No matter where consumers arespending their money, there's
always going to be a variationof what they consider value
that's tied to their decisionmaking.
So when you're consideringaesthetic treatments, it is an
investment in your health andappearance and well being and
it's a cash service.
So they're not only looking forthe value to get the long
(08:57):
lasting results that they arelooking to get and in the
products that they're choosing,but I do think that there is
always going to be value from afinancial perspective of I want
products that make me look andfeel the way that I feel on the
inside.
But also there's that financialcomponent and how do I make it
the most valuable and rewardingpossible, which is where the
(09:17):
loyalty programs and aestheticsreally helped us support.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Awesome.
Well, speaking of coming out ofthe pandemic, in 2021, MERS
Aesthetics launched ExperiencePlus and with just over three
years, you've grown to have over1 million members in your
program.
What differentiates yourloyalty program from others in
the aesthetics or the skincarespace to have such an amazing
milestone in such a short amountof time on?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
in such a short amount of time.
Yeah, I mean, the aestheticindustry is really, I say, wild.
It's such an interesting placefor loyalty to play because it's
so different than retail based.
While I was at Loyalty360, thatwas a big focus of.
One of our topics is we areB2B2C and our B2B partnerships
(10:03):
with our healthcare providersare the critical differentiation
for all aesthetic loyaltyprograms.
So, first and foremost, ourproviders are determining the
best product that's going togive the patients the results
that they desire, and the growthof the program is a testament
not only to the portfolio ofproducts but also the trust that
our providers have in thoseproducts.
(10:23):
So the recommendation from ourproviders for our patients of
our products is absolutely thebiggest driver, and that
secondary result is theparticipation in our loyalty
program.
So not only are our providersmaking recommendations about the
products, but our providers aresigning patients up into the
program.
When you think about optinginto loyalty programs at a
(10:46):
standard retail location, it isa very individualized experience
depending on the healthcareprovider or med spa that you're
visiting.
So you know we've been wildlysuccessful over the last couple
of years.
We've exceeded actually 1.4million members, but that really
is a driver to our partnershipwith the providers and the trust
(11:06):
they have in the products andthe program.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
That's amazing.
And so when we think about yourloyalty program and I think you
may have touched on this alittle bit from the loyalty from
the medical provider side andthose referrals and signing
people up but what kind ofcustomer behaviors are you
driving through the program forthe end users?
Is it frequency or referrals,brand advocacy, like what are
(11:30):
the important things that youguys are getting back from that
program?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I mean, it is the storyline for every loyalty
program.
You want consumer and customerretention and you want growth.
First and foremost we want apatient to be happy with the
outcomes of their treatment.
But when you only have theopportunity outside of the
skincare sector to see a patientthree to four times a year,
(11:55):
you've got to be very impactfulwith your loyalty program.
So we do want to drive thatretention.
I want them to be happy withtheir treatment, I want them to
love how they look, but then Ido want them to be able to earn
on those treatments that theylove so that they can redeem
that for discounts and reallyplay in that financial value as
well.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Amazing.
So I guess, more generally,what does customer loyalty mean
to you and to MERS Aesthetics,and how does Experience Plus fit
into that vision you have forcustomer loyalty there?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I mean, I think I took it very personally when I
started working here, because,while you could say we're a
corporation, the fact that weare the size that we are and
that we of gaining the trust andloyalty from our customers
because we need to gain thetrust from two different
customer sets it's that B2Bcustomer as well as that B2C.
So no matter what you are,whether you're B2B or B2C you
(13:01):
want to feel valued by thecompany that you're doing
business with.
So I think that is where itbecomes such a critical piece,
not only for our company but forour overall strategy, because
we really do function and wehave the mindset of family owned
and we want our customers tovalue working with us as much as
we value working with them.
(13:23):
Amazing working with them,amazing so how has your loyalty
and CX strategy evolved sincethe launch of your program?
You know, I think once again,if you can ever look up and get
outside of the, what does ittake from a technology
perspective to make the strategywork?
(13:43):
We are looking at the aestheticindustry, right.
What are some of the trendsthat we're seeing in aesthetics?
What are things that are reallygoing to support our providers
to drive their business?
But it's also very important tostart looking at that CX
strategy from that largercustomer experience lens and
going to places like Loyalty360and hearing about loyalty from
(14:05):
other points of view outside ofthe industry.
You know we're the mostrewarding program for patients
and providers in aesthetics, butour goal is always to make sure
that it's customer first.
So I would say our strategy hasalways been simplicity.
We want to be the mostrewarding and the most simple
(14:25):
because we are duplicative toour providers day to day as
they're checking out theirpatients in their office.
They're signing them up for ourprogram.
So our strategy over the lastthree years is be valuable to
the providers, have value forthe patients, but we want it to
be simple.
I want it to be simple for ourpatients to understand what
(14:47):
they're getting and how theyredeem, and we want our
providers to be very happy.
So I say that of we've reallykept it with make it simple and
make it work well, but now Iwould say our next phase is how
do we evolve to really enhancethe program outside of where it
has been the last three years?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Awesome.
Yeah, that's definitelysomething that we heard a lot at
Loyalty Expo last month was thepeople the refrain of
simplicity was happening acrossa lot of places and leaning into
those programs and making themeasy to use.
But have the methods that youuse to engage or the rewards for
customers changed and how doyou see that evolving as you
(15:27):
move forward?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Well, I think that is where every loyalty program
ends up sitting there rackingtheir brain of what can I offer?
That's different, I think youknow simplicity for us has been
very hefty rewards.
We have good cash discounts,same day treatments.
We have high earning on pointsand treatments that they can
come back for discounts.
(15:49):
So over your aesthetic journeythere are so many easy ways to
earn and redeem so thatsimplicity we always want to
ring true.
Thinking about what's the nextstep.
It was eye-opening to me atLoyalty360 and hearing a vendor
(16:10):
like Kobe show some consumerinsights that the things that
you think the consumers want theearly access to sporting events
, to concerts, the differenttypes of exclusivity I think
everyone struggles with of whatdo they bring in next to their
loyalty program was actually notthe highest ranking things.
So the highest ranking thingsthat we were seeing was birthday
(16:33):
bonuses, sign on bonuses,referring friends.
It was very self-serving, whichisn't a selfish way to look at
it.
It was a nice reminder thatwhen you're thinking about that
strategy, keep it simple foryour consumer to earn.
Keep it simple for yourconsumer to get those rewards.
(16:55):
That's rewarding to them.
So I can't tell you what ourvery next thing is.
I think we left the recentconference with.
It gave us a differentperspective of we have to think
outside of the box, but we haveto think in a very simple manner
of what is additive to thatpatient's value.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
That's really interesting and kind of leads me
to my next topic.
You know, something that we'vediscussed in the past is the
importance of engaging youngerconsumers, and we know that's
something that many beauty andaesthetics brands are actively
working on, you know, especiallyas Gen Z has more buying power
and so there's a new kind ofcohort of consumers that need to
be communicated with.
(17:30):
Brands are finding that there'sa gap between what Gen Z and
millennial audiences say theyvalue, like personalization or
purpose driven brands or thosekind of VIP experiences but
there's a gap between those andhow they actually behave when
choosing treatments or providers.
Have you seen some of thisdisconnect within your customer
base and how is MERS addressingthe challenge of engaging this
(17:54):
next generation of consumers?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Yeah, I mean I always laugh.
I was like I have a wonderfulteam.
Our loyalty team here isundoubtedly, I think, probably
the best loyalty team there isin aesthetics.
But we laugh across our team.
We see the generational gaps.
So it's always eye opening,even looking at our own little
loyalty family here at MERS,what we understand and the value
(18:17):
and the ideas that someone myage, which will you know, remain
unsaid versus some of thepeople in the team that are
younger.
It has been interesting to gothrough those conversations of
how do you evolve a loyaltyprogram to fit what is now a
very wide audience.
So, as I mentioned before, thegrandmothers and mothers of my
(18:39):
time that would not speak oftheir aesthetic treatments are
now those Gen Z to youngmillennials who are very open
and the way that they'redeciding to spend their money
and the way that they'redeciding to take care of
themselves often varies.
I think everyone that we'reseeing is becoming more
aesthetically conscious and theconversations aren't taboo, but
(19:03):
I can't tell you that we figuredout that perfect code.
I think consumers today areseeking an overall holistic
approach to beauty and wellness.
I think those value adds are alittle different and at the end
of the day.
It does have to be what isbringing the most value, and I
say that ending in a questionmark.
(19:24):
So that was my very long answer.
Ethan, we're not quite sure yet.
I think easy earning, easyrewards, easy discounts are
table stakes.
But where is that next thingthat really has that tipping
point with those audiences?
I think everyone's trying tocrack the code on right now.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Absolutely.
I've heard a lot of differentattempts at it, but I don't know
if anyone's I was hoping youwere going to give me the hot
take.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Give me the code.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
If I had one I'd share it with you.
I think you know it's kind ofindustry specific in a lot of
cases and you know everyone'strying to figure out that
digital and IRL experiencethat's going to really create
loyalty and create value forthose customers.
So absolutely.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
That's what makes it.
I will say, of all the thingsI've done in my 20 years of
marketing, loyalty has been themost fun, the most frustrating
and difficult, but mostrewarding, because it really is.
Marketing has always been howto speak to people, how to
connect with people, how todrive those decisions, but
loyalty adds such a complex butchallenging layer on top of that
(20:34):
.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Absolutely.
That's why we do what we do andwhy we have this podcast, so
folks can share these things,because that's what we're here
for, and that's what we're herefor.
So what would you say is thenext big?
Speaker 2 (20:54):
thing for customer loyalty and customer experience
that your brand is focused on orsomething that you're looking
at investing in.
This year, I mean, I think forus investing, there are going to
be two areas that we have avery large focus on because we
have two very importantaudiences.
We're never going to give up onsimplicity.
Feedback that we get from ourhealth care providers are we are
the most simple program to useand I'm challenging our team of
I believe we can make it evenmore simple.
(21:15):
We need it not to beduplicative.
I want it to be additive to theday to day and the life of
their offices and the life oftheir patients.
So for me, the focus on theprovider side over the next
couple years is we want to driveon the B2B and B2C loyalty
program side.
We want to keep it simple,profitable and easy to use so
(21:36):
that provider feels the valuefor them and for their patients.
Now, on that patient side, Idon't have exactly what the next
big thing is, but I think youknow some of the additions we've
done to the program this yearis starting to set us apart,
which is technically it's prettyhard to do.
In aesthetics, a lot of theprograms are running table
(21:57):
stakes.
A lot are following each other,but that's where we're
challenging ourself of.
I think we have to think alittle bit larger than
aesthetics of how we want toconnect with those consumers and
those patients, becauseaesthetics really ties into such
larger areas of your life withhealth and wellness.
So, you know, I don't, I don'thave once again here's, here's
(22:21):
what you can see from us overthe next year, but we're going
to keep it simple for ourproviders.
We want it to be enjoyable forthem.
We do not want it to besomething that they feel like
they have to do.
And for the patients, we justwant them to feel valued.
We want them to understand thevalue of the program because it
is still fairly new in themarket.
(22:42):
We want to grow that awarenessand we want to see them keep
coming back and engaging withthe program, because we're going
to be very open this year ofgetting the feedback of, as a
patient, what do you want fromus Because that's where we're
going to find the most value isbeing very feedback driven and
how we enhance the program.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
That's a great place to start.
But, looking back on yoursuccesses, what are two or three
things that you're most proudof for your program?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah, I think you know the top three.
I've already said this word.
It's easy to use, it's thebiggest compliment that we get.
That's where we want to.
You know, stay focused andwe're proud of that.
But we also added a rewardstore for a patient and we're
proud of that.
But we also added a reward storefor a patient.
So this was the first aestheticfacing reward store that that
patient is earning those pointsin a provider's office and they
(23:33):
have historically been able touse and redeem those points for
discounts.
But now they can sit at home,redeem from their phone to get
skincare delivered directly totheir doorstep.
So that provides a new dynamiclayer that really kind of
matches how they're living theirlife outside of an aesthetic
office.
So that provided a new dynamicfor our program and an
(23:55):
opportunity for patients toengage with us differently.
So that was a huge win for usas well.
And then I would say it's justbeen the overall growth of the
patients in the program.
I completely give, you know,kudos to our providers and the
support that they've given usand our products and the program
.
That is what has driven us toover 1.4 million members.
(24:17):
That, to me, is, you know,something worth celebrating.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
That's awesome.
It definitely is.
That's awesome, it definitelyis.
Well, the last question I havefor you, and somewhat
self-servingly what canLoyalty360 do to help you and
your program's growth?
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You know it's going to be such an easy answer.
I think it is just bringingeveryone and loyalty together so
everyone gets very focused ontheir industry or what their
competitors are doing and justsometimes keeping their program
going and running smoothly.
And Loyalty 360 has reallygiven you the opportunity to
(24:56):
come together with all types ofloyalty partners across the
industry.
So to me that has been thebiggest value is look up from
aesthetics, look up from yourretail part of the industry,
because while loyalty programsare 100% the same across the
board, they are also sodifferent.
(25:16):
At the end of the day, we areall speaking to the same
consumers.
Which consumers and where arewe meeting them?
And their lifelong journey maybe different.
But I think that's the biggestvalue that Loyalty360 provides
is it's a community for us tocome together to drive success
across consumers.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
That's amazing.
I couldn't have said it bettermyself.
So for all you brand marketersout there who aren't members,
now you know why it's so greatto be a part of Loyalty360.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Yeah, and there's very few places.
I always tell everyone.
Anytime I have the opportunityto speak to an audience, I
always start with tell me yourfavorite loyalty program.
It was so nice to be in frontof an audience and say oh you
are the loyalty program, so youare your own favorite one.
And to be a part of a communitywhere we all talk in points was
(26:08):
my running joke of we talk inpoints, we talk in redemption.
That's a unique experience andit's a great platform that
Loyalty360 provides.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Awesome.
Well, that brings us to ourworld famous quickfire questions
.
We like to keep the answers forthese to like one word or
phrase just as fun way for theaudience to get to know you a
little bit better.
So I'm going to jump into it.
What is your favorite word?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
I have too many words .
I have too many words.
The awful first quickfirequestion.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
What is your least favorite word?
Speaker 2 (26:45):
You know this comes from, you know, a traumatic.
I don't know why.
It was embedded in me at ayoung age.
I don't know why.
I don't like the word belly.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
I don't know what excites you.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
You know, if I was going to stay focused on my
professional life, what excitesme is providing a great customer
experience.
But if I was going to stayfocused on my professional life,
what excites me is providing agreat customer experience.
But if I was going to answer asa 43-year-old with a hobby,
what excites me is winning atennis match, because that's
what I like to do outside ofwork.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Awesome.
What do you find tiresome?
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Tiresome, whether your personal life or
professional life, I would say.
Facing people that areindecisive.
That is tiresome.
I am overly decisive and I liketo pick a path and move forward
.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
What book do you like to recommend to colleagues?
Speaker 2 (27:38):
To colleagues oh wow, I don't know about colleagues
and I usually get a lot of mixedreactions about this.
I am a huge fan and I have beenfor a number of years since
high school of the great Gatsby,so you know people either love
it or they hate it.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Awesome.
What profession other than yourown would you like to attempt?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
A philanthropist.
I would love to be, you know,independently wealthy.
I would love to be very helpfulin the world, you know, as soon
as my potential pro tennisprofession dies out.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
What do you enjoy doing that you don't get to do
often?
Speaker 2 (28:22):
I would say isolated vacations.
I just came off.
It made me realize.
I just came off seven daysbeing completely disconnected
from the world, reading a lot ofbooks, enjoying the quiet.
I think in our normal life, ourpersonal and our professional
life, we're always connectedright.
We always have a phone, wealways have the internet, we
(28:42):
always have someone contactingus.
So I think that made me realizeafter this last vacation I
don't get to do that and Ishould carve out more very
specific time to have that typeof break.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Awesome.
Who inspired you to be theperson you are today?
Speaker 2 (29:00):
My grandmother, my grandmother whose name is
Tynesie.
She was a very independent,decisive lady that believed life
came with challenges, andchallenges weren't hard.
They were something tocelebrate when you got through
them, and I feel like that iswhat has shaped me and has led
me through my future.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
Awesome.
What do you think about at theend of the day?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Oh, what time is my next meeting?
In the morning.
I think that is what usuallycrosses my mind right before I
go to sleep.
But you know, I am a workingmother, so you know what I
typically think about is arunning list of what tomorrow
holds.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
And how do you want to be remembered by your friends
and family?
Speaker 2 (29:48):
And how do you want to be remembered by your friends
and family?
I want to be remembered assomeone who cared about them as
much as they cared about me.
I think as you get older andyou do have loss in your life,
that makes you understand howyou remember people and it kind
of makes you think differentlyof how you would like to be
remembered people and it kind ofmakes you think differently of
how you would like to beremembered.
(30:09):
So I want my friends and familyto remember me as a kind and
caring person that feltreciprocal to them.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Amazing.
That's wonderful.
Well, Donnery, thank you somuch for taking the time to
speak with us today.
This was a wonderful interview.
It was great talking with youand getting an update on MERS
Aesthetics.
We really appreciate you givingus your time and I look forward
to hearing more about yourcontinued success later in 2025.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
We look forward to it .
You're going to see us again atLoyalty360 with all types of
good new things to celebrate.
Thank you so much for your timetoday.
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