OUR STORY

#EMPOWERINGYOU

to be powerful

Hello, beautiful friends!

My name is Carrie Brinton, and I am the co-founder of Elase Medical Spas and the National Institute of Medical Aesthetics. I am married to Matt, who is also my partner in Elase and NIMA, the medical aesthetics training institute we founded in 2009. We have four awesome teenagers, and we love to do all the things you do when you live in Utah ā€” boating, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, camping, and traveling.

I love to tell the story of Elase because I want you to know that our purpose is simple and sincere: We want you to feel amazing about yourself.

In 2004, my sister-in-law and I got a random opportunity to buy a used hair removal laser and had the crazy idea to create a place where you could receive medical-like services in a really relaxing and friendly environment. Of course, in todayā€™s markets, youā€™d be like, ā€œHello, thatā€™s been done a thousand times, and itā€™s called a Medical Spa.ā€ But back in 2004, it was a totally novel idea. In fact, Elase was the first ā€œmedical spaā€ in Utah! Pretty cool fact.

But even cooler than that is the fact that Elase was started by two moms with six kids between us, all under the age of six. We were busy moms and entrepreneurs, and helping women believe that they can do whatever they want to do, regardless of their circumstances, would eventually become one of the central themes for Elaseā€™s empowerment focus.

So we signed for the loan, painted the walls, and jumped into what has now become one of the largest and busiest medical spas in the United States. Our growth happened very quickly, and it soon became apparent that it was going to require more work, more time, and more sacrifice than either of us had anticipated from the beginning.

With that realization, I had to ask myself some very important questions: Am I willing to sacrifice the time away from my kids? Am I okay being part of an industry that a lot of people see as promoting unattainable standards? Do I feel good about telling women they need to change in order to be their best? Do I want to be part of the problem with womenā€™s propensity to compare themselves to each other? All of these questions bothered me for a long time.

Back in those early days, we were all answering the phones, doing the consultations, and running the lasers. It was exhausting, but it allowed me to interact with so many new friends. I got a frontā€“row seat to learn all about our clientsā€™ lives. I met recently divorced women who were getting back into the dating scene. I met professional women facing the challenges of growing their career. I met stay-at-home moms that loved their children but were searching for something that could be just their ā€œthing.ā€ I met really confident women with huge personalities who didnā€™t even hesitate to get those lips bigger, thank you very much! I met teenage girls that always wore their hair down because of the acne scars on their cheeks. I met athletes that needed a simpler routine to help them get that extra edge.

ā€œWhen we are given the
opportunity, we can be incredibly
powerful and strong.ā€

What I learned from all of these interactions is that every person has a unique story and reason for coming to Elase. Some needed confidence, some needed convenience, and some just needed an afternoon surrounded by positivity and encouragement. I also learned that when we are given the opportunity to eliminate an obstacle and a little bit of encouragement, we can become incredibly powerful and strong. I realized that Elase could play a very important role in thousands of lives if we kept our focus on one thing ā€” empowering our community.

Eventually, I was able to confidently answer all of the questions I asked myself in our early years. Yes, all of the sacrifices are worth it because Elase is a company that can have an impact. Yes, it is okay to be part of the beauty industry because we can help eliminate the idea that there is a single standard of beauty. Yes, I am okay telling women that there is an opportunity for change because change can be the catalyst that makes life that much more amazing. Yes, we can create a community that doesnā€™t compare and judge but that supports and uplifts. And yes, we can build a company that provides career opportunities for hundreds of women that are also moms, wives, volunteers, friends, and all the other things women do.

Today, Elase employs over 100 women. We have treated hundreds of thousands of men and women. We are experts at what we do, and weā€™ve proven that with countless awards, recognitions, and milestones. We hope that each time you visit Elase, you feel and experience our culture of empowerment. Thank you for helping us become Utahā€™s largest medical spa and for being part of a story that we plan to continue to write for many more years to come!

Carrie

A FEW OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • 9x Winner Best of State
  • 4x Winner Best Places to Work, Salt Lake Tribune
  • Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies
  • 40 Under 40; Utah Business Magazine
  • 30 Women to Watch; Utah Business Magazine
  • 2013 Feature in Forbes; ā€œAn Unorthodox Approach To Challenges
    Fosters Growth in a Recessionā€
  • Ernst & Young; Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee
  • Featured Guest; Person 2 Person, KUTV 2

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