We Ignored the Red Flags… and It Cost Us

We Ignored the Red Flags… and It Cost Us

From Beauty & The Brain® by William C. Croley , Jerry Drinkard

May 7, 2026 · 19 min · Season 2 · Episode 70

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of transparency and trust in aesthetic treatments, sharing a cautionary tale about ignoring red flags in business decisions.

This week on Beauty & The Brain , Dr. Chris Croley and Jerry Drinkard, NP, are talking about vulnerability—not in the emotional buzzword kind of way, but in the very real moments where trust, money, expectations, and decision-making all collide. Chris and Jerry share a candid behind-the-scenes story about a business decision involving new aesthetic technology, what went wrong, and how it became an expensive reminder to ask better questions, look at the data, and not ignore red flags just because something feels exciting. They also flip the conversation to the patient perspective. When someone comes in for a treatment recommendation, they are trusting their provider with their appearance, their budget, and their confidence. That trust matters—and it should be handled with transparency, honesty, and realistic expectations. In this episode, you’ll hear why patients should feel comfortable asking about training, experience, risks, and outcomes; why providers need to be honest when something is new; and how transparency can protect relationships even when results do not go exactly as planned. Follow Beauty & The Brain for more smart, honest conversations about aesthetics, skin…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr. Chris Croley, Jerry Drinkard

Topics covered

  • vulnerability
  • trust
  • aesthetic technology
  • patient-provider relationship
  • transparency
  • decision-making

Keywords

  • vulnerability
  • trust
  • aesthetic technology
  • patient expectations
  • transparency
  • decision-making
  • risks
  • outcomes

More episodes of Beauty & The Brain®

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Beauty & The Brain® podcast page.