She Had Peace in Hawaii. She Left Anyway. | The Confidence Question Ep. 7

Angelica Gonzalez: So it was really hard to leave, but I think the battle that I faced was my fear of complacency outweighed my fear of comfort. And I knew if I stayed on that island, I would not be able to propel myself the way that I wanted to in my career.

Dr. Tyler Hales: All right, Angelica, tell us, tell me about a time you were the least confident person in the room.

Angelica Gonzalez: The least confident person in the room. Wow, you're really— this is a deep question. I think I need a second just to think through. Um, I would say in my nursing career during my clinical practice. So you're thrown into a hospital setting and they're basically like, here, do this for this patient. This patient needs that. And you're just, you're clueless on what needs to be done because you've never done it before. And you're also a little nervous and scared because you don't want to mess anything up. So I would say that was probably the most— I would say the time that I lacked the most confidence, for sure. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: yeah, your, your first time on clinic floor.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, it's like the sweat bead is dripping. Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Oh

Angelica Gonzalez: yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: I mean, I remember the first patient I worked on, right? And it's like barely sleep the night before, right? And you're like, oh man, they're gonna trust me to do this.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Um,

Angelica Gonzalez: and it's like life or death situation sometimes, and you're just like Oh no, you know. So yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: yeah. And now, and now you look at where you are now, right? And the confidence that now you look back and you're like, oh, that's silly things that I always—

Angelica Gonzalez: yeah, yeah, totally. It's like comparing like the first tooth you did versus the first Botox patient I had. Like, I was shaking, my needle was like, oh gosh, I hope I don't drop their brow, you know. And like, now it's like you can't do with your eyes closed, but you're just confident that you know the outcome, you know, and you know what to do if something happens.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, and that's really neat.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Um, well, I appreciate, uh, you coming on today. This is Angelica Gonzalez Gonzalez. She is an injector.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yes.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Is that what they— how they say it? What would your job title be?

Angelica Gonzalez: I feel like we have many titles. There's cosmetic injector, aesthetic medicine injector, nurse injector, depending on your role. So I just say I am an RN injector, just so people know my title or aesthetic injector. I don't know, it's just there's very like— there's so many different titles.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, I love it.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: well, we have Angelica Gonzalez Gonzalez, who is an RN injector, and she does amazing work, a very natural aesthetic, which goes right along with what we do. I'm Dr. Tyler Hales, host of the Confidence Question podcast, and we're excited to have you today.

Angelica Gonzalez: Thank you, thank you. I'm excited to be here. Yeah. He's phenomenal, by the way. It's just amazing. Oh,

Dr. Tyler Hales: thank you. So Angelica, you left Hawaii to kind of start over. What did over mean? What were you actually leaving behind? Hmm.

Angelica Gonzalez: Have you been to Hawaii?

Dr. Tyler Hales: I love Hawaii. Yeah, every year.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, it is just like my place of refuge. I feel like that island changed me. So a little background, I I'm from South Florida. I graduated from college, moved to LA for 2 years, did not like LA, and then my sister moved to Hawaii and I kind of followed in her footsteps, was there for 7, 8 years, and it just, it provided so much peace and it really evolved me as a person. So it was really hard to leave, but I think the battle that I faced was my fear My fear of complacency outweighed my fear of comfort, and I knew if I stayed on that island, I would not be able to propel myself the way that I wanted to in my career. So that's kind of what motivated me to explore other options. And Orange County is just— we're lucky. We're lucky here. I have not missed Hawaii as much as I thought I would, let's say. Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Did, um, did you go to school in Hawaii?

Angelica Gonzalez: No. So I went to the University of South Florida. Okay. So Tampa, I don't know if you— we were like D2, so not many people know about Tampa, but yeah, or the USF.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Very good. And what were— in which island were you on?

Angelica Gonzalez: Oahu.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Okay.

Angelica Gonzalez: Kailua was the town I lived in. Kailua is the dream, like Lanikai Beach. Have you been there? It's just insane.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, my, my sister-in-law lives on in Oahu right now.

Angelica Gonzalez: Oh really?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Okay, wait, what part? Um, she lives on the military base. Okay, so her husband's in med school, uh, in the military, but they have a sweet spot spot. It's like, it's the best right there.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, my sister's still living there. My mom is actually on a flight right now to Orange County from Hawaii as we're talking, you know, to visit me.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, yeah. Did you feel like your time in Hawaii— I know you talk— or did you feel like your time in Hawaii really changed you?

Angelica Gonzalez: Absolutely. I think the island is a very introspective and just a cultured place. Like you really gravitate towards nature and towards times of solitude. Um, I have a faith in God, so I feel like my faith in God really grew there as well because I had so many moments of just walking the beach by myself, taking a hike, or just being in that grounding energy. And I feel like that is what really helped me carve the path of the person I wanted to become and the woman I want to become and the partner I want to become one day. And I just feel like it needed to happen. And I just had this thought the other day. It was, I think it was a full moon last night, and I look up in the sky, I'm like, oh, it's a full moon. And I was just like, wow, in Hawaii we were kind of, we knew when the full moon was coming. That's how much we were connected to the, the world and the earth around us, you know. So it was definitely needed for sure. Yeah, it shaped me.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And you said that one reason why you felt like you had to leave was it wasn't going to give you the opportunity to really be who you want to be.

Dr. Tyler Hales: That's not weakness. That's how you keep going. I'm Dr. Tyler Hales. Follow the show so you don't miss what's next. This question doesn't have one answer. That's why we keep asking it.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep. Most piece— most isolated piece of land in the whole, I think, world, right? And I think there is a study I saw, um, when was that? Not that long ago, but it said Hawaii is like the worst state in the U.S. to have a business. So if you can imagine working in aesthetics— I worked in plastic surgery, I was a perioperative RN— it just— I saw the struggles around me and I'm just there's no way I could be the person I wanted to be in the career path that I was taking on that island. So,

Dr. Tyler Hales: and did you feel like you were always motivated even as a kid to like have that drive, um, or was that something that you kind of learned that that's what you wanted?

Angelica Gonzalez: I think it was how I was raised. So my father would always instill on my sister and I he doesn't want us to be barefoot and pregnant one day. So he— that's literally what he would say. I know that's extreme, but he would just say you, you want to be in a partnership where you also have a piece and you're also career-driven, and then you guys can come together and have this like prosperous life together. So it's definitely how I was raised.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, I love that.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Honestly, it's, it's funny because me and my wife kind of joke and it's like we should just sell everything here and move to Hawaii.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, right.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And you— I mean, I can't have this business that I have here in Hawaii, obviously. Um, and I was like, I just do a day-to-day job, right? But the lifestyle is totally different there, right? Yeah, you don't need as much, honestly, on the island of Hawaii than you do when you're living in Orange County, California,

Angelica Gonzalez: which is amazing. It's beautiful. You don't have the stress of like, I need to buy more, I need to wear this. If anything, people look at you, who you are as a person, not the clothes that you wear, the car that you drive. And I think that was just such a beautiful thing to learn because moving to Orange County, you can get sucked into all this stuff that, you know, especially the fields that we're in. We're in aesthetics. So I think it's just having that groundingness is really important. But it is like night and day difference. But for kids, it's great. I always say if I were to go back, it would be to raise a family. Because it is— it's— the kids even get brought up differently, not on their screen as much. They're surfing, skateboarding. I learned how to surf because of Hawaii. I don't think I would have learned if I didn't live there, you know. So for kids, I think, I think your kids would like be so happy.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Oh, they, they beg me every time.

Angelica Gonzalez: Really?

Dr. Tyler Hales: To go to Hawaii? Yes, it's— that's why we go every year.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah. What island do you normally go to?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Uh, I love Kauai.

Angelica Gonzalez: Okay, that's my favorite island.

Dr. Tyler Hales: We love that. We just went there in May or, uh, March.

Angelica Gonzalez: Wait, have you been to the One Hotel?

Dr. Tyler Hales: No, but I saw— yeah, we went and drove by it. That's on the North Shore.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, Hanalei Bay.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah,

Angelica Gonzalez: it's my favorite hotel in the whole world. Yeah, it's so beautiful. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: yeah,

Angelica Gonzalez: it's just— you feel the energy there. You're just like, this is magical. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: it's incredible.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: You landed in California with no network and no name, then you ended up inside a brand with Beverly Hills surgeon on the wall. How did you get from nobody to the chair? To where you are now?

Angelica Gonzalez: Journaling, manifesting, praying. Um, if you want to go literal, I had a recruiter, but I think the opportunity landed because of all the visuals I had coming into this point. And I'm just a firm believer, and you can visualize your reality. And, you know, coming from Hawaii, like, what med spa is going to hire an injector from Hawaii, you know what I mean? There's so many other states. But I just feel that the confidence that I brought into the interview and the experience that I had in Hawaii, although we're the most isolated, I really am passionate about what I do. And I think that was just shown in the interview process that I had. It was actually crazy because I was flying from Honolulu, landed in LA, had an interview in Beverly Hills, and that's like the mecca of plastic surgery and aesthetics. I'm like, this is, you know, it's almost like imposter syndrome. You're like, how did this all happen? This is amazing. But then It's like when I got in there, I knew like this is the path I'm supposed to be on. Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And were you pretty like confident in yourself? Like when you went in, you're just like, oh yeah, I could totally handle this.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep. Deep breath, visualize what's going to happen and go for it. Yeah. And I was injecting the owner of the med spa and her husband too. So it was very, it was a nerve-wracking interview. I was sweating. I was sweating, but I held it together. Held it together. Yeah. I was like, we got this. Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And really, where do you feel was the turning point when you were, you know, okay, now you got the job. You have people started to come in versus like now you've got the confidence in yourself and like, I know you started doing social media.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, I think it's just the experience that you have and working with a variety of different patients is what helped my confidence. I'm sure you can attest to that. Like, we get every type of person walking through our door and sitting in the chair, and I think just understanding that and also treating them not as a patient but as a friend. Like, what would my friend want right now? And I think they can—

Angelica Gonzalez: they understand that, they can sense that, and they trust you because they feel that. You know what I mean?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Now that you have these patients, right, you want them as a friend, you know, you watch their confidence change in people every single day, right?

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep.

Dr. Tyler Hales: That is what we do.

Angelica Gonzalez: It's, it's incredible. It's the best feeling in the world.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Um, what does it actually look like? Like, when is that moment that you see it kind of turn for them where they feel confident?

Angelica Gonzalez: I would say depends on the treatment. So with Botox, when they come in for that 2-week follow-up, or sometimes they don't even come in because it looks great, but I want them to come in because I want them to just see and talk with me and like how they feel, especially if it's a first-timer. But it's definitely the follow-up appointment. And with things that, like services that I provide that are more instant gratification, we call it, like filler, it's right away in the mirror. They're like, wow, this is incredible, you know. So it's normally immediate or 2 weeks. For microneedling, all those things, good luck. Sometimes they don't even notice the result until we take a picture and they're like, oh wow, my skin looks way better, I look 10 years younger, but they didn't know that, you know what I mean. It's just so— it's different depending on the treatment.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah,

Angelica Gonzalez: yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: I would say I'm quite jealous of you because for me what's interesting is when I do a smile makeover it is a one-and-done, right? I don't get this recurring relationship-building relationship over a long period of time, right? The nice thing is that, yeah, we do amazing transformations, but then I don't get to see them 6 months later to redo it, you know?

Angelica Gonzalez: Well, that's, that's why my patients become really close to me. Like, some of my best friends have been my patients. It's crazy. Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And I mean, that's really one of the reasons I went into dentistry was relationships. I love that aspect. And honestly, you obviously see that, that when you're able to make such a transformation for that, it's easy to have that relationship. Even though I see the patient only, you know, one time for a couple— or over a period of time for a short time— there are still people who I keep in touch with.

Angelica Gonzalez: Totally.

Dr. Tyler Hales: When it's been 5 years, I still haven't seen them, and they're only a patient, but we have this relationship because we do— we feel connected, you know. That manifesting that, um, that is things that I talk to the patients about that they've been wanting, right? And how we're able to be part of that story.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, no, truly, it's the best job. Before this, I was in fitness training, so I kind of had a— same, like, this is clearly my passion, is making people feel more confident, you know? So it's just the best feeling in the world. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: we love it. So every room you've worked in, someone else's name carried the weight. 'Now the name on the door is yours.' What's the fear you haven't said out loud yet?

Angelica Gonzalez: Hmm, I don't know. I don't think I have. I think with me, I always know if I'm going through a rough season or if things aren't working my way, it's for a lesson and it's growing me. And I just feel like pain and trials and tribulations are what builds a person's character. So I can't say that I fear anything at the moment, at least. I don't know.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, I was, I was listening to this podcast actually the other day, and they, they told me to like list 3 fears, right? And one has to be the greatest fear that you can think of, right? Two a little bit lesser, three a little bit lesser. And I thought it was interesting because I don't honestly kind of sit on those fears. I think one thing that, that makes me very successful is I'm easy to kind of just move on, right, and not be fearful of anything. I can jump into anything, and that's how we created this business. But I do, when I started to think deeply about that, it was kind of an interesting topic because I feel like early on I was fearless because it didn't matter. I didn't have a reputation. It was easy, right? And I had all these other mentors that were amazing, and I could go ask any questions. It was very safe, right? And it's interesting now that I think about it and I look at where I am now. I've got this beautiful practice, right? We've got a bit of a reputation and suddenly it's like a little bit of fear of like, if I don't know anything, am I going to show kind of the weakness, right? And suddenly it was interesting because I thought that I'd have less fears being more confident, but suddenly I think it's more ego that's putting that fear. But it— that there's more fears now than when I was younger.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, that's a really good point. And now I'm, you know, embarking on my own, so that could happen with me too. I think there's more pressure. Yeah, more responsibility on the line. Um, but I just feel like you and I are just really good at knowing, like, the outcome, and then if something were to happen in a negative way, how to manage that, you know. So I don't know, I feel like you got this. Yeah, you trust in yourself just like I do. So, but that— yeah, it's, it's— I didn't even like think of that because I'm not even on my own yet. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: yeah. And I think you're, you're right. Like, to you and me, it doesn't matter what happens,

Angelica Gonzalez: right?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Right. Because at the end of the day, you— we can overcome whatever it is.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Because we're passionate,

Angelica Gonzalez: right?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Right. If I don't think that I had the passion to do what I do and the love for it, then it would be really hard, and the fear of failure or to walk away would be very easy.

Angelica Gonzalez: So true. And I just feel like we are both passionate in just giving the best outcome for our patient and client, you know. So regardless of the journey, we'll get them to that where they want to be at, you know what I mean?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah. So is there a difference between the confidence you give your patients and the confidence that you find in yourself?

Angelica Gonzalez: Hmm, I feel like yes and no because it's a mirror, right? And I feel that my confidence kind of translates into the outcome that they have as well. I think my confidence as doing a successful consultation or having the artistic eye, so that alone is going to move into the outcome that they have and then translate into the confidence that they get from the outcome. From my confidence. So I feel like it's just kind of hand in hand, you know?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, it's, uh, definitely a two-way street, right?

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Um, if we honestly— if we don't show up confidently, then how are we ever supposed to give them confidence, right? I think so. True. Where are we questioning? Um, have you ever seen where like a patient or a client ever questioned your confidence or questioned your abilities?

Angelica Gonzalez: Absolutely. I say no a lot of times to patients, like, no, I'm not putting more lip filler in your lips, or even I'm trying to force them to dissolve filler that, you know, is actually aging them. So it's sometimes a dance, right, of how can I make you feel comfortable in trusting me that I have your best interest, and then letting go and understanding that The outcome will be better, but they— we need to get through it, you know what I mean? Because it is a— it's a healing journey too. When I dissolve, they bruise or they swell. So it's just getting them to understand that. Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And you treat men too?

Angelica Gonzalez: Absolutely.

Dr. Tyler Hales: So what's the difference about a man sitting in your chair, uh, for the first time?

Angelica Gonzalez: Everything. Everything. Matt— men versus women, I feel like our facial structures are just so different, and that's why Sometimes we see men that get work done, they start looking feminine because the provider is following a feminine approach to the face. So it's totally different. Even ethnic groups, skin quality, skin texture, age— it's just you have to customize a treatment plan per the individual. And that's something that I actually love because not every treatment is the same, and I'm able to go in with my anatomy knowledge with my artistic eye and really see what I can bring out and make look— not better, I don't want to say better, but enhance in a way so they look the way that they feel the most authentic, you know?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, I remember when I went and got Botox for the first time. It was interesting because I, I actually— to me there, I'd say confidently, I didn't care whether people knew or not,

Angelica Gonzalez: right?

Dr. Tyler Hales: So I actually posted about it because I was like, I want this to be normal. I love that so much.

Angelica Gonzalez: Why am I gonna do this? They do.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, and, and it was interesting, and honestly there were things that were bothering me, like I scrunch a lot because I'm doing close-up dentistry, right? And I started to get these lines, and it was interesting because I was like, man, I, I feel like I'm 18, but I'm starting to see all of a sudden these aging looks. Yeah, and I was like, okay, well, how do I prevent this? And, and same thing, it's like I'd I want someone confident in their veneers, right? If they go get veneers, to be able to talk about them and be like, yes, I love them, right? Yeah, and not have to be something that they hide,

Angelica Gonzalez: right?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Do you see that in this world? Is it easier or harder for men to kind of admit that they're doing these things and kind of do it under the radar versus females, or what does that look like?

Angelica Gonzalez: I would say it's actually great we're talking about this because I feel that men— and this is in the nicest way— I feel that you guys need help. With the aging process, you know, because it's very much a female dominant industry. However, both genders are aging the same, very similarly, you know. I mean, granted, we have hormones and things, so it's a little bit different, but it's overall pretty similar. And I just feel that men can be a little bashful for sure because they don't want to admit that they're doing the treatment. Luckily, in Orange County, it's not as much I feel like we're very much more open about what we do over here. Um, but it is— there is a definitely a difference. And there's even women that want to hide it too. But I always tell my patients, you only notice the bad work. The good work looks natural. So it's kind of a funny— you like, you know this too because I've seen some bad teeth, like some bad veneers. It's just, oh wow, they went overseas maybe for that or something, you know. So it just kind of figuring out the path of just properly educating the patient and then just maybe doing something very slightly at first so they can build that trust with you.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, I, I— in my trends that I've been seeing actually is I used to have like, it was almost 90% female, 10% males, uh, when we did a smile transformation. And we've seen in the last years that that's actually not swapped, but we have a much higher percentage of men that are starting to care about how they look.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And, uh, want to take care of themselves and also present kind of themselves in, in a confident way.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep. Yeah, totally. I wanna, I wanna help the men out too. Like, I'm gonna— and my plan, it's, it's really funny we're talking about this because my plan was to make some videos just directed towards men on just helping you, like let's figure this out. Like, yes, you need to wear sunscreen, please.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, we need, we need all the help.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, yeah, totally.

Dr. Tyler Hales: My wife actually bought me sunscreen, uh, last year for my birthday.

Angelica Gonzalez: There you go.

Dr. Tyler Hales: So I'm on a good regimen, and it's been amazing. Like, I, I honestly now, I, I don't think I miss a day. Like, if I'm out in the sun, I'm like, oh man, I need to go put some sunscreen.

Angelica Gonzalez: It's like brushing your teeth, right?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yep.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, good for your wife. That's great. She's taking good care.

Dr. Tyler Hales: We, I feel, need to be a little bit more educated on that.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yes.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Because my wife has a great, uh, facial routine at night.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And I'm like, I don't know what you're doing. Yep, yep. And we don't care until we care, right?

Angelica Gonzalez: Exactly.

Dr. Tyler Hales: But it would be nice to— honestly, I'd be like, well, why do we need this, right? Because I feel like a lot of it is talked about more females about.

Angelica Gonzalez: It is, yeah. And they just think they're gonna come out looking like a woman, and it's like, nope. If you— I mean, if you go to, you know, but for the most part, if you go to somebody that's skilled and knows the anatomy of the male's face and the aging process, you can really enhance your features. And the thing is, with my career, it's preventative. What I do is preventative. If we're getting to the point of correction, you're in the wrong place. I cannot correct— I mean, maybe some hyperpigmentation on your face, or if you have some acne scarring, for sure. But if we're at the aging cycle and you need a facelift, there is no amount of filler or Botox I can do to get you there. So it's definitely more of a preventative tool to use for sure.

Dr. Tyler Hales: That's awesome.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: cool. So how does it feel to go from like an injector's assistant to now being a boss and owning your own business?

Angelica Gonzalez: Um, it's been a journey, I will tell you, and I just look back and I think what I would want to say to anybody who's just starting out, it's that The time flies by. Like, I started in the aesthetic industry in 2019. That's when I started assisting, and we're in 2026. How many years? That's 7 years, right? It does not feel like 7 years, you know? So I think it feel like— that's why I get imposter syndrome, because I feel like it's gone so quickly. But that's almost a decade of my life has spent towards this practice, and it just goes so fast. So I think that's just kind of how it feels. It flies by. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: it goes by so fast. I think about where we are now, right? And I honestly, it feels like we just got here, and it's almost been almost a year. Yeah, coming up. But it— yeah, just, it's crazy how sometimes I wish we could stop time, right?

Angelica Gonzalez: Yes, yes.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And I also think that time's going by so fast. And when I— I've read this book over and over again called The Power of Now, and it says if you want to slow time down, then you have to live in the moment.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Like, too often I feel like we're wishing time away because we're either thinking about the past or thinking about the future, right? And instead of being present and being like, what an amazing time it is right now.

Angelica Gonzalez: Totally. And I think that's why Hawaii— the time there goes so slow, and it island time is such a thing because you are the most present there. So that's— yeah, it's so true.

Dr. Tyler Hales: We need more Hawaii.

Angelica Gonzalez: We do, we do. I need to book a trip. It's been too long. It's been almost a year. I can't believe it. I haven't even gone back. I've just been so busy that I just haven't. Yeah, the Big Island is so pretty. The volcanic rock everywhere, it's so cool.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah,

Angelica Gonzalez: just vastness of just volcanic rock,

Dr. Tyler Hales: everything about

Angelica Gonzalez: it.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, telling you, I'm gonna just sell everything and move there.

Angelica Gonzalez: I mean, if I had kids— I'm just saying, Dr. Hills— if I had children They'd be pro surfers, skateboarders. They'd be doing all the things.

Dr. Tyler Hales: I'm gonna become a pro surfer. That's what— do it!

Angelica Gonzalez: Wait, do you surf?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah.

Angelica Gonzalez: Oh my gosh, wait, what kind of— like longboard, shortboard?

Dr. Tyler Hales: Shortboard.

Angelica Gonzalez: Oh, he's good.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, my daughter just joined the surf team, and so we just bought her a new surfboard.

Angelica Gonzalez: They need to be in Hawaii. You're doing them a disservice right now. What are you doing? Your daughter is into it? That's so— how old is she?

Dr. Tyler Hales: She's 12.

Angelica Gonzalez: Oh my gosh.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah.

Angelica Gonzalez: See, I'm just a longboarder. I do the baby waves in Waikiki, and I'm not— yeah, 5 foot, that's great. As high as I get. I can't— it is— I just like the style of it. My goal is to like hang 5, hang 10. Didn't get there, but hey, I can surf. I just don't have like the cool style yet.

Dr. Tyler Hales: But yeah, it comes with, with time, right?

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah. No, I learned how to penny board and everything just living in Hawaii. Really? Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Oh, that's so cool. I know, I gotta do it. Planning trip.

Angelica Gonzalez: Just open multiple locations, you know.

Dr. Tyler Hales: It's—

Angelica Gonzalez: they probably need good teeth out there too.

Dr. Tyler Hales: I heard in the dental practices out there struggle because one, employees don't show up for work. Yeah, patients don't show up for their appointments. Like, it just is not the same.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, I, I wouldn't recommend it for a business, but to raise a family, 100%.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yep, gotta figure out a way how to do that.

Angelica Gonzalez: Magic. You clone yourself. Yeah, right.

Dr. Tyler Hales: I know. Just live it.

Angelica Gonzalez: Multiple Dr. Hills running around. Literally. We're getting there. We're getting there. We'll be able to clone you very soon.

Dr. Tyler Hales: That's right. Just have my robot do all my veneers for me.

Angelica Gonzalez: Literally.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And I'll just plan everything in Hawaii.

Angelica Gonzalez: Imagine they're just like walking back and forth through your clinic. That's crazy.

Dr. Tyler Hales: I wouldn't even need to be here.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, that'd be great.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Same. Yeah, yeah. Give all my robots bow ties.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, there you go. That'd be so cute. Bow ties and glasses on the robot. I need like an AI version of that. We need to ask ChatGPT. Yeah, I would trust it. I trust it way more. Yeah, if you had a bow tie and glasses, be like, whatever you say— whatever you do, actually, not say, because who knows if you talk.

Dr. Tyler Hales: That's awesome. All right, so, um, you describe what it looks like when you turn, uh, confidence for a patient. But you were actually in my chair.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yes.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Came to me to talk about your smile.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep.

Dr. Tyler Hales: So what were your thoughts when you wanted to kind of see— what were your thoughts right before seeing your smile for the first time?

Angelica Gonzalez: I knew it was gonna be good. Like, I knew. I do my research, and I had— I came from a referral who you did his whole mouth, and his teeth look phenomenal. So I knew it was gonna be good. I also knew that I wasn't gonna get the result that I wanted if I don't do my full mouth, and that I will be doing. 100%. So I was— it was everything and more, everything and more that I wanted. Yeah, because I just saw the vision and I knew you knew the vision and you were very honest with, hey, this is gonna help your smile, but to take it to the next level, we got to do all of them one day. And I was like, absolutely. So yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: So was being the patient in that situation How did that help you as a clinician and now being on the other side?

Angelica Gonzalez: I think just delivering the expectation appropriately, you know what I mean? So that way they know, like, it's not— we're going to give you a result that's better, but it might not be the result that you want at the end. And I think that's huge because Sometimes we live in this aesthetic world of over-promising, you know? So,

Dr. Tyler Hales: well, honestly, I think that's true. I think in my early career, I used to always promise perfection. I was always telling people, what can I do for your smile to make it perfect? Yeah, right. I was like, this is what we can do, and, and always promise like the stars, right? And it's interesting because now I've transitioned to my consults now are telling them what I can't do.

Angelica Gonzalez: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Like where there are issues, and it's like, okay, like here's what I'm seeing and this is what we're gonna do to compromise that, but knowing that we're gonna make it look really amazing.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yep. And I think that's why they trust you so much and why your outcomes are so amazing. And I have gone through that evolution as well because you want that, but I feel that also the imperfection is also what's perfect about it. Because then you're not cookie-cutter everybody's faces and smile, you know. So

Dr. Tyler Hales: yeah,

Angelica Gonzalez: yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: yeah, perfection isn't beauty.

Angelica Gonzalez: Nope,

Dr. Tyler Hales: right? It's actually the uniqueness and the artistry. Yes, that's what we do.

Angelica Gonzalez: Exactly. Yeah.

Dr. Tyler Hales: So, uh, picture your— a version of yourself when you're last in Hawaii, okay? What would you tell her and what would she not believe about where you are now?

Angelica Gonzalez: Hmm, you're asking some deep questions. I am not prepared for this. I need to take a little second to meditate. What would I ask myself? Hmm,

Dr. Tyler Hales: what would you tell her?

Angelica Gonzalez: Tell her.

Dr. Tyler Hales: And then what would, what would she not believe of where you are now?

Angelica Gonzalez: I would tell her to keep going. I've had quite the year. Quite the year. Most people would probably give up. If I'm being honest, um, or move back because it was such a safe place, right? Hawaii was just there and safe. But I would tell her to keep going, and I would also tell her that her confidence lies in the fear, in the risk, in the discomfort. And just, yeah, bet on yourself and also learn how to trust the good people around you. I think that's something I'm learning too. It's just that I've been raised to be hyper-independent, but I sometimes will miss out on just the goodness of someone because I'm like, no, I don't need your help, you know what I mean? So I've— I feel that just allowing people to come into my life and be that good friend for me— I can't always be the good friend. It's definitely give and take has done so much for my growth. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: I love that. I don't think really anyone that I know has grown this quickly in, in your profession as much as you have.

Angelica Gonzalez: Thank you.

Dr. Tyler Hales: You know, and I think you are a great example of living to your potential but also to your standard, right? Of like, you know who you are, you have confidence in that, and you have a dream.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: and nothing's gonna stop you.

Angelica Gonzalez: Exactly. Thanks to Hawaii, I'm telling you.

Dr. Tyler Hales: I

Angelica Gonzalez: don't know where I would be if I didn't have that time there. Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: well, we all need to just live.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah, everyone just— we actually know the locals of Hawaii are gonna hate me. Don't go there, don't go there. Visit there for a year or two. Don't go there. Tourism is, you know, no.

Dr. Tyler Hales: So would you say are some misconceptions of, uh, nurse injectors?

Angelica Gonzalez: I would say that nurse injectors somehow take on the role that we're less than from other nurses, that if there is an emergency situation, we wouldn't be reliable enough. And I think it just boils down to the training that you're provided before you start your injector role. And that's why I really motivate inspiring injectors to take on that clinical experience post-graduation, whether that's in a hospital or even at a private practice.

Angelica Gonzalez: Like, I went the private practice route and I worked in plastic surgery. And that experience alone made me such a better injector. I can handle complications. I know what to do if an emergency situation does happen, and I'm able to use my critical thinking to get the right outcome.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Yeah, very cool.

Angelica Gonzalez: Yeah,

Dr. Tyler Hales: I think one of the things that I always had a misconception of was I didn't know you guys could own the business, right? And I always saw it as like yeah, less than in some ways, even from a medical standpoint. Um, and seeing, you know, your journey and what you're going through and the drive, and now that you've got your own business and seeing like how incredible it is, right? It's, it's amazing. And I don't know how many of them actually know those opportunities are out there.

Angelica Gonzalez: I feel that a lot of RNs fear that, like having their own business, just because it is a bigger responsibility. But I also do think that a lot of people assume that because we're an RN injector, we are less than, you know. I'm looked down upon compared to an NP or a PA or an MD just because of my title. But I think what it boils down to is the skill, the talent, the experience, and also just having that patient-forward approach to care. Am I listening to my patient in the consultation, you know? So there's so many other avenues that take you to the road of being a good injector. It's not the medical title, and we don't even learn anything about aesthetics in school. So to say an NP is better than an RN is actually crazy because they don't even learn aesthetics in their NP practice.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Well, you have shown that you have the talent and the skill, and you've spent time really understanding that and creating a beautiful, wonderful brand for yourself.

Angelica Gonzalez: Thank you.

Dr. Tyler Hales: So Angelica Gonzalez, great having you on the show today talking through how we've gotten confidence, you know, from the, the beginnings living in Hawaii, right? And really putting yourself out there and really growing. Yeah.

Angelica Gonzalez: So thank you for having me.

Dr. Tyler Hales: Before you go, let me bring this all together. 3 things from Angelica Gonzalez Gonzalez's story that I can't stop thinking about. First, her fear of complacency outweighed her fear of comfort. She had 7 years of peace on an island most people dream about escaping to, and she left it because staying comfortable would have cost her the person she wanted to become. Comfort is a beautiful place, it just isn't where you grow. Second, the shaking needle. Her first patient, her hand was shaking so badly she was scared to start. 7 years later, the name on the door is hers. Nothing about her changed except the reps. If your hands are shaking at the start of something, you're not in the wrong place. You're at the beginning. And third, she was raised hyper-independent, and she told me the hardest thing she learned isn't a skill. It's letting good people help her. She said her confidence lies in the fear, the risk, and the discomfort. But nobody said you have to sit in it alone. So here's the work this week. One thing you've been white-knuckling by yourself, let someone good help you with it.