Hello friendly faces! It’s that time of the week! We’re back with a new CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law. This week we’re introducing a Highland Park mama of two wee cuties, Dr. Erin Gold with Gold Aesthetics, a mobile neuromodulator service. Why do we love Erin? Aside from how sweet she is, Erin will travel to your home to administer Botox and Dysport! Yes, people, you heard me right, your home! Get to know more about Erin, how she started this endeavor, her amazing credentials and a few fun facts including her own surprise wedding. Welcome, Erin.
Photo credit: Rachel Mann Beltzman
Hi Erin! Please introduce yourself.
Hello! My name is Erin Gold and I am the owner of Gold Aesthetics. I was born and raised in Highland Park. I also currently live in Highland Park with my husband and 2 children. If you can believe it, I met my husband in the 6th grade at Edgewood Middle School in Mrs. Benson’s Language Arts class! We either were dating or good friends, but things got serious for us after college when we both moved back to Chicago after college. We later got married, and when we decided to start a family, we made the move back to the North Shore and landed in our home in Highland Park.
You’re a mama! How many kids do you have and how old are they? Feel free to brag here.
I have a passionate and caring seven year old boy and he’s in first grade. He loves playing soccer, basketball and video games. He recently learned how to ride a bike and is excited to ride around Highland Park this summer. I also have a four (almost five) year old daughter. She is the sweetest, funniest child in the world. She loves playing with her friends the most, but she also likes playing with slime and kinetic sand. She is the best cuddle partner in the world!
What are one or two things people would be surprised to know about you?
I think people would be surprised that I had a surprise wedding. My husband and I were engaged for a while, but wedding planning was not going well. I am terribly indecisive when it comes to that kind of planning. I told my husband, “just tell me when and where, and I’ll be there,” and although it was partly said in jest, I was also serious. He took things from there and was able to completely surprise me with a getaway ceremony in California, and then a fantastic party back in Highland Park with all our family and friends, complete with an awesome band, delicious food, a photographer, etc. I still can’t believe I had no idea, and that no one told me! It was the best surprise of my life, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
That is the coolest thing I’ve heard in a long time! Now that it’s life with kids, what are your favorite local stomping grounds to hang as a family?
We are so lucky to live right by Rosewood beach, and so our favorite place to go during the summer is the beach! We also visit the parks at Rosewood beach, Sunset Park, and Brown “train” Park on Burton Ave. We love all the restaurants in Highland Park but for nostalgic reasons we frequent Michael’s, Once Upon a Bagel, and Walker Brothers. We like to participate in many of the park districts activities that they host throughout the year including autumn fest, s’more making, and the daddy daughter dance. We often go to the Thursday night food trucks at Jens Jensen Park during the summer, where we love the food and the live music.
What are your favorite local “date-night” restaurants?
Our absolute favorite date night restaurant is Abigail’s in Highland Park, and we go there often since we live right down the street. We also like to go sit in the bar at Di Pescara in Northbrook Court. Other nearby restaurants that we love are Wildfire, Alex’s Washington Gardens, and Pomeroy.
Please introduce your business, Gold Aesthetics. How did you get started in your field? What did you do before this?
I am a board certified family physician, and I completed my residency in 2013 at Advocate IL Masonic Hospital in Lakeview. Family medicine is all encompassing, but my passion has always been in women’s health. I so much enjoy empowering women through their health care, and helping women feel good. After starting a family, I decided to slow down a bit to be at home with my children. As they have gotten older, I have wanted to get more involved in my profession, but I also wanted a change away from family medicine.
A little over a year ago, I was encouraged by a friend to seek out training in cosmetics, specifically in the use of cosmetic neuromodulators (i.e. Botox and Dysport). I completed my training, and was excited to start my own business in order to provide these services. Gold Aesthetics is a physician run mobile neuromodulator service, to deliver Botox and Dysport treatments in the comforts of your own home. You do not need to go anywhere, I will come to you at your convenience.
Photo credit: Lindsay meltzer, Bright Bowls
Although neuromodulators like Botox and Dysport are not at all exclusively used by women (I have and love to treat men as well!), the work aligns so well with my passion for women’s health like those I developed as a family physician. I love seeing women after their treatments with me, feeling so good about themselves. Their confidence and the way they look and feel all improve dramatically by using these products that better the appearance and quality of their skin.
What is the most rewarding thing about this endeavor?
The most rewarding thing about starting this business has been seeing my patients two weeks after their treatments, and how good they are feeling and are looking. I love receiving all the messages from my patients when they realize what an amazing improvement these products can result in.
Another example is that I treated my husband for underarm sweating (hyperhidrosis). It is so wonderful to see how much better he feels now that he doesn’t have to worry about breaking a sweat during a stressful business meeting.
Photo credit: Marni Pine
What advice can you give other mamas out there who are looking to start a new business?
I would tell other moms that if they have a passion in one area but it doesn’t seem to be working out, find other places where that passion might align and then go after it. I think it is ok to pivot and try different things. This is a new way of thinking for me, and I am learning to be less rigid in my career goals. I would also encourage others to surround themselves with supportive people and find mentors that can give you advice and help you along the way. It is ok to ask for help!
What are the 2 most common questions that people reach out to ask you?
The two most common questions that I encounter with patients are:
1. Will it hurt?
2. How long will the treatment last.
To answer the first question, I reassure my patients that the treatments are really well tolerated by most with very minimal discomfort. We can always use things like ice or distractions to help with this. And the length of treatment correlates to the dose of medication given with a goal of it lasting 3-4 months.
Photo credit: Lindsay Meltzer, Bright Bowls
It’s time for rapidfire… Go!
Undergrad college/major: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Biology and Women’s Health
Favorite candy: Twix candy bars
Strangest thing in your purse right now: Masks
Last book you read: Little Fires Everywhere
Your binge shows: Summer House, Top Chef, Better Call Saul
What’s on the horizon for you both personally and professionally?
I hope to continue meeting new people and helping them achieve their cosmetic goals. A health care provider is never done learning, and I’d like to continue learning more about the cosmetic industry because there are so many different types of services being offered. If I can, I hope to expand the services that I offer to different procedures and products.
Photo credit: Marni Pine
Thanks, Erin, for chatting with us! How can we connect with you for more information?
You can email me at this address, [email protected], and follow me on instagram @eringold_md. Of course you can learn more at https://www.goldaestheticsmd.com/. If you have any questions about mobile Botox and Dysport services, I hope you’ll reach out. Thanks for following along!
About Our Meet a Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here!
