CIOReview | | 19 NOVEMBER - 2023DATA NOT FEELINGS: TECH HELPS NATION'S LARGEST LASER HAIR REMOVAL COMPANY CONTINUE TO SOARBy Colin Herr, Vice President of Finance, Milan Laser Hair RemovalMaybe I've always had a knack for finance.I think back to my early teenage years when my aunt and uncle took a big interest in investing during the dot-com bubble. My own interest followed, and I found myself at the library reading about the stock market. The concept of investing a small amount of money and seeing it grow in value fascinated me.Now, I didn't say I was good at investing that early in life, but still, it was a good introduction to that world. Those basic concepts stay on my mind here at Milan Laser Hair Removal, the largest laser hair removal company in the country. We're the best at what we do because laser hair removal is all we do, and the company can claim that distinction already after being founded in 2012. That's something every member of the Milan Team is proud of. Reflecting on that time as a teenager gives me so much appreciation for where I am now and how much the advancement of technology and software has had a direct impact on my professional life. Prior to joining the Milan Laser Team in June 2021, I worked at Union Pacific (UP) and Fiserv. Both jobs were great starts for my professional journey. Union Pacific was my first exposure to working at a Fortune 500 company. At the time, UP had 40,000 employees with $20B in annual revenue, and provided me with essential experience--it's where I got my foot in the door in Corporate Finance.That's why my next move to Fiserv made sense. While still a Fortune 500 company, my role was focused on Business Unit finance supporting a division of Fiserv with a wide scope of responsibility. It was a beneficial step before my move to Milan Laser Hair Removal.Many positive things can be said about Milan Laser. But I find myself always using the word growth when I talk about this great company. The most fundamental measure of growth at Milan Laser can be seen through our expansion. When I joined the staff in 2021, we opened our 130th clinic. And now, in the first quarter of 2023, we have more than 270 clinics in 30 states. That's incredible!It's hard not to think about the heights we can reach in the future if we're able to add nearly 150 clinics in fewer than two years. Five hundred clinics? Maybe 1,000+? The possibilities are exciting.Seeing growth is great, but having a role in that growth is most rewarding. Focusing on increasing our sales and business model has been a blast! And honestly, one of the best parts of my journey here has been flourishing with the culture at Milan Laser. For me, that means embracing one of our big focuses at Milan Laser: data, not feelings. It's our mantra. We've made tremendous progress in making it easier to access quality data and how we're structuring it to give the leadership team the insight they need to expand and run the business in the most effective way. CXO INSIGHTSColin Herr
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