Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Erickson.
Hi Sydney, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey in healthcare began early—I started working as a medical assistant in high school for a family practice physician, and that experience sparked my lifelong love for medicine. From there, I pursued nursing school and earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
For the past eight years, I’ve specialized in plastic surgery, which is also how I met my husband, Dr. Cameron Erickson, at a plastic surgery symposium. After he completed his fellowship, we moved to Houston to build both our careers and our family life here.
In January 2025, we opened The Renewal Institute, our med spa in Katy, where I serve as the primary nurse injector and Cameron acts as medical director. Our focus is on natural, artful facial rejuvenation paired with science-driven treatments.
Now, we’re expanding our vision with a new venture—The Emerald at La Colombe d’Or, Houston’s first all-inclusive hotel-based post-surgical recovery center, set to open in October 2025. It’s an exciting new chapter that combines our expertise in aesthetics and surgery with our passion for raising the standard of patient care.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all—and I think that’s part of the journey of entrepreneurship. What they don’t teach you in nursing school or medical training is how to actually run a business. Most of what I know today has come from hands-on experience, trial and error, and a fair amount of learning things the hard way.
When we built the med spa, we truly started from the ground up. I had to navigate contractors, compliance requirements, and the unique regulations that come with creating a medical space—things I had no prior exposure to. It was very much a “you don’t know what you don’t know” situation.
On top of that, I had to dive into marketing and social media, which felt like an entirely different career path in itself. I’ve definitely made mistakes along the way—like trusting an influencer to promote the business, only to discover later that much of her following had been purchased, which meant the results she promised were never realistic. While frustrating, those experiences have been invaluable. Each lesson has made me sharper, more cautious, and ultimately more confident as a business owner.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At The Renewal Institute in Katy, TX, we specialize in facial rejuvenation that blends art with science. As an Aesthetic Nurse, my focus is on Botox, fillers, and advanced skin resurfacing treatments such as chemical peels and lasers. I’m especially known for using fillers to enhance features in a way that looks subtle, refreshed, and natural—not overdone.
What sets me apart is my commitment to honesty and ethics in an industry that can sometimes prioritize trends over patient well-being. I don’t chase fads or promote the latest “must-have” treatment unless there’s strong, peer-reviewed research to back it up. On my Instagram and in consultations, I speak candidly about what truly works, what doesn’t, and where patients should invest their time and money. While that honesty isn’t always popular in the industry, it has earned me trust—and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.
The Emerald was born out of a very real need I saw in the surgical recovery space. Too often, out-of-town patients were left in unregulated recovery homes with untrained staff, putting their health and comfort at risk. The Emerald changes that standard entirely.We offer a luxury, medically supervised recovery experience that anticipates and exceeds our patients’ needs. Every stay includes chef-prepared meals tailored to post-surgery nutrition, carefully curated amenities to ease recovery, and a staff of highly qualified nurses and caregivers who go above and beyond. Even the smallest details matter to us—like our custom emerald-green silk recovery pajamas, handmade in the UK, which symbolize the level of thoughtfulness and sophistication our brand represents.
With both businesses, I’m most proud of the trust we’ve built by staying true to our values: honesty, excellence, and an unwavering commitment to patient care. Whether it’s helping someone feel like the best version of themselves at The Renewal Institute, or ensuring a safe and luxurious recovery at The Emerald, our focus is always on delivering an experience that feels personal, elevated, and ethical.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
In general, I think opening up a med spa and a luxury recovery house in times when people are worried about money is very risky. I’m not a risk taker. In fact, I’m very risk adverse. So, I had to trust my gut and it was telling me that we have a unique perspective on this industry and that our patients would come to us because of it. When it comes to the Med Spa, my husband and I realized that if we wanted to survive in this saturated market, we needed to only offer treatments that were proven to show great results on just about everyone. This meant that we don’t have a room full of millions of dollars worth of lasers. We have one CO2 laser and it’s the Gold Standard for lasers that we paid cash for. I think we’ve made some good decisions so far that have paid off.
Contact Info:
- Website: therenewalinstitute.com and https://www.theemeraldrecovery.com/
- Instagram: renewal_institute and emerald.recovery
Image Credits
Jonce Media
