The Great Friends Podcast

John Wheeler sits down with Harrison Cuker, founder of Recura AI, for a conversation on AI, entrepreneurship, med spa technology, and what it takes to build fast in a rapidly changing market. Harrison shares how Recura AI began as The Med Spa Receptionist, an AI answering service for med spas, and evolved into a broader platform for communication, CRM, analytics, patient engagement, and AI-powered workflow support. The conversation explores how Harrison raised venture capital, scaled quickly, and eventually brought Recura AI into PatientNow. He explains why AI should not replace the best parts of human connection, but should instead remove the repetitive work that burns teams out and help staff focus on the moments that actually require care, judgment, and personal attention. John and Harrison also discuss AI voice, patient reactivation, the future of EMRs, second-brain systems, personal productivity, founder grit, and the intensity behind building through major life challenges. Thanks, Harrison, for showing what it looks like to build with speed, humility, resilience, and a deep belief in the future of AI-powered aesthetics.   LEARN MORE ABOUT HARRISON CUKER: https://www.instagram.com/recuraai/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisoncuker/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/recura-ai/ https://recura.ai/ FOLLOW JOHN WHEELER: https://www.instagram.com/johnwheeler.alpha https://www.linkedin.com/in/wheelerjohn LEARN MORE AND JOIN THE ALPHA COMMUNITY: https://www.partnerwithalpha.com/ FOLLOW ALPHA AESTHETICS PARTNERS: https://www.instagram.com/partnerwithalpha/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-aesthetics-partners/

John Wheeler sits down with Benjamin Hernandez of Skytale for a deep dive into the evolution of M&A in medical aesthetics, from the early consolidation rush of 2022 to the more disciplined market shaping deals today. Benjamin shares how Skytale became active in the space, why private equity became interested in med spas, and how the market shifted from fast land grabs to deeper diligence, stronger operators, and higher-quality assets. The conversation breaks down the forces changing today's deal environment, including interest rates, leverage, EBITDA, provider risk, GLP-1 revenue, patient retention, employee retention, margins, market density, and the difference between selling a business and building a true partnership. John adds the Alpha perspective, explaining why great platforms need more than stacked EBITDA. They need integration, culture, same-store growth, strong data, and partners who still want to lead. Thanks, Benjamin, for bringing clarity to the state of aesthetics M&A and what great practice owners should understand before thinking about scale, partnership, or valuation.   LEARN MORE ABOUT BENJAMIN HERNANDEZ: https://www.instagram.com/ben.skytale/ https://www.instagram.com/skytalegroupllc/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-benjamin-hernandez-385a586/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/skytale-group/ https://skytalegroup.com/our-team/   FOLLOW JOHN WHEELER: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wheelerjohn https://www.instagram.com/johnwheeler.alpha LEARN MORE AND JOIN THE ALPHA COMMUNITY: https://www.partnerwithalpha.com/ FOLLOW ALPHA AESTHETICS PARTNERS: https://www.instagram.com/partnerwithalpha/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-aesthetics-partners/

In this episode of Great Friends, John Wheeler sits down with Doug Cartwright, founder of Alchemy Sales Coaching and author of Holy Sh!t We're Alive, to explore how leaders and entrepreneurs can elevate their performance by mastering their inner state. Doug shares the framework of State, Story, Strategy—showing why energy and mindset drive results more than tactics ever will. From regulating emotions to reframing limiting narratives, he offers practical tools to help leaders stay calm, confident, and clear under pressure. The conversation dives into objection handling, building trust with clients, and closing without force, while also highlighting how to manage systems instead of relying on moods. Doug's insights move beyond sales, offering a roadmap for leading with alignment and presence in every area of life. Thanks, Doug, for inspiring leaders to sell, connect, and lead with clarity.   LEARN MORE ABOUT DOUG:   https://www.alchemysalescoaching.com/ https://www.instagram.com/doug_cartwright https://www.instagram.com/alchemysalescoaching   FOLLOW JOHN WHEELER: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wheelerjohn https://www.instagram.com/johnwheeler.alpha LEARN MORE AND JOIN THE ALPHA COMMUNITY: https://www.partnerwithalpha.com/ FOLLOW ALPHA AESTHETICS PARTNERS: https://www.instagram.com/partnerwithalpha/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-aesthetics-partners/

Phil Sitter returns to the show for a focused conversation on building teams that live their work and on leading through dark stretches of scale. He shares how RepeatMD evolves from product-first to people-first, arguing that as companies grow the equation becomes "90% people, 10% product." Phil defines exceptionalism as a personal standard that elevates culture, and he and host John unpack the role of a unified operating system, strategic anchors, and values that both attract and deter. He details a hiring playbook—pre-hire tests, paid case studies, third-party validators, and a 30-day bar—that raises the team's baseline while increasing ENPS, productivity, and product quality. The conversation previews RepeatMD V3 and its "automated revenue" theme, including SkinDrop and humanized AI treatment advisors that personalize recommendations and convert without adding work for clinics. Throughout, Phil models responsibility, clarity, and presence, showing how leaders transmute pain into meaning, alignment, and momentum.   LEARN MORE ABOUT PHIL:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/philsitter   https://www.instagram.com/philsitter   https://repeatmd.com   https://www.instagram.com/repeat.md   FOLLOW JOHN WHEELER: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wheelerjohn https://www.instagram.com/johnwheeler.alpha LEARN MORE AND JOIN THE ALPHA COMMUNITY: https://www.partnerwithalpha.com/ FOLLOW ALPHA AESTHETICS PARTNERS: https://www.instagram.com/partnerwithalpha/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-aesthetics-partners/

In this Season 2 premiere, John sits down with executive coach and leadership expert Andrew Horn to explore the deeper work of becoming an authentic leader. Together, they dive into the power of personal integrity—living your values, speaking the truth, and honoring agreements—as the foundation for effective leadership and a fulfilled life. Andrew shares practical tools like the drama triangle, the empowerment dynamic, and the mindset shift from reactivity to responsibility, offering a roadmap for leaders to step fully into their highest potential. This episode invites listeners to rethink how they show up in their work, relationships, and everyday decisions. Thanks, Andrew, for inspiring leaders to lead with courage and clarity!   LEARN MORE ABOUT ANDREW:   https://www.itsandrewhorn.com/   FOLLOW JOHN WHEELER: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wheelerjohn https://www.instagram.com/johnwheeler.alpha LEARN MORE AND JOIN THE ALPHA COMMUNITY: https://www.partnerwithalpha.com/ FOLLOW ALPHA AESTHETICS PARTNERS: https://www.instagram.com/partnerwithalpha/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-aesthetics-partners/