“DeWitt gives businesses something that is difficult to manufacture: genuine relationships,” said Farhat, founder, owner and aesthetic nurse practitioner at NECTAR body•face•skin. “It has the warmth and loyalty of a close-knit community while still providing access to the larger Lansing and mid-Michigan market.
“Our guests talk, refer and take pride in seeing local businesses succeed,” Farhat added about her boutique, nurse practitioner-led medical aesthetics practice. “Mid-Michigan has also allowed us to bring an experience and level of technology often associated with larger metropolitan areas closer to home. We do not have to leave this region to build something exceptional.”
Based at 13060 Old U.S. 27 in DeWitt, NECTAR serves guests throughout mid-Michigan with advanced skin treatments, injectables, laser and light therapies, medical grade skincare, and body wellness services. The practice prides itself in being known for combining clinical expertise and leading technology with a warm, elevated experience without feeling clinical or transactional.
Photo Credit: Megan Hannon
RELATIONSHIPS ARE MORE THAN TRANSACTIONAL
That experiential focus helps, because customers in mid-Michigan are looking for far more than simply a transaction.
Guests are more informed and intentional than ever. They are not looking to chase every trend; they want natural results, skin health longevity, and trusted expertise and treatments that provide meaningful value for their time and investment. … People want to understand why something is being recommended and how it fits into the bigger picture of their skin health.
— JESS FARHAT
Being able to satisfy those customer desires has helped NECTAR get noticed in positive ways.
“Some of our most visible milestones include being recognized as a Michigan Celebrates Small Business 2025 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch awardee; being voted best med spa in the Lansing area for three consecutive years, 2023 to 2025; and reaching the point where we can expand into a second community” next year in Jackson, among other honors, Farhat added.
“Those accomplishments are meaningful, but our greatest success is the trust of our guests,” she said. “When someone returns year after year, refers a friend or family member, or tells us they finally feel comfortable and confident in their skin, that means more to me than any number or award.”
TENDING TO A REPUTATION
As NECTAR gains fame and fanfare, the challenge shifts from building a reputation to keeping it.
“Our greatest challenge has been learning how to grow without losing the intimacy, consistency and trust that made NECTAR special in the first place,” Farhat said. “In such a highly specialized field, finding and developing exceptional people takes significant time, while the costs associated with staffing, products, technology, compliance and expansion continue to rise.
“We are responding by being very disciplined about growth,” she added. “We are strengthening our systems, investing heavily in education and residency-style training, developing leaders from within, and refusing to grow faster than our standards can support. For me, protecting the guest experience and our team culture will always be more important than expanding quickly.”
That growth plan includes the aforementioned new Jackson location.
“Jackson feels like a natural chapter for our brand — a community with a strong local identity and an opportunity to bring our combination of clinical expertise, advanced technology and highly personalized care to guests throughout mid-Michigan,” said Farhat.
“Our intention is not simply to duplicate our DeWitt location,” she said. “We want to thoughtfully introduce NECTAR to Jackson while preserving the elevated yet personal experience, culture and standard of care upon which our reputation has been built. At the same time, we will continue investing in and strengthening our DeWitt location, which will always be the community where NECTAR began.”
COLLABORATION, NOT COMPETITION
Farhat hopes to set a good example for other entrepreneurs: “My advice is to build for the long term. Do not confuse attention and (Instagram) likes with trust or growth with success. Be clear about your values, hire people who share them, invest in education and listen to your guests without surrendering your point of view.
“I also believe collaboration will take you further than competition,” Farhat continued. “For guests and neighbors, if a local business adds value to your community, tell people. Reviews, referrals, social media shares and thoughtful feedback can truly change the trajectory of a small business.”
In the end, Farhat is “proud that we are building more than a beautiful business. We are creating long-term careers, raising the standard of care and showing that a woman-owned company rooted in mid-Michigan can be deeply local while also being highly ambitious.”
