Tiana Fillichio, Founder of Contessa Creative, on Helping Medical Aesthetics and Wellness Brands Grow Through Strategy and Clarity

Tiana Fillichio is the founder of Contessa Creative, a social media marketing agency focused on helping medical aesthetics and wellness brands grow online through strategy, storytelling, and education. Known as The Social Contessa, Tiana and her team translate complex medical topics into clear, digestible content that builds trust and converts followers into patients.

Built on the belief that clarity drives credibility, Contessa Creative partners primarily with women-led businesses who want intentional positioning, measurable growth, and marketing that supports long-term brand authority.

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I’m Tiana, also known as The Social Contessa and founder of Contessa Creative. I run a social media marketing agency focused on helping medical aesthetics and wellness brands grow online through strategy, storytelling, and education.

My team and I act as translators, taking complex medical topics and industry jargon and turning them into clear, digestible content that people actually understand. In a space where information is everywhere and attention is limited, clarity is what builds trust.

I work primarily with women led businesses to help them show up confidently, intentionally, and in a way that converts followers into patients.

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

When I first launched, my strategy was very simple: relationships and results. I leaned heavily on my network, referrals, and doing great work for the clients I already had. That became my initial form of marketing.

Social media came later and evolved as the business grew. Like most launches, it didn’t go perfectly. There was trial and error, and a lot of learning along the way. What it taught me is that consistency and credibility matter far more than a perfectly polished launch.

The real shift happened when I started treating my own brand the same way I treat my clients. Once I applied the same level of strategy and intention to my business, growth followed naturally.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I don’t think I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I did know early on that a traditional 9 to 5 wasn’t something I would do forever. I’ve never had the personality to be micromanaged or confined to a rigid structure that didn’t align with how I work or think.

My last full time role made that very clear. I was commuting two hours a day to sit in a cold office under fluorescent lighting, doing work I could easily do from my laptop, while watching unethical decisions happen behind the scenes that didn’t sit right with me.

Growing up, I admired strong, career driven women. Characters like Samantha Jones showed me that ambition, independence, and success could look bold and unapologetic. I always pictured myself as a career focused woman, I just didn’t know whether that meant climbing the ladder or owning the ladder.

My twenties, spent working for other people, answered that question quickly. I realized I value freedom, autonomy, and alignment too much to build someone else’s vision. Entrepreneurship became the natural path.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

I’m most proud of building a business that supports my life instead of consuming it, while still delivering real, measurable results for clients. That balance didn’t happen overnight. It took intention, clarity, and a willingness to grow through uncomfortable phases.

Three years ago, I started this business as something I was hesitant to talk about. Today, it’s something I’m genuinely proud of. I’ve refined my niche, grown a team, and implemented systems and processes that work for me, not against me. Seeing the business mature in a way that feels sustainable and aligned has been my biggest accomplishment so far.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

I wish I had known that everyone is figuring it out as they go and doing the best they can with what they know at the time. There’s no hidden rulebook or perfect path you’re missing.

Early on, I thought success meant climbing a ladder that someone else had already designed. Over time, I realized that mindset was limiting and outdated. I don’t need to climb a ladder someone else built. I can build my own.

The biggest lesson has been learning to trust myself, take action, and stop waiting for permission. Or, as Nike put it, just do it. It’s my life, and I get to decide what success looks like.

What did you do before starting your own business?

I’ve always been drawn to marketing, especially the creative side of it. That interest really clicked in high school when I took a fashion marketing class and was introduced to icons like Anna Wintour and Coco Chanel. We weren’t just learning theory. We marketed events, traveled to New York City and Los Angeles, and modeled clothing in front of large crowds. What excited me most wasn’t being in the spotlight, it was the idea of building a career that allowed me to create, travel, and work in dynamic environments.

After college, I worked at several advertising and marketing agencies before moving client side into a full time marketing manager role. I loved the structure of agency life. Collaborating with a team of creatives, brainstorming ideas, pitching concepts, and watching them come to life for clients is where I thrived.

That blend of creativity, strategy, and execution became the foundation for the business I run today.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

In 2021, as we entered the post COVID era, I started paying close attention to the rapid growth of the medical aesthetics and wellness space. It’s an incredibly visual industry, but many of the business owners, injectors, surgeons, and providers I spoke with were struggling to market themselves in a way that actually set them apart.

I kept seeing the same issue. Patients wanted to see real results and understand their options before choosing a provider, but the information was either overwhelming, confusing, or poorly communicated. There were endless treatments, new technologies, and trends, yet very little education presented in a clear, digestible way.

I saw an opportunity to bridge that gap. To create marketing and content that not only looked good, but helped people make informed decisions. That realization is what pushed me to take the leap and build a business focused on clarity, trust, and storytelling in aesthetics and wellness.

Do you have any recent wins?

Over the last year, I’ve really stepped into my positioning and refined the type of work and clients I say yes to. That clarity has led to stronger partnerships, measurable client growth, and a business that feels much more aligned.

I’ve also grown my team and implemented systems that allow us to deliver better results without burning out. Watching clients in the wellness and aesthetics space grow their brands with confidence, clarity, and consistency has been one of the most rewarding parts of the past year.

Who are your customers?

My clients are women led business owners in the medical aesthetics and wellness space. They understand the value of social media marketing and aren’t looking to chase trends or go viral for the sake of it. They want strategy.

These are founders who care about strong positioning, clear messaging, and education. They know that when done well, social media doesn’t just build an audience, it builds trust and converts followers into patients. My role is to help them communicate their expertise in a way that feels clear, credible, and human.

What's your top productivity tip?

My top productivity tip is staying organized. I plan everything in my calendar, from client work to personal time, and I’m very intentional about my environment. Since I work remotely, keeping a clean, organized space is non-negotiable for me. Cluttered space equals a cluttered mind.

A daily habit that helps both productivity and creativity is building in quiet time. I set time aside to read every night and take walks throughout the day. Stepping away from a screen and letting my mind reset is often when my best ideas come through.

What's your favorite business tool?

My calendar is hands down my most important business tool. I run my business by it. Everything from client work and meetings to personal time and creative space lives there.

Having everything mapped out allows me to stay organized, protect my time, and show up fully present in whatever I’m doing. It removes mental clutter and helps me make better decisions because I’m not constantly reacting. For me, structure creates freedom.

What's your approach to work-life balance?

I don’t believe in a perfectly even split between work and life. I think about it more as integration. There are seasons where work requires more of me and seasons where life does, and I try to be honest about that.

What keeps it working is boundaries and intention. I’m clear about when I’m working and when I’m not, and I make a real effort to protect personal time, especially time with friends. Maintaining close relationships, stepping away from work, and being present in my personal life helps me show up better in my business.

I’ve built systems so everything doesn’t depend on me being available around the clock. Work supports my life, not the other way around, and I make decisions through that lens.

How do you avoid burn-out?

On the flip side, avoiding burnout comes down to rest and recovery. Sleep and self care aren’t optional, they’re essential. I’ve learned that I can’t show up for my clients or make good decisions if I’m running on empty. When I prioritize rest, my focus is sharper, my creativity improves, and the quality of my work reflects that.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Start before you feel ready and trust that you’ll figure it out along the way. No one has it all together, even if it looks like they do online.

Tiana Fillichio’s journey reflects what happens when strategy meets self-trust. By refining her niche, building systems that protect her time, and prioritizing clarity over trends, she has created a business that supports her life while delivering measurable results for her clients.

If you’re a woman founder building a business rooted in strategy, intention, and sustainable growth, Entreprenista connects you with the relationships, insights, and opportunities that help you move forward with confidence. Learn more about joining Entreprenista League.