--- title: "Ario Khoshbin on Immigrant Resilience, Creative Leadership, and Building a Medical Aesthetics Empire" url: "https://authoritymag.co/articles/ario-khoshbin-on-immigrant-resilience-creative-leadership-and-building-a-medical-aesthetics-empi" publisher: "Authority Magazine" author: "Doug Noll" authorUrl: "https://authoritymag.co/authors/doug-noll" interviewee: "Ario Khoshbin" company: "Prollenium Medical Technologies Inc." category: "Business" datePublished: "2024-02-19T12:18:20.861Z" dateModified: "2026-11-12T17:06:29.500Z" tags: "Business" --- # Ario Khoshbin on Immigrant Resilience, Creative Leadership, and Building a Medical Aesthetics Empire *The Prollenium Medical Technologies founder discusses transitioning from a one-room nail salon to running a major Canadian manufacturing enterprise, navigating betrayal, and staying deeply connected to innovation.* > I am not sure what other CEOs do, but for me, it’s all about creativity. I want to be the creative engine of my company. I want to make sure that we are innovating and competing to the best of our abilities. --- As*a part of our series called ‘*[Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO](https://medium.com/authority-magazine/search?q=Before%20I%20Became%20a%20CEO)*’ we had the pleasure of interviewing Ario Khoshbin.* *A renegade from the start, Ario Khoskbin is an accomplished entrepreneur who has transformed a $300 loan into the thriving 300-employee enterprise, Prollenium Medical Technologies Inc. Based in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, Ario has demonstrated unparalleled skills in negotiation, business planning, and strategic development through his journey of creating the fastest-growing Canadian manufacturer and distributor of premium hyaluronic dermal fillers. Raised in an immigrant family, Ario’s early exposure to entrepreneurship fueled his passion for the medical aesthetics tech industry. A visionary leader, Ario strategically pivoted the company towards consumables, with a specific focus on cosmetic injectables, leading to the creation of the renowned Revanesse family of HA dermal fillers. His remarkable journey not only showcases his strong business acumen but his commitment to innovation and growth, making Prollenium Medical Technologies Inc. a standout success in the field.* --- **Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?** I was born in Iran and my parents moved to Canada in February 1980 right after the Iranian revolution due to persecution because of our religion, the Bahai faith (the largest religious minority in Iran). Bahai’s in Iran are treated like second-class citizens. They have difficulty owning businesses, and they are barred from post-secondary education and government jobs. My parents left everything behind and set out for Canada, a new country that they didn’t know much about other than the fact that it was cold. Being immigrants in a new country, it was hard to find work in their respective fields. My mom opened a one-room nail salon that eventually turned into one of the first medical spas in the area where I grew up, north of Toronto. That’s where I got my first taste of the medical aesthetics business. After a few years of working with her, I decided to start my own laser distribution business. The rest is history. **Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?** When I was trying to find a lab to formulate the Revanesse product line, I found it nearly impossible to find a suitable place. The only incubator in Toronto that could help was completely ignoring me (even though it was 80% empty at the time). I spent months looking for a place. Finally, I came across a company that had a lab at York University. I originally went there thinking they would rent out a small part of the lab to me. However, after the tour, the owner pulled me aside and offered me the entire lab and all the equipment for $30k (there was about $1 million in equipment in there!). All I had to do in return was hire all the staff. **Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?** I thought it was a good idea to sell a product with two massive suction cups for women to wear 16 hours a day to grow their breasts. I sold one set to a girl and her mother came to my office yelling at me for a refund the next day. Worst idea ever. **None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?** I have stood on a lot of shoulders to get to where I am, but my parents have helped me more than anything. I have had many people in my family tell me that they didn’t believe in my success however my mom and dad were the biggest supporters. I thank God for them every day. My kids have also been a huge inspiration and grounding force in my life. I want to build something for them and support them the way my parents helped and supported me. My success has also attracted people with selfish intentions, many of them being people quite close to me. I had family members take from my life savings when I was 26 years old to spend it on luxury items for themselves without a care in the world about how it would make me feel. There was a lot of betrayal with success. **Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?** I think when I look at my track record, I have made a lot of good decisions and a lot of bad ones. It’s ok to look back and review your decisions as a leader and understand what mistakes you made. It’s a lesson in humility which is important in leadership as it allows you to relate to people on a human level. The hardest decisions which have taken the biggest toll on me emotionally have been with people. I generally trust people and it hits me hard when they do something unethical or selfish. It’s really hard for me to deal with that and it’s something that I have tried to work on throughout my career. Unfortunately, people tend to disappoint, but there are also a lot of amazing people who balance this out. It’s all a part of life and business. So, my hardest decisions have been firing people or letting people go. That is something I’m not sure I’ll ever be good at. **Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?** I am not sure what other CEOs do, but for me, it’s all about creativity. I want to be the creative engine of my company. I want to make sure that we are innovating and competing to the best of our abilities. The last thing I want to be is a CEO who just worries about processes and PowerPoint presentations. I feel like the CEO should be the beating heart of an organization. For me, there is no job that I am not willing to do, and I respect every position and job in my company because I have done them all to some extent. I want people to respect me for the positive changes and decisions that I am making to grow the company and not because they are worried that they will be fired. I also have learned that people in the organization will look to me to get a sense of the strength of the company, so I try and show the confidence I have in the company and the vision that we are creating. **What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive? Can you explain what you mean?** The biggest myth is that it’s a cushy job, ha-ha. It’s the most stressful job I have ever had but by far the most rewarding. **What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?** I thought I would play more golf! I didn’t realize you really do work 24/7! **Do you think everyone is cut out to be an executive? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?** I think people’s personalities can generally dictate the type of jobs they should do. I was someone who was always adventurous and I got a thrill out of taking chances. I don’t think anyone wanted to hire me because I was all over the place with my ideas, so I decided to start my own company. I couldn’t convince other people of my vision, so I just decided to create my own organization. It wasn’t about money; it was about having a sense of purpose. So, the short answer is no, I don’t think everyone should be an executive. You must be willing to make quick decisions and be comfortable with the consequences. You must be able to withstand the pressure and the stress of people second-guessing you. You can’t turn off your brain. I am thinking about my business 24/7 and I don’t think I can ever stop being this way. It’s just my ADD, I guess. If you prefer a more organized and less chaotic job that you can punch out, don’t become an executive. If you can’t multitask, stay away from it. And most importantly If you need space from people and generally aren’t the best communicator, it’s not the job for you. **What advice would you give to other business leaders to help create a fantastic work culture? Can you share a story or an example?** I love this part of my business because I think it’s the easiest part. I was brought up in a spiritual household where my mom was always helping people and bringing people to stay with us. My mother would go out of her way to try and support anyone who needed help. We didn’t have a lot of money, but my parents always made time to help people less fortunate. It was a bit annoying as a kid, but I appreciate it so much now. I try and make Prollenium a version of the house I grew up in. I always remember where I came from. To build a culture I think you must start with love, respect, and humility. I treat everyone at my company with respect no matter what job they do. I don’t consider myself to be better and I don’t demand more respect. I make sure people at Prollenium feel like they are a part of a family and I always have my door open to listen to people if they need help. The short answer is that a culture is not about the policies you write down but about the way people treat each other in an organization and that must be set from the top down. **How have you used your success to make the world a better place?** I have a few causes that are really close to my heart but more than anything I try to make all my interactions with people especially my staff positive and respectful. **Fantastic. Here is the primary question of our interview. What are your “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)** 1) Success doesn’t bring happiness. 2) Be careful who you take advice from. Some people will give you bad advice because they want to see you fail. 3) The position comes with a target on your back. 4) There are a lot of sacrifices that you must make and be willing to make to succeed. 5) It’s hard to stop. It’s addictive. **You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.** The unity of mankind. If we could do away with hate, intolerance, and prejudice this world would be like paradise. All the world’s problems are because of intolerance and greed. If we could all work together, I can’t imagine there would be any issues that we wouldn’t be able to solve. **Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?** “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ― Rumi I love this quote. When I was younger, I thought I had everything figured out. It wasn’t until I was older, and I started really going through some tests and difficulties that I was able to understand that I didn’t know anything. It was the most liberating thing for me, and it made me feel truly free. When I look back at my career and my life, I think it was the failures and misses that shaped me. Those were the things that really taught me lessons. I have three kids now and although I always try and protect them, a part of me knows that they can’t truly grow without experiencing these life tests and difficulties. Now when I go through any loss, pain, or failure I don’t get to down about it because I know there is a lesson to learn. Conversely, when something good happens to me I try not to get too excited because I know that life can’t always be roses. **We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.** Elon Musk. I love that he is a trailblazer who does his own thing, and he seems to be infinitely optimistic. His companies have really helped the world and I think he genuinely wants to do that. **Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.** --- A*bout the Interviewer: Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA was born nearly blind, crippled with club feet, partially deaf, and left-handed. He overcame all of these obstacles to become a successful civil trial lawyer. In 2000, he abandoned his law practice to become a peacemaker. His calling is to serve humanity, and he executes his calling at many levels. He is an award-winning author, teacher, and trainer. He is a highly experienced mediator. Doug’s work carries him from international work to helping people resolve deep interpersonal and ideological conflicts. Doug teaches his innovative de-escalation skill that calms any angry person in 90 seconds or less. With Laurel Kaufer, Doug founded Prison of Peace in 2009. The Prison of Peace project trains life and long terms incarcerated people to be powerful peacemakers and mediators. He has been deeply moved by inmates who have learned and applied deep, empathic listening skills, leadership skills, and problem-solving skills to reduce violence in their prison communities. Their dedication to learning, improving, and serving their communities motivates him to expand the principles of Prison of Peace so that every human wanting to learn the skills of peace may do so. Doug’s awards include California Lawyer Magazine Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, Purpose Prize Fellow, International Academy of Mediators Syd Leezak Award of Excellence, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals Neutral of the Year. His four books have won a number of awards and commendations. Doug’s podcast, Listen With Leaders, is now accepting guests. Click on*[this](https://podcast.dougnoll.com/podcast-guest.)*link to learn more and apply.* --- Source: https://authoritymag.co/articles/ario-khoshbin-on-immigrant-resilience-creative-leadership-and-building-a-medical-aesthetics-empi (Authority Magazine, Business). Interviewee answers are first-person statements of the guest. Index of all pages: https://authoritymag.co/llms.txt