Q&A with Ann Kaplan

Ann Kaplan is a jack-of-all-trades who has made her mark in Toronto as a business woman, an author, and media personality. Not only is Kaplan a hard-working, family-oriented, well-educated woman, she is also dedicated to a number of chariable causes. Kaplan is committed to the Aids Committee of Toronto and built her company iFinance Canada Inc to support those seeking financial aid for medical treatments.

What Inspired You To Start Your Company, IFinance Canada Inc.?

Canada was slowly turning into a two-tiered medical system where some procedures that we had were no longer being covered by medical plans. The goal of my company was to fill in that void where people would need financing for a medical procedure but would not have access to it. I started a finance company for medical procedures, and then it expanded into other categories like dentistry. iFinance Canada Inc. is now the parent company to Medicard, Petcard, Dentalcard, iFinance Tech, and iFinance Home Improvement.

What Have You Learned About Spa Marketing Over The Course Of Your Career That You Think Spa Business Owners Should Know?

You have to figure out your position in social media. You have to make sure you have a website but website marketing is not the way to go now – it’s more social media – and you have to really know your clients to deliver the services that they need. You cannot have a successful medical spa without integrating many, many different types of procedures because customers or consumers are going to be looking for a spa where they can get everything.

What Led You To Write A Comedic Book On Cosmetic Enhancement, If You Don’t Laugh You’ll Cry?

I was writing a more serious book, more like a textbook for doctors about cosmetic enhancement. Then I looked for information about this on the internet, and while I was writing this book, I found most of the things that I researched kind of funny, so I kept in the sidebars of the things that I didn’t want to put in the serious book. By the time I was finished, I had a whole book full of things that I thought were funny. That was actually the most successful book that I’ve written. It was picked up by the Emmys and given to their stars in their gift bags. 

How Do You Balance Your Passions – Family Life, Fashion, Work, And Writing?

I go to bed, generally, at 10 o’clock at night, and I’m up at 4:30 or 5 in the morning. I’m an extremely organized person, and I have a lot of help, a lot of staff that can assist me in everything from washing a car to grocery shopping. What I focus on is my work and my education and my children. I am very careful not to spread myself too thin because I have a big family and my time has to be focused on my children and my husband.

What Is One Thing You Do You To Treat Yourself?

I think I’m always treating myself, but if it comes to spa treatments, I love a Pico facial [which uses a PicoSure laser]. I had one in the last month, and I religiously get a regular Pico facial. It’s probably one of the most indulgent things that I will do, and I will go for a silk peel. It is not invasive, but I like that there’s a spa feeling of having my skin really, really clean. The Pico facial evens out the skin tone.