Today we’d like to introduce you to Millie Goetz.
Hi Millie , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I knew in high school that I wanted to pursue a career in health and wellness. I have always had a very self-motivated and determined personality, and that led me into nursing, where I began my career in a place that shaped my clinical foundation and my resilience. After a long search to find a position in an Intensive Care Unit, I accepted a position in the ICU at Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, Texas (the only hospital willing to hire a new graduate directly into critical care). Abilene, located west of Fort Worth, serves more than 60 surrounding counties and is known as the “Big Country” of Texas, much like DFW is known as the Metroplex.
I have now called Abilene home for 22 years. I’ve been married to my husband, Brandon, for 20 years, and together we have two amazing children.
I spent eight years working in the ICU while continuing my education, earning my Master of Science in Nursing and becoming licensed as a Nurse Practitioner in 2011. I then transitioned into cardiology, where I spent the next 13 years. Cardiology allowed me to combine my love of science with patient education, focusing not only on prescription management but also on lifestyle modification, prevention, and long-term health outcomes.
After COVID, I felt a strong pull to expand my scope beyond traditional medicine and into preventative care and overall wellness. In 2021, a longtime friend of mine, Cara, was finishing massage therapy school, and through many conversations we began envisioning a space that could offer comprehensive, individualized care with treatments designed to promote healing, confidence, and well-being from the inside out.
That vision motivated me to pursue advanced training in medical aesthetics, wellness, and functional medicine, while Cara continued her education in medical massage therapy certifications. Later that year, Cara opened a small medical massage practice, and I joined her part-time as a contract provider offering vitamin therapy and cosmetic injections. While the business grew, so did our shared dream of creating a full-service aesthetic and wellness spa. We quickly realized that the space we were in no longer aligned with the vision we were building.
In the spring of 2022, after learning from early challenges, investing in business development, and continuing to grow both professionally and personally, we opened Big Country Medical Spa.
We began with four massage therapists, one esthetician, and two front office staff members. Since then, we have grown to more than 20 employees. Our team now includes nine massage therapists certified in medical bodywork, manual lymphatic drainage, TMJ release, Thai massage, and Ashiatsu; three aestheticians, including a certified laser technician; and a medical team consisting of our medical director, two board-certified nurse practitioners, a registered nurse, and a medical assistant. We are supported by an office manager and a full front office team.
In January 2025, as we continued to expand, we moved into a larger space designed to support both our current services and future growth. We feel incredibly grateful for the support of our community, friends, and family who believed in our vision from the beginning. Our mission remains the same: to provide the highest quality care in wellness and aesthetics while helping our community feel healthier, more confident, and truly cared for.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced in my professional life was starting a business, and essentially an entirely new career path after nearly 20 years in a hospital setting. It has been both the most challenging and the most rewarding experience of my life, second only to being a mom.
Coming into entrepreneurship without a formal business background I learned a lot about humility, resilience, faith and trust. I believe God placed the right people in our path at the right times to help bring our vision to life. Along the way, we learned to embrace setbacks with patience, viewing failures as opportunities to refine our business model and improve patient outcomes.
We have been incredibly blessed by the support of our husbands and families, who have been involved from day one. Supporting us financially and contributing in every possible way, from laundry and logistics to hands on construction. We literally poured our blood, sweat, and tears into building our space, completing much of the labor ourselves to create an environment that reflects our mission.
For me personally, the biggest challenge was taking a leap of faith and walking away from the security of a long standing cardiology career, complete with a steady income and corporate benefits. Trusting that I could still provide for my family while growing a new business required faith, prayer, strong support, and a fair amount of discipline along with a little less splurging on Amazon. Ultimately, this risk has made me realize that purpose driven work is worth the risk.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
What truly sets Big Country Medical Spa apart is the diversity of our service offerings and the depth of education and ongoing training maintained by every member of our team. This allows us to create fully customized experiences and meet our clients’ aesthetic and wellness needs under one roof, in a calm and restorative environment.
We are a full service, physician directed medical spa offering a comprehensive, integrative approach to aesthetics, wellness, and medical care.
We specialize in targeted medical bodywork designed to address chronic pain and inflammation through soft tissue therapy, joint mobilization, and myofascial release. Our licensed aestheticians provide highly customized skincare treatments using the latest technologies. Each treatment plan is individualized, evidence based, and supported by medical grade products to help clients achieve and maintain healthy, radiant skin.
Our medical team is led by myself and my husband, Brandon, who is also a nurse practitioner. Brandon oversees our hormone replacement therapy program, which includes in house laboratory testing and comprehensive medical consultations, as well as IV vitamin therapy, injectable wellness treatments, and peptide therapy. We also offer personalized weight loss and wellness consultations to support long term health and vitality.
My personal area of expertise is facial balancing through cosmetic injections. I combine my extensive medical background with the science and artistry of aesthetics to create natural, harmonious results using neuromodulators, biostimulators, and hyaluronic acid fillers. I believe aging is a privilege, and my goal is to guide clients through that journey with a proactive, balanced approach that enhances rather than alters their natural features.
I am most proud of the culture we have built. Big Country Medical Spa is rooted in peace, positivity, and genuine connection. We consistently hear that our space feels welcoming and family like while still offering a luxurious spa experience. My hope is that everyone who walks through our doors feels the care, intention, and light that we pour into our work and into every client we serve.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My faith and relationship with God matter most to me. I ask for His guidance as a mother, wife, provider, and boss. I want all I do, whether it is in success or failure, to reflect the love and light of Jesus Christ and to be that example for my children and those around me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bigcountrymedspa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigcountrymedspa?fbclid=IwAR1VeHKEJw6vsk0-qaac7D0UjrYtJLMFnT9Le-NFvH7yYmEHKi7t7VSbSlE
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigcountrymedspa
Image Credits
Emily Brown
Jynnifer Lacy Photography
