From an Unexpected Detour to a New Beginning: How BioGlo Aesthetics Founder Arezoo Esteki Turned a Challenge Into a New Business

Getting stranded overseas unexpectedly ended up changing Arezoo Esteki's future.

Last year, the Rochester nurse traveled to her native Iran expecting a routine visit. Instead, conflict in the region disrupted travel, leaving her unable to leave for nearly two months.

Rather than viewing the experience as lost time, Esteki decided to make the most of it.

Working alongside a plastic surgeon, she gained additional hands-on experience in regenerative aesthetic procedures while refining a business idea she had been considering for years.

"When I realized I couldn't leave, I thought, 'I'm not going to waste this time,'" she says. "It became the spark that pushed me to finally pursue this."

Today, that unexpected detour has become BioGlo Aesthetics, a new boutique clinic on the lobby level of Rochester's Kahler Grand Hotel specializing in regenerative skin rejuvenation and hair restoration.

Following the Science, Not the Trends

After more than 20 years as a nurse, Esteki isn't interested in chasing the latest beauty trends.

Instead, she's built BioGlo around regenerative treatments such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF), which use a patient's own blood to stimulate collagen production, improve skin quality and encourage hair restoration through microneedling and other advanced techniques.

"A lot of trends in aesthetics aren't backed by science," she says. "As a nurse, that's very important to me. I want everything we do to be supported by research." The cutting-edge aesthetic techniques used at BioGlo are used at prestigious medical institutions, she notes.

Rather than dramatically changing a person's appearance, she believes regenerative medicine works with the body's natural healing process to help people maintain healthy skin and age gracefully.

"We're not trying to change someone's face," she says. "We're trying to help people look like themselves—just refreshed."

Unlike many aesthetic practices that offer a wide range of cosmetic procedures, BioGlo focuses almost exclusively on scientifically-backed regenerative therapies Esteki says that allows the clinic to stay current on the latest research while developing deep expertise in treatments designed to work with the body's natural healing process.

A Career Built on Caring for Others

Born and raised in Iran, Esteki left home at 18 before earning her nursing degree in Canada. Her career later took her to Dubai, Chicago and eventually southeastern Minnesota when her husband accepted a position with Hormel Foods.

Since moving to Rochester in 2017, she has worked in several nursing roles before spending nearly nine years specializing in infusion therapy, most recently at Rochester Home Infusion. She now works part-time at Mayo Clinic while growing BioGlo Aesthetics and completing her Nurse Practitioner degree.

"Healthcare has always been part of who I am," she says. "I genuinely love taking care of people."

Building a Business From the Ground Up

When Esteki returned from Iran, she shared her vision with longtime colleague and former Rochester Home Infusion founder Joselyn Raymundo. Knowing Raymundo's experience building and selling Rochester Home Infusion, Esteki knew she'd found the right partner. Together they began transforming the idea into a differentiated aesthetics business.

Although Esteki has spent years caring for patients, she quickly discovered that entrepreneurship came with an entirely different set of challenges.

"For months it felt like every day there was another detail to figure out," she says. "People think you rent a space, put out a chair and suddenly you have a business. There are so many moving pieces."

She says one of the biggest lessons has been learning not to become discouraged when plans don't unfold exactly as expected.

"If something doesn't happen when you planned, that's okay," she says. "Figure out what happened, learn from it, fix it and keep moving forward."

She also credits Raymundo with helping guide her through the process.

"I've been fortunate to have an amazing mentor in Joselyn," she says. "You don't have to figure everything out by yourself."

Making Aesthetic Care More Accessible

Located on the lobby level of the Kahler Grand Hotel, BioGlo was intentionally designed to make regenerative aesthetic care convenient for both Rochester residents and visitors.

The clinic offers complimentary valet parking, flexible scheduling—including evenings and weekends when possible—and a downtown location within walking distance of Mayo Clinic.

Esteki hopes the practice will serve not only local residents but also patients and caregivers visiting Rochester who want to invest in themselves during what can be a stressful time.

"Sometimes people just need something that helps them feel good," she says. "We want everyone who walks through our doors to feel respected, cared for and welcomed."

A Family of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship feels like a natural extension of Esteki's life.

She began working at age 16 in Iran while attending school and later accepted an ultrasound technician position before beginning her nursing career.

Today, her children—ages 12 and 10—have eagerly supported BioGlo's launch. Her son has already volunteered to clean the clinic on weekends—provided she pays him—and her daughter recently discovered her own entrepreneurial spirit through a school business project selling homemade cookies.

"They're excited because they see how much I love it," Esteki says.

Looking Ahead

For now, Esteki plans to continue balancing her work at Mayo Clinic with growing BioGlo Aesthetics while also completing her NP degree.

She's energized rather than overwhelmed by the challenge.

"I love getting up in the morning and going to work," she says. "Helping people is what I've always done."

Whether she's caring for patients in a medical setting or helping someone feel more confident in their own skin, the mission remains the same.

"We want to provide advanced regenerative beauty that's backed by science," she says. "If people leave here feeling cared for and feeling better about themselves, then we've done our job."