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Mahogany Telederm Nurse Internship – Month 10 Reflection

This month was a full-circle moment for me. Over the past 10 months, I’ve been planting seeds, showing up for myself in new ways, and pushing far outside my comfort zone. This month, I finally started to see those efforts pay off.

A few months ago, I challenged Kimberly to try something new. I had watched her respond in Facebook groups with thoughtful, helpful advice, and I suggested she experiment with video responses instead. Video is more engaging, more memorable, and more likely to spark curiosity from people who weren’t even part of the original thread. She agreed and then, a few weeks later, turned that same challenge right back around on me.

At first, I was hesitant. For her, video content comes naturally. She's confident on camera, she knows her message, and she’s been doing this for years. For me, it felt more vulnerable, especially because the comments I was making in these groups weren’t just casual advice. I was inviting dermatology nurse practitioners to connect with me about joining Go Skin Check, my brand-new business. Publicly sharing that in a video felt like a huge leap. I hadn’t told many people about my venture yet because I was still putting the pieces together. I was “in the lab” as Kimberly often says.

But this is my “year of yes,” so after some thought, I accepted the challenge and posted my video in the group. And guess what?

My biggest fears did not happen.

I wasn’t judged.

e I wasn’t rejected.

I wasn’t embarrassed.

In fact, nothing happened at all.

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But the important part is what happened next!

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Making that first video gave me the courage to try something more intentional. I identified two NP entrepreneurs I really wanted to connect with, one on Facebook and one on LinkedIn, and created personalized videos just for them.

The first NP I reached out to had attended the Diversity in Dermatology conference earlier this year. We’d messaged before, but our conversation had fizzled. After she watched my video, her very first question was, “Why didn’t you introduce yourself at DID?”

The truth is, I did. But we both knew that version of me wasn’t as confident, clear, or memorable as the woman she was now seeing on video. Her reaction was real evidence of my growth: my confidence, my voice, and the way I now show up in the world.

The second NP took a few days to respond. That same week, I attended the Diversity in Dermatology Collaborative Care Summit in Orlando as a leader this time and planned to follow up with her after. But while I was there, she walked up and introduced herself. Meeting in person gave us the chance to connect in a low-pressure, authentic way. We didn’t talk about business at the summit. We connected as people. We talked, we laughed, and we scheduled a business conversation for the following week. Being able to connect with her at the summit allowed me to show up as both a peer and a leader, with none of the pressure that comes with “the pitch.” She even told me it was my video that sparked her interest in collaborating.

Those two videos led to genuine conversations and opened doors to possible future collaborations. I was able to pitch my business and invite others to join me. These conversations gave me both confidence and hope at exactly the right time.

And I didn’t stop there. I’ve sent out even more videos to potential collaborators. Every time, I’m reminded that while putting yourself out there can be scary, it’s often the key to opening new opportunities.

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And now, what exactly is Go Skin Check?

Go Skin Check is a modern way to access dermatology care.

We bring dermatology to the patient by having a nurse, whether myself or eventually members of my team, travel to the patient’s home or chosen location. On-site, the nurse performs the clinical assessment and imaging, and the patient connects with a board-certified dermatologist through telemedicine for diagnosis and treatment planning.

It’s mobile, modern, and convenient.

We launch in 2026, serving Houston and the surrounding areas.

My website is coming soon, so stay tuned.

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What Was Most Valuable or Unexpected?

I am still in awe of just how much power there is in showing up, being visible, and sharing your journey publicly. The videos didn’t lead to instant success or viral moments, but they absolutely deepened connections and opened doors I didn’t even know existed.

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned

• Confidence grows through action, not just preparation.

• I have to follow my own advice.

• Even when you don’t see immediate results, every step you take plants seeds for future growth.

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Being open about your journey can inspire others and bring new opportunities. This is a lesson I am still learning every day. Every day is a new opportunity to be open. I am implementing this lesson one day at a time.

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How Does This Prepare Me for My Future in Dermatology Nursing?

Learning to advocate for myself and my business, publicly and authentically, will serve me in every area of my nursing and entrepreneurial journey. Building relationships, pitching ideas, and showing up as a leader are all essential skills for the future of dermatology nursing.

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Advice for Future Interns

• Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself or your mentors. Growth happens outside your comfort zone.

• Use every opportunity to connect, whether it’s through video, in person, or online.

• Take risks, share your story, and remember the first step is always the hardest, but it gets easier every time.

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Looking Ahead: Goals for Next Month

Practice and refine my business pitch for both in-person and digital outreach.

Keep saying “yes” to opportunities that stretch my comfort zone and build momentum for launch in 2026.

Stay tuned for next month’s reflection, where I’ll share updates on new collaborations and how these connections are shaping the next phase of Go Skin Check.

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I’ve Been Doing This for Years

It’s so interesting hearing how other people describe you and your accomplishments. The fact that Jade said I’m a “natural” and “I’ve been doing this for years” is both humbling and hilarious. Like you, I also experienced imposter syndrome, doubt, didn’t like the sound of my voice, compared my videos to other creators, overthought that process, and have competing priorities that require my attention. Now, in year three of this current version of my entrepreneurial journey, I have been doing it for years, but I when I started, I felt the same way Jade did. One of her comments, inspired me to go back and watch my early videos: poor lighting, no makeup, late nights, no consistent schedule, no transcript, no strategy, no subscribers, no understanding of the algorithm, no coach, no accountability group, no help, no dedicated filming space in my home, no content calendar. But I had discipline, desire, and confidence that if I just kept showing up, staying consistent and persistent, my business would grow. Why show up, especially on video? Because people need to see your journey. It helps build the know, like, and trust factor that is understood in sales psychology. People buy from people they know, like, and trust much faster and more often than someone who just posts fliers, doesn’t share their personal journey, someone they can’t relate or aspire to, or who prioritizes sales over relationship. On the technical side, it take time for Google to index you. So, create content before anyone knows you exist, build your muscle memory, and produce a catalog of content for when the time comes because when it does, you’ll want to be ready with your proof of concept that you know what you’re talking about because you’ve been talking about it for years.

When you first start, you think you want 10,000 followers and viral moments. But the truth is you’re not ready for that volume of responses or responsibility. You want to build slow so you can put the right pieces in place; understand and then master communicating your mission, values, and pitch; and identify your competitive edge. This ONLY happens by doing the work, not planning, not hoping, not guessing.

What Jade didn’t mention is that when she first told me to start making videos, I rebutted. I gave a lengthy reason as to why I didn’t need to do it. But to her credit which I’m so grateful for, she pushed back (something I invited her to do when I noticed she gave me more praise than critique) and clearly, calmly repeated her recommendation and rationale. I’m glad she did. Even though she would often doubt her own expertise, she felt confident that this one change would make a difference; and she was right. As leaders, feedback is GOLDEN. You have to be open to hearing it, it is the only way you can ever expect to grow and get better. Only people who really care about you and what you’re doing will take the time to give it.

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Jade’s Birthday

Jade celebrated her birthday on October 14, that weekend she attended the Collaborative Care Summit, Diversity in Dermatology’s first integrative continuing education medical conference combining the expertise of dermatology, rheumatology,  allergy/immunology, and gastroenterology. All of these specialties treat conditions that often impact the body systemically, and the root cause is often tied to inflammation. Not only do the diseases impact multiple organ systems, our decisions as providers also impact the treatment recommended by our peers. For us to help patients achieve their goals when it comes to their definition of wellness, we also have to work together more often. This conference aimed to initiate those conversations and establish a growing network. I love that Jade attended the conference without me and was able to step outside of my shadow, while not planned, it was a great progression at this phase in the internship to see her positioned and poised to do so.

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Go Skin Check

All of our meetings started with me checking in with Jade and the progress of her business, barriers to execution, and the sustainability and scalability of her idea. The current iteration of her business is slightly different than the one she started the internship with. In August, she taught our Cosmetic Business Foundation courses for the Alliance of Cosmetic Nurse Practitioners and was encouraged to get her LLC off the ground, despite sitting on that original idea for months (maybe years), once she really understood the importance of sustainability and taught the courses (taking action), her idea took off and so did everything else for her business.

At Mahogany Dermatology Nursing | Education | Research our mission is to increase access to dermatology nursing education with an emphasis on skin of color, business acumen and digital fluency. One of our divisions is The Melanin Initiative podcast where the missions are to: a) increase health literacy amongst the public. b) Elevate the expertise of nurses, bring awareness to the diverse career opportunities in the healthcare industry, and let our peers know all the ways they can leverage their expertise both as clinicians and entrepreneurs.

Jade is our vision manifested.

She didn’t have to go back and get another certification (although she continues her education), she didn’t need another degree (now she is a known nurse educator with global impact), and she didn’t need permission – she just needed to take action. Which she did.

One reason I was attracted to the nursing profession was the flexibility and opportunities that were possible with just one degree. Entrepreneurship also offers this flexibility and opportunity. Jade is the epitome of this.

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The Space Nurse

I met Christine Rincon, PMHNP student, MSN, RN, CCRN, of  during a brainstorming session for The Melanin Initiative podcast. She originally came on to talk about one idea, but then casually mentioned space medicine as she wasn’t sure I would be interested in the topic or if it made sense for the show. She was wrong! All my childhood dreams rushed in as if someone called their name. I had an obsession with space and NASA. All my science expriments were centered around space during grade school. I’ve said repeatedly that my dream job would be to work for NASA. Meeting Christine got me one step closer.

Not only did we plan her episode around establishing her thought leadership and branding as The Space Nurse, but we also began her 90-day transformation. Within the first two weeks, she established her LLC, website, offers, optimized her social media platforms, developed a lead magnet, developed her call-to-action, started booking speaking engagements, grew her network of aerospace specialists, and grew her confidence. She was already awaiting her first publication, and we were honored to publish her second article. I told her if she could find a relationship between space medicine and dermatology, we’d publish her article on the Mahogany Dermatology blog. She did just that. She did all this while being married, a mom, working full-time, and being a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner student. Determination doesn’t even begin to describe her level of discipline. If you’re a business or sports coach, you dream of one thing: working with the pros, people who knock it out the park – not because they always score a point, but because they always take the shot. Christine is that all-star client. More to come!

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Mahogany Dermatology Nursing Contributing Author: Emily Chow

When I graduated from the George Washington University School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, I asked myself one question:

“What would you do if you could do anything for free?”

The answer: write.

But, I needed something to write about. First, I explored nutrition and integrative medicine that summer. Then, I came back to dermatology, an interest that developed during the pandemic. The irony, we don’t learn much about dermatology in nursing school and there’s a lot to learn. I knew I needed a way to help with retaining all the information, so I created the Mahogany Dermatology blog. I’ve always learned the most by putting myself in a teaching position. I established the mission, wrote the vision, and outlined a ten-year plan.

Next stop, find education. I Googled my life away and quickly learned that not all dermatology resources, professionals, and events were NP and PA friendly, so I had to start reading carefully. I came across Diversity in Dermatology, saw they were NP and PA friendly, and they had a blog that hadn’t been updated since the pandemic. I contacted them to see if they needed an author, they did! I was invited to be the Blog Chair, a position Jade now fills. This also wasn’t planned, but it’s the perfect succession.

It brings me so much joy to share my passion for writing with others. First, Jade joined me on the Mahogany Dermatology blog, then we welcomed Caleb Runyon, FNP-C and Leslie Thompson, NP student, BSN. Then, Emily Chow, a high schooler turned podcast host and entrepreneur asked to join the team. I first wrote about her in April and was delighted when she demonstrated the value of publishing a regular column. As Daniel Priestly says, “in the word authority is the worth author.” If you want to establish yourself as subject matter expert, leader, and someone who should get paid for their intellectual property, you have to write.

Emily brings me great joy because she gets exposure to nursing expertise (and through our network, physician associates who specialize in dermatology), something most students are not aware of unless they come from a family of medical professionals or get exposure. Most often, students are only told the benefits of being physician and nursing is seen as a less than or pushed on students who don’t have a strong GPA or academic drive. Indirectly, when she shares her articles and her role at Mahogany Dermatology Nursing, she others in her network and generation also get that exposure.

When we invite new authors, they are given creative freedom, in fact, there’s very little that I change when they email me their submission. I encourage them and even challenge them to be more creative through their words, storytelling, pictures, and in the topics they choose. Especially given the amount of restrictions, guidelines, and boxes we have to check in healthcare, I enjoy creating an environment where my partners can experience the joys of freedom. We welcome new guest author contributors anytime. Just send us an email at hello@mahoganydermatology.com.

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Fibroids-Keloids-CCCA Research Team

In September, MelanInScience hosted Black in Biotech: AI Week in partnership with the Black AI Think Tank. Over four days, the virtual event spotlighted how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of biotechnology, featuring leading Black scientists discussing AI in genome engineering, healthcare applications, drug discovery, and the ethical implications of AI in biology, all designed to highlight Black excellence and innovation at the intersection of AI and biotech.

MelanInScience is a nonprofit organization on a mission to build equitable pathways into biotech and life sciences by expanding access, exposure, and opportunity for underrepresented talent. They connect academic training with industry experience through programming, internships, career development workshops, and partnerships with leading biotech and biopharma companies. Since its founding in 2024, MelanInScience has supported hundreds of students and emerging professionals across the U.S. and globally, working to ensure that Black and Brown scientists are not just present in STEM but are positioned for leadership and innovation within the field.

The organization is led by Dr. Carmen Banks, Founder and CEO, a PhD-trained cell and molecular biologist with over a decade of experience in genome engineering and antibody discovery across academic research and biotech startups. Through MelanInScience, Dr. Banks blends deep industry expertise with a mission-driven approach, leading initiatives that combine industry exposure, structured education, and employer partnerships to help close equity gaps in STEM. Her work centers on building sustainable, community-rooted programs that expand access to biotech careers for historically excluded groups.

It was during Black in Biotech: AI Week that I had the pleasure of meeting Thérèse Wilson-Rawlins, a computational biologist, AI/ML strategist, and founder of The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), where she applies artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance genomic research. We chatted and realized we shared a common interest and were both looking for someone to partner with who had different but complementary skillsets to help us achieve our individual missions. I’ll share more about Thérèse and our research team (Dr. Mariam Rabiu, DNP and Ni-Ka Ford, CMI) in the near future, but briefly, we agreed to partner to combine nursing expertise and AI precision plant-medicine. An early-stage career scientist, Thérèse now serves as the Lead Scientist on our Fibroid-Keloid-CCCA research initiative. Thérèse brings expertise in identifying shared molecular pathways across fibrotic disorders that disproportionately affect Black women. Her work sits at the intersection of computational biology, health equity, and innovation in dermatology research. We didn’t know at the time, but that week and our chance meeting would change our lives forever.

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Claude

For the most part, I use the free version of my favorite AI tools. But, it was getting exhausting and consuming a lot of time to have to start over or remind the AI tool about me, my brand, my writing style, partnerships, and previous projects. When I heard Morgan Debaun, the founder of Blavity, Inc., AfroTech, and their many brands say she purchased the paid version of Claude because it was able to do a number of things really well, including creating presentations, I signed up immediately. Inside the Alliance of Cosmetic Nurse Practitioners™, I teach two workshops each week and really needed a tool that can help me create presentations more efficiently, while also being aesthetically pleasing. My next purchase will be Gamma AI for the same reasons. As an entrepreneur, you need to move away from operating tasks that can be delegated to anyone and that do not earn income, and towards automation, revenue-generating activities, and tasks that only you, as the visionary, can execute. These are typically activities that are low effort and high impact. So far, Claude has lived up to the hype and then some.

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What Claude Can Do for Paid Users

Paid Claude users (Pro or Team plans) gain access to advanced features designed to support deeper thinking, long-form writing, research, and professional workflows. These include:

• Higher usage limits
  Run longer sessions and complete more complex projects without hitting restrictive caps.
• Priority access during peak times
  Faster, more reliable responses when demand is high.
• Access to Claude’s most advanced models
  Including the latest high-performance versions optimized for reasoning, writing, and analysis.
• Long-context work
  Analyze and reference large documents (e.g., research papers, reports, book drafts, policy docs) within a single conversation.
• File uploads and document analysis
  Upload PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, and datasets for summarization, synthesis, editing, and critique.
• Projects feature
  Organize long-term or multi-document work (articles, research, curricula, grants) in a single workspace with memory across sessions.
• Advanced writing and editing support
  Draft, revise, and refine long-form content such as academic articles, thought leadership pieces, grant proposals, and reports.
• Coding and technical assistance
  Generate, review, debug, and explain code across multiple programming languages.
• Strategic thinking and planning
  Support for business planning, curriculum design, research framing, and structured problem-solving.
• Improved collaboration workflows (Team plans)
  Shared projects, consistent outputs, and collaborative use across teams or organizations.

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AfroTech

I learned about AfroTech years ago when I created Kids Career Crash Course (KCCC), a professional mentorship program designed to expose students (K-college) to jobs of the future. We ran for 1.5 years and would meet for one hour on Sundays. We were blessed to have blue and white collar professionals share their journey and answer questions. We heard from experts in the cleaning, fintech, community solar, and software and electroniengineering industries, to name a few. We even got to talk to a pastor who was also a cop and a Stanford drop-out (previously a software engineering major) who coincidentally gave a TED talk about an app he created, the youngest to do so at that time. While it wasn’t my intention, I ended up inviting a lot of entrepreneurs on the platform for one simple reason: visibility. They were easy to find, accessible, and willing to talk to kids for free. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was a front row seat into entrepreneurship – by then, the seed had already been planted.

During our run at KCCC, I came across a website, AfroTech, and immediately thought it was a cool concept. While I wasn’t familiar with AfroTech, I was familiar with Blavity, Inc. Both Blavity, Inc. and AfroTech were founded by Morgan DeBaun. Once I discovered what the conference had to offer, I dreamed of attending one day. But I never shared that with anyone. So, you can only imagine my surprise and delight when I found out the week before this year’s AfroTech in Houston that I would be able to attend as part of The Physician Assistants of Color’s (ThePAC) delegation, co-founded by Jasmine Cofield, PA-C, DMSc, MBA Candidate. I will dedicate a special article to the conference, but just know it was everything I’ve been looking for: a room full of innovators and entrepreneurs eager to share what they’re working on, hear about what I was doing, and be surrounded by people who looked like me in a city I now call home. And the conference, led by Morgan DeBaun

Morgan DeBaun is the founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., a venture-backed media and technology company that builds brands like AfroTech and Travel Noire to serve Black and multicultural audiences. Since founding Blavity in 2014, she's raised over $12 million in venture funding across multiple rounds, including a $6.5 million Series A led by GV. She also serves as an angel investor and advisor, helping other founders navigate fundraising and build profitable, scalable businesses.

This matters because Black women receive less than 1% of U.S. venture capital funding. In 2024, Black founders overall received just 0.48%. Morgan is one of a small number of Black women who've crossed the $1 million funding threshold, and her success provides both representation and a practical roadmap. She's proof that Black women can build scalable, investor-backed companies while centering Black communities, something the venture capital world desperately needs to see.

She's not just building businesses. She's building pathways, and she made me feel right at home. The highlight of AfroTech was having a one-on-one meeting with the Blavity Inc. team, where we got to share our vision, hear theirs, pitch an opportunity for partnership, and hear about their problems - my favorite thing to solve.

Take advantage of their early bird tickets and sign up for their 4-day HealthStack back here in Houston, Nov 2-26,2026. I'll be there.

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About the Authors

Dr. Kimberly Madison, DNP, AGPCNP-BC, WCC, is a Board-Certified, Doctorally-prepared Nurse Practitioner, educator, and author dedicated to advancing dermatology nursing education and research with an emphasis on skin of color. As the founder of Mahogany Dermatology Nursing | Education | Research™ and the Alliance of Cosmetic Nurse Practitioners™, she expands access to dermatology research, business acumen, and innovation while also leading professional groups and mentoring clinicians. Through her engaging and informative social media content and peer-reviewed research, Dr. Madison empowers nurses and healthcare professionals to excel in dermatology and improve patient care

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Jade Dupree Trevino, BSN, RN

I am a dedicated dermatology professional with over a decade of experience as a Dermatology Medical Assistant, Registered Nurse, and Clinical Nurse Coordinator. Passionate about education and inclusivity in dermatology, I joined the Mahogany Dermatology Nursing | Education | Research™ Internship to expand my knowledge and contribute to the field I love. Through this blog, I aim to share my journey as a source of inspiration for those exploring nontraditional paths in dermatology. I’m excited to help create innovative educational resources and encourage others to discover their purpose in this dynamic specialty.

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