Dr. LinhKieu Nguyen decided to become a doctor when she was 8. It's a feat of hard work and enduring determination when anyone achieves their childhood dreams, but Dr. Nguyen's story is one with a particularly startling number of obstacles—many of which doubled as the fuel for her goals. She was a child in current-day Ho Chi Minh City when political unrest struck. Her parents fled the country, and she moved to the country to be raised by relatives. Dr. Nguyen cites the social strife, poverty, and poor medical care she saw and experienced as factors that pushed her closer to her dream while simultaneously making the goal more challenging. At age 14, with a fifth-grade education, she moved to the United States and learned English while earning grades that would wow colleges.

Today, the physician and mother of two runs a cosmetic practice that values friendliness and personal attention. "It's not about competition," Dr. Nguyen says of her clinic. "It's about quality, caring, and education." With 3-D butterflies and happy slogans dotting the pastel interior and a play area just for kids, the practice's person-first set of values shines. Dr. Nguyen works to create a family environment, rather than one focused solely on services. That said, patients appreciate the services. Dr. Nguyen's laser cosmetics refresh tired complexions and help diminish hair and the appearance of veins, and consultations in nutrition and disease prevention keep clients educated. Staffers are fluent in Vietnamese, Tagalog, Chinese, Ilocano, and Spanish.