Klaudija Holliday followed her feet, never the straightforward path. An artistic eye and an articulate message have powered a career crafted in her own image. Now, as co-founder of a burgeoning boutique med spa, she’s working to positively shape her clients’ self-image.

“I want to change the way we talk about ourselves,” Holliday said. “I don’t think I would be here without COTC.”

She thinks differently than the rest of her family. Her father, a single dad and a military man, encouraged the traditional route through education. Her siblings obliged. Holliday had different plans. “I’m the outlier,” she said. “I’m artsy and go outside of the box.”

The colorful Californian focused instead on theater and modeling, but her dad’s voice reverberated. “I decided to become a nurse to fund that lifestyle,” Holliday recalled. While auditions rolled in, she enrolled at a small college in Los Angeles. That backdrop constantly beckoned her artistic side. “I needed to get away from the fun of the entertainment industry,” she said, “so I could really focus.”

Holliday hauled it to Newark and moved in with extended family. She became a licensed practical nurse and began working full time. But Holliday saw healthcare in a whole new way once she started COTC’s associate degree nursing program.

COTC taught me accountability, and it actually taught me how to nurse. It made me feel confident and comfortable taking the next step.

Her next few were conventional. Holliday hopped into a nursing role at Ohio State and the university’s bachelor’s degree program. Post-pandemic, as she pursued a master’s degree and a nurse practitioner (NP) license, her path saw a pivot.

“People became so self-deprecating during COVID,” Holliday declared. “Aesthetics can rejuvenate us, and I realized it could also be a kind of artistic outlet. I didn’t want to go the traditional NP route into primary care. I wanted to use my education to start changing the language about self-confidence.”

That mission fueled the founding of Gold Bar Aesthetics in November 2025. Holliday and her co-founder — who both still work in healthcare — operate the med spa out of a suite in downtown Columbus. The artsy NP painted the place herself. Gold Bar offers services like injectables, facial treatments, chemical peels and microneedling, all the while offering authenticity at the center of its message.

“Self-confidence doesn’t have to feel intimidating or unattainable,” Holliday said, “We can help you feel better by enhancing something, but your natural self is truly just fine too. We’re hoping those conversations positively impact how people view themselves, and I think that language is starting to shift.”

Holliday has followed her instincts, creative compass and desire to do right by people. Early results are encouraging, with her emerging business becoming a stop along her patients’ self-care journeys. The skills she uses to serve them were first established at COTC.

“It taught me that when you do and say good things, the outcomes are good,” she said. “I consider COTC a huge contributor to my success.”