By Max Nickel
Byerly Ham and Jolee Hughes at The Lookshop
In May of 2021, sisters Byerly Ham and Jolee Hughes saw the need in Forsyth for a “luxury aesthetic and medical space with a hometown feel,” this vision became reality when The Lookshop first opened its doors in Monroe County.
“The driving force behind The Lookshop was to create a place that offered the elevated look and experience of a larger city, but without requiring people to drive hours or fly to access these services,” Byerly clarified. “Our vision was to bring the very best home to our community, and that continues to guide everything we do here. We wanted to create a space for extremely personalized care with uncompromising customer service. We seek to not only provide result-driven service, but to truly educate our patients.”
Ham went on to share more of the inspiration for the spot’s unique approach to wellness and personalized care. “As sisters and nurse practitioners, we’ve always shared a passion for medicine and for helping people feel their best. After years of working in internal medicine, cardiology, pediatrics and urology, we both saw how much confidence and wellness are connected. We wanted to create a space where patients could enhance their natural beauty while also focusing on their health—that’s how The Lookshop was born. Our vision hasn’t changed, but it has grown. What started as aesthetics has expanded into a more integrative approach that blends wellness, prevention, and aesthetics.”
“Building this business together as sisters has made it even more special,” Ham added. In March of this year, the sisters expanded the business to a second location in Macon. “It’s been amazing to see our shared vision resonate with the community.”
Byerly also tapped into some of the most surprising and unanticipated responsibilities regarding the maintenance of the business. “We knew patient care would be at the heart of what we do, but we didn’t realize how much of our time would also be dedicated to running the business itself,” she explained. “From staffing and team development, to marketing and daily operations, it requires constant attention. Doing this together as sisters has been a blessing—we balance each other out, and we both bring different strengths to the table.”
When asked about the biggest hurdle the sisters have had to face thus far, Byerly revealed their main concern has been growing and expanding their vision while still maintaining the uniquely personal family feel they had envisioned from the start. “We want every patient to feel like part of The Lookshop family, even as we expand. Building and keeping the right team to help us carry out that mission has also been both a challenge and a huge reward.”
When asked if there was anything she knows now she wished she did upon opening, Byerly said yes- that she would simply delegate sooner and trust the process. “In the beginning, we tried to do everything ourselves, but we quickly learned the importance of having a strong team around us,” she added. “Working together as sisters made the load lighter, but leaning on others has allowed us to focus on what we do best: caring for our patients. We have two phrases that we use- ‘live and learn’ when we make mistakes, and ‘everything happens for us, not to us’ when we have something that others may see as detrimental. We trust the process.”
Byerly went on to expand upon the connections between her and her sister’s familial partnership, careful vision, and team approach. “Our dream is for The Lookshop to be known as a trusted destination where patients feel both confident in their appearance and empowered in their health. We want to continue growing in a way that blends aesthetics and medicine seamlessly, while still holding onto the personal, customer-driven feel that makes us unique. As sisters, we hope our partnership shows patients the heart behind what we do—building something lasting together that truly makes people feel cared for. We have put an amazing team together that strives for excellence. Our team does not come to work to only collect a paycheck. They come to learn more, strive for excellence and give every single patient the best experience. We are constantly pouring into our staff and giving them tools to help further their education as well.”
At The Lookshop, the goal has always been to provide an experience that combines luxury, expertise, and a personal touch. “As sisters and nurse practitioners, we’re committed to creating a space where patients feel cared for, confident, and empowered in both their appearance and their wellness. Every decision we make—from the treatments we offer to the atmosphere we cultivate—is guided by our vision of bringing big-city quality and service to our hometown. We’re proud to grow alongside our community and look forward to continuing to elevate the way people experience aesthetics and integrative medicine.”
Lenise Leknes at Treats with Lenise
Lenise Leknes’s first pop-up event was on October 16th, 2023, inside a local restaurant, and Treats with Lenise opened up a new location and has been in operation since February 4th of this year. Chef Lenise has had a life-long relationship with food and vision for where it has taken her now in Monroe County. “Food has always been a passion for me,” she started. “From childhood, I joined competitions, took several classes and even graduated from Johnson & Wales University with my degree in Pastry Arts. In 2023, I felt clear direction from the Lord, telling me to get back into the industry after I had become an Accountant for several years. Treats With Lenise was born as a food blog, then grew into a pop-up bakery in Forsyth.”
When asked if her vision for Treats with Lenise had shifted or changed in any way, she responded- “Absolutely! Surviving off of selling baked goods only is a clear path to burnout if you do not incorporate several streams of income. I don’t think it was even God’s intention for us to be on our feet for over 16 hours a day in a kitchen. My business has pivoted several times over the past two years to preserve work-life balance. Treats With Lenise started with selling treats, but has since evolved into a pop-up weekend bakery, custom orders, wholesale, community classes, venue rentals and private chef services.”
Lenise clarified that she could make a long list of the most surprising and unexpected of her new responsibilities at the shop. “For the sake of not writing a novel, the most surprising one would be duplicating myself through our staff- keeping everyone on the same page and trusting my staff can do a better job than I can,” she noted. “When we were building out our new space, it was during the 2024 holiday season. This is the peak season for restaurants and bakeries. I had to rent a kitchen in Atlanta to fulfill our growing orders. The commute and daily set up was grueling. Every minute we had left over went to getting our new space ready. I remember thinking, ‘Why am I even doing this?’ I am sure all entrepreneurs can relate”.
When asked about what she would have done or handled differently with the knowledge she has now, Lenise said that she wishes she “could have trusted God’s complete vision without worry.” “Monroe County has been extremely supportive of our venture. My mind is blown when we get feedback and see word of mouth spreading the news of our cozy little bakery. “ Treats with Lenise would like to remain content in one simple goal- “If we keep our eyes on our mission, which is to share bits of treats with all who love to eat, we will constantly be serving our community and spreading the love of Christ.”
