
Karen Audrey Carter, Cfm, is a 29 year veteran of the Post Mastectomy and Foundations Industry. Having worked for major bra retailers, foundations manufacturers, post mastectomy manufacturers and owning three businesses, she has accumulated an extensive knowledge of the needs of this specialty business.
After isolating the needs of women in her area through her previous job experiences, she opened her first business in 1998 as a home fitter for post mastectomy services. She subsequently opened her boutique, Second To Nature Women's Boutique, in Augusta, GA at University Hospital Breast Health Center in 2000. She had the pleasure of serving thousands of women with their fitting needs over the years, and obtained extensive experience and training in the image consulting needs of women with cancer.
After selling her first business and moving to Tennessee in 2007, she went to work for two post mastectomy manufacturers as a sales representative and regional trainer. After being tutored under leaders in the industry at that time, she was also given the tasks of certifying new fitters and business owners for Post Mastectomy Fittings. She also assisted in the development of new bras and garments for manufacturers through design
and prototype tasks. She was often asked for advice and help with Medicare compliance, accreditation, fitting and business management. In addition, from 2011 to 2018, she managed four
post mastectomy boutiques for a family owned franchise in the East TN area.
She began her consulting services as she found that so many of her clients were in need of business management advice. They were concerned at the success of their businesses, how they could grow and improve their sales, be compliant with changing insurance regulations, fit difficult clients, staff training and more. There was no outlet for them to turn to for such advice and experience. Karen lovingly and generously offered this help to so many business owners, speaking through her own experiences in the field.
She decided to expand her services when she was contacted by several hospitals interested in opening a boutique in order to offer fittings for their own patients. She assisted in design, development, and accreditation for these boutiques, and has enjoyed seeing their continued success.
Karen purchased her second boutique in 2011, Designed By Nature, Inc./The Balancing Touch, in Aiken, SC at the Aiken Regional Medical Center's Cancer Care Center. It is there that she can enjoy keeping her connection with working directly with women who are undergoing cancer care. She loves to give her patients messages about self love, self care, and their internal beauty, hoping to make a difference to them during their journey through cancer. In 2019, she purchased the former business that she managed and
opened another location of Designed By Nature in Knoxville, TN at the University of TN Medical Center.
When not at her business, she offers her knowledge and experience to assist new and experienced business owners in growing their businesses in a way that is easy to understand, compassionate, and reasonable.
She also enjoys working with complementary care and healing arts practitioners in merging the gap between traditional health care and complementary health care. Her passion lies in assisting women in living their dreams of business success, personal growth and healing. She enjoys working with cancer patients,
business colleagues, and all women in assisting them to achieve their goals.
She has had personal experience with cancer as her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. Karen watched as her mother went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. She has thankfully enjoyed a successful remission from the cancer, but the journey taught her a deeper level of understanding her patients through this journey.
Her goals include growing and expanding her own business, incorporating holistic care into her services, developing a workshop for cancer patients about self care and working with the healthcare community to promote awareness and openness about the special needs of these women and complementary care.
All together she uses her experience, love of women, desire to help others,
and her entrepreneurial drive to assist those through her consulting services.
After isolating the needs of women in her area through her previous job experiences, she opened her first business in 1998 as a home fitter for post mastectomy services. She subsequently opened her boutique, Second To Nature Women's Boutique, in Augusta, GA at University Hospital Breast Health Center in 2000. She had the pleasure of serving thousands of women with their fitting needs over the years, and obtained extensive experience and training in the image consulting needs of women with cancer.
After selling her first business and moving to Tennessee in 2007, she went to work for two post mastectomy manufacturers as a sales representative and regional trainer. After being tutored under leaders in the industry at that time, she was also given the tasks of certifying new fitters and business owners for Post Mastectomy Fittings. She also assisted in the development of new bras and garments for manufacturers through design
and prototype tasks. She was often asked for advice and help with Medicare compliance, accreditation, fitting and business management. In addition, from 2011 to 2018, she managed four
post mastectomy boutiques for a family owned franchise in the East TN area.
She began her consulting services as she found that so many of her clients were in need of business management advice. They were concerned at the success of their businesses, how they could grow and improve their sales, be compliant with changing insurance regulations, fit difficult clients, staff training and more. There was no outlet for them to turn to for such advice and experience. Karen lovingly and generously offered this help to so many business owners, speaking through her own experiences in the field.
She decided to expand her services when she was contacted by several hospitals interested in opening a boutique in order to offer fittings for their own patients. She assisted in design, development, and accreditation for these boutiques, and has enjoyed seeing their continued success.
Karen purchased her second boutique in 2011, Designed By Nature, Inc./The Balancing Touch, in Aiken, SC at the Aiken Regional Medical Center's Cancer Care Center. It is there that she can enjoy keeping her connection with working directly with women who are undergoing cancer care. She loves to give her patients messages about self love, self care, and their internal beauty, hoping to make a difference to them during their journey through cancer. In 2019, she purchased the former business that she managed and
opened another location of Designed By Nature in Knoxville, TN at the University of TN Medical Center.
When not at her business, she offers her knowledge and experience to assist new and experienced business owners in growing their businesses in a way that is easy to understand, compassionate, and reasonable.
She also enjoys working with complementary care and healing arts practitioners in merging the gap between traditional health care and complementary health care. Her passion lies in assisting women in living their dreams of business success, personal growth and healing. She enjoys working with cancer patients,
business colleagues, and all women in assisting them to achieve their goals.
She has had personal experience with cancer as her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. Karen watched as her mother went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. She has thankfully enjoyed a successful remission from the cancer, but the journey taught her a deeper level of understanding her patients through this journey.
Her goals include growing and expanding her own business, incorporating holistic care into her services, developing a workshop for cancer patients about self care and working with the healthcare community to promote awareness and openness about the special needs of these women and complementary care.
All together she uses her experience, love of women, desire to help others,
and her entrepreneurial drive to assist those through her consulting services.
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