Be Impeccable with Your Word — Applying The 4 Agreements to Your Private Practice

In 1999, while WWOOFing in Australia and New Zealand, “The Four Agreements” by don Miguel Ruiz was one of two books I carried in my backpack. (The other was “Hands of Light” by Barbara Brennan.)

These books were hugely influential in the next phases of my life as I continued my Reiki teaching and entered into my profession as an acupuncturist.

What’s amazing, is that now, 20 year later, The Four Agreements continue to bring me back to center, remind me of what’s important, help me maintain integrity, and continue to grow.

The four agreements are deceptively simple and powerfully deep:

1. Be impeccable with your word.

2. Don’t take anything personally.

3. Don’t make assumptions.

4. Always do your best.

What fantastic reminders for all aspects of life, including our business! Each one of these agreements is so rich that I’m going to take them one at a time. Today, we will consider how the first agreement — “Be Impeccable with Your Word” — can be integrated into your practice.

As holistic practitioners, many of us already understand the power of words and how they can be of service to our patients. Where I see my coaching clients waver, is with unpracticed self-talk. When we take this first agreement to heart and treat ourselves well, there is a deepening in our capacity to extend that to others.

How can we be impeccable with our words towards ourselves?

Our thoughts are inspired by the questions we ask ourselves. And our mind will answer any question, even if it has to make up an answer. The best way to change our thinking is to ask ourselves different questions.

For example, asking “Why is it so hard to grow my practice?” will bring only negative answers. “I’m not good at business”, “I hate the idea of marketing myself”, or “I’m charging too much for my services,” etc.

Let’s shift the question to “How can I add more value to my patients and potential patients, growing my practice with joy?” This positively framed query will produce more helpful thoughts. Go ahead and take 3 minutes to jot down some ideas!

Next time I will share thoughts on the 2nd agreement and the toughest practice for me: Don’t take anything personally.

Until then,

Have a beautiful day!

Love,

Ideas for supplemental Income during business startup & beyond

Whether you are just starting your practice or have an established holistic business, it's beneficial to create some supplemental income streams.

I LOVE being a holistic practitioner! In 1996 I opened my first healing practice — a Reiki center in the basement of my parents house. Since then I have started 8 practices including 2 wellness centers. I know this is a lot, but in my earlier years I loved the nomadic lifestyle and I was a seeker, always looking for my perfect community and beautiful spot in the world. I would open a practice, live in a place for 6 months to a year and then decide it was time to move on.

I started these businesses, in the Philly area ( a few times), Charlottesville, Maryland ( a couple times), California, and even Taos, NM alongside an Earthship building internship. So, as you can imagine, with all this practice of opening practices, I got really experienced at business startup. I made tons of mistakes and pretty much learned the hard way. I call it my real world crash course MBA. =)

It was only when my wife was pregnant with our daughter Luna in 2009, that I decided to ‘settle down’. Thats when I opened my current practice, now known as Village Wellness. 

Here I am 10 years later, learning about growing even deeper roots and developing the skills it takes to maintain a thriving wellness center and balanced practice.

Now, I want to make a few things clear — I did not start these businesses having a large savings account, trust fund, nor did I take out a loan. 

I started them and let them grow organically. I always had another job on the side to support my basics needs. My go-to job was a barista at coffee shops, because I formed relationships with my customers, many of whom eventually became my patients. I also taught yoga, baby/house/dog sat, helped build Earthships, created websites for folks, and even sold yo-yos on Venice Beach (a story for another time). Only when I had built the practice to a point that I was making at least the same amount of income from my ‘regular job', did I jump in to the healing practice full time.

Later on in my business, I realized a problem with being in private practice. I only got paid when I was doing a treatment. That meant if I wanted to take a vacation, I would have to save enough for both the vacation expenses along with my regular life expenses. This made me realize that it was time for another side-gig, but this time I didn’t want to get another job, I was to have ‘passive income’ or a way to make money when I was not in the treatment room.

I still remember the first time I took time off from the treatment room and continued to earn money... I felt completely liberated!!

So, all this to say, I highly recommend creating a source of supplemental income so you can free yourself up from only earning income while you are seeing patients. There’s no reason why you can’t start right away!

The how-to:

These days we live in a new world of almost endless income generating potential. These are the days of picking up a shift on Lyft, renting a room on airbnb, teaching an online course. We can even learn pretty much ANYTHING we want for free online. We can even work for another practice while ours is building, which is a sign of not only how popular holistic medicine has become, but how much it’s needed.

The key is focusing on your passions (besides your practice of course).

If you are interested in earning supplemental income while building or maintaining your practice, grab your journal and set aside 60 minutes to answer the following questions:

• What are the top 3 areas or topics I am most passionate about?

• What are my favorite hobbies?

• What are 3 ways I love spending my time?

• What are my top 3 strengths?

• What are my top 3 skills?

• What are 3 skills I am looking forward to developing?

Once you have narrowed down your passions:

• What kind of job or field fulfills my passions, strengths, and skills that I already have?

• Looking at my top passions is there a way for me to monetize these interests?

Once you have narrowed down your job or field:

• Do I want to do this work locally, virtually, or both?

• How much time do I have to dedicate to this work?

• Can I do this job while also putting in the required hours to build or maintain my practice?

• Is it lucrative enough? If not, how can I make it more lucrative?

Bonus question:

• How can I use this side gig to help build my practice? Example: work in a coffee shop or teach a class to build potential patient relationships.

Are you still stuck?

Here is a list of example of side gigs:

• Rideshare/Delivery

  • Lyft

  • Amazon Flex

• Rent a room/house

  • airbnb

  • rent your office space out

• Helper/care taker

  • house cleaner

  • personal assistant

  • virtual assistant

  • babysitter

  • mothers helper

  • pet sitter

  • house sitter

  • personal chef

  • handyperson

  • Travel Planning

  • Photographer

• Creative gigs

  • fiverr

  • web designer

  • graphic designer (newsletters, brochures, logos, business cards)

  • social media maintenance

  • sell creative work on Etsy.com

  • write a book

• Tutoring and coaching

  • Education (SAT prep, language, math, etc.)

  • Teacher - Yoga, personal training, martial arts, art, dance, music, etc.

  • Online courses

• Financial

  • Accounting

  • Bookkeeper

Conclusion

Creating a source of supplemental income, when you are starting out can help you begin your practice in an organic way without debt. It can also be an opportunity that supports you in the building of your practice at the same time. For those who have an established practice, a side-business that frees you up from the “making money only while I’m seeing patients” model can give you much more flexibility in your life.

If you would like some further support, I am happy to go through this process with you to help identify your specific needs and then hold your hand as you create a solid system.

To a happy and abundant life,

Lance

Schedule a Tea Time

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Why me? 

I am a seasoned Acupuncturist and Energy Healer who has launched 9 successful practices since I started on the healing path in 1996 and it turns out, I know a thing or two about it! 

Over the years I have seen so many gifted practitioners struggle with things outside of their scope of practice – namely business development and marketing.

It’s hard to balance the world of finance with the paradigm of healing if you don’t also love business. I happen to love business just as much as I love Acupuncture, Healing, and Yoga (to name a few). 

Since 2015 I have stepped more formally into the role of business coach & mentor and I absolutely love it. 

My mission as an acupuncturist has been to bring people to life more fully. Now with Evolving Your Practice I can take that to another level by working with people who are ready to take the next step in their practice.

My hope is that you dive into this workbook and take the time to answer every question. If you do, I have no doubt that you will have the clarity to create a thriving business!

I am here for you every step of the way! Please feel free to reach out at www.EvolvingYourPractice.com

Lots of love,

Lance

How to help potential patients find you - a quick guide to marketing fundamentals

Learn how implementing a few foundational marketing strategies ensures your visibility to potential patients.

Whether you are just starting your practice or have an established holistic business there are some foundational marketing building blocks that should be in place.

Update Your Contact Info in Key Places

Often overlooked, this simple step is a must in our digital and social media environment. These links, references, profiles, and pages draw attention to your brand and can bring in new patients. Make sure your name, email, phone number, and all URLs are updated in the following areas:

1. Email signature

2. Your website, contact page, and links to social media handles

3. Social Media Pages: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn

4. Online local business listings: If you are looking for a new dentist, and you don't have any personal referrals, what do you do? - I typically search google and seek out reviews. How about you?

   • 

Setting up a GOOGLE Local Account Visit https://www.google.com/business/   This will also add a your business to Waze - the popular GPS app. 



   • Setting up a BING Local Account
     Visit https://www.bingplaces.com and follow instructions.

   • 

Setting up an APPLE MAPS Local Account Visit https://mapsconnect.apple.com and follow instructions.

   • Setting up a YELP Local Account
     Visit https://biz.yelp.com and follow instructions.

Word of Mouth is Still King

Word of mouth. You hear this advice from everyone right? And its true, there is no better marketing than word of mouth. Word of mouth works because people have benefited from your services so much, that they are compelled to tell others about it. 

My question is how do we encourage word of mouth marketing? Here are some ideas I implement in my practice:

1. Acknowledge and Reward those who Refer
   I expresses my gratitude to everyone who refers to me. I have done this through thank you emails, thank you notes, thank you gifts (flowers, gift certificates, etc). Note: I don’t tell people upfront that I offer these gifts because I want referrals to be as authentic as possible.

2. Ask for Google or Yelp Reviews
   When a patient has a great experience with you, ask if they would mind sharing it with the public in the form of a review. In my opinion, reviews are the online version of word of mouth. You can make a regular practice of asking your patients to leave a review google or yelp. Note: yelps tends to hides reviews (even legit ones).

Community Marketing: Get involved in your local area

Supporting your local community can build awareness while helping your neighbors and other local businesses. Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Walk The town and introduce yourself to the owners and employees of local businesses. Ask them if they would like to leave their card in your waiting room. Have your own cards handy too incase they ask.

• Run a fundraiser for your community. Think about who your ideal client is and make a fundraising event just for a cause that may interest them. Fo example you could organize a special day where a percantage of income goes towards a great local cause.

• Talk your walk by engaging in public talks.
  Prepare a 20 minute talk or demonstration and share it for free in the community. Hold the talk where your ideal patients hang out. It could be at a local library, Natural Food Stores, Community Education Programs, local networking groups, local businesses (integrative docs, chiropractors, yoga centers, wellness centers, gyms, etc.). 

• Participate in health fairs: Health or local fairs are a wonderful way to promote your practice. If done well they can be an exceptional place to build your practice

• Other holistic business relationships: Think about where your ideal patients hang out and form relationships with these businesses. For example local Doctors, Chiropractors, Yoga Studios, Gyms, coffee shops, cafes, natural food stores, etc.
  
  
  

Want more support? Want me do just do it for you?

Found this quick guide helpful? Please share on the socials or with someone who may find it helpful <3

How to stand out to potential patients - a quick guide to developing your niche

Learn how narrowing the focus of your business articulates your value and makes you discoverable to your ideal patients.

Hi everyone!

Getting clear on your passions and innate abilities can set you apart and help draw your ideal patients to you.

Heres an example: One of my coaching clients, an awesome physician, currently provides her patients with full, hour-long sessions that include in-depth diagnostics and deep listening, a rarity in her field.

She realized her niche after hearing her patients express how grateful they are to get such in-depth attention and deep listening.

This aha moment led to making her extended sessions, and deep attentiveness, a core functionality of her practice and mission. Patients that are frustrated because they don’t feel heard by their doctors seek her out because of her unique offering to the community.

So how do you set yourself apart? Grab a notebook and answer these 3 questions***:

1. What are your innate talents and top skills that you have developed?

2. What problems can you help solve?

3. What is unique about your offerings compared to your colleagues?

Look through the answers to the questions above. Draw out the common themes to help you simply and effectively articulate your niche.

I want to hear about it! so please shoot me a line and let me know what you came up with!

Love,
Lance

Want more support? Want to brainstorm and clarify your niche with me?

Found this quick guide helpful? Please share on the socials or with someone who may find it helpful <3

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*** In case its helpful, here are my answers to the questions:

1. What are your innate talents or top skills that you have developed?
   I have been a holistic practitioner for over 20 years and an entrepreneur for as long as I remember. Over the years I have opened numerous wellness practices. Lots of business education along with trial and error has led to my development of business skills. I also happen to love all the aspects of developing and running a business. And love sharing this with others.

2. What problems can you help solve?
   So many of my colleagues are holistic practitioners who are absolutely passionate about the wok they do in helping others feel their best. Many of them have very little business experience and training, nor do they have much interest in business. They just want to do the work they love. Unfortunately most practitioners to also be a business person. With a deep understanding of the business of holistic medicine, I can help my peers with education and proven systems that they can easily implement into their practices.

3. What is unique about your offerings compared to your colleagues? My years of experience being an acupuncturist, healer and business person, gives me unique insight into understanding the business needs of holistic providers.

My niche is my mission:

My mission is to help holistic practitioners create sustainable financial freedom through business mentoring and marketing savvy that’s in line with their values.