Can you relate?
I vividly remember the day that I realized that what I was doing as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner just wasn’t working.
I had done what I was "supposed" to do: worked with some 1:1 clients, set up group classes and networked with other practitioners to try to get some momentum.
And yet, I was struggling.
Struggling to get my name out there.
Struggling to get new clients consistently.
Struggling to make enough money for my friends and family (and myself?) to consider my business more than just a hobby.
Struggling to see how I could truly make an impact and change the health and lives of others without being a slave to social media.
The clients I did have were were plenty motivated in the beginning, but usually didn’t stick around very long after that initial surge of excitement wore off because I hadn't figured out how to keep them "in the game" at that point. (Luckily, that was an easy one to fix. I'll explain more in a minute...)
But recurring revenue at that point? Consistent income? What was that?
I was burned out…
I knew something needed to change.
After all, my own health problems and adrenal burnout were what set me on the path to get my Nutritional Therapy certification in the first place. The information I learned and used to heal myself was so powerful, I couldn’t imagine NOT sharing it with everybody.
But my practice wasn’t profitable -- not in the way I imagined it could be.
Where the heck were all the clients? And how could I run a profitable business while also taking care of my own health and being present for my family?
There had to be another way.
[SPOILER ALERT!!!]
There is another way.
Did any of that resonate with you?
Then you’re in the right place. I’m glad you found me, because there’s something really important that I want you to know. Something I wish I knew back when I was starting my nutrition business.
I want you to know that it actually is possible to help people make deep and lasting changes in their lives, do what you love, protect your own health, AND run a profitable practice without working crazy hours.
Notice I didn't say a successful practice. That's not the angle we're exploring here, today.
We're talking profitable. Money. Cash in the bank.
And that can be a really uncomfortable conversation, can't it?
You might be already feeling a little squirmy about where I'm going to take this.
That's cool. Stay with me, anyway.
If you're even a little bit uncomfortable with the dream of building a thriving, profitable practice around your skills for helping others change their lives, you’re in good company. I’ve been there. Ooooh, have I been there.
Story time...
You see, more years ago than I care to admit, I was a 22 year old newbie real estate agent trying to find my way in business.
“Okay, Andrea, but what does 22 year old newbie real estate agent you have to do with me and my wellness practice??”
Lots, actually. Stay with me...
I started out in real estate in the traditional way, finding buyers, finding sellers, always looking for more prospects, always having that fear of the pipeline drying up. And working with first-time homebuyers in a foreclosure market wasn’t pretty.
I quickly realized just how difficult and inefficient it is to do business this way: Taking any kind of business that came my way.
Always on the hunt for new clients, always wondering where that next lead is going to come from. After all, clients don’t just appear out of thin air. You have to go out and *find* them.
After some trial and error and LOTS of time spent working with clients who drained my time and energy to the max, I started my own real estate brokerage, and I made a big shift:
I started only working with the types of clients who I could help on a recurring basis - cash investors who were always looking for new investment properties.
Instead of spending tons of time marketing and looking for new first-time homebuyer clients, I was doing the actual work that I enjoyed and was really good at -- finding good deals and getting results for my happy, repeat clients, and making a reliable income month after month at the same time.
Okay, now flash forward to my work as a certified NTP. I quickly realized that I could apply the same “membership model” that I used in the real estate industry to the work I was doing with clients in my nutritional therapy practice.
I decided to get super specific on the exact kind of clients I wanted to work with, that I knew I could serve on a deep level, and pour into them month after month instead of sporadic, one-time appointments.
And it worked.
My members were making HUGE progress and the energy in my business had shifted from desperate and doubtful to confident and consistently profitable.
I also quickly saw just how many other holistic nutritionists and practitioners like me who knew SO MUCH and could help so many people were getting stuck before they ever really even got their practice off the ground.
For some people, it was imposter syndrome and fear of not knowing enough. For others, it was the overwhelm of finding clients and being visible to their peers. And for those that did find clients, it was the overwhelm of trying to fit in more 1:1 clients into their already packed schedules.
We’ve all felt that way at some point. But I’m willing to bet that you didn’t get into this field just to quit and end up overwhelmed and feeling like a fake, right?
I didn't think so. ;)
Here's the good news -- you can overcome the trap of imposter syndrome and business overwhelm.
You can move forward with building a practice that serves you as much as it serves your clients (while also turning a profit and making an income you're proud of).
But you have to be willing to take the next step.
Even when you’re not 100% sure.
Even when you're having a serious case of FEAR and self-doubt.
Even when you don’t have all the answers and it's easier to just do nothing and "think about it".
Because doing nothing is still a decision. And doing nothing is failing by default.
You’re NOT here because you want to sign up for a one-way trip to failure-land, right? Whether you’re just beginning or you’re knee-deep in burnout, you’re here because you’re ready to make progress with your practice, and you don’t have to do it alone.
So, come on, let’s get you moving forward! If you're still reading at this point, I can tell you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
(And I love that about you!)
