Episode #629: What Do New Practice Owners Struggle With

Struggling with unexpected challenges as a new practice owner? Feeling overwhelmed by tasks you didn’t anticipate? I dive into some insights on how to manage those unexpected hurdles and find your footing with confidence in today’s Ask Allison. This episode is also available to stream on our YouTube channel! 

Sponsored by TherapyNotes®: Use promo code Abundant for 2 months free

To check out our free resources, including weekly worksheets & our Tasky Checklist, visit https://www.abundancepracticebuilding.com/links. Learn how to fill your practice with the Abundance Party! Join today & get 75% off your first month with promo code PODCAST: https://www.abundancepracticebuilding.com/abundanceparty

Episode Transcript

(00:07):
(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) Welcome to Ask Allison.
Y'all ask the questions about having a
fun and thriving practice and I answer them.
We have a worksheet for you today so
you can bring this answer into your life.
You can access that at abundancepracticebuilding.com slash
links, where you'll also be able to ask
any questions you have for Ask Allison.
If you want more support, we've got some
free trainings in there too.

(00:28):
If you can't get enough Ask Allison, check
out our YouTube channel for our entire Ask
Allison library.
Welcome back to Ask Allison.
Here's today's question.
What do you see new practice owners struggle
with that they don't expect to struggle with?
I love this question.
I feel like this person is a planner.
Before I get into it, I would like
to thank There Have Been Notes for sponsoring

(00:50):
Ask Allison.
I've talked about them for years.
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probably do too if you've been listening, but
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It is not just about troubleshooting.
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(01:10):
insurance checks, and a smooth super build process.
Everybody at There Have Been Notes believes in
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With over 100,000 therapists already on board,

(01:31):
they've proven that you don't need to compromise
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All right.
One of the biggest pitfalls in new practice
ownership is having unrealistic expectations about how quickly
your practice will grow.

(01:51):
So I want to set the record straight.
Building a full private practice takes time, even
if you're doing all the right things.
The seeds that you plant today, like networking
or optimizing your SEO, they might not sprout
for months.
So think about it like a home renovation.
Always build in a contingency budget.
This could mean having more savings than you

(02:12):
think you'll need or taking on part-time
job while you grow your practice.
That does not mean you're failing.
It means that you are smart and you
are strategic.
The key is to stay patient and consistent
with your marketing.
Growth takes time.
You might want to quit your marketing if
you think you're supposed to have an automatic
response to it.
But in order to get where you need
to go, you need to be consistent without

(02:33):
the response that you want over a period
of time.
Another thing that happens is if you are
starting out with a full or nearly full
practice from a previous job, you might feel
like you've hit the jackpot.
So maybe you have left a group practice
and you've brought a good number of your
clients with you.
And while that's an amazing start, it can
come with a lot of challenges.

(02:54):
For example, you might not have time to
set up the systems that are efficient and
that are optimized and have a solid marketing
plan in the way that people who start
without a bunch of clients have the opportunity
to create.
You may realize later that the clients you
started with are not your ideal niche and
you might end up getting more of those

(03:14):
clients because you're now building a reputation in
a different niche.
Graduating clients can create a really steep drop
-off in your caseload.
If you don't have a marketing plan that
you've been working, filling those spots becomes really
stressful.
So if you're starting full, I want you
to carve out time, just one to two
hours a week, to work on your business

(03:35):
instead of in your business as a clinician.
Use that time to learn about marketing, to
refine your paperwork, or to clarify what you
really want your practice to look like.
Every private practice has natural dips.
Summer, December, you name it.
These are normal, especially in the first few
years.
It's easy to let a dip trigger fear
and panic, which can lead to over-correcting

(03:57):
or even creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
So instead of spiraling when you have a
dip, I want you to save a little
extra during the busier months to cover the
slower months.
I want you to remind yourself that dips
are temporary.
They do not reflect the quality of your
work.
I want you to adjust your mindset.
Dips don't mean you're failing.
They're just a part of the rhythm of
running a business.

(04:18):
Start with the end in mind.
You can have what you want.
If you don't want to work till 8
p.m., then don't work till 8 p
.m. If you don't want to take insurance,
don't take insurance.
If you start with the end in mind
and you build the practice you really want
to be in, then you'll avoid a lot
of transition and struggle later.
You'll get full, I promise, if you are
following marketing best practices and you are being

(04:41):
consistent.
It might not be on your timeline.
Let's be real.
It's never on our timeline.
We always want to be full last week,
but it will happen if you keep going.
Building a practice is not just about strategies.
It's about mindset.
So whether you're dealing with slow growth, a
full start, or seasonal dips, staying calm and
staying focused is going to help you navigate

(05:02):
whatever challenges you face, and you will face
challenges in business ownership.
If any of this resonates with you and
you want to dig deeper, I have a
free worksheet for you in this guide.
It's called Six Tools to Shift Scarcity Mindset,
because it happens to all of us.
DM me the word sheets to get this
week's worksheet, and you'll also have access to
all the other free worksheets.

(05:23):
If you need help building your practice, if
you are in these early stages or you're
plateaued and you don't know how to get
more clients in the door, I want you
to DM me the word party.
I'm going to send you a link and
a coupon to the Abundance Party, which has
gotten thousands of therapists full at this point.
It is not hard.
You just need to learn how to do
it.

(05:44):
All right.
I hope you have a really great day
and I'll talk with you later.
If you're ready for a much easier practice,
Therapy Notes is the way to go.
Go to therapynotes.com and use the promo
code ABUNDANT for two months free.
I hope that helped.
If you have questions for Ask Allison, or
you want to get your hands on the

(06:04):
worksheet for this episode, go to abundancepracticebuilding.com
slash links.
If you're listening, you probably need some support
building your practice.
If you're a super newbie, grab our free
checklist using the link in the show notes.
I'd love for you to follow, rate, and
review, but I really want you to share
this episode with a therapist friend.

(06:25):
Let's help all our colleagues build what they
want.