The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Starting a practice during Covid lockdowns wasn’t exactly ideal but it gave me some down time to set things up at my own pace and learn about running a business. I’m still here, and currently thriving in clinic, so I feel that start-up period was a big challenge I have overcome. We don’t have much on-the-ground extended family support, so it’s down to me and my wonderful husband to guide our two beautiful boys. I feel that my business focus is growing at the right speed alongside family needs and getting that balance right has and continues to be very important.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
It’s fantastic having your own business in that you can do exactly what you want, when you want. My goal is to help other women through difficult health phases of their lives, so tailoring my offerings to them how I want is amazing. However, it does mean the buck stops with you, and tailoring can take up a lot of time when focusing on individual outcomes. But I love seeing the transformation of the women I’ve helped, so it’s really worth it.
Being an independent practitioner means the initial costs can be high when setting up branding, websites, social media, and marketing. As a business owner you need to understand which activities you can manage yourself, and which are better off being managed by specialist third parties. It’s important to know how much your time is worth. I’m not one to shy away from hard work but finding that balance of wanting to be there fully for your patients and your family is also something you need to constantly re-evaluate.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Acupuncture is an amazing healthcare practice that aims to bring balance back to the body, helping to rid you of various health symptoms. What I want to see happening via my practice is that people view acupuncture as a proactive treatment to stay healthy rather than the proverbial ‘ambulance at the bottom of the cliff’ to be used when conventional medical assistance hasn’t provided the desired results. Hundreds of years ago in China, you would only pay the doctor when you were well, and they would provide services in acupuncture, herbs, diet and lifestyle advice. If you got sick, you wouldn’t pay until you were better as they hadn’t done their job, which was to keep you healthy. The lesson here is prevention is better than cure, and thus wellness education is key.
Looking ahead in the short term, my plan is to join a mentorship programme to obtain a step-up in knowledge in women’s health. Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine is a life-long learning journey. There are some really fantastic and inspirational practitioners out there, and I am always looking to expand my knowledge. At the end of the day, I hope all my actions and decisions as a practitioner ultimately help craft better health outcomes for women.
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