I have worked successfully with counsellors, psychotherapists, ministers, intuitives, healers, spiritual counselors, bodyworkers, energy workers, psychics, astrologers, occupational, art, and massage therapists. I welcome working with practitioners in all the service professions.
People entering these professions want to help others and are often surprised to find that they are small business owners. Even though you may not be interested in the business aspects of your practice other than wanting the income, we can usually find a way to make the “business” less intimidating and even fun and engaging. Imagine!
First, we will discuss WHAT BUSINESS YOU believe that you are ARE IN. For example, X has a massage therapy practice and in her spare time trains dogs. She loves being a massage therapist and has had her practice for about five years. When we looked at her time spent and all the costs of doing business, she actually makes more money with the dogs per hour spent. Is this what she wants? Where does income fit into her goals? What needs to change if anything? Could she take her massage skills and work with animals? What would that look like?
Most of us are in many “businesses” which pull us in different and often competing directions.
We are also often not really clear about what we are trying to do, both in our professional and personal lives. This leads to a lot of time spent on things that are either not taking us to where we want to go or do not feed us, financially and/or emotionally. Looking at the big picture of our lives and work is very difficult to do alone, so most of us don’t do it.
As with X above, using your time spent over a two to four week period, we will then look at what business you are actually in. Is your time spent reflective of your goals and values or does the squeaky wheel get your attention? How does “the rest of your life” mesh with your work? Will what you are doing now take you where you want to go? Where does your partner and family fit in? Where does money fit into your big picture?
We will talk about your financial goals for your practice and look at a very brief budget of income and expenses for the past year.
How does this fit within the household demands? Does the time spent reflect your financial goals and needs? We will talk about the makeup of your client load. Are you getting the kind of clients that you want and which are necessary to create financial success? Most people get into a trade off between time and money. Often, creating a financially successful practice can lead to no time to enjoy all the things that you want to do with the financial success. “Success” needs to be measured in terms of the whole person and what success means to you.
From these sorts of discussions, you can redefine “what business you are in”. Other decisions fall naturally and easily from this mission statement. When they don’t, then it is a chance to tweak and refine who you are and what you are doing. What business are you in?