Setting up a new business is an exciting and often overwhelming time. There are lots of decisions to be made and in amongst all the enthusiasm, activity and choices; it can be easy to make a few mistakes.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
In the years I have been working with natural therapists there have been three mistakes that have come up time and time again but they’re easily avoidable if you know what to look out for.
1. Limited knowledge of running a business
Running a business won’t necessarily come naturally, it is a skill that most people have to learn. Lots of start ups fail because people start a business because they love what they do but forget about learning all the ins and outs of insurance, bookkeeping, client forms and so on. You can save yourself a lot of time, money and heartache if you invest in learning how to run a business from the beginning. Find a mentor. Go to workshops. Learn business techniques and start to find out what you don't know.
2. Resisting technology
I hear many natural therapists say ‘but technology's not us, we are people orientated’ and that’s fine if you want to limit your practice to your local community but if you really want to grow your business you need to start looking at how technology can help you.
Can you conduct a healing session via skype or the telephone? Of course you can. Yet, even if your modality is hands-on, you can introduce technology such as SMS appointment reminders and automated follow-up emails to makes things easier for your clients (and you!).
Your clients live in a technological world. Rather than fearing and resisting technology start thinking about how you can embrace it and use it to enhance your business.
3. Mindset
Natural therapists need to get out of the hobbyist mindset. You run a business. This is your job and you should expect to earn an income from it.
A desire to help people doesn’t mean you can’t also make money doing what you love. Start thinking of yourself as a professional business person, believe in yourself as an excellent provider of a service and start trusting yourself.
Refer to our recent article A Successful Natural Therapy Business for more detailed mindset tips.
All of these potential issues are easily avoided if you are conscious of them from the start. Dealing with them from the beginning of your business will make for a much smoother, more enjoyable experience in the long run.
Originally published on Jan 30, 2013