Business Planning: 3 Tips to Transform Your Private Practice

A common theme in business planning: We underestimate what we can do in one year, and we overestimate what we can get done in one day. 

Effective calendar planning is the backbone of business operations. How you spend your time is critical as a business owner. 

Your business plan can be a roadmap that aligns your business goals, your vision, and your projects with what you can realistically get done each day, week, month, or quarter.

In this blog, we’ll talk about 3 tips to get more done each year, run your business on your terms, and live the life you want. 

Planning is Important for Every Stage of Business

Every stage of business is a journey! As a business owner, you’ll go through many ups and downs while moving through the stages of business. Every stage includes new information to be learned, and the chance to reflect on all the emotional highs and lows. 

In the SET UP stage of business, you’re ready to put a date on your calendar. Open your business within 30 days and set up a strong foundation to begin to accept clients. Your business plan will guide you through this important work!

The START stage is when you’ll start seeing clients with confidence and keep them coming back. Your plan will focus on marketing and improving your counseling skills.

The GROW stage focuses on your clients returning, growing your audience, and refining your marketing plan to focus on your ideal client.

The LEAD stage of business is about transforming your business into a scalable business model, leading your team, and delegating responsibilities.

The COAST stage is for when you’re heading toward burnout, when you’ve had life transitions, or want to celebrate coasting! But as a business owner, you are conditioned to work hard and might need a plan to focus on rest.

Tip 1: Take Yourself Out for a CEO Day

There are so many areas in life and business that you can “plan” and you need space to think about what you want. 

Take yourself out for CEO time to assess your business as a whole. I compare this assessment to when a client comes to YOU as a dietitian for an initial nutrition assessment. What are your overall goals? Can you step away from the business work and think about the business as a whole? Instead of doing business tasks, can you dream about the vision? 

Without CEO time, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Many times dietitians can become reactive instead of proactive. CEO time allows you to reflect, plan, and dream.

There are many ways to assess your business during CEO time: 

• Vision Planning: Revisit your mission, values, and long-term goals.
• Evaluate Systems: Assess processes like client onboarding, billing, and scheduling.
• Review Financials: Analyze profit and loss statements, set revenue goals, and look at your business budget.
• Team: Identify areas for hiring, training, and plan for team growth.
• Marketing Strategy: Brainstorm content ideas, evaluate marketing metrics, and create a plan.
• Client Experience: Reflect on client feedback, evaluate session outcomes, and identify ways to improve the client journey.
• Education and Growth: Explore professional development opportunities and/or plan CEU credits.
• Boundaries: Assess your schedule, commitments, values, and evolve your boundaries if needed.
• Your CEO Role: Reflect on what you can do, delegate, delete, or delay. Are you working in your zone of genius?

By taking yourself out for a CEO day, you can thoughtfully organize your priorities and create a roadmap that aligns with both your personal and professional aspirations. 

Tip 2: Find Your “Type” of Planning

Not every business owner wants to map out all their goals for the entire year. It can be too overwhelming for some dietitians, or too unrealistic. Rather, ask yourself:

• Do you want to look at your life and business in quarters (every 3 months)? 
• Do you want to create a monthly plan?
• What about your typical “ideal” week? 

There is never a one-size-fits-all. What works for your personality?

Tip 3: Challenge Yourself to Experiment, Even When It’s Uncomfortable 

Don’t be afraid to experiment with something “new” and recognize that growth isn’t comfortable. 

Experimenting in business is much like the process a client goes through when making changes to their health–sometimes it’s not comfortable but we encourage them to experiment anyway. Just as a client might try different nutrition strategies—adjusting their meal plan, adding gentle movement, or exploring new behaviors to decrease stress—you, as a business owner, can experiment with new approaches to see what works best for your goals. Some experiments will work, and others will suck–just like our clients. The key is to approach these changes with curiosity, patience, and a willingness to learn, knowing that each step brings you closer to building a business that feels aligned and sustainable.

Business Planning: The Takeaway 

Business planning is a transformative tool for your private practice, providing a structured yet flexible roadmap to achieve your goals. 

Remember, we often overestimate what we can get done in a day, but underestimate what we can get done in a year. 

By taking time for CEO days, finding your unique planning style, and challenging yourself to experiment, you can work through the ups and downs of private practice and reach your goals.

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Want to work with me to build your private practice?

Business School is a comprehensive 6-month program designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you’re fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you’ll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You’ll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you’re supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner. Learn more and apply here!