I think some of our biggest “mistakes” can actually be our best lessons, so today I am sharing lessons learned from my personal Top 5 Mistakes I’ve made in Business (so you don’t have to make them too!)
Just like our clients will “mess up”, entrepreneurs and business owners will also “mess up” and do things wrong. A counselor would never tell a client “Oh you should just give up”. NO WAY! Rather we tell our clients that the counseling journey is filled with ups and downs (no matter what area you specialize in).
Part of the journey to healing is recognizing what you did wrong and how to do it differently next time, so I wanted to share my own personal lessons learned from the Top 5 Mistakes that I’ve Made in my Private Practice so you don’t have to make them too!
- I started off with a name “Bite Into Basics” without testing it out. I even made business cards and a website! Once I started to tell people, I got feedback that I sounded like a dentist and knew I had to change my name.
- I didn’t have a cancellation policy for about 1 full year. I always had clients rescheduling last minute and taking advantage of my time. This almost never happens anymore now that I have a 48 hour cancellation policy and hold a credit card on file.
- I gave up on following up with doctors, therapists, and other client team members if I didn’t hear back from them after 1 attempt. This bothers me so much now because I let my own annoyance get in the way of collaborative care. Now I will visit them IN PERSON if they don’t get back to me because it’s so important for collaboration (and also shows how much you care about your client).
- I dropped off business cards at many offices without actually saying “Hi.” I bet 99% of the time those cards ended up in the trash. The connection with others is the most important part of networking.
- My most recent mistake is thinking I can do it “all” in my private practice. My nutrition counseling practice has grown, my online business has expanded, AND I’ve had 3 kids. I am busy!! If I tried to “do it all”, I wouldn’t be living a life. I now have lots of help around me supporting me in business and with my kids! This helps me find the work/life balance that works for me.