Redding Chiropractic Turns 1!
Here we are—one year!
So…how’s it going, you ask?
I’m pretty sure the business is going well. It’s hard to say. Depending on what I’m looking at, I either have a year’s worth of data or not very much data at all. But here we are - one year!
Location, location, location.
My office is a rustic farmhouse that primarily functions as a wedding venue and a 30 minute commute away on I-95 from my home but only a mile from where I grew up. Was it a good decision to build in a commute and choose this location? I don’t know but it’s hard to find an office without fluorescent lighting or drop down ceilings these days and my office has neither, so, I’m happy. Clearly, I think it’s lovely and you should come visit on a somewhat regular basis.
The key to more patients is…patience?
Patient visits are increasing month over month, mostly. Some patients are even finding me through Google! This is very exciting because it means the hours I logged learning SEO (search engine optimization), from @Wellstruck were hours well spent. It’s also thrilling because it means my family can slow down on trying to refer everyone they see to me, which, by the way, was the primary reason the business even made it to month 2. (Thank you!)
The never ending to-do list
It’s incredibly difficult to figure out how to spend my time. Decision fatigue, setting boundaries and no knowing how to prioritize the 8,001 items on my to-do list are all happening and from what I’ve gathered just part of the entrepreneur gig. Tasks I think will take two hours end up taking six. Tasks I think will take 15 minutes only take 10 but I was expecting a call so I answered while I was in the middle of everything and it was a spam call and then the real call came in so we’ll say 20 minutes total and now I’m slightly annoyed, too and I’m revisiting the to-do list and have entirely lost my train of thought. The patient that walked in the door this morning came from a referral from someone I met at a networking lunch four months ago. Should I go to more lunches even if it’s an exhausting two hours of my time (and I’m secretly an introvert)? Could those hours be better spent doing something else on my to-do list? And yes, I understand that I need to take time for myself but what if instead of going for a walk I tackle item #724 on the list. Will that be what nudges the business closer to “Success”? See how exhausting to even just read that explanation!
Money, money, money…must be funny
The business currently feels tenuous. I saw my first patient June 11, 2018 and I started paying myself January 2019. Over the first eight months, I made $0.94/hr. In February, I gave myself a raise. In fact, it was the largest percent raise I’ve ever received and may ever receive again. Who knows. In short, the business is profitable! Time for a celebratory cup of coffee, or two!
Yes, I try to practice what I preach (eat well, create good lifestyle habits) but don’t encroach on my coffee addiction and passion.
Getting by with a little help from my friends
I’ve been fortunate to meet inspiring people across a wide variety of business types and models who are willing to share not only their big picture plans but also the nitty-gritty of how they run their business. Frustrations of managing employees, how they time-manage or when to scale. I’m not a business owner/operator by trade if you remember, I’m a Chiropractor, so, on top of doing all that that entails I find myself learning a whole new skill and field called small business. That being said I’d be lost without the support and hard earned information provided by others doing the same thing. And if you’re ever interested in more of my own details, just ask, you will find me an open book, however, I don’t promise to sugar coat it.
... Happily ever after
I’m excited about the freedom to provide quality healthcare within my ethical boundaries, unconstrained by what insurance will reimburse me for or being prodded to increase bottom line through supplement sales by a boss. I’m lucky to have a support network of friends, family, and my partner who bear with me while I figure it all out. Some days it feels like I’ve really built something. Some days I’m nervous it’s all going to fizzle away. It’s been an exciting, overwhelming, hopeful, exhausting, highly caffeinated first year. May it be the first of many and may the future years be more medium-whelming. That would be nice.