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Talking Turkey with Wildly Successful Practitioners

August 7, 2019 | 11 Comments | SAFM Team

Welcome!

In this session, I dive into busting some myths and straight-talking some truths about business success. I share a model I’ve personally enjoyed the past decade supporting a thousand clients of my own. Best of all, I have four SAFM students with me sharing their own stories of successful , fulfilling practices. This is an info-rich session with lots of pearls and inspiration!

SAFM has helped many practitioners to transform their practices, their finances, and their futures. You will definitely enjoy hearing what they have to say in their own words. Unplugged and relaxed. Talking turkey to inspire You!

Myths and naysayers abound in this burgeoning field, especially on social media, and they are holding back many practitioners from believing in the future they most want. I am tired of hearing people protest, “You can’t make a good living doing this work.” That is simply not true. So I’m taking a stand! It’s time to reverse that momentum and set expectations for Success.

No catch. Just valuable learning you’ll be able to use right away.

Once you check it out, Please add a comment below to share what most resonated with you in this session; as always, I am very interested in what you think.

If you are not yet a student of SAFM and have questions, I encourage you to explore our functional medicine training program. Or click here to arrange to speak with an SAFM graduate about your specific professional development situation. SAFM is definitely not for everyone. But it may indeed be the next step that Changes Everything!

With warmth, love, and gratitude to you for sharing your gifts with so many,

You can view and download presentations slides here.

P.S. If you are passionate about transforming healthcare through the power of functional medicine, we encourage you to learn more about SAFM’s practitioner training programs. Enrollment for our next cohort is now open!

To receive weekly clinical tips for practitioners – like this one – right to your inbox, register here.

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6

Carla Copas says:

September 11, 2019 at 3:02 pm

Hi, I’m a new student – starting next week – yay! I would like more information about seeing patients in a “group” setting.

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- 6.1
  
  SAFM Team says:
  
  September 19, 2019 at 6:19 am
  
  Welcome to SAFM, Carla! Being a technical school we don’t overtly teach about specific business models. However, since you are a student you’re welcome to bring this topic up during your peer Huddle meeting and ask your leader and your colleagues in the Huddle to share their experience and resources on how to best run and benefit from the group-based type of practice. Also, one of our favorite resources is the Evolution of Medicine book and podcast and there’s actually a 7-part series on ‘Group visits’ that might be of interest to you:
  https://functionalforum.com/category/podcast/
  
  Reply
5

Amy says:

August 18, 2019 at 2:13 pm

I am a certified herbalist and nutritionist and was trained to take a comprehensive, whole person “functional medicine” approach, but was trained that it is illegal in the US for non-licensed health practitioners to run and interpret tests.

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- 5.1
  
  SAFM Team says:
  
  August 22, 2019 at 3:37 pm
  
  Thanks for joining us! Indeed, the SAFM student body typically includes 15+ different healthcare modalities across all 50 U.S. states and a couple dozen countries who have all sorts of prior training/degrees and who work in a rich variety of business situations (e.g. MD working as entrepreneurial sole proprietor, health coach working with physician, nutritionist as part of conventional medical clinic). You can imagine the innumerable scenarios for scope of practice, the legal and regulatory landscape of which is constantly shifting. Hence we count on individual students to manage this appropriately for themselves. SAFM does not advise on or convey a scope of practice.
  
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4

Rachel Rotabi says:

August 11, 2019 at 10:08 am

Hi Tracy – thanks for this. Two points that really resonated for me and follow on questions.
#1 wildly satisfy your clients as they are a powerful source of referrals. If they have had good results, is there a good way to ask for referrals, or is it better to let this happen naturally? Is it ok to ask before your work with them is complete?

#2 if you charge more, clients are more likely to take this work more seriously and get better results. How do you know when it’s time to raise your rates?

Finally, do you advise doing more generic group programs as a way to find more clients when you’re first starting out?

Thank you

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- 4.1
  
  SAFM Team says:
  
  August 12, 2019 at 10:12 am
  
  You are very welcome – thanks for joining us!
  1. I absolutely would ask for referrals, and I wouldn’t wait until the “end” of a program. Ask them for it when they are celebrating a significant improvement. Here is some verbiage I have used successfully dozens of times…
  Hi ABC, May I ask please if you would be open to penning a short testimonial about your experience working with me for your health coaching? Perhaps just 3-4 sentences that summarizes the benefits and what you have enjoyed or benefited from the most? Sometimes the honest words of a client can really help to inspire others to open up to the possibilities – and the benefits of healthy lifestyle change. If you’re open to it, I would be very grateful. No worries at all if it makes you uncomfortable in any way; please decline if so. I just appreciate your considering it. Thank you so much!”
  2. Yes! Higher rates attract greater credibility and more serious customers. I would raise your rates anytime you (1) start to feel resentment/exhaustion about how much time you are spending with a client and/or (2) have filled your appointment docket to at least 2/3 of your optimal level.
  3. For nearly all of my practice, I ran group programs alongside my 1:1 client business. It’s a great way to boost income and, to your point, engage folks in a lower-price, perhaps less intimidating, program that gives them an introduction to your style and your value. I have had MANY group program members become individual clients at the end of the program.
  
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3

Tracey Powers says:

August 10, 2019 at 7:35 pm

Red States and Practicing with SAFM course completion:

I would like to know if I will be able to practice more in depth that with my IIN certification if I complete the SAFM course?

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- 3.1
  
  SAFM Team says:
  
  August 12, 2019 at 10:04 am
  
  Hi Tracey – You absolutely can dramatically increase your ability to confidently and competently educate, inspire, and empower your clients. However, SAFM does not convey a modality certification or license; we certify high-quality demonstration of a body of knowledge via the AFMC certification. What we offer is continuing education advanced training to about fifteen different healthcare modalities across all 50 U.S. states and a couple dozen countries who have all sorts of prior training/degrees and who work in a rich variety of business situations (e.g. MD working as entrepreneurial sole proprietor, health coach working with physician, nutritionist as part of conventional medical clinic). You can imagine the innumerable scenarios for scope of practice, the legal and regulatory landscape of which is constantly shifting. Hence we count on individual students to manage this appropriately for themselves. SAFM does not advise on or convey a scope of practice.
  
  Reply
2

Emily Hsu says:

December 8, 2018 at 5:52 pm

Thanks for the session–inspiring, informative, and encouraging.
I love every webinar you offer. You are an inspiration.

Just signed up for the January 2019 semester. Excited but anxious and nervous.
Now I am working on my Bonus course—Cancer.
Thanks a lot!

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1

Cynthia Saint Cyr says:

August 18, 2018 at 12:21 pm

Hi – thanks for the informative program. I’m starting my first semester with SAFM in September. I’m a nurse practitioner and therefore do not have any control over what is charged for my care. I’m moving into my own functional medicine coaching practice eventually. How do you know what to charge? Is there some guideline for package, session and consultation costs? And… will people balk at this care being cash based rather than insurance based?
Thanks!

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- 1.1
  
  SAFM Team says:
  
  August 21, 2018 at 10:52 am
  
  Welcome to the SAFM family! Indeed, when you registered, one of your initial emails points you to a special bonus class called “Practice Pearls” which includes a number of considerations and recommendations on how you might structure, promote, and run the business aspects of your client/patient work. At SAFM, our focus is on teaching clinical content to enhance your patient outcomes, so we don’t focus on business processes as core content. However, this topic is discussed often among current/veteran students on the community Forum (a great place to ask your questions after Core 101 students are added to it about 5 weeks into your semester). You’ll also have a Peer Group Huddle you may consult – a smaller group of people with similar credentials/background. And for now, again, the Practice Pearls course may give you some helpful direction and start whetting your appetite for the business opportunities to come. Enjoy!
  
  Reply