You are an integrative health practitioner, an acupuncturist, a yoga instructor, a massage therapist, naturopath, or health coach. You help others, and are an expert in your field, having studied and worked hard to develop your practice. However, a practice involves business know-how. Entrepreneurs, Cynthia Pasciuto of True North Business Consulting and Laura Greer of Mandala Services have formed the Institute of Integrative Business Studies to provide online business education to health and wellness practitioners.
Cynthia and Laura are not newcomers to the health and wellness field. Cynthia has taught at the local acupuncture school along with teaching at the undergraduate level. Laura has helped practitioners start, grow and manage thriving health and wellness practicices, has worked for yoga studios and has been a yoga instructor for over ten years. They both noticed there was a need for business knowledge often being asked for advice on social media, marketing, management and legal assistance. They wanted the health and wellness practitioners to succeed.
The Institute of Integrative Business Studies℠ is launching The Integrative Business Program℠, a series of online seminars aimed at helping integrative health practitioners learn what it takes to start, maintain and grow a successful practice. The objective of the Integrative Business Program℠ is to educate integrative health practitioners in order to improve their chances for success and to increase the accessibility of qualified practitioners available to the consumer. The program teaches participants crucial business and practice management principles in the areas of Patient & Clinical Management, Marketing & Public Relations, Accounting, Insurance and Finance, and Business Law.
The Integrative Business Program℠ consists of a number of courses that run for a length of -6 weeks each. Weekly online sessions are 1 hour in length and each course is taught by an expert in the topic.
Courses start in September. Sign up today for a free introductory webinar on Tuesday, August 30th- Jumpstart Your Business: Top Ten Things You Need to Know! Sign up for the free webinar at http://www.integrativebusinessstudies.com/jumpstart
The Institute of Integrative Business Studies℠, where holistic health and business practices meet, is sponsored by the Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Association of Massachusetts and The National Institute of Whole Health.
Yes, usually an article like this would come at the end of September at the beginning of fall, but I did my traveling in May and June this year so I wanted to share what I learned.
Look before you step:
In Florida I stepped on a stinging bee/wasp. To this day I have no idea what insect family it was in, but I was enjoying the beach and the next thing I know my foot is on fire. An emergency room visit, an IV course of antibiotics along with having the stinger still in my foot for 12 days later is a reminder that you have to asses risk before going into a venture, and to have a plan in case something happens. In project management it is called Risk Management; there should always be a Plan B.
You have to think about marketing all the time:
Tennessee was having unusually hot, humid weather for June. In Nashville with my friends we went to Broadway. If you have never been to Nashville, this is where you can find country music being played. I was tired and decided to go back to the hotel, and a friend said she was ready to go back too. We walked and she pointed out a minor celebrity. She wanted to continue walking, but I wanted to go up to him. I pulled her with me, and we ended up having a fifteen minute conversation where he tried to convince us to join a Facebook campaign. It taught me that every conversation is a marketing opportunity, which is why True North always thinks about the marketing element when providing legal coaching.
Negotiate properly
In Ireland I forgot the key step in negotiations-sometimes a cultural translator is needed. I have been to Europe before, and considered Ireland a European country where they happen to speak English with an accent. No need to speak a foreign language. First, I did not always understand when people were speaking to me, and then I assumed that I could haggle and get a discount. In Ireland, the price set is the price set. Lesson learned. True North provides negotiation services, preparing you to enter your negotiations so that they are win/win.
As an attorney I understand the importance of law, especially when it comes to protecting businesses. Contracts are needed and some thought to the creation of a business entity. But there is another level that often goes ignored and is just as important as the legal aspect of your business. Do not forget about insurance protection.
Insurance protection comes in many forms. First, when you are unable to legally contract away your risk, insurance is what fills in the gap. One the most important types of insurance is malpractice. Malpractice insurance provides coverage when you are working in your profession. Should one of your clients have an adverse reaction, then you do not have to pay out-of-pocket. You would have insurance coverage.
Some other the types of insurance you want to think about is property coverage—insuring what you use in your business in case of a loss. There is also liability coverage, separate from malpractice, which has to do with someone injuring themselves on your premises.
We can group together life, accident and health insurance since these are for yourself and not necessarily your business. Should something happen to you and you are the sole practitioner, then life insurance may be a product that can help your beneficiaries after you are gone. Also think about accident or disability insurance—if something happens to your hands, your legs, then how will you be able to work? How will that time off effect your business? Disability coverage could help. Lastly health insurance is good to look into and be informed about coverage and cost.
True North Business Consulting provides legal coaching and thinks about the impact of insurance on your business decisions.
Creating a marketing campaign can be daunting. Most of your focus is on your advertising and what your website will look like. These are important facets—you want to create a brand. But how do you know how to design your promotions if you are unclear on your target audience?
The first step before looking at price, product, place and promotion is to do some marketing research. You need to collect information to see how and what you should offer, along with knowing how much to charge and where to have your business.
There are some great online tools that can be used. Most social media products, like Facebook have surveying tools. When you can connect personally to people to survey this is primary research.
However, sometimes you are not going to get enough information. For example, you may want to know about the income level in the area where you want to place your business. You may also want to know how many businesses similar to yours are in an area. This is important in regards to saturation of a market. Where are you going to get this information?
First, I recommend utilizing the information at census.gov. It is free and will tell you how many people live in the area, plus their median income. This will let you know if people can afford your services in the area. Secondly, use google.com to research other similar businesses. Google will even place them on a map so you can see where your competition is and if you should move to that area.
With this first step completed you can now make business decisions with a knowledge base and familiarity with your market.
Stronger revenue results, more effective business relationships and clearer competitive differentiation are named as top issues of entrepreneurs, independent professionals and small business owners. Do those issues resonate with you?
Both women and men entrepreneurs are welcome at this special Business Development Event.
Business owners and entrepreneurs who attend will learn tools and systems needed to give new life to your business – or to build on your current success. If you are just starting a business, you will learn a direction and structure for growth.
All who attend will benefit from this informative, inspirational workshop and our business networking. In addition, we are launching Strategic Connection Groups for better business contacts in the following areas and markets:
* Architecture, construction, design and related fields.
* Catering, Restaurants, Food and related products and services.
* M2W – “Marketing to Women” with sub-groups in professional services and products and personal services and products.
* B2B – Marketing, Sales, and other services or products sold to corporations.
The featured speaker has the magic touch for recharging your batteries, building momentum and helping you stay focused on the results that matter most. Shelly Berman-Rubera is an award-winning entrepreneur, small business coach and President of SBR – Small Business Results. Shelly is a Certified Small Business Coach, Emotional Intelligence Leader, Lifestyle Management Consultant and Founder of four businesses.
Pre-registration is required, and the fee is only $25.00. Discounts available for companies sending four or more employees (email or call for details)
Information and Registration
Please forward this invitation to others who share your goal for better business results and stronger business connections.
I know you get a LOT of email – thank you for your attention to this invitation.
Please contact me with any questions or if you have difficulty registering. I look forward to seeing you on May 17.
Warm Regards,
Marie Warner
Warner Networking Events
marie.warner@warnernetworking.com
(617)721-4650
CompassionistaGirl establishes self-respect and self-love in girls, allowing them to set and achieve healthy goals. Research shows that as girls transition through puberty into adolescence, profound shifts occur. A once thoughtful and self-empowered girl, shows confusion over what she knows and believes about herself and the world. Her identity is changing rapidly as she is bombarded by a wide range of cultural pressures and media portrayals of what it means to be a girl and a woman. Her sense of self becomes masked and she loses her authentic voice.
CompassionistaGirl was created to inspire girls to listen closely to their inner selves so that they can become inspired and empowered teenagers. Encouraging girls to explore their capabilities, they learn to share their strengths and ask for help when needed. Their personal voices are amplified and they recognize their inherent worth.
As girls recognize their potential, they not only benefit their own lives, but also the lives of those around them.
Women and girls are a strong force of positivity and compassion and have the ability to influence our world in fantastic ways when they believe in their self-worth and prowess.
Join us for a summer program that can change girls’ lives!
You enter into a partnership with your best friend because you have a great idea for a retail store that will sell everything imaginable. You’re excited, you each put some money into the venture and you’re off- leasing space, buying products and opening your establishment
Few months later you feel you are doing all the work while your so-called best friend breezes in and out whenever it is convenient. What are you to do?
You need a partnership agreement. When you create an agreement or contract together then you can decide:
• How many hours will you work?
• When will the store be opened?
• What if someone wants to leave the business?
Legal coaching can help you make these decisions and much more. With a partnership agreement you can be on the same page with your partner and run that successful business without the drama that is sure to happen without an agreement.
If you bring someone into your business, give them the hours and times they will work and direct what they will do, then they are an employee. It should be a simple definition, yet many people are called independent contractors when they are really employees.
An example:
The simplest example of an independent contractor is the following: You are an acupuncturist, and you need electrical work done so you hire an electrician to do some work for you. As the acupuncturists you do not have the same skills as an electrician, you do not tell the electrician how to put in a new outlet.
The electrician charges you for the work he has performed when he has finished it using his tools.
You are probably asking- if it is so simple then why the confusion?
I believe it is due to taxes, a fear of unemployment and payroll taxes. Although I am not an accountant I am telling you there is nothing to fear. First, an employee is an expense and you can write off the payroll taxes as a business expense. Secondly, there are payroll services that can setup your payroll automatically, if you do not want to take the bookkeeping steps yourself.
So if you in the same line of work, control what the person does, give them tools, then you have hired an employee, not an independent contractor.
What’s there to gain?
Plenty! You will be complying with the law. I am aware that the IRS will make a determination if you do not know if you are an employee or independent contractor. However, the IRS is only used when a problem has arisen, for example an employee was marked as an independent contractor and now wants to collect unemployment.
But more than that – you will have someone who you can assign work to, those jobs that you do not have the time or skill for, like marketing or administrative work.
You will also be improving your profession by providing jobs in the that profession to show that it can lead to gainful employment.
If you want more information on this matter or sublease agreements then please contact TrueNorth Business Consulting.
Networking is an essential social and career development skill, however not everyone is comfortable walking into a room filled with strangers. In fact, those extroverts who seem to “work a room” effortlessly are typically prepared with a plan of action beforehand. They may research the group days ahead of the event, look at a list of attendees, seek out the membership representative, ask for an introduction in advance or even bring a colleague or friend along.
But what if your style is not so exuberant? Can an introvert still network like a seasoned pro? According to Devora Zack who offers tips to connect with others in large groups, the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Creating business opportunities can be a compelling enough reason to get out there and it is an assumption that everyone else has the innate ability to do so with ease. She breaks it down into a three part process:
• Pause: Introverts are often good listeners and planners. Use those skills to prepare, thinking through responses and setting goals in advance. Practice asking short questions. “What brought you here tonight” is always a safe ice breaker.
• Process: Instead of seeing the WHOLE room, focus on a few particular people. Use those listening skills to learn more about your new acquaintances. You will be memorable as a non- self promoter. Remember to follow-up.
• Pace: Introverts typically renew their energy alone. Focus on one activity and take a break. Retreat so that you can recharge and repeat the process.
Remember to smile and who knows, you could connect with some interesting people and leave with an expanded network and new business!
Maureen Weisner, M.Ed., PCC, is president of Women Living on the Edge of Change. We provide one-on-one personal and executive coaching, creating a partnership with our clients as they identify the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Together we design, strategize, and implement a structure for the client to work from in achieving her goals and the motivational strategies to support those transitions. We are expert in customizing unique workshops, seminars, and keynotes for groups, focusing on how change impacts our lives from moment to moment and for the long term.
