I graduated
today two years ago. Two years ago I
started my business. I had this plan of
direction that I had devised during a module at Uni called ‘Starting Your
Practice’ and I was told that it was achievable and the time frames were right
etc. I have over the last two years
discovered that the lecturer who taught us, in actual fact, had no fucking idea
about the realities of starting your own practice and all the advice and the
essays and research done in that module was a complete waste of time. It has been hard letting go of that as it was
the last module to be done, with huge assignments that took hours when I was at
breaking point, and to realise it was all a load of shit. Well.
That was hard.
The first
year was expensive. Getting ready for
being in business and everything that that entails. Paying for things like literature to be printed,
website made, domain name bought, insurance, multiple regulatory body payments
made so I could register with the CNHC as part of the elite in this country,
buying equipment for patients and god knows what else all adds up. I also did more training after I made the
decision to specialise in mother and baby so I’m safe to look after them and to
be able to offer specific treatments for them.
I’m now
ready for clients. I can see how I can
be of benefit. I know I am well
qualified. And then the realisation of
how the hell do I get them? Why don’t
more people want to see me? Why don’t they understand how I can help and
spending the money with me will be so much better than what they are doing at
the moment? Why has someone said they
want to see me and not book in? At what
point do I become harassing rather than nudging to see if they will actually
book in? Where are the referrals they
said they had for me? And then. I got bullied out of the flat I was living in
and had to move back to my parents outside of London.
It was
weird. I didn’t really tell anyone I had
moved in terms of all the networking I do or when meeting potential people to
do collaborations with etc, but it was like the Universe knew. In my first year I had the grand total of 4 Naturopathy
patients. Four. FOUR.
I was told that I would easily have one or two a week. A WEEK.
I think it
was around September 2015, so 10 months in that I had a complete wobble. Was I doing the right thing? Had I made a
massive fucking mistake? Should I just go
and get a ‘proper job?’. Having to
defend, or rather, feel like I had to defend why I had so few clients and didn’t
work part time for someone else to at least have some regular money coming in.
It’s so hard when you have people who love and care for you giving you business
advice when they have only ever been employees, because in the nicest possible
way, they have NO idea what it’s like to a) set up your own business on your
own and B) have a job that no one knows what it is. Even them.
But I’m determined and I did not accrue all that debt from another
degree, work that hard, nearly destroy myself in the process to become a civil
servant or similar. Obviously there’s
nothing wrong with being a civil servant… I hear the pension is very good!
So I kept
going. Doing just what I do. I don’t have the energy levels to do one
thing for half the week and then do everything I need to do for my business to
get it going the rest of the time. No
one quite understands, unless they have it, the impact of chronic fatigue on
working full time, every day, no breaks, because that’s what happens when you
are self-employed. When it’s your
name. When you are accountable to no one
but you. And if it fails, you fail. I fail.
And that is not something I was prepared to do.
I joined a
coaching programme for a year – the first 6 months were brilliant and really
helped me, the second 6, not so much.
But at least I tried and I gave it a shot.
And then I
moved back to London. A very generous
loan from a family member meant that I could come back as they leant me 6 month’s
rent so I could get back on my feet.
And then it’s
like something happened. Well something
did happen. I began to have
clients. People booking in. Referrals have started. Ok, so I’m not earning big money, but I have
a fairly constant amount coming in every month.
The networking that I have been doing for the last 2 and a half years is
really beginning to pay off. I’m getting
good results with those who are in the groups.
They are beginning to understand what I do and see how it’s of
benefit. They don’t raise their eyebrows
when I say how much I cost.
I’ve joined
a co-working space. This has saved my
soul. I’m surrounded by people who have
started their own companies. Some like
me are fairly small and new, others are much bigger with staff. I now go to work and as much as possible I
leave my laptop in my rucksack when I get home.
Home is now home and chill. Ok, I
might do a fair amount of emails on my phone and social media stuff, but if it’s
on my phone it doesn’t feel like work so much.
And yes, I am often at work.life the co-working space on a Saturday and
Sunday doing admin or patient research or whatever else I need to do but I can
mooch in after a really lovely 40 minute walk down Columbia Road and Broadway
Market to London Fields or it’s 7 minutes on the train from Liverpool Street. And I can chat to people and have that
interaction that I didn’t have when I was working from home. As my energy levels are as always a bit of a
challenge, I would often work all day at my laptop on the sofa, speak to no one
other than my parents on the phone, then stop working around 8pm. Watch something shit on catch up, still on
the sofa and then go to bed. This is not
healthy. So whilst being here, at
work.life is an added outgoing that is slightly stressful, the people I meet
here make it worth it. I’m also doing a monthly massage clinic and talks on
what I do so I’m sure it won’t be long before I get a few clients from here. And they have fun events with great
independent companies and food start-ups and everything that I’m into.
A few weeks
ago, and ok it’s a first so far, I earnt £700.
(In my first year I think I earnt about £1700). I’m sure it won’t be long until it’s a regular
amount coming in. Also in the last week
I have been asked to write a monthly blog post for a mother’s website and they
are also going to feature me and my services.
I’m also launching a City clinic
with my mother and I’m sure it’s going to do really, really well.
So the last
two years have had many many lows and I’ve probably cried at least a paddling
pool’s worth of tears. Wondering how the
hell I’m going to pay my rent, the rent for the clinic rooms that I have, the
heating, for food, for supper on the rare occasion I go out with my
friends. Wondering when I’m going to get
a break and see that it’s all been worth it.
But. Over the last 6 months the
highs have definitely started to outweigh the lows. And I am so glad that I stuck with it.
Being self-employed,
as a Naturopathic Physician, is the hardest thing I have ever done. But it gives me the freedom and flexibility
to co-run and attend monthly networking meetings which have made my business
what it is, and to also help my sister out with childcare. I get to spend two or three days a month with
my niece who is now two and a bit. Those
days are so precious to me and no matter how shit everything is. Making her laugh and getting cuddles from
her. Well. There are no words.
I also recently
had a pregnant patient with IBS which they had had for 17 years and really
struggled with it. After 6 sessions they
said I fixed them. To see a parents face
relax and light up as their baby changes from screaming with a colicky tummy to
smiling as I gently talk them through the tummy routine in a baby massage
class. To be sent photos of new born
babies after you have looked after both baby and mother during pregnancy with
reflexology and massage. Well. What else would I want to spend my time
doing?!
So this is
the most incredibly long brain vomit about my second work anniversary, and I
hope in a year’s time, my business has done the same amount of growth as it has
this year, if not more. And if you don’t
know what a Naturopathic Physician is:
facebook.com/harleystreetnaturopath
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