So you’ve been busy growing your wellness practice – amazing! 🥳
And now you’re wondering if it’s time to get some help.
Which brings up alllll the questions.
Questions like…
“Am I really ready for this next step?”
“Who should I hire first?”
“What type of help do I even need?”
“How do I get started?”
Well you’re in luck friend, because today we’re answering all those questions!
It’s an exciting topic so let’s jump right in! 😉
Hiring People to Grow Your Wellness Practice.
For some of you this phase of expansion is going to cause “imposter syndrome” to rear its ugly head, buttt don’t get carried away with self-doubt.
Instead – let’s figure out if you’re truly ready to hire some help.
So, how do you know if it’s time??
To start, ask yourself:
- Are there repetitive administrative tasks eating up my time each week?
- Is it possible that hiring someone could help me make more money?
- What would I do with 5-10 extra hours in my business each week?
- Am I wasting time on things that are outside my “zone-of-genius”?
Hopefully these questions are stirring up excitement for what’s possible in your business!
Now… I’d be lying if I told you there wasn’t such a thing as hiring someone too soon. If you’re still figuring out things like your niche, your services & your patient onboarding processes then I would suggest investing in a good business coach before moving forward with other hires.
Buttt if you have those in place, you’re doing great!
Cue the confetti! 🎉
Who to Hire First In Your Wellness Practice.
Now when it comes to running your business, my guess is that you’re wearing lotttts of hats.
You’re not just the clinician – you’re also:
- The marketing manager
- The social media manager
- The blogger
- The billing specialist
- The tech support guru
And the list goes on…
So, the first step is to take inventory of where you spend your time each week. List out allll the things (other than direct patient care) that you’re spending time on.
Now look at that list & circle the stuff you dislike the most. You know… the stuff you dread every week… it’s okay to admit it!! *These* are the things you want to delegate first. 💯
Next, think about who could help you with those tasks.
For example:
Virtual Assistant (VA): If you need administrative support, consider a VA! Depending on who you choose to work with, VAs can help you manage scheduling, tech, emails, social media, and so much more. And you can usually start small with monthly retainer packages – e.g. 5 hours per week / 20 hours per month.
Billing Specialist: Is handling insurance and/or payments one of your least favorite parts of running your practice? A billing specialist can take over this entire job. Find someone who specializes in your type of care to reduce mistakes and onboarding issues.
Online Business Manager (OBM): An OBM can whip your entire business into shape FAST! They handle the overall operation of your wellness practice, helping you establish goals and measure progress. They have a more specific & advanced skill set compared to virtual assistants, and can actually help you develop processes for things like onboarding patients.
Social Media Manager (SMM): If social media drains your energy, or you feel yourself spending way too much of your time trying to build an audience, you may want to hire a social media manager. Creating a strategic schedule, writing captions, creating graphics & engaging with your audience can all be passed along to an expert. Plus, most social media managers offer some kind of analytics & reporting so you can measure your success!
Copywriter: The right words help you land more patients! And owning a business requires A TON of writing! Between your website, sales pages, lead magnets, email marketing, blogs, social media captions, and more, there’s a lot you could hand over to a great copywriter.
Podcast Manager: Do you have a podcast, or plan to launch one next year? There are agencies that specialize in podcast production for wellness entrepreneurs! Brand Better is one example worth exploring! They handle allllll your podcast production needs so you can literally just sit down and press record.
Now… you’ll notice everything I listed is related to the business side of your practice, but it goes without saying that you can also expand on the clinical side!!
Maybe you would benefit from adding a Health Coach, Nutritionist or Therapist to your team. This will all depend on your specific business model & needs. The good news is that you have lots of options!
And speaking of options…
Contractor or Employee?
It’s time to think about whether you want an employee or an independent contractor.
While I can’t give you a straight answer of what’s best… I *can* give you some things to think about. Keep in mind this is a topic you’ll want to discuss with your tax or legal advisor.
Contractor
A contractor is an independent person who performs work to support your business. Typically they own their own business, use their own tools to complete tasks, and send invoices for their work on a monthly / hourly / or project basis.
Pros of Hiring a Contractor:
- Saves you money. Even if a contractor charges more for their work than you’d pay an employee, you don’t have additional expenses like employee benefits & taxes to pay.
- Greater flexibility. You can work with contractors on an “as-needed” basis. After one project, you can decide whether or not you want to continue working with them.
- Less risk. You don’t have much responsibility when it comes to a contractor, other than what you might agree upon in the contract.
Cons of Hiring a Contractor:
- Less control. You typically don’t have a say in how this person carries out tasks or performs work for you. They’re generally working with multiple clients & set their own schedule.
Employee
An employee is on your business’ payroll and often receives benefits, such as health insurance and paid time off, in exchange for their work.
Pros of Hiring an Employee:
- Loyalty & relationships. Oftentimes, an employee is only working for you and your business, and this can help nurture a closer “team” relationship!
- More control. You provide guidance on how (and when) you want the employee to carry out their job. You can dictate how you’d like them to communicate with you & which tools they use.
Cons of Hiring an Employee:
- More responsibility & expenses. There are more legal requirements when it comes to employees. In some situations you are required to provide health benefits, paid time off & certain accommodations.
- Less flexibility. Once you hire an employee, you need to be careful about letting them go without proper notice & reason. Be sure to look into the legal requirements for state or local employment in your area.
My advice?
If you’re feeling uneasy about this change, start with a contractor!!
It’s less of a commitment & you can experiment with what works for your practice.
The Culture Within Your Wellness Practice.
Now that we’ve chatted about logistics, let’s talk culture.
This is huge when you’re considering growing your team!
Whether you’re growing a team of contractors or employees, you need to make sure everyone understands your vision & values.
Because it’s not just you anymore!
You’ve got other people working on things that represent your business.
Here are some ways you can build a positive & aligned culture:
- Share your mission, vision & values with all team members at the beginning!
- Create internal documents (e.g. “brand guide” & “welcome packet”) for team members
- Communicate how you’d like your team to engage with patients. What tone and attitude should they embody when representing your business?
- Hold regular team meetings to go over wins & goals.
- Make each person feel valued – let them know you appreciate their hard work.
These tactics might seem simple, but they go a long way in building a successful business.
Support to Grow Your Wellness Practice!
Was marketing on your list of support needs??
Clinical Catalyst offers wellness marketing that puts you on the map. Because when you don’t have to worry about your online presence, life is good! 😉
We help you effortlessly manage your marketing, all in one place.
Schedule a no-charge marketing evaluation & we’ll send you a list of actionable steps you can take right away to improve your marketing efforts. Plus, some information about how we can lighten your load every single month.
We’re here to help!
