Starting my journey, I thought I had a clear vision of my audience — middle school-aged girls and their families wrestling with anxiety, depression, and neurodiversity. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that my true calling lay elsewhere.
Know Your Audience: My niche shifted. I found my stride with driven professionals, much like myself, battling anxiety, self-doubt, and the intricacies of executive functioning. As a late-identified neurodivergent, I’d navigated these challenges myself. Serving these clients resonated deeply with me, forging a rewarding path. My niche is now focusing on helping those suffering from ADHD with the use of art therapy.
Build a Community: An email from Sian Burton, a private practice consultant from Australia, ignited a shift. She emphasized the power of building a devoted community around one's business. It struck a chord with me. I decided to focus on a specific niche, fostering genuine connections with those who resonate with my message.
Establish Repeatable Systems and Processes: Coach Brandon Gaydorus's wisdom proved invaluable. With a Google doc and sheet, we crafted goals and broke them down into manageable steps. While my ADHD tendencies sometimes resist structure, I persist in meeting weekly targets. The journey, after all, is just as important as the destination.
Play to Your Strengths, Outsource Your Weaknesses: Executive functioning isn't my strong suit. I tend to get lost in the minutiae of tasks, losing sight of the bigger picture. Yet, I'm learning to embrace this advice: play to your strengths and outsource your weaknesses.
Don't Sell All Your Time: As a counselor, it's easy to be consumed by client sessions. However, I've learned to reserve time for strategizing and planning. This investment in my business's future is essential for sustained growth.
Replicate Success: Early on, I grappled with the idea of replicating success. I feared losing my identity if I emulated others. But I soon realized that there's wisdom in studying the successful and adapting their strategies to my own style.
Add Value to Others: Offering fellow clinicians a platform to share their experiences has been profoundly enriching. It's strengthened our bonds, leading to mutual referrals and endorsements. This reciprocity has been instrumental in the growth of my practice.
Fail Forward Fast: Admitting that I don't have all the answers has been liberating. I embrace failure as a teacher, viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth. The sooner I learn from missteps and pivot, the closer I am to achieving success.
In conclusion, these lessons, drawn from my own journey, have been pivotal in shaping my path as a business owner and clinician. They serve as a compass, reminding me that the journey is as valuable as the destination.
kindred@arttherapync.com
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