Conversation with Barbara
How long have you been doing what you do and how did you get to be the Nurse Practitioner Business Development expert?
I came up through the ranks in a rather non-linear way. I started working as Red Cross Volunteer at age 11 and became a Candy Striper at age 14. Prior to starting and during my nursing program I worked as a nursing assistant. Ten years after I completed my RN ( ’78 ADN) I found myself finishing up a GNP certificate program at the University of Washington in Seattle (1988). After working for the next several years, I returned to school for my BSN (Honors) and then went on to obtain a Masters in Nursing/FNP in 1998. During my RN career, I spent most of my time in Critical Care and Hospice (AIDS). As a NP, I’ve worked urgent care, primary care, long term care and home care.
Everything changed in terms of employment in 2006. I found myself working in a practice that was unhealthy from a medical, legal and spiritual point of view. I knew I had to leave. The problem was, there were not a lot of job openings in my area, and certainly not in practices I wanted to be in. Our town was in the middle of a fairly severe crisis…we were down 10 primary care providers (that’s a lot for an area with a population of 20K)! I needed and wanted to work… and I had patients asking where they could see me. At that point, my path became clear – I needed to open my own practice.
Today, my clinical practice includes primary care, regular visits to Assisted Living Facilities and occasionally house calls.
While opening my own practice felt like it happened overnight, it really didn’t. I spent the past several years working with business mentors, taking courses, learning marketing and defining my goals, well before the practice became a concept. Consequently, when my practice opened, I had already put in 3 years of business study.
Needless to say, I learned a lot about practice startup and ownership. Finding that health care providers are asking the same questions I had been asking, I started blogging about it and have developed webinars, teleclasses, written articles and more. Coming in 2010, Nurse Practitioners (and Physicians Assistants) will be able to answer the questions that literally hundreds have been asking – “how do I get started”, with the release of “The NPBO™ Practice Startup System Program.
Who are your clients, who do you work with?
Most of my clients are Nurse Practitioners who are interested in starting their own business and don’t know where to start. While I initially thought I’d only be working with NPs, I’ve found that other health care providers are interested as well. I’ve worked with Physician Assistants, Register Nurses and alternative health care providers.
Clients have been interested in primary care practice, specialty practices, consulting business and speaking businesses. There are very few niches that NPs cannot access.
Recently NPs who are not interested in starting a business have discovered the immense benefits of having business education. It makes them much more attractive to their employers.
What sets up apart from other Business Development experts?
Most business development and business startup experts are purely business people. They do not understand the inner workings of working with patient, insurance companies, and families. Health care has a unique business model and this is something that few outside of health care understand.
As a independently practicing NP, I’ve been on the front lines, working with a health care delivery system that is not always patient or provider friendly, so I know EXACTLY what you are facing.
Who do you work best with? What is expected of me?
I work best with professionals that are intent who are eager to start and grow their business. They are willing to do what it takes and are willing to try new things. And they take responsibility for their actions. While health care is sometimes rather frustrating, being able to vent about it is healthy. However, whining about it and not moving forward is something that is non-productive.
I expect my clients to take a “no excuses” approach to their development. That means doing what is necessary, including keeping appointments and following through with action plans. Of course, we all know that life happens and that occasionally one needs to step back to recharge and reflect. However, taking a “no excuses” approach to growth requires that we get back on track and move forward.
What type of professional is not going to work well with Barbara and her team?
Basically, the person that is not interested in growing and changing. Starting and growing a business is hard work and clients generally decide to work with me in order to see quicker results. Therefore the individual who is negative, makes excuses and is not action oriented is going to get poor results.
It’s important to that clients understand and are comfortable with the coaching and consulting monthly fees. There are various packages and price points available. It is critical that any client who elects to work one-on-one with me, be comfortable with their financial commitment and not have it create additional stress. If your income does not support working with me on a one-on-one basis, that’s perfectly fine. We’ve all been there. Until the time is right for working with me one-on-one, please take these steps:
- Sign up for Progress Notes: Business Tips for Nurse Practitioner Entrepreneurs
- Join in on our monthly NP Interview calls where you can ask questions
- Follow our Facebook Page
- Consider teaming up with other health care providers (4 or 5) and investing in group coaching. What is great about group coaching is that it gives you group support and accountability. Keeping the groups small, ensures that each group member gets their needs attended to as well.
Because you are a busy professional, you may just be “too busy” to commit to a regular coaching schedule. If you are not able to follow through on your commitments (with me, or others), then you are not likely going to get the results you desire. Instead we will both be frustrated.
What are the various ways people can work with you?
There are currently several ways that one can interact with us.
- One on One Coaching: There are various programs available for different needs. We can determine what your particular needs are by giving us some information and spending a few minutes in a introductory session.
- The NPBO™ Practice Startup System Program will appeal to the individual who wants to work on their own.
- Join Nurse Practitioner Business Owner™
- Read Progress Notes.
- Follow us on Facebook.
In the near future, Nurse Practitioners will be able to join us at several one day events around the country for some laser intensive work.
Tell me more about the coaching program.
These programs are for the clinician who wishes to get a head start on their business development and fast track their way to success. Some of those who take part are truly beginners, and others are further along their process. Each program is 3 months in duration. During the calls, we focus on what it is you need to move forward and experience the success you desire.
The Gold Program is our most popular and most comprehensive program. It includes:
- Four private sessions per month. Each session is 30 minutes in length, with the exception of the first one, which is a 60 minute consultation to get you started quickly.
- MP3 recordings of each session.
- Email support.
- 1 year access to NPBO™, basic membership level.
- Please note: This program has limited slots available.
The Silver Program includes the following:
- Three private sessions per month.
- Reasonable email support.
- 6 months access to NPBO™, basic membership level.
The Bronze Maintenance Program is for those who have gone through the programs above and includes the following:
- Two, private sessions per month.
- 3 months access to NPBO™, basic membership level.
In addition to the above, for a few special individuals, we have the Private Coaching Intensive VIP Day. This special day is for the type of Clinician who wants to move forward as quickly as possible, and if you are committed to implementing the plan developed during out day together, then you are the ideal candidate for the Private VIP Consultation Day.
Will this really help me?
Yes of course. Your success with this, just like in life, will depend on how much you are willing to put into your work. We will take you through a step by step system to get you up and running, and to grow your business as quickly as possible.
Okay, so I know which program I want? How do we get started?
Congratulations! Your decision speaks volumes about your commitment to your business. The fact that you are ready to move ahead tells me that you have the drive and determination to be successful in our work together.
So, let’s arrange a time to talk! We’ll spend some time getting acquainted and I’ll learn more about your objectives to confirm that the package you’ve selected is well-suited to your needs. You can email us or call 800-560-6473 to arrange for an appointment. I’m honored that you’d like to work with me, and I can’t wait to “meet” you!
