What does it take to open a successful chiropractic practice?

As I was doing some yard work over the weekend it occurred to me what it takes to get a new practice off the ground, and in a hurry.  How does yard work relate to opening an office?  You may ask.

I had just cut some large dried dead grasses, the kind that gets six or seven feet tall.  With them in a large pile down by the creek, I lit one small match and tossed it into the grass without much thought.  Within 20 seconds the grasses were fully engulfed.  It was just then I noticed that the wind was blowing and the Bermuda grass under the pile was extremely dry with plenty of dry leaves and twigs nearby.  You do the math.  Needless to say all conditions were in line for a bunch of flames and neighborhood filling smoke.

Now it took everything to be just right for my small forest fire to spread, but nothing would have happened without the initial spark. That my friends is what it takes to open your successful office with  a bang.  All conditions must be just right to open and open big.  Everything including your clinical system, business system, marketing system and management system must be in place.  But the key to your success is whether or not you have the spark to ignite your fire.  Without it, all the conditions may be right, but you won’t see the growth and success you may expect and desire.

The spark I’m talking about is much more than just your excitement and enthusiasm.  Which by the way are two necessary things.  You must have a passion and love for what you are doing.  That passion comes from knowing what you are doing and why.  So many new graduates truly do not have a clear idea what chiropractic is and the power behind a proper adjustment.   If you take some time and look at some of the ultra successful chiropractors in our profession, that are doing it right, you’ll find a passion and love for chiropractic and for their patients.  They will be able to tell you exactly what they do and why they do it.

Question:  What about Chiropractic lights your fire? Is it strong enough to keep you focused for the next 20-30 years of practice?

Top Ten things I wish I knew as a Chiropractic Student: 6. Office Protocol

Would you like to perform at peak levels of efficiency and productivity with the highest clinical standard possible? If you answered anything but #@%% yes, you should seriously consider why you are putting all your efforts into opening your chiropractic office.

What if I told you that in your practice, you will use very little if any of the protocols and procedures you’ve studied and used in the student or outpatient clinics at your school. Somehow, I bet you’re not surprised at all.  So if you don’t use the protocols you’ve learned in school, what are you going to use?

Are you going to wing it? Shoot from the hip?  Then hope for the best?

With anywhere from one to two hundred thousand of student loans to repay, not to mention thirty to one hundred thousand or more in additional capital invested for start up, are you truly willing to risk all you have invested and your future, just winging it?

This week, take some time and ask yourself, do I currently have a system in place to achieve and exceed my goals for a long term self sustaining practice?

Question:  Are you’re office protocols time tested and proven to deliver outstanding results?