A Guide for New Acupuncturists and Students

Deeper Genius Acupuncture & Healing Arts, in Los Angeles, CA

In acupuncture school, most of us don’t get to spend much time learning much about starting a business. Not all of us going into this field plan to be entrepreneurs. Our training includes 3-4 years of learning the ins and outs of Chinese Medicine while also learning Western Medicine. When we graduate there are really only a few options we have for work. There are not always many jobs available for acupuncturists in the Western Medical system, despite our well-rounded training. The ones that exist can come with what can feel like, a lot of limitations. Though the field is growing and there are more acupuncture clinics, those of us that live in smaller cities or towns might not have this as an option for work. Many of the clinics that hire are also small businesses and might not pay as well as one might need after graduating with overwhelming school loans. These factors lead many of us to become entrepreneurs and solopreneurs.

This post is for those who are graduating, recently graduated or looking to branch out on their own. Dr. Emily reached out to a few of our colleagues, including myself, to gather some sound advice from people who are successfully doing it and who can offer some advice that you might not find in your standard practice management classes.

The Many Things To LOVE About Our Private Practices

Dr. Alli Urbanik Kimmel, DACM of Spreading Roots Acupuncture in Mount Kisco, NY

Dr. Alli Urbanik Kimmel first started working in a larger group practice, then transitioned to a smaller office with only one other acupuncturist before starting her own business. She ultimately felt her “earning potential was limited while working for someone else.” She prefers how being her own boss allows her to “make a living while also having a life outside of work through greater earning potential and the ability to set my own schedule.” Dr. Alli also adds that, “one of the best things about having a private practice is that I truly get to prioritize my patients and cultivate a healing relationship. I am able to make decisions around my pricing, session structure, and the number of patients that I see to ensure that my focus is completely on helping people to heal,“ Dr. Alli says. “I love that I am in charge of the vision for my practice, from the way that patients interact with the website to what they see and feel when they walk into my space.”

Dr. Alli also points out that, “in a larger practice setting, the focus can sometimes be on getting a large volume of patients in to increase revenue, but as a private practitioner, I've been able to decide that I prefer to work with a smaller number of patients on the issues that I particularly enjoy treating. Because I focus on specific areas that I excel in, I've built a good referral network from patients who enjoy working with me and have expanded my practice that way, rather than trying to be a jack of all trades.”

Portia R. Wilson, L.Ac., Founder of Deeper Genius Acupuncture & Healing Arts, in Los Angeles, CA

Portia Wilson wears all the hats in her practice over in Hollywood, CA. Portia explains that being her own boss really allows the connections she has with colleagues and patients to be truly authentic, which creates a better healing environment. ”My patients and colleagues are some of the most interesting people. We get to show up safely as ourselves in all of our weird, artsy, intellectual, paradigm shifting, queer glory.” Portia graduated acupuncture school knowing that, “I would pay myself better than someone else would,” and was ready to shed all the “arbitrary rules of conformity in many clinic settings [that] did not resonate with me. I couldn't wait to burn my white coats and dye my hair hot pink again, while still providing quality care that my patients love in a practice of my own design.”

Dr. Erica Robyn Burley, has practiced in two different states, running her own practice while also working in community clinics for many years. Starting in 2020, she invested all her experience into her full-time private practice in Portland, OR. Dr. Erica describes the way all her hard work and experience has paid off saying, "something magical happened over the past year where I stopped feeling like I’m hustling. My schedule fills up by itself. My income is consistent and stable.” When asked what she loves about her practice she says, “it is an extension of me. I created it. At times I didn’t even know where I was going or what my goals were, but I built it from the bottom up.” She lists perks, like being your own boss, bringing your dog to work, taking vacations when you want but more importantly “earning an income that doesn’t insult my worth and knowing I’ll never have to do that again.” A truly empowering part of being in charge of your own business.

Some Of The Challenges That Come With Private Practice

Katrin Dollano What’s Good Wellness, In Ontario, Canada

Katrina Dollano in Oakville, Ontario (Canada) worked first as an associate in another clinic which motivated her to become her own boss. She is the co-owner of What’s Good Wellness, which is run by a team of 11 people including other acupuncturists, a holistic nutritionist, front desk staff, a web and tech person, as well as an acupuncture assistant. This business model allows her to see patients in-person 2 days a week and virtually another 2 days a week. Katrina finds challenges in managing all the financial and business concerns while also being a clinician. Having supportive and trustworthy staff has been helpful but she also has to navigate managing people’s different personalities and learning styles as the owner.

Dr. Erica Robyn Burley, DSOM, L.Ac: Silver Lining Acupuncture in Portland, Oregon

Dr. Erica shares that “building my private practice truly felt like reinventing the wheel.” Like many of us, she shares, “I went to acupuncture school believing that studying holistic health and healing was in opposition to pursuing a career in advertising, marketing, accounting, banking, etc. It was an unpleasant surprise to graduate and realize I am now a business owner without any of the education or training I need to run a business.” A short list of the things she taught herself are: spreadsheets, accounting, website building and search engine optimization (SEO). Dr. Erica says, “The to-do list never ends, because you don’t know what you don’t know until you figure out you don’t know it.”

We all clearly feel its worth it in the end! So keep reading for some tips for those who are planning to power through the challenges to be your own boss!

10 Tips On Starting Your Own Private Practice

From Portia

1. Be true to your own voice as you decide who your patient base is and what your practice looks and feels like. Niche is great.

2. Don't underprice your services. Have a clear cancellation policy that respects everyone's time and your ability to build a sustainable practice.

3. Decide what kind of life you want for yourself and build your practice style and schedule around that.

From Dr. Erica

4. Define your boundaries and expectations and communicate them clearly with your patients. Revisit this often.

5. Practice trauma-informed care. Trust and consent are everything when you have another person’s nervous system in your hands.

From Dr. Alli:

6. Research practice management software. Streamlined and user friendly practice management software saves you many hours and headaches. I use Jane, the software honestly makes me feel like I have an assistant working for me because many tasks can be automated or simplified.

7. Be safe! When working alone, it could be good to leave your last appointment of the day for follow up appointments only. If you have online booking, set your shift settings so that only returning patients can book, or don't allow booking online for the last slot of the day. This gives you a chance to screen new patients and make sure that you are never alone in the office with someone you don't feel safe around.

From Katrina:

8. Hire a business coach, mentor and/or join a business mentoring group ASAP. If I could go back in time, I would have joined one while waiting to receive my license so I could learn how to create systems and set them up.

9. Stay in touch with friends from acupuncture school, make friends with colleagues via social media. I value the relationships I’ve formed with other folks who also practice TCM and have been able to lean on them for support and vice versa. It’s helpful to be able to bounce off clinical ideas and cases with others.

10. Do your own inner work. We have all experienced various degrees of trauma in our lives. We are not responsible for what happened to us, but I do believe we have a responsibility to care for our mental health. When one works on their inner issues, honors their wounds and challenges, and sees them as an opportunity for growth and evolution, then it has a ripple effect. It allows you, as a practitioner, to bring more compassion to your practice and the people you serve.