• Visit The Grief and Trauma Healing Centre and connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Connect with Ashley Mielke on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Joe Sanok 00:00:00  I'm so excited to introduce you to the best website designers out there. We have a brand new partnership with session sites. It is where good therapy meets brilliant design, and they get your website switched over or built in less than two weeks. They fine tune your messaging, use science backed user experience methodology, and work exclusively with mental health professionals. In fact, new clients right now are going to get three free therapy marketing strategy calls with their creative director of session sites. If you book today. You're not going to want to miss this. Head on over to session sites.com/joe again that session sites.com/joe get the website of your dreams today session sites.com/joe. This is the practice of the practice podcast with Joe Sarna session number 1147. I'm Joe Stanek, your host, and welcome to the practice of the Practice Podcast. Today we have the final part in our seven part series around selling a practice. Asch, one of our consultants here, sold her practice. She's talking through that. If you miss this, this is just an awesome series that wraps up the year.

Joe Sanok 00:01:26  Starting back in session 1141, where she kicked off talking about the journey to selling her group practice and then preparing for the sale. Then she dug into negotiations and due diligence, finalizing the sale and transitioning the ownership what she wishes she would have known. She interviewed her friend Jenny. and then in this episode, she's talking about envisioning your ideal practice sale. So this amazing seven part series The Ashes put together if you want to work with ash. She is such a great consultant. she has such a way of helping other people retain the heart of their practice. When when you're scaling because sometimes you can kind of lose that DNA, as you scale. and so she, she helps you in so many different ways. You can apply over at practice of the practice. Com forward slash apply. Also, before I dig into this episode, before ash kicks us off, just to let you know, tomorrow on the 1st of January, we are kicking off our even Better Year series. The even Better Year series is all about small steps in the right direction.

Joe Sanok 00:02:27  Instead of these massive, you know, goals we set that we just give up on within a month. It's what are those small steps in the right direction? And we're kicking it off. And with Brian Solis, who is talking about mind shift, transforming leadership, driving innovation and reshaping the future. We then talk with Alex Howard, who has a 100% online practice. It has 25 clinicians in 50 countries. Then we're talking about sexual health with Canada's top sex researcher, Doctor Laurie Brito. we then talked with an attorney about 1099 and W-2s. We talk about compliant progress notes. We move into talking about, getting referrals, from court mandated referrals. So many amazing things in the even Better Year series. And when that's done in February, we have our marketing month, where the entire month is going to be all around marketing. So we are kicking off a solid year for you. Make sure you tune in to all those episodes as they apply to your practice. And here is the Mike ash.

Ashley Mielke  00:03:22  Welcome back to the practice of the Practice Podcast.

Ashley Mielke  00:03:26  I'm your host, Ashley Melky, and today is our final episode of our seven part series on selling a group practice. Today we are going to be envisioning your ideal practice sale. Selling a group practice is a major milestone, and it's a decision that will shape not only your professional future, but your personal life as well. So today we're going to go beyond the logistical Aspects of selling a group practice and sort of preparing yourself emotionally. And we're going to deep dive into the visioning process to help you clarify what a successful sale would look like for you, whether it's happening soon, a few few years down the road, or even a decade from now. The purpose of today's episode is to connect you with the goals, values, and emotions that are most important to you in this journey. Visualizing the sale can reveal insights and help you align your decisions with your deepest intentions. Creating a truly powerful foundation for practical and strategic planning. So let's begin with some questions to guide you in envisioning your ideal sale.

Ashley Mielke  00:05:03  Imagine the day your practice sale is complete. Describe where you are. Who are you with? What are you wearing and how do you feel in that moment? As you reflect on these questions, I want you to just close your eyes and have super clarity around this moment. And if there are things that stand out to you, I want you to write it down. If you don't have your pen and paper handy. Hit pause. Go grab your notepad, get comfortable, and come right back. Okay, so now really envision the day of your sail. I did this about six months before I had my initial conversation with the buyer. I had such clarity around that feeling and that moment, I knew exactly what I was wearing, where I was, who I was with the time of day, and it was unbelievable that this came to fruition. I had such clarity and I was living as if it already happened, and six months later started the conversation for the sale. My next question is, what are the first things you plan to do, both professionally and personally, now that you're no longer leading the practice? When you look back on this journey, what would make you feel the sale was an absolute success? If you want a little bit of time as you process these questions and take some notes and reflect, just hit pause after every question.

Ashley Mielke  00:07:01  Take five minutes, take ten minutes and then hit play and continue. What specific financial amount would give you peace of mind and allow you to comfortably pursue your future goals? How do you imagine celebrating this financial milestone? Are there specific experiences, investments, or plans this sale will make possible for you? If the financial outcome were slightly less than expected, what steps would you need to take now to ensure you could move forward comfortably and confidently with the business sale? What qualities in a buyer would make you feel confident and proud to hand over the practice? Do you imagine a single person A group or a larger organization taking over. I want you to envision that buyer. Envision them. What do they look like? Who are they? Maybe you have a person in mind already. Maybe it's a successor on your team. Maybe it's a future therapist you're going to hire. Maybe it's a particular group practice out in the community that you imagine doing this acquisition with. I want you to get super clear on who this is, and when you're clear on who it is, why does that feel right for you? What is it about that person, that organization, that group that brings you peace? And if you could meet that buyer today, again, this could be someone you already know or something you're just envisioning.

Ashley Mielke  00:09:00  What are the values? What are the beliefs and priorities that you would look for in them to ensure they align with your vision. Which of your core values in your practice do you hope the new owner will uphold? And maybe your values are also very intertwined in your mission and your vision.

Joe Sanok 00:09:32  From new patients faced with an empty lobby and no idea where to find their therapist, to clinicians with a session running overtime and the doorbell ringing. Some of the most anxiety ridden moments of a therapy appointment happen before a session even starts. This episode sponsor, the receptionist for iPad helps you tackle some of that pre appointment apprehension. The receptionist for iPad is an easy to use, digital client check in system that helps your visitors check in securely to their appointments and notify their practitioners of their arrival via SMS, email or your preferred channel. No more confusion, endless lobby checking or having clients sign in on paper logbooks. Start a 14 day free trial of the receptionist for iPad by going to the receptionist.com/practice. Make sure to start your trial with that link, and you'll also get your first month free if you decide to sign up again.

Joe Sanok 00:10:32  Start your trial over at the receptionist.com/practice.

Ashley Mielke  00:10:40  What about your values? Mission and vision is going to be important to the new buyer. And why are these so important to you? What impact do you hope your practice will continue to have on your clients and the community, even after you've moved on? You started your group practice with a vision in your heart, whether you could articulate it or not. At the time there was a desire, a passion, a fire within you to inspire you to start your business, to grow your practice and create an impact in the world. What impact do you hope your practice will continue to have? What specific elements of your practices culture do you feel are important for the new owner to respect and maintain? We know that building a workplace culture takes a lot of time and effort and consistent energy and input. It takes time to build trust and to build a community within our businesses that feel safe and secure and comfortable and inspiring. What about the practice culture you've built is going to be important to the new buyer.

Ashley Mielke  00:12:11  What timeline feels natural for you to step away from the day to day responsibilities when this transition of ownership happens? How do you envision that transition going? Is it going to be more gradual, or is it going to be a clean break? And once the money's in your bank account, the ownership transition happens and you are exiting 100%? How do you feel about possibly consulting with the new owner in the first few months, or even up to 12 months? How would that feel? Would ongoing involvement feel supportive for you or would it feel binding? Really trust whatever your gut and your body is communicating to you as you reflect on this question? What personal or family milestones would influence your ideal Timing for selling and stepping away from the practice. What excites you most about your life? Post-sale. What will you gain professionally and personally? Do you envision stepping into a new role? Exploring a passion project that's been on your heart for a while, maybe enjoying more personal freedom? What will this mean for your career and how will this change positively impact your well-being? How do you want this transition to impact your relationships with your family? Maybe your spouse, your children? Your friends and colleagues? Based on what you've learned through my journey and hearing Doctor Jenny Ward's journey.

Ashley Mielke  00:13:59  What concerns do you have about the process of selling? Are there specific risks that feel really overwhelming or daunting for you right now. What steps can you take to reduce these fears? Whether that's through seeking legal advice, seeking mentorship or business consulting or other resources. How would you like the buyer to address any changes they might make that could impact your current team or client base? Remember, clarity is key. I want you to envision what that transition of ownership looks like and feels like. And when it's time to step away and the work is done. Let's imagine your legacy looking at the clients you've impacted. What stories of transformation come to mind that make you feel proud of your work? How do you hope your story and the legacy of your practice will inspire future generations of practitioners. What would be your biggest hope for your therapists and the rest of your team and your clients? When you walk away, and what message would you want to leave for the new owner, your team, and your clients about the work you did and the values you hold? Has the business owner.

Ashley Mielke  00:15:35  If you happen to be driving to work right now, or driving home, or you're getting ready and you're listening to this podcast, make sure you go back to this podcast. When you have a moment to sit down and pause and reflect on what you'd like this experience to be like. It will serve you deeply when it comes down to being ready and making that well informed decision for your life, both personally and professionally, taking the time to envision your ideal sale brings, like I've said, that invaluable clarity, helping you understand not only the financial aspects, but also the legacy, impact and personal growth professional growth you hope to achieve through this transition. With a well-defined vision, you can make strategic, purposeful decisions throughout the selling process, ensuring that the end result aligns with your values, your priorities, and your goals. I hope that you have enjoyed listening to this seven part series on selling a group practice. I hope these episodes have provided insights, guidance, and a sense of clarity on your journey.

Ashley Mielke  00:17:06  Whether you're just getting started in business, whether you're scaling up your group practice or you're looking at your exit strategy. And if you're ready to take the next step or want a personalized support as you prepare to sell your practice, I would love to work with you. You can connect with me directly at Ashley at practice of the practice. Com it would be such an honor to support you on this transformative journey in your life. It has been such a pleasure and privilege spending these last seven episodes with you. Thank you so much for taking the time to hear about my journey here, about Jenny's journey, and to take action in your businesses. That is what just inspires me so much to serve our community of therapists who are also business owners. And if I can provide insights and, Help therapists to avoid some of the pitfalls and mistakes that I've made and help you get to where you want to go that much faster and easier than I have done my job. So thank you so much for being here. Until next time you take care and keep envisioning the success you deserve.

Joe Sanok 00:18:39  Yeah, as this 2024 comes to a close, I just wanted to close out at the end of this episode and say thank you so much for all the time that you put into listening to this podcast. to being in our membership communities. building practices that are thriving, that you love. we get to do this work because of you, because you're a listener, because you're taking action in your life. because you are helping people in your counseling practice. And from the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you so much for making our lives better, for making your client's lives better. And thank you so much for letting us into your ears and into your brains. Have a great New Year's Eve and we will talk to you next year. Today's episode is the receptionist for iPad, which helps you tackle some of those pre appointment apprehensions. The receptionist for iPad is an easy to use digital client checking system. Think about when you go to maybe your doctor's office. Now you check in on an iPad.

Joe Sanok 00:19:37  Same sort of idea. You can get a free trial over at the receptionist. Com forward slash practice again. That's the receptionist. Com forward slash practice. Special thanks to the band silence. Sexy for that intro music. And this podcast is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is given with the understanding that neither the host, the producers, the publishers or guests are rendering legal, accounting, clinical or other professional information. If you want a professional, you should find one.