Joe Sanok 00:00:00 You’re someone with a vision for your practice, for your side hustle, and for your personal journey. But when it comes to establishing your path and how to get to where you want to be with your practice, things get a little messy. You’re also someone who’d prefer to go in person instead of to groups and listening to everyone else’s story. To me, it sounds like you could benefit from one on one consulting with our experienced practice of the practice consultants from 595 a month and up, you can work with a consultant that will give you more direction and practical, tried and tested tips matched to you and your goals. For more information, visit practice of the practice. Com forward slash apply. Again, that’s practice of the practice. Com forward slash apply. This is the practice of the practice podcast with Joe Sarna. Session number 1103. Welcome to the practice of the Practice podcast. We are going to be doing a series between now and the beginning of November, where we are going to be playing all of our level Up week trainings that we did in September of 2024. Joe Sanok 00:01:20 And we’re going to be talking about from empty to overflowing, talking about your branding, talking about multi locations shifting from 1099 to W2, all sorts of different things during this series. And if you want help from one of our consultants for every single phase of practice, or if you’re just not sure where you fit in our memberships versus our consulting, I would love for you to talk with me over at practice of the practice. Com forward slash apply. We can schedule a 30 minute call together and dig into all those different areas that you want to get started again. That’s practice of the practice. Com forward slash apply. Now let’s get started with the Level Up Week series. Welcome. I am so glad that you are here. we are about to kick off. we’d love to know. what’s your phase of practice? you know, are you in a small group practice or are you growing it? Are you in solo practice? put in the chat. Your phase of practice. If you want to also share where you live, where you practice, that’d be awesome. Joe Sanok 00:02:19 I’m here in northern Michigan, and, it’s been really warm here, which we oftentimes don’t get as much in September. So, we’ll, we’ll see how this continues. So, drop in the chat. Your phase of practice, we’ve got a bunch of people coming in, a bunch of people registered. So we are talking about defining your group practice. unique. It’s unique brand purpose and vision today. And, I’m Joe Sana. Maybe I haven’t met you. Maybe I have. but I started practice of the practice back in 2012. the podcast, passed a thousand episodes in June, and I think in late October. Early November, we hit episode 1100 1100 episodes because we’re doing 5 to 6 a week now because of so many sponsors and so many awesome guests. So a lot of interviewing I get to do in a short period of time. Also, I’m a single dad. I have almost full custody of my two daughters. They are ten and 13. so that is my world where I run full tilt during the day, you know, with practice, the practice and then evenings are busy. Joe Sanok 00:03:23 Yesterday it was volleyball. tonight I am doing stuff for myself, and I teach, and now, practice improv. So Tuesdays it’s that. And I’m going out for a moon hike at the Sleeping Bear National Park. tonight with some friends. But most of the time after school, it’s kids stuff all the time. So that’s my world. I’m so excited that ash is joining us. Ash is one of our consultants here at Practice the Practice. Ash is a registered psychologist and founder and CEO of a large Multi-location group practice in Alberta, Canada, called the Grief and Trauma Healing Center, incorporated. Ashe brings forth a decade of business experience and is passionate about supporting heart centered practice owners in starting, growing, and scaling their businesses. She was called to start her company after her father’s tragic death by suicide in 2010. It was the purpose she found through her healing that inspired her. Why? That drives her seven figure company today, and it brings great joy to support other heart centered leaders in building successful practices aligned with both their business goals and deepest callings. Joe Sanok 00:04:26 And she’s just plain fun to be around. We got to hang out in person at clinic camp in Cancun right before I got salmonella and was hospitalized three times, but, and it’s just an amazing member of our team as well. So, ash, welcome. Let me put the spotlight on you. And, you’re going to present for about 25 minutes or so on this topic. We’ll take a little break and then take a ton of questions. So if you have questions as ash is talking, if it has to do, I guess if it has to do with what you’re talking about. Do you want people to just wait till the end, or do you want me to say, hey, we got a quick question there. Ashley Mielke 00:04:59 Let’s just jump in with any questions as they come in. Absolutely. Okay. I will do my best to keep it within the 25 30 minutes, but I could really talk about this topic all day. Joe Sanok 00:05:10 You have done that. You’ve done like big series and group practice, boss and stuff. Joe Sanok 00:05:14 So yeah, we’re just the tip of the iceberg here. But, yeah, I’ll let you share your screen and I’ll let you know if there’s any questions that come in. Ashley Mielke 00:05:22 Wonderful. Thank you so much. thank you, Joe, for the introduction. Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. I’m super excited to be talking about a topic that really brings me a lot of joy. So Joe shared a little bit already about my background. What brings me here? So when I started my practice, it’ll be 11 years ago next October, exactly a month from now. it really was. The inspiration behind starting my business was my dad’s death by suicide And the journey that I went on to find the tools to heal my broken heart, and realizing how ill equipped we are in our culture to deal with grief. So that’s when I set out on a mission to create a safe space for other people who’ve gone through significant loss to take the actions to heal. And it was that vision that y that really inspired me through all of the wonderful times and all the successes in my business and all of the lows and all of the dips and the challenges that I faced as a group practice owner over the last 11 years. Ashley Mielke 00:06:29 And, you know, it’s amazing. I’m now at this place where I’m actually in the middle of a sale of my company so I can move forward and continue my, my life of service. Okay, so today we’re talking about brand purpose, vision, mission values. Anyone that knows me and who has work with me in the pop community knows that this is something I’m very passionate about, and I actually believe that this is the foundation of our business. We have to be super clear on what does our brand represent, and that’s what extends to our why, our our vision, our mission and our values. So we’re going to be talking about that today. So if this is something you haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about in your business, I really encourage you to carve out some time and really prioritize this. I thought it would be great to start with why your brand matters. When we think of a brand, we think of all of the beautiful visuals in the business, right? We think about the company logo and the website design, and we think about the practice name. Ashley Mielke 00:07:33 And sometimes we get so caught up in these details that we don’t actually think about the brand on a much deeper level. So our brand is much deeper than the visual identity. That is very important, but it is certainly not everything. Our brand is a direct Extension of us, our personality, our approach to service. So we have to really get to know ourselves. You know what matters to me? Who am I? What is important? What do I stand for? What do I stand against? Why am I in this business? It’s also a reflection of your vision, mission and values. And we’re going to break that down today. It impacts the client experience and how they feel when they interact with you. So that is so important. We’re in business. We’re in the business of serving other people. That experience is going to be felt by our clients. And every aspect of your business communicates a message. So we want to be clear on what is the message that we’re communicating. Your brand takes shape the moment you begin interacting with others. Ashley Mielke 00:08:41 So whether we are conscious of it or not, whether we like it or not, people are interacting with our brand the moment they connect with us on the phone the moment we respond to an email that they’ve sent to our practice, or through the contact page on our website, or through the videos and the messages that we’re posting on our Instagram or our Facebook account. It is also your unique value proposition. So you will hear this. Lots. If you are in our pop community, we talk about the you VP. So that’s the thing that really makes you stand apart. So in my business, I didn’t think about what anybody else was doing. I wasn’t worried about, you know, my competition. I knew that there was going to be enough service to go around, enough people to be helped. And what I focused on are the things that were really authentic and meaningful for me. The transformation that I experienced going through the grief recovery method, and how that became the foundation of the work that we did at the Grief and Trauma Healing Center, and really was the foundation of the success that we had. Ashley Mielke 00:09:42 So I really led with my personal experience, my personal y, my origin story, the things that transformed my life and how I couldn’t wait to share that with others. And that is still where I am today. Even after all of these years and now selling my company and moving back into a place of service in a different capacity. Working with people who’ve experienced loss. So lastly here, your brand speaks to your ideal client and your ideal employee. Maybe you’re a solo practitioner. Maybe you haven’t even started your practice. Maybe you’re moving into group practice. This is really why this is important because you want to attract the right people to your business. So I’m starting here as well. You’ve heard a little bit about my origin story. If you’re just popping in to the presentation right now, the the story, the reason why I started my practice 11 years ago was because my dad died by suicide, and I was so ill equipped to deal with my pain. I had no tools, like so many grieving people, and I went on this journey of healing. Ashley Mielke 00:10:48 And when I found a set of tools that really, truly transform my life, I knew I just. I felt that calling inside to share that with other people. And so many of you are also there. There’s been something that’s happened in your life, maybe recently or long ago, a life altering loss, a major change or transition, maybe a loss of health or mental health issue with someone that you love that has inspired you to pursue the field of psychology or counseling or therapy. So if you’re not quite clear on what that origin story is, take some time to reflect on that. What really inspired you to start your practice? I imagine it goes much deeper than, you know, I just want to become wealthy. I just want to make a whole lot of money. you’re in this field for a reason because you’re passionate about being of service. But what is that true inspiration behind starting your practice? This is something that I helped my my one on one consulting clients through pop get clarity on because sometimes they’re just like, oh gosh, there’s been maybe a number of things where I’m not quite sure. Ashley Mielke 00:11:54 And when we really narrow in on, oh, it was, you know, when my mother was diagnosed with cancer or it was my I had a boyfriend years ago that died in a car accident. There’s all sorts of stories that I’ve heard. And it was that kind of life altering experience that really has inspired them to want to help and serve others. So what experience has sort of been fundamental in your life and has brought you to this point? What is your reason for existing right in your business? Why is that important to you? What is the impact you hope to make through your business? And I love this. Transformation is born out of our suffering. That is such a strong belief that I have. And you know, that’s why I love working with heart centered and purpose driven therapists who want to build impactful businesses, because this is truly it’s been our story. And then we want to share that and give that to other people. And I have highlighted here this will be the most important motivator for you when things are going really well in your business and when you’re in the dips, right? Those challenging times, those times where you just want to give up and you just want to quit. Ashley Mielke 00:13:02 It will be that thing that just inspires you to keep going, because you know that you’ve been called to a higher purpose in your life. It’s also going to be the thing that inspires you in every decision in your business. This for me, my dad’s death, my desire to give back and create a safe space for people to reduce isolation in their grief, to learn new tools to heal, to be a part of a community that inspired every single decision that I’ve made in my business over the last 11 years, and we have grown to a multi-location, seven figure practice. And it was all because I really stayed true to my why. So your Y is born out of your story. So you’ve probably heard this a lot. Simon Sinek talks a lot about this. There’s a lot of other people in the field that talk about your why. That is your purpose, right? That’s your purpose. That’s your reason for being. It is the thing that will inspire you again through those challenging times, and inspire clients and other therapists to buy into your business. Ashley Mielke 00:14:07 People are really going to feel that authenticity and the meaning and that kind of impact that you want to have, and they’re going to really trust what it is that you’re putting out there, and they’re going to want to be a part of this beautiful, incredible thing that you’re building. Your purpose isn’t the business you started. It’s a deeper reason, right? It’s the thing that drives you every day. It’s your passion. It’s the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning. So really hope you take some time to clarify what your purpose is, what your origin story is, and then share that. Put that on your website. Right? be willing to be vulnerable and authentic, which can be really scary when we are taught to restore taught the opposite in school, right? We have to be really professional. We have to have really strong boundaries. But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with leading with authenticity in your story as a way to inspire hope for other people. Your purpose will drive the goals and impact that you want to make in this world. Ashley Mielke 00:15:13 So let’s talk about vision. I’m just going to check the time here. Okay. So what is your vision? Sometimes we’re like, hey, a vision, a mission, a purpose. We get very confused. They’re all sort of similar. There’s some overlapping qualities, but they are different. So your purpose is your why. Right. Which is really driven by that origin story. For me, it’s I don’t want anybody to feel the isolation and pain that I felt when my dad died. That is the why that drives me. Okay, now your vision. So imagine this big, vivid picture. You’re North Star. It’s aspirational, it’s inspirational, it’s motivating. It’s far reaching. All roads lead here. Meaning no matter what you do in your business and your career, whether you have a group practice, you write a book, you start a podcast, you write ebooks, you speak on stages. Every road will lead to this North star. It’s all connected to this bigger vision in your heart, and it’s so big that you will not accomplish it in your lifetime. Ashley Mielke 00:16:17 That’s the fun thing about creating a vision. So our vision statement at the Grief and Trauma Healing Center is that everyone will have the tools to heal from loss, and no one will ever grieve alone. So am I going to be able to equip 7 billion people with the tools to heal from loss and minimize and and, reduce their isolation? Likely not. But if I can make it my my vision in life that everything that I do is to help achieve this vision, that’s what I’m going to do. So this is just a very quick, very concrete statement that, is clear for not only me, but my clients and our teammates as well. So here are some reflection questions for you to think about when you’re looking at. Gosh, I’m not sure where to start with my vision. Here are some questions ten years from now, what do you want your business to look like? How many employees and locations would you like to have? What are your who are your ideal clients? What goals will you have accomplished right? Do you want to do a Ted talk? Do you want to publish a book? To want to start a podcast? What projects will you be working on? What awards have you won? Something I’m so proud of and that I held in my vision for years, was to be recognized as a top 40 under 40, and in 2021. Ashley Mielke 00:17:40 I was honored to receive that award for the work that we do in our practice at the Grief and Trauma Healing Center that was so meaningful for me, for the acknowledgement of the legacy that I have created in honor of my dad’s memory. Like that for me, is just it’s just so incredibly meaningful. And it was something that I kind of kept in my vision. What are others in the industry saying about your business? Right. Again, that brand, that impact that you want to make. So now thinking about your mission. So vision is that North Star, that really big vivid picture for your business, for your life. No matter what you do, everything is going to lead to that one vision where your mission is much more kind of like hands, hands and feet on the ground. It’s the work that you actually do, right? It’s who you are. It’s sort of the services you offer. It’s your approach. It’s more of that present moment. So when you think about your practice. Ashley Mielke 00:18:39 If you’ve started one or you’re growing a group practice and you want to get clear what is our mission? So the mission we came up with for our mission statement is we are stewards who gently guide and journey with people on the pathway to healing one broken heart at a time. That last piece was really meaningful for me because when I started the Grief and Trauma Healing Center, I made a commitment just one broken heart at a time. Actually, I felt terrified firstly going into business, but I knew that I just wanted to make an impact. And so as our company grew and we grew over 20 clinicians, it was like, okay, no matter how big we get, no matter how many clients we serve, every single client matters. Whether we’re serving five clients a month or 500 new clients a month, or 5000 new clients a month, it was all focused on every person matters. And this pathway to healing everything we do is very action oriented. It’s evidence based, is very structured. Right. Grief recovery method, eMDR therapy. Ashley Mielke 00:19:42 So that really resonated with us in terms of our purpose. So here are some reflection questions for you. Is your mission statement clear and concise? Does it reflect the needs of your clients? Like do you know who your ideal client is? Do you have a niche that you serve or are you more generalist practice? Is it based on your core specialties and competencies and does it reflect what you actually do? So again, these are things that I help my clients with when they do one on one consulting with me. And as something that we help our clients within the community as well. So your values. So this is so much fun to our values are really our Guideposts for making decisions. They help us with creating boundaries and expectations. They help us in decision making around hiring a team, around how we work with clients, around decisions that we make. These are the things that you believe in, the things that are really important to you. Things that matter most, and usually our values and our business are a reflection of our personal values. Ashley Mielke 00:20:47 So these are the values that we have. And we have descriptions for each one on our website that break down each value. And for me I’m like everything that I do, I aim to do it in love. And that’s a big part of my faith background as well. So we started with Choose Love, and so again we have descriptors and we have, a way to sort of measure how these look in our business and relationships choose love, serve humbly, nurture growth, inspire belonging, honor wholeness, give generously. So those were the values that really resonated with me and our team. So when I worked with a business consultant on this about four years ago, I did bring this to my team to say, hey, does this resonate? Is this Is this accurate? Do we need to update this? And it was really powerful getting my team involved in really establishing the vision, mission and values so that they felt a part of that. They felt like they were contributing and that it was actually meaningful for them as well. Ashley Mielke 00:21:49 And then this has helped tremendously in our growth and in our hiring and every decision we make, like, does this reflect where we’re going? Does this reflect our values? Awesome. Let’s do it. So here are some reflection questions for you. Do your values reflect what actually matters to you, not what somebody else is doing, not what someone else has told you. It really needs to resonate in your heart. You may have a very fundamentally different practice than me. I’m a very affectionate, heart centered lead with love kind of gal. Much more clinically focused are much more cognitive in your approach. Awesome. That authenticity is so important because it’s going to come across anyway, whether you like it or not. And we better just be true to ourselves because people are going to see right through us if we are not leading with our authenticity. Are these values shared among your employees? Are they clear and specific? Can they help inform decisions in your business? I love this your brand is the soul of your business. Ashley Mielke 00:22:51 Lean in. This is so important. There is only one of you. Right? You are one of one. Just like I’m one of one. So lean into the most authentic version of yourself. And I know this from my own experience. Being in business for 11 years and being on this planet for 37 years, that this is where you will find the most flow and peace in your business. Something I ask myself all the time is does this feel forced, coerced, or manipulated? If it does, it’s not right. It doesn’t fit. It’s not you. If you feel peace in your heart, if you feel flow, if you feel alignment, whatever that experience is as you describe it. That’s when you know that you’re really in that authentic place and that can feel really vulnerable. But that is where we build trust. That’s where we build connections with clients in the community and other therapists. We’re going to want to join us in pursuing that bigger purpose and vision. When you connect your origin story, you create a personal connection to your clients and how you can best help them. Ashley Mielke 00:23:59 So we are often our our best avatar in our business. So if you’re trying to figure out who your ideal client is, it might be you. I certainly am my ideal client, right? Someone who’s gone through a really significant loss, who has felt really ill equipped, who has tried a number of things, and none of those things worked. It was really looking for a set of tools to heal, right? Willing to take responsibility for my life and my healing journey and and wanting to find meaning in my loss. So being able to share my story and relate that to clients or potential clients has been key to our success. People really relating to the journey that I was on to get me to where I am today has really inspired hope for them. And you’ve probably heard this before, that people. And if you haven’t, write this down, people do business with those they like, know and trust. So to build trust, we must be willing to be vulnerable and open and authentic and just lead with exactly who we are and really trusting that you are good enough as you are today. Ashley Mielke 00:25:07 Wherever you’re at on your journey of growing your business or even starting your business, you are ready today, just as you are. You have special gifts and talents that the world needs. These. These gifts and talents are unique to you. You are the prize. And you have that. That passion, that purpose, that story that’s going to inspire other people locked inside of you that the world needs to hear. So don’t be afraid to leverage and lead with those gifts, those talents. Your story, your authenticity. Leading with authenticity will make your practice magnetic and attractive to the right clients. Right? The people that are ideal, the people you really want to work with, the ones that really light you up, and the right therapists. Those people are going to say, oh my gosh, can I come and work for you? I love what you’re doing. I’ve been watching you on the sidelines. I really want to be a part of this amazing thing that you’re building, whatever it is, whether you specialize like me and grief and trauma or maybe it’s ADHD or child therapy or eating disorders or anxiety, whatever it is that you really passionate about, the right people are going to want to work with you. Ashley Mielke 00:26:21 Clients must believe that you believe in what you do and see that throughout your business. So I mean, there’s no sense in trying to be something that we’re not or trying to force something that doesn’t feel right, like, oh, you know, maybe I should do couples therapy because it seems like they need more couples therapy in the community, or there’s already a ton of child therapists. It doesn’t matter. It’s just so important that you stay true to you and really trust that there’s enough clients to go around for everyone and lead with your truth. And when you believe in what you’re doing, other people are going to believe in you, and they’re going to want to buy everything that you’re selling. Deep impact drives sustainable growth, leading with your why and the impact you desire to make and the service of others ensures that your brand is meaningful and trustworthy. That’s what we want to do. We want to create brands that are trustworthy. Delivering real value and transformation to your clients will build brand awareness in the community and ultimately impact your bottom line. Ashley Mielke 00:27:25 After all, you are starting a business. So? Yes, we want to work in being the service of other people. But your business is here to serve you. You are not here to serve your business, meaning you’re here to also be profitable and make a great living. And, you know, take the profits because of your risk of starting a business. So remember that that, you know, we’re also here to make money, but that is the result of the impact that you’re making always. And building a brand with intention ensures a lasting legacy. Whether you’re looking to even start right, you’re looking to start. You want to get started. You’re looking to grow. Maybe you want to start a group practice, grow your group practice. Or, like me, you’re ready to sell or transition out of your practice, in the future. So here are my calls to action before we wrap up today. Do not be afraid to share your story. It’s going to be the relatable piece that builds trust and helps clients and therapists to like, know, and trust. Ashley Mielke 00:28:30 This is exactly what I did with my business and I continue to do. And I’m so glad that I did because everything just flowed from there. Lead with authenticity. Be yourself and don’t worry about anybody else thinks this is the part of you that other people are going to really connect with and focus on what matters. You’ve been uniquely called to serve and make a big impact in this world. So get out there and help as many people as possible. Speaker 3 00:29:01 so. Ashley Mielke 00:29:01 Thank you so much. Joe Sanok 00:29:10 Do you often find yourself overwhelmed by the influx of client calls you receive? Receptionists are expensive, but you can’t afford to let your patients go to voicemail. You care for your clients, so you try to phone them back. But more often than not, it’s too late. They’ve gone to another practice. When you partner with well-received, you capture every opportunity. Your calls are answered by professional medical receptionists 24 over seven, and they can support you with more than just message checking. They offer new patient intake, after hours service, bilingual services, medical appointment scheduling, medical live chat, and so much more. Joe Sanok 00:29:49 All this at a fraction of the cost of an in-house receptionist. Your patients are well received priority as a practice and the practice listener. You can get an exclusive 50% off your first two months of service. Head on over to well received.com/joe to start growing your practice today. Love it. We are going to take questions I see a bunch of comments coming through. and let’s take a look here and see. And I will send those to you again. Raise your hand if you want to talk to ash about, specific questions. You may have. First question is I’d like to lead my own group practice therapists through writing their own mission, vision, and values for their unique practices. Any tips on that? Ashley Mielke 00:30:35 okay, so just for clarity, is that like, are you a consultant for other therapists? Or these are like, what is that capacity? Just so I’m clear with that question. Joe Sanok 00:30:47 Yeah. And I can see that because I was kind of confused too, because like is it around specific like are they like 1099 contractors or are they is it. Joe Sanok 00:30:55 Yeah. So let’s and maybe it would be helpful if, if Sheri, if you want to unmute, or raise your hand, that would be helpful. And we can just ask you a couple questions. So as she’s doing that we’ll go to the next question. And any suggestions regarding balancing what to share about yourself with some of our licensors. We’re told we can be reprimanded for sharing with potential clients and clients. Ashley Mielke 00:31:18 So I think that is one of the challenges we all face. Lori, thank you for that question. As, as therapists, as psychologists, as counselors is. There’s this this idea that we have to be so strictly bounded, which I do believe there’s a time and place. So I think one way to reflect on that is just ask yourself when I am sharing something, whether it’s in a session or it’s on your website or on an Instagram post, what is my intention in sharing and is it to create? Is it to reduce the sense of isolation or barriers that they face? Is it to make a connection? Is it to build hope? So for me, saying, you know, my dad died by suicide and it was a really painful loss experience that has been really key for building trust with my clients. Ashley Mielke 00:32:00 So they know that they’re not alone. And I’m actually a human being who who knew that we are actually people first. So that is just one thing. And I’ve never, you know, gotten into trouble or had any issues. so just think about your intentionality when you do go to share. I hope that’s helpful. Lori is very helpful. Yeah, the idea kind of freaks me out a little bit, but at. Speaker 4 00:32:24 This point in my life, I’m. I’m really good about not worrying a whole lot about what other people think. And I like to use humor and. Yeah, and be my authentic self in my sessions to connect with folks. So it’s figuring out, just like I love seeing the photos behind you. And I thought, oh, I never do that, you know, so able to just step back and look at that a little bit differently and how to do it. That’s exciting and inspiring to me. So thank you. Speaker 3 00:32:47 Thank you. Joe Sanok 00:32:47 That’s the value of community to to say, okay, I, I’m thinking about sharing this. Joe Sanok 00:32:51 What do you all think? How would you think through this? What ethical things might I be missing. Like there’s such value in saying those sorts of things. and like, I was really, like, before I started publicly talking about my divorce, I was really cognizant of thinking through, like, do I want my kids to know this if they ever hear it? Do I want anything out there that I would feel bad that my kids know or that the public knows? And so I started there. But then I asked friends and colleagues, like, what do I need to think about when it comes to my professional image, around how much to share, how much not to share? And I think that even though I’m not practicing therapy. It’s just smart to have people that you can bounce those things off of. Speaker 4 00:33:24 Great. Speaker 3 00:33:25 Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Thank you for that question, Gary. Joe Sanok 00:33:28 Yeah. Dig in a little bit to us for your question. Speaker 5 00:33:31 Hello. Thank you. I so my model is a little bit different in that the participants in my group practice are contractors but they’re members. Speaker 5 00:33:40 They’re not W-2s or 1099. And so I’m very supportive of their individual practices that they bring under the umbrella at our organization. And so I love to do things where I help coach them through their businesses and growing their practices, creating their practices, that kind of thing. So there is a lot of coaching and consulting that’s going on. I’m getting people who are just fresh out of the nest and have no clue how to start a business. And, and so I’ve got some folks who are in this perfect moment where it would be great to help explain to them this process and how they could do some of this. So I’d love to hear, like, how do you do that in an environment where you’re also trying to co-create a cohesive whole? Ashley Mielke 00:34:19 I would essentially what I walked you through just now, I would walk them through a similar exercise, like it, maybe gather some other tools in terms of just maybe some sentence starters or statement starters. But I would say the best way for you to connect with them is for you to be able to clearly articulate your vision, mission, and yourself. Ashley Mielke 00:34:40 And once you work through that exercise, you will be able to much better support them in in creating their own. Joe Sanok 00:34:48 I would add to that that there may be an opportunity to, you know, start something locally, like called a practice accelerator or practice incubator where you meet once a month. And it’s not just this because this is one piece of the pie, and you may have 12 months of ideas that if you just met once a month for 60 or 90 minutes, there may be, business development grants through your Chamber of Commerce. oftentimes rotary clubs can help with that. If you partner with your United Way for as a fiduciary, you can go after nonprofit grants. We actually just did that at the group practice boss conference we’re hosting here in May. we have a mental health shortage in Michigan. And so we partnered with the United Way as our fiduciary to apply for government grants, for nonprofit grants that then would go through the United Way and then pay for the venue, hopefully pay for, you know, speakers like Ashley to fly in things like that where we can say we want to bring these top experts in, not at the cost of practicing the practice, but at the cost of our community through grants. Joe Sanok 00:35:43 because we need it. We need more therapists in Northern Michigan. And, you know, part of that conference will be like, hey, when you’re here, why not open a satellite campus? It’s beautiful here. It’s great. It’s a great business right off to a vacation destination. I mean, whatever. So, like, there’s ways that you could even take what you’re talking about and say, this could be its whole own program where, you know, people pay $500 a year and they meet 12 times, and, you know, maybe even the Chamber of Commerce lets you use their space as you grow beyond your own space. Dream big. Speaker 3 00:36:11 That’s great. So good. Speaker 5 00:36:12 Yes. Thank you. That’s exactly right. And if I could just throw in a little plug, I’ve done some of group practice, boss, and I just want to let folks know that I have found these programs immensely helpful. So I totally recommend. Joe Sanok 00:36:22 Thank you for saying that you participate so much. Like to see your your change and growth and all that you’re doing is just incredible to see. Joe Sanok 00:36:29 So thanks for coming in so much. Awesome. And I’m going to just do a little reaction. and I’m going to do the little oh, I’m going to do a little celebration because Brandon. sure. Who who’s been involved in next level practice for a long time and has been talking about group practice, just signed up for group practice launch. So, so excited. He was in, the talk with Nicole and is here. And, man, I just love when he shows up. he’s just such an amazing, just person. So the fact that he’s moving into group practice. Oh my gosh Brandon, welcome. So excited for you. Ashley Mielke 00:37:06 Yes. Can’t wait to get to know you Brandon. So exciting. Speaker 3 00:37:10 He’s he’s. Joe Sanok 00:37:10 Amazing. Thank you. So. Oh yeah. Come on up here. Let’s let’s find, the right thing. There he is. Gotta say hi. Let’s bring you up, Ed spotlight. There you are, buddy. Welcome to group practice launch. Speaker 6 00:37:26 Thank you so much, Joe. Speaker 6 00:37:27 It’s, It’s been amazing. And, man, the amount. Joe Sanok 00:37:30 That you’ve been able to juggle your PhD program and your practice and showing up to next level practice things, it’s just so awesome. so excited that you’re you’re leveling up into a group practice. What kind of group practice are you thinking about? Speaker 6 00:37:44 I’m essentially wanting to, you know, my focus is on trauma, but there are so many other people that I’m turning away kids and, yeah, other, other disorders and stuff like that. Couples, because I don’t really work with couples and and so to be able to do that and my hesitancy was initially because I was like, I want to start virtually and then move into and and then next level practice. I got so much, love and support there and saying, oh, it’s absolutely possible. And these are some of the things that I, that I thought through and all of that. So it just made it really easy. And then it’s like you get six months, but then it’s like, okay, maybe you didn’t launch. Speaker 6 00:38:27 And so you go through it again and let’s figure it out. And it’s a no brainer for me. Joe Sanok 00:38:31 Yeah, totally. Well, so you’re going to be just like such a dynamic person in there. I know we had another 2 or 3 next level practice. People level up yesterday. So this cohorts coming together really nicely. So really awesome. And then you know, it’s funny because, you know, we had people a year ago that did group practice launch and I was saying how Christina that, you know, now she’s like one of our panelists. And so to just think about, you know, six months or a year from now, like, where’s Brandon going to be because of this decision that he’s making? and saying, you know what? Like, I want I want to do this quickly. I want to implement quickly. cool. So awesome things coming in. Thanks so much for speaking up. Also, for, signing up. That’s awesome. You know, Brandon’s leveling up when other people are giving up, as we’ve been saying. Joe Sanok 00:39:12 So, Rochelle says thank you for the presentation. Those were all things I needed to hear. Laurie says you are inspiring and have achieved so much. Your dad would be so proud. Oh, such kind words. from Chad. How do you know when to go from solo practice to group practice? yeah. I would love to have you talk through that, ash. And then I’ve got some ideas as well. Speaker 3 00:39:35 Sure. Ashley Mielke 00:39:36 So I knew that I was ready to level up when I had a wait list, and I just really couldn’t accommodate any new clients and really was starting to feel that pressure. And so that’s when I it was actually one of my good friends. I said, hey, do you want to come and work with me? And she said, sure. And sort of like, Joe didn’t really know what I was doing, but introduce her. And and she was able to fill up quite quickly. So that was how I knew I was. I just couldn’t accommodate the new clients anymore. Speaker 3 00:40:07 Yeah. Joe Sanok 00:40:07 I think the most typical would be kind of the rule of thumb would be when you are 60% full. That’s when you should be making your next hire. So whether you’re in group practice or whether you’re in solo practice, if you’re in group practice and your team across the board is 60% full, going from 60 to 80 takes nothing. and by the time you’re at 80, you know, you’ve got people that, you know, you interview for a couple of weeks and then you, you, you know, then people may put in a month notice and you’re looking at two months plus oftentimes to get that person actually up and running. So 60% is the rule of thumb we use with practice. The practice. I think there’s some asterisks to that. You know, like what Brandon was saying, if you’re seeing an opportunity out, even if you only have 1 or 2 clients, like if you already have the space, if you already have the website and you’re like, hey, I want to start offering services to kids, or I want to start offering services on Saturdays, I’m renting this office anyway. Joe Sanok 00:40:59 If there’s opportunity there, and you can structure it in a way where you’re not paying, just like a flat, full time, you know, wage to someone, there’s really no reason to not do it when you’re feeling ready to do it. Because even if you get someone in there that’s just seeing 1 or 2 sessions a week, that’s 1 or 2 sessions a week more than what you are now. You’re going to learn a lot through that, and then start to see what’s working and be able to scale differently. So I would say if you’re feeling it, that oftentimes it’s like, yeah, why not? All right. well, Brian was talking about how I started dreaming about having a group practice. So yeah, if you’re having dreams or lucid dreams, that’s probably a good sign to all of you. Will have dreams tonight about joining group practice launch. All right. Sarah’s here to celebrate with the wins. There’s, our community coordinator, and we often say that she gives you a virtual hug or gives you a virtual kick in the pants to help you move forward or to celebrate with you. Joe Sanok 00:41:53 thanks for putting all those links in there, Sarah. That makes it easy, for all of us. Lori congratulating Brandon, Chad, Brandon, all these support for for folks. Cool. But we’ve got just a couple minutes left. ash, I’m going to let you just have kind of the final word. when it comes to keeping your heart in a growing group practice, I think a problem we often see is the original founder has a huge Y. You know, like you, I mean like such a personal Y, then it scales beyond their own time, even scales beyond how many people you can genuinely connect with in the practice. I mean, you had, you know, 50 or however many practice how many clinicians you had. Like, that’s hard to keep connected with 50 people on a regular basis. How do you recommend people keep that original DNA as part of a growing group practice that goes well beyond the founder? Ashley Mielke 00:42:42 That’s so good. So this is where hiring is really important. It is so important that we’re not only hiring for clinical fit, but for culture fit. Ashley Mielke 00:42:50 So we have a preliminary questionnaire that we send out to every applicant. That’s very clear. Our clearly states our vision mission values and really ask why? Why do they want to join our practice? Is it just a job application they’re applying everywhere or is it for us? I also very I asked them, you know, what loss experience has inspired you to want to serve other grieving people? So it is a prerequisite to have gone through a significant life event to work on our team. So that is how that DNA is thread through each of us. They are personally connected to the vision mission values, but they have their own. Why? So Gina, for example, she’s perfect. Our director of people and culture. Her dad died when she was 18, and so her connection to the practice, honestly, is sometimes I feel like even greater than mine was on some days. So it’s like that is thread through her experience with clients and how she interacts with the team. And so that is how the DNA is thread is they have a deep connection to the vision, but they have their own why and it’s all very meaningful. Ashley Mielke 00:43:54 So hiring the right people has been absolutely key. And then maintaining those connections right. Being that touchpoint with the teammates whenever possible to make sure that they feel valued and seen and really focusing on culture building. Joe Sanok 00:44:10 That’s so awesome. Ash, thank you so much for being a part of the practice of the practice team. Thank you for doing this. If some of you might be hearing this and say, I want to work individually with ash, I don’t want to join the memberships. You can always apply over at practice of the practice. Com forward slash apply. if you go to our services page, if you forget that, just look for one on one consulting. You’ll fill out a form. You and I will talk for about half an hour just to make sure it’s a good fit, that we understand kind of what your KPIs are, what you want to get out of consulting. and then if it’s going to save you time, save you money through doing all this, then, we’ll make the referral to ash. Joe Sanok 00:44:45 if you do want to join group practice, launch again. That’s practice of the practice. Com forward slash GPL door. The doors are open until next week. we are also going to have a bunch of Q and A’s next week. So if you’re on the fence, you’re going to get some emails that say, hey, do you have some questions? We want you to go into these programs fully knowing what you’re getting into, having all of your questions answered. We do not want you to make this rushed decision. That’s why we actually have started doing this for an extra week, to give you time to think and process and say which programs for me. So come hang out in one of those Q and A’s next week with me. You know, I Chad was just having had some questions about, you know, I’m not the 60%, but I kind of want to start a group practice. Yeah, let’s let’s spend some time talking about that to make sure that you make a good decision for your business and your finances and your time. Joe Sanok 00:45:30 Thanks for hanging out with us and letting us into your ears and into your brain. I’ll talk to you all soon. Speaker 3 00:45:34 Bye, everyone. Joe Sanok 00:45:43 Thank you so much for listening to the Level Up Week series. I hope you are getting so much help out of this. If you need extra help, head on over to practice of the practice.com/apply. I would love to spend 30 minutes brainstorming with you as to your phase of practice, and helping you determine whether a membership, community, or consulting is right for you. Again, that’s practice of the practice. Com forward slash apply. And we couldn’t do this show without our amazing sponsors. Our sponsor for today’s episode is well received. Oftentimes, you know people are calling through all the phone numbers. And if someone answers the phone, those are the clients that actually get in. If you want help getting every single phone call answered 24 over seven, you need the support of well received. They do new client intakes after our services, bilingual support and so much more. Joe Sanok 00:46:33 You can get 50% off your first three months over at well received.com/jo to start growing your practice today. Special thanks to the band Silences 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.