The Highs, Lows, and Lessons of Every Stage of Business

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast! Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Courtney Vickery, a valued team member and a multi-passionate entrepreneur in the weight-inclusive space, as they dive deep into the journey of building a successful private practice. In this special series, they explore the five distinct stages of business: SET UP, START, GROW, LEAD, and COAST. Each stage comes with its own set of emotions, challenges, and action steps, and they're here to guide you through them all. Whether you're just setting up your practice or looking to expand and lead a team, they've got insights and resources tailored for you. Join them for stories, lessons learned, and expert advice to help you run your business like a CEO.  Get ready to take up space in business and redefine what success means for you.  Introduction to the Podcast Series: The podcast series explores the stages of business, emphasizing personalized approaches in life and business. Changes to Business School: Business School and EXPAND are being combined into one program with two tracks, providing more direct support. Stages of Business Framework: The framework outlines five stages of business, each with unique challenges and focuses. Introducing each stage of business: In the SET UP stage of business, you're laying the foundation to officially open your practice within 30 days. This phase is all about taking action and shifting into the mindset of a business owner. It's a time to make important decisions, like defining your ideal client and creating your first offer, while navigating the legal aspects of your practice. While this stage is filled with excitement and hope, it's also normal to experience anxiety and fear. In the START stage of business, it's time to actively present your practice and announce that you're open for business. This phase is all about experimenting with different marketing strategies, refining your systems, setting boundaries, and discovering your unique counseling style. As you build your skills, you'll gain confidence in your ability to market your business and deliver client results. Although this stage is exciting, it can also be frustrating at times, especially when you feel overwhelmed with balancing so many different tasks. In the GROW stage of business, you'll focus on expanding your reach, refining your marketing, and improving your systems—all while continuing to serve your clients effectively. During this stage, you'll experiment with different strategies to grow your audience and streamline your business. You may feel proud of your progress but also feel the pull to transition into full-time entrepreneurship, especially if you're currently balancing a job. Both the excitement and the challenges you face are part of the journey. The LEAD stage is all about stepping into a leadership role that helps you grow your business without burning out. It's not just about constantly growing—it's about making your business more efficient, finding ways to take a step back when needed, and setting up systems that keep things running smoothly. Whether you're preparing to coast or just want to focus on leading your team, this stage is about building a sustainable business that works for you. It's a chance to refine your leadership skills and make sure your business is set up for long-term success. The COAST stage is all about reconnecting with your "why" and giving yourself the permission to take a breather when you need it. It might be the most important stage of your business journey because it's all about recharging, refocusing, and keeping things going at a pace that works for you. Whether you're working through burnout or just enjoying the space after a period of hard work, slowing down can actually be a big step forward for your business. No matter what stage you're in, this series will inspire you to take bold action and build a business that works for your life. It's time to take up space in business!    Timestamps:  00:01 Introduction to the Podcast Series: Introduction of the new podcast series focused on the stages of business development, emphasizing that "one size does not fit all." 00:24 Structure of the Podcast Series: The series will include an introduction and individual episodes for each business stage, encouraging listeners to download relevant episodes. 01:56 Business School Mastermind Program: Business School offers business coaching and a supportive community for dietitians. We're adding more to the program in September! 04:09 Co-host Introduction: Courtney is introduced as the co-host, having experienced all stages of business. 13:45 SET UP Stage of Business: Focus on laying the foundation to open a private practice within 30 days, addressing emotions and challenges. 17:57 START Stage of Business: Emphasis on presenting the practice, experimenting with marketing, refining systems and counseling style. 24:20 GROW Stage of Business: Expanding reach, refining marketing, and balancing client work with business growth. 32:50 LEAD Stage of Business: Importance of stepping into a leadership role, hiring, and building a sustainable business. 38:53 COAST Stage of Business: Emphasis on reconnecting with the business's "why" and taking a breather to recharge and refocus. This episode gives you a quick overview of each stage, so you can reflect where you are and decide which episodes in the series are going to help move your business forward. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes dedicated to each stage of business this month!    Courtney Vickery, MS, RD, LD is an anti-diet dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor with her own private practice, Vickery Wellness. She is also the CEO of Declet Designs, her website and branding studio for weight-inclusive businesses. Find Courtney on Instagram at @decletdesigns    Sponsor: ✨ Business School is designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner.   Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/   Connect with Pursuing Private Practice: 🎉 Instagram: @pursuing.private.practice 📧 Email: Contact Us   Free Resources For Dietitians at Any Stage of Business: 🍎 The Ultimate Checklist to Start Your Private Practice ✨ Free Training: Get Clients Now 3-Day Challenge 👯 Free Workshop: Hire Your Next Team Member 💻 The Pursuing Private Practice Blog 🎙️The Pursuing Private Practice Podcast