How to collaborate to grow your business
What do you do when the going gets tough in business?
Do you double down on social media posts, purchase the latest online marketing course or just ignore it because it feels too hard?
Another option is reaching out to a colleague, not only to commiserate but to collaborate. Feeling isolated in practice, regardless of whether you’re working in a multi-modality clinic or solo online, is one of the leading reasons why naturopaths leave the profession. Collaborating can help you feel supported and grow your business.
The competition trap
Competition can create a scarcity mindset in business. While it can sometimes spur us on to succeed, too often this reinforces a belief that there aren’t enough potential clients to go around.
There will always be colleagues who are more experienced, successful or lauded. But there’s space to create a way of working that’s authentic to you. Remember there are many people need your unique skills — they just haven’t found you yet.
Collaborate rather than compete
Collaborating with others within or adjacent to our profession, not only increases visibility to potential clients but also provides opportunities for peer support.
Creating a project together can be time consuming, so keep your ideal client in mind when doing this. You want maximum bang for your investment! Choose topics you’re passionate about and work with other health professionals/businesses who complement what you’re offering.
Collaborating is synergistic, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What you create together can have greater reach and impact than two people going it alone.
Finding potential collaborators
Who are your favourite referrers? Consider the health professionals you already collaborate with through client referrals. These could be a psychologist, hypnotherapist, osteopath, exercise physiologist or clinical pilates instructor.
If you’re currently working in a multimodality clinic, collaborate with other practitioners who you already share client care with. For example, if you love treating inflammation, a workshop with the clinic’s bodyworkers on pain management can showcase your skills.
A solo practitioner in a bricks and mortar clinic might collaborate with neighbouring businesses such a health food café, store selling eco-friendly products or yoga studio.
Online you can pitch a guest interview to a successful podcaster or YouTuber, run a webinar or an online course.
The sky’s the limit. My favourite collaboration was running the practitioner retreats with Charmaine Dennis over three years in Bali.
Five tips for successful collaborations
How to work together successfully.
- Be clear on what you want to get out of the collaboration.
- Choose collaborators you respect.
- Make sure you’re aims and values are aligned.
- Share tasks fairly and agree on each collaborators’ roles.
- Don’t be put off if the first person you ask isn’t available. You’ve still created a connection that may be mutually beneficial in the long run.
Gill Stannard has been mentoring health professionals for almost thirty years. She helps enable practitioners to grow the business they love. One in alignment with your values, that supports heart, soul and finances. Learn more about mentoring with Gill.
Mentoring with Gill Stannard
I work with established health practitioners and business owners, big and small, to create a balanced and sustainable career.
I’ve been helping practitioners build successful businesses, in alignment with their values, vision and lifestyle, for more then two decades.
In addition to 1:1 business mentoring and professional supervision of cancer and complex cases I run workshops and share free resources on my mentoring
In 2022 I celebrated 30 years in practice. It’s an honour to continue to serve my clients and my profession.
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