Our Advice From the Pros series of blog posts will highlight one of the leaders in the massage and bodywork field once a week. Douglas Nelson, founder and principal instructor for Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars, is our featured expert this week. Nelson is president of the 16-therapist clinic BodyWork Associates in Champaign, Illinois, and the president-elect of the Massage Therapy Foundation. His clinic, seminars, and research endeavors explore the science behind his work.
The challenging experience that taught me the most valuable business lesson is …
Douglas Nelson: The skills for being a successful therapist and for being successful in business are different. At one point, I thought hiring accounting people meant I didn’t need to be involved in that part of the business. Painful lesson. No one knows your business like you do.
My most effective marketing strategy is …
Douglas Nelson: To reach more people, narrow the focus of your practice. It is counterintuitive, but very effective.
To be a successful business owner you need to …
Douglas Nelson: Be mission driven, not goal driven. A mission will sustain you when times are difficult, and things will be difficult at some point. Plus, clients resonate with your passion for the field.
My financial advice for therapists is …
Douglas Nelson: While we want massage therapy to be accessible, it is vital not to undervalue it. Just as we respect environmental sustainability, your business must be sustainable as well. Your future clients are depending on you.
This blog was created from Massage & Bodywork’s July/August 2017 Business Side column "Advice from the Pros."