63. 7 Years, 5,000+ Therapists: What I’ve Learned

Seven years ago, I took a leap—leaving behind agency work that didn’t feel meaningful to build something that did. What started as copywriting for therapists has grown into something I could have never predicted: a business that’s supported thousands of clinicians and continues to evolve in ways that still surprise me.

If you’re building (or growing) your private practice, this episode is a moment to zoom out. To reflect. To reconnect with what actually works—not just in theory, but in real life, over time. Because sustainable growth in your practice isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things, in the right way, consistently.

I’m sharing seven of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past seven years—lessons that have shaped not just my business, but how I think about marketing, integrity, and what it really takes to grow something that lasts. My hope? That you walk away with clarity, encouragement, and a renewed sense of trust in your own path.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

1️⃣ Why your niche isn’t limiting—it’s the very thing that builds trust, clarity, and momentum in your marketing

2️⃣ How operating with integrity (even when it costs you in the short term) creates long-term loyalty and sustainable growth

3️⃣ The truth about confidence, mindset, and why doing a few things well will always outperform trying to do everything

Resources & Links Mentioned:

The Walker Strategy Co website: https://walkerstrategyco.com
Confident Copy: https://walkerstrategyco.com/cc
Squarespace Templates: https://walkerstrategyco.com/templates
Done-for-you services: https://walkerstrategyco.com/services
Preview the birthday sale: https://walkerstrategyco.com/bs26

Connect + Subscribe

Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and feel free to share it with a fellow therapist who’s building their private practice. Explore more marketing support for therapists: The Walker Strategy Co website: https://walkerstrategyco.com.

About Marketing Therapy

Marketing Therapy is the podcast where therapists learn how to market their private practices without burnout, self-doubt, or sleazy tactics. Hosted by me, a marketing coach, strategist, and founder of Walker Strategy Co—each episode brings you clear, grounded advice to help you attract the right-fit, full-fee clients and grow a practice you feel proud of.

Anna Walker: 00:00:01

Hey there.

2

: 00:00:02

Welcome back to Marketing Therapy.

3

: 00:00:03

I'm excited about this episode.

4

: 00:00:05

We are today standing on the cusp

of April, and April's always a

5

: 00:00:10

really interesting and exciting

month for me because it represents

6

: 00:00:13

the birthday of Walker Strategy Co.

7

: 00:00:16

And here in 2026, we are celebrating

seven years of supporting therapists.

8

: 00:00:23

So if you aren't familiar with the kind

of origin story of Walker Strategy Co.

9

: 00:00:27

I have a background in marketing.

10

: 00:00:29

I am not myself, a therapist, but

have always said that I'm kind

11

: 00:00:32

of the product of good therapy.

12

: 00:00:35

I've been to therapy at a few really

meaningful and pivotal points in

13

: 00:00:40

my life, and I've also seen it in

action in the life of my family

14

: 00:00:44

in some really powerful ways.

15

: 00:00:46

Again, kind of throughout my life, and so

I've always just been a true advocate and

16

: 00:00:51

believer in the work that therapists do.

17

: 00:00:54

So seven years ago I was working

in a large marketing agency.

18

: 00:00:58

My largest client was actually a

Fortune 500 software company, German

19

: 00:01:02

no less, and it was very much just

helping rich people get richer.

20

: 00:01:06

Like that's what I did every day.

21

: 00:01:08

I wasn't making any significant impact.

22

: 00:01:11

I couldn't even see the

impact of what I was doing.

23

: 00:01:13

I was legitimately just a cog in a wheel,

and yet I had a lot of skills to offer.

24

: 00:01:19

I had learned a lot, I had spent

some time at a much smaller

25

: 00:01:22

marketing agency as well.

26

: 00:01:24

Working with solopreneurs,

nonprofits, things like that.

27

: 00:01:28

And so I was exploring what it would

look like to make a difference with

28

: 00:01:32

what I had to offer and be able to do

something that I believed in and that

29

: 00:01:36

did something meaningful out there.

30

: 00:01:39

And it was while I was looking for a

therapist myself here in Nashville,

31

: 00:01:43

that I realized that maybe this

group of therapists could be it.

32

: 00:01:49

I was looking on Psychology Today and

Google for a therapist and realizing I

33

: 00:01:53

think I might be able to help these folks.

34

: 00:01:55

I have perspective on marketing

strategy, on copy, on websites that I

35

: 00:02:00

think could translate really well here.

36

: 00:02:02

And so I spent about six months

researching, listening, interviewing

37

: 00:02:07

some clinicians that I had gone to school

with, really just doing whatever I could

38

: 00:02:12

to gain an understanding of the nuance

of this industry, because it's obvious.

39

: 00:02:16

And I realized very early on that this is

not the same as marketing software, right?

40

: 00:02:21

Or even nonprofits or some of the

other industries that I'd worked in.

41

: 00:02:26

The therapy industry is incredibly

unique, and if I was gonna provide

42

: 00:02:30

value in this space, then the first

thing I needed was to understand what

43

: 00:02:34

I was looking to operate inside of,

to really understand that nuance.

44

: 00:02:38

So I spent about six months essentially

just developing a point of view.

45

: 00:02:42

Marrying what I knew about marketing and

copy and strategy with what was true of

46

: 00:02:47

therapy and therapists and this industry

and that nuance that was required.

47

: 00:02:53

So I began seven years ago by

writing copy for therapists.

48

: 00:02:57

That was my bread and

butter for their website.

49

: 00:02:59

And since then, over the last seven

years, have watched Walker Strategy

50

: 00:03:03

Co just grow and transform in ways

I, I never could have imagined.

51

: 00:03:08

We continue to have our done for you

copywriting services but added on design.

52

: 00:03:12

We, of course, have our Confident Copy

program, our Squarespace templates, which

53

: 00:03:16

we have sold to thousands of therapists.

54

: 00:03:18

Our add-on pages, our

resources, this podcast like.

55

: 00:03:21

It truly has just become something

I never could have imagined.

56

: 00:03:24

Not to mention getting to lead a team of

people that also believe in this work to

57

: 00:03:30

learn how to create an ethical workplace

where people want to show up and do

58

: 00:03:33

their best and believe in the mission.

59

: 00:03:36

It's just, it's, it's been crazy

and no one could have told me.

60

: 00:03:41

Seven years ago that I would

be here and have me believe it.

61

: 00:03:43

I always say no one's more surprised

than I am to find myself here, but as

62

: 00:03:49

we are on the cusp of year seven, I'm an

incredibly nostalgic person, so I love

63

: 00:03:55

reflecting on where was I a year ago?

64

: 00:03:57

Where was I two years ago?

65

: 00:03:58

Where was I, seven years ago in this case?

66

: 00:04:00

And so I wanted to use this episode

to share with you seven lessons

67

: 00:04:05

I have learned in my seven years

of Running Walker Strategy Co.

68

: 00:04:09

Serving therapists these days, north of

5,000 therapists in our paid programs

69

: 00:04:14

and services, and my hope is that

you can take some things away here.

70

: 00:04:18

While I do run a different business

than you do, no doubt about it, there is

71

: 00:04:23

actually a lot more overlap than sometimes

I'm even aware of, and so I hope today

72

: 00:04:28

that you can take away some things that

are meaningful in your own practice.

73

: 00:04:32

Now, the very first one, and I can

promise this relates to what you do,

74

: 00:04:35

is that your niche is your superpower.

75

: 00:04:40

This is not gonna surprise you if

you've been in my world for a while.

76

: 00:04:43

I talk about niching all the time.

77

: 00:04:44

I love niching.

78

: 00:04:46

It's my favorite thing to talk about.

79

: 00:04:47

It's my favorite thing

to coach clinicians on.

80

: 00:04:49

And guide them through because it really

does unlock so much of your marketing.

81

: 00:04:55

But back seven years ago when I was

thinking about starting a business for

82

: 00:04:58

myself, thinking about using my skills

differently and moving beyond that, that

83

: 00:05:03

large agency I was at, I thought about

serving, you know, small business owners

84

: 00:05:08

or solopreneurs, consultants, whatever.

85

: 00:05:12

But if I had done that,

therapists, you sitting here

86

: 00:05:15

right now listening, our clients.

87

: 00:05:18

They would most likely not

trust us the way they do today.

88

: 00:05:22

You know, one of the most common

things I hear from our done for

89

: 00:05:24

you clients is you understand this

world, you understand this industry.

90

: 00:05:29

You know what works and what doesn't.

91

: 00:05:32

And the only reason that can be

true is because of our niche.

92

: 00:05:35

Am I a therapist?

93

: 00:05:36

Absolutely not.

94

: 00:05:37

Are there things I cannot know?

95

: 00:05:38

Un unless I was trained?

96

: 00:05:40

Absolutely.

97

: 00:05:41

But have I been able to craft a true

perspective and deep expertise when

98

: 00:05:45

it comes to marketing in this space?

99

: 00:05:47

I absolutely have.

100

: 00:05:49

And I hear often that it's the

reason that our clients trust us.

101

: 00:05:53

The therapists choose to work with

us, whether that's in confident

102

: 00:05:56

copy or our done for you services,

whatever it might be, because they

103

: 00:06:00

want someone who gets the nuance of

this field and knows what works here.

104

: 00:06:04

Because what works here is

different than what works elsewhere.

105

: 00:06:08

It's probably the reason your clients feel

so at home with you is because they don't

106

: 00:06:12

have to explain themselves either, right?

107

: 00:06:15

They trust that you get it

and that you can help them.

108

: 00:06:18

And for us, over the last seven

years, that specialization

109

: 00:06:22

has become our reputation.

110

: 00:06:25

The clarity of our niche is truly what

drives Walker strategy co success.

111

: 00:06:30

And we would not be in this place

if that niche was not clear.

112

: 00:06:34

I probably don't have to tell

you this, but the same principle,

113

: 00:06:36

it applies to your practice.

114

: 00:06:38

You are the right therapist for some

people and not the right for others.

115

: 00:06:43

And when you lean into that, you

unlock power in your marketing

116

: 00:06:46

that you would not otherwise have.

117

: 00:06:49

Your niche really is your superpower.

118

: 00:06:53

The second lesson I have to share

with you is that integrity compound.

119

: 00:06:58

Every month I sit down with my team in

what we call an all hands meeting, and one

120

: 00:07:02

of the main activities of that meeting is

reviewing our mission, vision, and values.

121

: 00:07:07

These are truly our guiding

principles and we center on them

122

: 00:07:10

every single month together.

123

: 00:07:11

And one of the absolute guiding

values of what we do at Waka

124

: 00:07:15

Strategy Co is integrity.

125

: 00:07:17

If we are not in integrity, if we are

not making decisions in integrity,

126

: 00:07:20

if we are not being honest, if

we are not owning our mistakes,

127

: 00:07:23

something is fundamentally wrong.

128

: 00:07:27

And I continue to see how that

actually serves a business more than

129

: 00:07:30

it takes away every day of the week.

130

: 00:07:32

Again, just like you aren't the

right fit for every client, we're

131

: 00:07:34

also not the right fit for every

therapist, and we're okay with that.

132

: 00:07:39

I regularly tell people

not to work with us.

133

: 00:07:42

Sometimes they're too early and I don't

think they're gonna get enough out of it.

134

: 00:07:46

Sometimes they're too advanced.

135

: 00:07:48

Sometimes I just get the sense looking

at their marketing or their website

136

: 00:07:51

that the ROI like, maybe they could

get something good out of working

137

: 00:07:54

with us, but do I think it's gonna be

like the real needle mover for them?

138

: 00:07:57

No.

139

: 00:07:59

And it matters way more to me that I

am honest about that than I get another

140

: 00:08:03

enrollment or another client or whatever.

141

: 00:08:05

But what's interesting is that in

those moments, how much loyalty

142

: 00:08:10

that honesty builds, I often hear.

143

: 00:08:14

Thank you so much for being honest.

144

: 00:08:16

I'm absolutely gonna share, you know,

about Walker strategy code with my

145

: 00:08:18

colleagues or things like that because

of the amount of trust that is built.

146

: 00:08:22

When you say, actually, I'm not the

right fit for you, actually, another

147

: 00:08:27

therapist would be better suited for you.

148

: 00:08:29

Actually, you shouldn't enroll in

my program or hire us for a service

149

: 00:08:33

that is immeasurable and the value

of the loyalty that that builds is

150

: 00:08:37

way more than signing a new client.

151

: 00:08:40

I just believe that if I can run

a business where I can sleep at

152

: 00:08:43

night, then I've done something

right and it's really cool to see

153

: 00:08:46

how that pays out on the back end.

154

: 00:08:49

Those people believe

in Walker Strategy Co.

155

: 00:08:51

They remember us and when they do

meet someone who might be a good

156

: 00:08:55

fit, they share freely about how

we might be able to help them.

157

: 00:08:59

And so I just super, super believe that

integrity is always the best policy and

158

: 00:09:05

that it's actually good for business.

159

: 00:09:06

Not just good for you, but

good for your business.

160

: 00:09:09

Even if someone would say, well,

you missed out on that client or

161

: 00:09:12

whatever, what you did was right.

162

: 00:09:14

It kept you in your zone of genius.

163

: 00:09:16

It ensured that that person was served

best, and I just think that that is a

164

: 00:09:20

gift to yourself and to your clients,

and I just love seeing, even if it takes

165

: 00:09:26

time, how that honesty pays out for us.

166

: 00:09:30

Obviously as a therapist, you

are someone who is also super

167

: 00:09:33

interested in operating in integrity.

168

: 00:09:36

It's one of the reasons I love

this niche in getting to work with

169

: 00:09:38

therapists like you because we share

that and it feels very, very genuine.

170

: 00:09:43

And when I hear from other clients as

they make a decision to hire us, that

171

: 00:09:47

something about us feels genuine and real.

172

: 00:09:50

I know that is because we are operating

in integrity and when we're not, if

173

: 00:09:54

for some reason our alarm bells are

going off, we listen, we change course,

174

: 00:09:59

we do what needs to be done, and I

think that that's a really beautiful

175

: 00:10:02

place to sit as I run a business.

176

: 00:10:06

Lesson number three, y'all do it scared.

177

: 00:10:10

You are never going to

feel 100% confident.

178

: 00:10:13

You're never gonna feel 100% ready to do

the next right thing in your business.

179

: 00:10:17

Early on, when I started Walker

Strategy Co, I hired a coach

180

: 00:10:20

because I really did believe in the

potential of what I was creating.

181

: 00:10:24

But I needed some support to, you

know, figure out what to do next.

182

: 00:10:27

And this was in the heyday seven years

ago of starting a Facebook group.

183

: 00:10:31

Like that was what you

did, that was the strategy.

184

: 00:10:34

And this coach said, Anna, you've

gotta start a Facebook group.

185

: 00:10:37

And I said, no way.

186

: 00:10:39

And she said, Anna, when you start that

Facebook group, you need to go live in

187

: 00:10:42

that Facebook group multiple times a week.

188

: 00:10:44

And I said, no way, but I did it anyway.

189

: 00:10:48

I really didn't want to.

190

: 00:10:49

I remember, and you can actually go and

find, I think it's on our YouTube channel,

191

: 00:10:52

the very, very, very first video I did

in our Get Booked Out Facebook community.

192

: 00:10:58

I think we had like 15

members at the time.

193

: 00:11:00

No one showed up to the live video.

194

: 00:11:01

Of course not.

195

: 00:11:02

We had 15 people.

196

: 00:11:04

I had no idea what I was doing.

197

: 00:11:05

I don't even know what I

talked about, but I did it.

198

: 00:11:08

I was terrified, but I showed up

and I talked as if I was speaking to

199

: 00:11:12

a full room, even if it was empty.

200

: 00:11:15

And I kept doing it.

201

: 00:11:16

And I kept doing it.

202

: 00:11:18

And today that Facebook group is

over 22,000 therapists strong.

203

: 00:11:22

It's where I get to interact

with y'all on a regular basis.

204

: 00:11:24

I'm still the person behind the

posts that go live every single day.

205

: 00:11:27

I still engage in comments.

206

: 00:11:28

I get to chat with y'all

because I did that thing scared.

207

: 00:11:33

Not only that, but Facebook does serve

as a primary connection with people

208

: 00:11:36

who decide that they might wanna

work with us at Walker Strategy Co.

209

: 00:11:39

Oh, I saw you post in this Facebook

group, or, I saw you launch that website,

210

: 00:11:43

and it made me decide that I wanted

to reach out, whatever that might be.

211

: 00:11:46

But none of that would've

happened if I hadn't done it.

212

: 00:11:49

Scared if I had waited to feel certain.

213

: 00:11:53

Or chose something that felt more

comfortable, I would've missed out on

214

: 00:11:57

a massive opportunity for growth, not

just business wise, but personally.

215

: 00:12:02

That group has led to countless

relationships and opportunities of

216

: 00:12:06

all kinds over the last seven years.

217

: 00:12:10

I've said it before and

I will say it again, that

218

: 00:12:12

confidence does not come first.

219

: 00:12:14

Confidence comes after

you take the action.

220

: 00:12:17

It comes as a result of doing things.

221

: 00:12:20

You're never gonna feel 100% ready.

222

: 00:12:22

You will always be a little bit scared.

223

: 00:12:23

That does not mean what you're

about to do is the wrong thing.

224

: 00:12:28

Of course, this isn't to say that you

shouldn't listen to your intuition

225

: 00:12:30

and we're actually gonna talk

about that more in this episode.

226

: 00:12:32

But there's a time and a place to do it.

227

: 00:12:34

Scared and Walker Strategy Co.

228

: 00:12:37

Truly is living proof of that.

229

: 00:12:40

Alright, lesson number four in

my last seven years of business.

230

: 00:12:44

Is that your mindset shapes your success.

231

: 00:12:47

I've shared before that I used to kind

of poo poh on the idea of mindset.

232

: 00:12:50

I was like, yeah, yeah, whatever.

233

: 00:12:51

Just give me the strategy.

234

: 00:12:53

Give me the to-do list.

235

: 00:12:54

I will do it perfectly and

the results will follow.

236

: 00:12:57

A plus B equals C.

237

: 00:12:59

And I'll be honest, early

on that was kind of true.

238

: 00:13:01

I checked the boxes.

239

: 00:13:03

Okay, start the Facebook group check.

240

: 00:13:04

I did the things.

241

: 00:13:05

Go live, check.

242

: 00:13:06

You know, it worked until

I got to a certain level.

243

: 00:13:11

Where I realized that my long-term

growth as a human, as a business owner

244

: 00:13:16

and just the long-term growth of the

business was going to require way more

245

: 00:13:21

internal work than external execution.

246

: 00:13:25

What I decided to believe about my

business, about what I offered about

247

: 00:13:29

how valuable it was, about who I

was talking to, dictated so much

248

: 00:13:34

more of my success than whatever

strategy I was engaging in that week.

249

: 00:13:40

And that has become only more

and more true as the business has

250

: 00:13:43

evolved and matured as the team has

grown, as our offers have changed.

251

: 00:13:48

My mindset matters more than any

strategy, and I've seen, especially

252

: 00:13:52

in the last year, the power of

trusting myself, and I have learned

253

: 00:13:56

to trust myself in ways I didn't.

254

: 00:13:58

In the prior six years, I've

learned that my intuition and my

255

: 00:14:02

gut instinct exist for a reason.

256

: 00:14:05

They are there telling me something.

257

: 00:14:06

I can tune into them, I can trust them.

258

: 00:14:09

And if they're telling me something,

it is worth pausing and listening to,

259

: 00:14:12

and that's a really cool place to be.

260

: 00:14:14

Now, the thing I've learned

about self-trust, especially

261

: 00:14:17

in business ownership, is it

doesn't mean that everything

262

: 00:14:19

you're gonna do is right, right?

263

: 00:14:21

It doesn't mean every single decision

you're gonna make is gonna be

264

: 00:14:23

the right one or the correct one.

265

: 00:14:25

But what it does mean is that

you can trust yourself enough to

266

: 00:14:28

know when it's time to change.

267

: 00:14:31

So if I make a decision that I realize.

268

: 00:14:33

Oh wow.

269

: 00:14:34

That was not the right one.

270

: 00:14:35

I trust myself to know, to respond

and to take action accordingly,

271

: 00:14:40

to pivot, to change, to scrap,

whatever, and it's really cool to

272

: 00:14:45

feel like you can rely on yourself.

273

: 00:14:47

I'm not relying on anyone, anything,

any market, any economy, any offer.

274

: 00:14:51

I'm relying on myself

and I can trust myself.

275

: 00:14:56

I've shared that in my most

recent therapy work I've.

276

: 00:14:59

Realized that security is my number

one personal value, and the amount

277

: 00:15:03

of security that this self-trust

offers me is absolutely immeasurable.

278

: 00:15:08

And when you learn to trust yourself,

it keeps you in the driver's seat of

279

: 00:15:11

your business because you trust yourself

enough to know when something isn't

280

: 00:15:14

working and to respond accordingly.

281

: 00:15:17

What you believe about your practice,

about its potential, about who you are

282

: 00:15:21

as a clinician, about whether or not

you can get clients matters, and it

283

: 00:15:26

probably matters more than any template

or framework or strategy out there.

284

: 00:15:31

Those beliefs are shaping your actions

and what you choose to believe is

285

: 00:15:35

driving what happens in your practice.

286

: 00:15:38

And listen, I'm sharing this with you, not

as a super woo person, but just because

287

: 00:15:43

it continues to ring true in my business.

288

: 00:15:46

Alright, lesson number five.

289

: 00:15:48

You my friend, do not

have to do everything.

290

: 00:15:52

Now we are all surrounded in some regard

by sort of the hustle culture, right?

291

: 00:15:57

You're told do this thing,

never stop, go, go, go.

292

: 00:16:00

And then there's also the anti hussle

culture of like rest all the time.

293

: 00:16:03

Don't do anything, manifest it.

294

: 00:16:05

But the fact is, if we are all out there

as business owners being told there's

295

: 00:16:09

something else we could be doing, right?

296

: 00:16:12

We call it shiny object syndrome.

297

: 00:16:13

Maybe I should try this,

maybe I should try this.

298

: 00:16:15

You feel like a squirrel going,

you know, strategy to strategy.

299

: 00:16:18

And it's hard to resist that.

300

: 00:16:21

To be quite frank, for the first

five to six years of WA Strategy Co,

301

: 00:16:24

our marketing was very, very simple.

302

: 00:16:28

We had our Facebook group, the

one that I mentioned earlier.

303

: 00:16:30

We had an email list.

304

: 00:16:32

That was it.

305

: 00:16:33

We did those two things with

absolute excellence and precision and

306

: 00:16:37

consistency year over year over year.

307

: 00:16:42

And it worked at the same time

as I was receiving messages that

308

: 00:16:44

I needed to be on Pinterest.

309

: 00:16:45

And if I wasn't on TikTok, I

was missing out on something.

310

: 00:16:48

And what about LinkedIn?

311

: 00:16:49

What about podcasting?

312

: 00:16:49

What about blogging?

313

: 00:16:51

And we just kept our heads down.

314

: 00:16:52

We did the Facebook group, the email

list, we rinsed and repeated with

315

: 00:16:56

excellence four years, and it worked.

316

: 00:17:00

Now, obviously we've made some additions.

317

: 00:17:01

Hello, this podcast being one

of them, which is truly the

318

: 00:17:04

best thing we've ever done.

319

: 00:17:05

I enjoy this space so much.

320

: 00:17:07

We've added on some social media in some

regard, but this is a really good reminder

321

: 00:17:11

that you do not have to be everywhere.

322

: 00:17:13

You do not have to do every single thing

someone talks about to get clients.

323

: 00:17:17

If instead, you can do a few things

really, really, really well, it

324

: 00:17:23

will beat trying to do everything

any day of the week, right?

325

: 00:17:27

Jack of all trades, master of none.

326

: 00:17:30

So I really encourage you to resist

the message that you need to be

327

: 00:17:33

following exactly what someone else is

doing or adding on this new thing or

328

: 00:17:36

jumping over to this shiny strategy.

329

: 00:17:39

Instead, stay committed to a couple

of things, do them very, very

330

: 00:17:43

well, and the results will follow.

331

: 00:17:45

Keep your head down and

continue doing them.

332

: 00:17:48

Many thriving practices I know

today are built this exact way.

333

: 00:17:53

They do a handful of things with

excellence consistently over

334

: 00:17:57

time, and the results compound.

335

: 00:18:00

You do not have to do everything.

336

: 00:18:02

You do not have to be everywhere.

337

: 00:18:04

You get to choose what makes sense for you

and for your energy, for the way that you

338

: 00:18:09

think and work and the results can follow.

339

: 00:18:12

Don't let anyone, especially

yourself tell you otherwise.

340

: 00:18:15

Okay.

341

: 00:18:17

All right.

342

: 00:18:17

Lesson number six, and this is

especially relevant in the last year

343

: 00:18:21

of my business, is stay scrappy.

344

: 00:18:24

I've shared before that early in 2025,

it became clear from the data and you

345

: 00:18:30

know, how much I love data, that something

was changing, something was shifting.

346

: 00:18:34

Some of the things that had always

worked in our marketing and in our

347

: 00:18:37

business weren't the same way, and

my instinct was to hold on, was

348

: 00:18:43

to dig my heels in and to grasp.

349

: 00:18:47

Onto what had worked before.

350

: 00:18:49

I'm someone who's very much

like, but yeah, it worked like A

351

: 00:18:52

plus B has equaled C for years.

352

: 00:18:54

I tend to be quite black

and white in that regard.

353

: 00:18:58

How does this change?

354

: 00:18:59

I didn't change.

355

: 00:19:00

How does this stop working?

356

: 00:19:01

And I had to kind of come to a reckoning

with myself and realize, you know what?

357

: 00:19:05

I can either choose to look at this

data and do something, or I can stay

358

: 00:19:09

in this place and dig in my heels.

359

: 00:19:12

And so our informal word of the

year with my team became scrappy.

360

: 00:19:16

You saw some of it.

361

: 00:19:17

You didn't see some of it if

you were paying attention, but

362

: 00:19:20

2025, if you are in our world.

363

: 00:19:22

We were trying stuff.

364

: 00:19:24

We were testing new things.

365

: 00:19:25

Some worked, some really didn't.

366

: 00:19:27

Some felt absolutely flat on

their face, and that was all okay.

367

: 00:19:32

Because we had decided ahead of

time we were going to fail fast.

368

: 00:19:36

We were gonna try new things.

369

: 00:19:38

We were gonna believe in ourselves

and we were gonna see what happened.

370

: 00:19:42

And I cannot tell you how critical

that ability is in this market.

371

: 00:19:46

In particular practices that are

surviving right now, where things

372

: 00:19:49

have undoubtedly changed are the

ones who have been willing to evolve.

373

: 00:19:55

I don't have to tell you that

the market is far different now

374

: 00:19:57

than it was a few years ago.

375

: 00:19:59

Not just in how I'm running my business,

but in how you run your practice.

376

: 00:20:02

The therapy world has undergone

massive transformation in the last

377

: 00:20:05

24 months, and if you're not able

to pay attention to respond and

378

: 00:20:10

adapt, you will be left behind.

379

: 00:20:14

A consultant of mine once equated

it to Blockbuster versus Netflix.

380

: 00:20:17

Blockbuster chose not to adapt.

381

: 00:20:19

They dug in their heels and they

kept offering their, you know, DVDs.

382

: 00:20:24

Netflix decided, hmm.

383

: 00:20:26

What if we start shipping the DVDs?

384

: 00:20:28

What if we start streaming

and where'd blockbuster go?

385

: 00:20:32

Where'd Netflix go?

386

: 00:20:34

You have to maintain an attitude

of flexibility and willingness

387

: 00:20:38

and openness for your business

to be sustainable over time.

388

: 00:20:42

And I had the luxury for a long time

of things just continuing to work.

389

: 00:20:46

And I was really invited into

scrappiness last year when I had to

390

: 00:20:50

learn, okay, to be successful in the

long term means I've gotta be scrappy.

391

: 00:20:56

I shared with Tiffany McClain in WhatsApp.

392

: 00:20:58

She runs Lean In Make Bank that I

needed to put on my big girl panties

393

: 00:21:01

and realize I had to make a change.

394

: 00:21:03

This is what being a business

owner means, but when you make that

395

: 00:21:09

change, when you step into that,

that is when you grow that self-trust

396

: 00:21:12

muscle I was talking about earlier.

397

: 00:21:14

That's when you realize

I'm capable of this.

398

: 00:21:16

I can pay attention, I can make changes.

399

: 00:21:19

It might not all work out

exactly how I wanted to.

400

: 00:21:21

Things might fall flat on their

face sometimes, but I can trust

401

: 00:21:25

myself to take that information

and to do something with it.

402

: 00:21:29

And like I said, that puts you in

the driver's seat of your business.

403

: 00:21:32

So how might you have been holding on

to some prior beliefs about marketing,

404

: 00:21:36

some things that used to work,

what maybe aren't anymore and where

405

: 00:21:40

might you be invited to reimagine?

406

: 00:21:43

What needs to happen to get flexible,

to get scrappy, to be willing to evolve.

407

: 00:21:50

One of the coolest parts of being

in business for seven years is

408

: 00:21:52

I've known some of my clients

for almost seven years, right?

409

: 00:21:55

They've turned into friends,

they're clinicians whose practices

410

: 00:21:59

have grown, and I've gotten to

sit on the sidelines and watch.

411

: 00:22:02

And the ones that are thriving today

are the ones who have been open to

412

: 00:22:05

change, who have realized that they

cannot stay stagnant, that they

413

: 00:22:10

might have to modify and adapt.

414

: 00:22:13

And evolve and uplevel, and because they

went in with that expectation, or at least

415

: 00:22:19

came to terms with it, if they were like

me, they've been able to keep going and

416

: 00:22:23

keep succeeding and keep raising the bar.

417

: 00:22:27

At the same time, I have seen clinicians

who wanted to do things the way they had

418

: 00:22:30

always been done, and when they're invited

to make a change or they're being shown,

419

: 00:22:35

they need to, they dig in their heels.

420

: 00:22:38

And I so resonate with that

resistance because I felt it myself.

421

: 00:22:42

But the results show the

impact of that unwillingness

422

: 00:22:45

to get scrappy and to evolve.

423

: 00:22:47

And like I said, in this market

more than ever, that willingness

424

: 00:22:51

to be flexible, that ability to be

scrappy, that is what is setting

425

: 00:22:54

you up for long-term sustainability.

426

: 00:22:58

Because you didn't get into this

private practice thing to do

427

: 00:23:00

it for a year or two or five.

428

: 00:23:02

You did it to do this for

10 or 15 or 20 or more.

429

: 00:23:07

That's what I want for you,

but it will require you staying

430

: 00:23:10

open to staying scrappy.

431

: 00:23:13

Okay, last one.

432

: 00:23:14

This has been one of my

more recent learnings.

433

: 00:23:17

Your ideal client can,

should and will evolve.

434

: 00:23:23

I've realized that the therapists we

serve best today at Walk Strategy Co

435

: 00:23:26

are not the same as seven years ago.

436

: 00:23:29

They're not even exactly the

same as they were a year ago.

437

: 00:23:32

As you grow in your business and in

your practice, you learn who gets the

438

: 00:23:36

best outcomes from the work that you do.

439

: 00:23:37

Who do you enjoy working with the most?

440

: 00:23:40

Where is your work most impactful?

441

: 00:23:43

It is your responsibility as a business

owner to stay in touch with that.

442

: 00:23:47

To revisit who you're speaking to,

and then when that person changes,

443

: 00:23:51

because they will, to update

your marketing, to reflect that.

444

: 00:23:55

It's kind of similar to

that staying scrappy.

445

: 00:23:58

It's being willing to

revisit your marketing.

446

: 00:24:00

It's being willing to modify and

pivot and evolve, not just stay

447

: 00:24:04

stuck in what you've always done.

448

: 00:24:07

It's your responsibility as a

business owner to update who you're

449

: 00:24:10

speaking to, how you're speaking

to them, how you're reaching them

450

: 00:24:13

when you gain these insights.

451

: 00:24:16

The clients you serve best today may be

at a higher level than when you started.

452

: 00:24:21

Share Episode

Shownotes

Transcripts

Follow

Links

Video

More from YouTube