Clinic Success: Building from the Roots Up

Good Morning

Its Friday, lets jump right in!

In the world of clinic ownership, we often use the metaphor of a tree to explain the factors that influence success. The roots, in this analogy, represent the clinic owner’s mindset—their limiting beliefs and mental blocks—which can either fuel or impede the growth of their business. The trunk of the tree is the growth strategy or master plan, providing structure and direction. Without strong, healthy roots, however, even the best strategies can struggle to take effect.

We are aware that many clinic owners are increasingly recognising that mindset is just as important as strategy. In the past, the focus was almost entirely on fixing the branches—the surface-level issues—with the hope that this would naturally lead to more time, money, and freedom. However, this approach often left people feeling stuck. Today, there is a much greater emphasis on looking inward to understand the deeper, often hidden, challenges clinic owners face.

Many healthcare professionals enter their field with a passion for helping others, and in doing so, may carry expectations from their academic or early career experiences. As Physiotherapists, for example, we often come from backgrounds of academic success, sometimes having been alongside peers who pursued careers in law or medicine.

There’s also the complex shift from working in public healthcare, like the NHS, to running a private practice. Being part of a publicly funded system often comes with a certain level of societal approval—a “good person” badge. Transitioning to the private sector, where you have to attract clients and charge for your services, brings its own set of challenges. Many clinic owners struggle with the perception of charging what they feel their work is worth. They often find themselves conflicted between wanting to help people and the practical need to run a profitable business.

The internal dialogue that healthcare professionals experience—questions around worth, value, and financial success—can lead to a scarcity mindset. Many of us have been there, working harder and harder, constantly innovating, but feeling like it’s never enough. The treadmill of chasing more income, more clients, more success can become all-consuming. But, at some point, we need to define what “enough” means. Without that clarity, we risk endlessly chasing, losing sight of the balance we sought in the first place.

As coaches, we often work with clinic owners who are halfway or more through their careers, wondering if this is what they want to do for the next 20 years. Does it still feel fulfilling? Is it financially viable? Does it still bring them joy? These are huge, daunting questions, and they echo what we hear from so many clinic owners today. Ultimately, you can’t out-strategise a faulty mindset. Strong roots are essential for sustainable growth.

At the end of the day, real success starts within—strengthening the roots of the tree before anything else can thrive. the connection between self-compassion, self-awareness, and business success, and how our personal beliefs and mindset impact the way we run our businesses. I often see clinic owners who believe that if they just work harder, the money will start rolling in and they’ll finally feel fulfilled. But the reality is, unless they take a step back and reflect, that moment rarely comes. Before you can truly succeed, it’s crucial to evaluate your business model, pricing, visibility, and strategies, all of which are influenced by how you see yourself—your confidence, mindset, and self-worth.

The importance of self-compassion is something that should not be ignored, a lot of us, especially clinic owners, feel like we need to be perfect in every area of our business. We keep chasing new qualifications or skills instead of acknowledging and embracing what we’re actually great at. My advice? Focus on what you do well and let others take care of the things you’re not as good at. Self-compassion, is key not just for accepting failure, but for celebrating when we do something brilliant.

We also need to consider our practical life goals—like what kind of lifestyle we want our businesses to support. For me, it’s about more than just growing the business for the sake of it. I want to know how my business can give me the life I want.

If I have got you thinking I can visualise this but I need a bit of help getting a clearer picture of where I want to be then I invite you to book a discovery call with me, grab one of my few remaining slots for this year. This is your invitation to transform your clinic and achieve the financial and personal freedom you deserve.

Have a great weekend

Katie X