83 | Finding Your Unique Path: Sustainable Success with Melissa Longo

Today I’m talking all things wholesale and retail with Tori Paide and Marla Peoples, acupuncturists and founders of the clean skincare line, TOMA Skincare.Tori and Marla are business partners who both left corporate careers to become acupuncturists. They met in acupuncture school and after going their separate ways after graduation, eventually decided to work together to build multiple practice locations.Today they run The Stillpoint, a wildly successful clinic in Maryland with a huge retail income offering cosmetic acupuncture, microneedling, massage and more.They also teach excellent microneedling classes and facial gua sha online – which is how I discovered them years ago.In this episode, we talk about:How to choose products that sell and also align with the ethos of your business as well as your passionsWhere to buy products at wholesale prices (Faire.com)How to dip your toe in the water with retail, with minimal riskHow to pay your rent from retail income aloneWhat kinds of products sell well at Marla’s practiceBrands Tori and Marla recommendAnd much moreSHOW NOTES:Faire.com – Wholesale retail with low minimumsTOMA Skincare Products Wholesale Website for PractitionersTOMA Microneedling Classes Online and In-PersonTOMA on Instagram @tomaskintherapiesSupport the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Join me and Gabrielle Juliano-Villani, a business consultant and former therapist who helps business owners scale sustainably without burning out.Gabrielle shares how she rapidly scaled her therapy practice to 15 employees in just four years, as well as how burnout played a role in deciding to sell the practice. In recovering from burnout, she discovered polyvagal therapy, a way to regulate the nervous  system. We discuss acupuncture and other polyvagal therapies, and Gabrielle shares how gratitude fits into the picture of burnout recovery. Plus we discuss tips for selling a practice (including one big thing to avoid), as well as facing your fears as a business owner in order to make progress, and more. I hope you enjoy this episode with Gabrielle! Announcement! I’m thrilled to share the launch of Acupuncture Marketing School Live, a six-week Zoom course where I show you how to set up strong, effective marketing for your acupuncture practice. Learn how to increase the visibility of your practice, attract more patients, and build your marketing confidence.Classes will be held on Friday mornings from 10am to 12pm Eastern Time starting this week, Oct. 25th, and running through Friday, Dec. 6th. We’ll be skipping the week of US thanksgiving. Learn more about the live class here. This live class includes all the same content as the self-paced, video-based version of Acupuncture Marketing School, and I’m excited to teach it live so that we can work through your marketing together. You’ll have the opportunity to get your questions answered in real time during classes, as well as support, accountability, and motivation.Prefer self-paced classes that you can complete on your own schedule? The self-paced version of Acupuncture Marketing School is on sale this week for $200 off with the code AUTUMN200. Click here to learn more. SHOW NOTES: Gabrielle's website: gabriellejulianovillani.comGabrielle's Instagram: @gjvconsultingGabrielle on LinkedIn: @gabriellejulianovillaniAcupuncture Marketing School LIVEAcupuncture Marketing School SELF-PACED (Use code AUTUMN200 to save $200 through Oct. 23rd.)Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

This week I’m talking with Michelle Hamilton, acupuncturist and founder of the online program, Community Acupuncture School. Free PDA Class! Community Acupuncture 101 with Michelle Hamilton, D.Ac.Date: Wednesday, Oct. 9thTime: 9:00 am Pacific / 12:00 pm Eastern TimeFree Registration: Click here to sign up.Michelle will be teaching about how to get started setting up a community acupuncture clinic, what you need to have in place, what equipment she recommends, how to market a community acupuncture clinic, and more.In this episode, we talk about:Michelle’s journey of building a very successful hybrid community practice that generates half a million dollars annually in revenue, where she sees 100 patients a weekWhat motivated her to shift into the community clinic modelHow providing a menu for patients helps with patient education and referralsThe benefits of subscription-based models of treatmentWhat you need to have in place to make the subscription model successfulAnd much more.Before we get into today’s episode, I have a quick request for you. This October/November, I'll be teaching Acupuncture Marketing School live on Zoom for the first time.This first live Zoom version will be a beta test to determine what format and delivery work best. So I'd love your feedback!The Questions Are: When Should We Meet? And How Often?If you’re interested in joining me, please click here to answer those two questions. It shouldn’t take more than two minutes.Thank you! I can’t wait to work with you in real-time over Zoom. I think this class is really going to be special.Show Notes: Register for the Free PDA Class: Community Acupuncture 101: bit.ly/CommunityAcuSchool101 (Live on Weds., Oct. 9th at 12 pm Eastern Time. A replay will be available if you can't make it.)Michelle's website: drmichellehamilton.comCommunity Acupuncture School - On sale Oct. 7 - Oct. 18 for $200 off with discount code 200DISCOUNTAcupuncture Marketing School Live Zoom Class Survey (2 questions, 2 minutes)Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

This week I’m talking with Melissa Longo, a multi-passionate chiropractor with 22 years of experience and a business coach who helps wellness entrepreneurs build sustainable practices, have fun while they do it, and avoid burnout.In this episode, we talk about:Knowing yourself to build a business that’s meaningful and sustainable to youLetting go of other people’s definitions of successWhat marketing is working for Melissa right now in her practiceHow she rebuilt her practice after separating from her partnerMelissa’s podcasting tips after launching 5 podcastsThinking about content creation as a library of your knowledge, a resource for your current and potential patientsAnd moreI hope you enjoy this episode with Melissa!Show Notes:Melissa’s website: drmelissalongo.comRock Star Doctor Life WebsiteMelissa’s podcastsMelissa’s Instagram @drmelissalongoMelissa’s FacebookFree Email PDA Course (1 NCCAOM PDA Credit)Sign up for a free demo of Jane App / Code for one-month grace period applied to your new account: ACUSCHOOL1MO💙 Today’s episode is sponsored by Jane, a clinic management software and EMR.Your evenings and weekends should be spent with loved ones, not chasing down your patients and clients for payment. That’s why Jane has designed a secure payment solution that helps reduce the amount of time you spend manually following up with patients.Patients can save their credit card details and insurance policy information securely through your intake form, which can then be conveniently processed after your time together.And, if they’ve got an outstanding balance, you can send a payment request email or SMS that allows your patients to pay off their balance online from the comfort of their homes.To see how Jane can help you reclaim your after-work hours, click here to book a personalized demo. Or, if you’re ready to get started, you can use the code ACUSCHOOL1MO at the time of sign-up for a 1-month grace period applied to your new account.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Today I’m talking with Amrit Singh, cosmetic acupuncturist and creator of 6BabeBeauty, with a combined 90,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok. I’ve been following her on Instagram for years, watching her social media channels grow, and she’s one of my favorite TCM content creators. In this episode, we talk about:What kind of content Amrit has focused on to grow her followingHow committing to her brand and her message has helped her get media exposureWhy creating video for social media feels like so much work, and how you can reduce the barriers and distractions to get better and faster at itWhat marketing efforts bring the most patients to Amrit’s practiceHow marketing for acupuncture is different from other industriesHow to manage the inconsistency of entrepreneurshipAnd moreI hope you enjoy this episode with Amrit!And don’t forget, I’ll be doing a free Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners on Thursday, August 29th at 12 pm Eastern Time, hosted by Marla and Tori, acupuncturists and the founders of TOMA Skin Therapies. This fun chat will be live on Zoom. You can submit your marketing questions in advance and hopefully we’ll see you there live. Of course, if you can’t make it live, a replay will be available afterwards. Click here to register for free.Show Notes: Follow Amrit on Instagram @6babebeauty and on TikTok @babefaceskincareFollow Amrit's clinic on Instagram @soni_wellnessAmrit's website: 6babebeauty.comSign up for the Free Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners with Tori and Marla of TOMA Skin Therapies. Thursday, August 29th at 12pm Eastern.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Hi there, so glad you’re here. Today I’m talking all things public relations with expert Mickie Kennedy. Mickie is the CEO of Ereleases, a company that helps small businesses, startups, and authors gain credibility and authority through public relations.I was thrilled to talk with Mickie because PR is not something we’re taught in school, but it can be a cornerstone of your marketing efforts if you know how to use it. I had a LOT of nitty-gritty questions for Mickie and I learned so much in our conversation; I hope you do, too. In this episode, Mickie and I talk about:How to build a pitch to get your idea, and your business, in the mediaHow to find contact info for journalists and producers of local TV shows so you can send them a pitchWhat kinds of pitch topics get the best results How often to submit pitchesWhy local media is an easy win for local businessesAnd much moreYou're invited! I’ll be doing a free Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners on Thursday, August 29th at 12 pm Eastern Time, hosted by Marla and Tori, the founders of TOMA Skin Therapies. This fun chat will be live on Zoom. Register here for free. Of course, if you can’t make it live, a replay will be available afterwards. Show Notes:Ereleases.comMickie's Free PR ClassConnect with Mickie on LinkedInFree Marketing Q&A for Wellness Practitioners with me and TOMA founders Marla and Tori on Aug. 29th at noon💙 This episode is sponsored by Jane. You might already be familiar with the name, but if it’s new to you, Jane is a HIPAA-compliant clinic management software and EMR.Chasing down patients or clients for important information isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, especially when there are forms to be filled, payments to be processed, and consents to be collected.That’s why Jane has designed user-friendly online intake forms, so you can gather all the information you need ahead of the appointment — whether that’s health history, insurance details, or a credit card on file.Jane will even send a friendly reminder 24 hours before a patient’s appointment if they haven’t completed their intake form yet — saving you from having to manually follow up.To see Jane in action, click here to book a personalized demo. Or, if you’re ready to get started, you can use the code ACUSCHOOL1MO at the time of sign-up for a 1-month grace period applied to your new account.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Welcome! Today I’m talking with Jessica Jones, a business coach for medical professionals helping them scale their practices whether they’re solopreneurs or in group practices. Jessica is a born entrepreneur and has built and sold 15 successful medical practices. She won awards for her work in advertising and specializes in helping businesses bring in new leads and set up structures so they know how to turn more leads into paying patients.In this episode we talk about:How it’s normal for business to be slower in the summer, across all industriesTaking time off to have mental space for strategic business planning and goal settingQuickly launching a summer marketing campaignThe key to getting established patients to stay on their treatment planWhy growing yourself is an important part of growing your businessSHOW NOTES:Jessica's Website: buildyourcashmedicalpractice.comJessica's Group Coaching ProgramBook a Free 1:1 Call with Jessica (15 Minute Consult)Save $30 this week on Women’s Health Email Templates for Acupuncturists with code EMAIL30🌟 This episode is sponsored by the brand new Women’s Health Email Templates for Acupuncturists.Save $30 this week with code EMAIL30.I’m excited to share these with you. There are 24 done-for-you emails on topics like acupuncture for menstrual health, PMS, fertility, postpartum, hot flashes, and more.They're easy to use: Simply copy the text, paste into your email provider (for example, MailChimp) edit to match your clinic, and hit send. If you want more women’s health patients, these emails are a great choice because education is a huge part of marketing for us as acupuncturists. That's the goal of these emails – educating and then converting people into patients. I put a sample email on the landing page so you can see my writing style, how I reference research, the way I talk about acupuncture, etc., so you can decide if these are a good fit for you and your patients. The discount expires on Monday, August 5th. Click here to check them out. The discount code is already applied on the checkout page. Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

Welcome back! In this solo episode, I share my top five tips to make switching EHRs smooth and easy. I also share (finally!) why I decided to switch to Jane.I switched to Jane a year ago and I've been meaning to share this episode for ages. At first I wanted to spend some time in Jane, maybe four months, to get used to it, before creating this episode. Times flies and suddenly it's been a year! So this episode is long overdue from me. By now I'm very comfortable in Jane and I have lots of thoughts for you. SHOW NOTES:Learn More About Jane - Free DemoUse code ACUSCHOOL1MO to get a one-month grace period applied to your new accountFREE PDA CLASS: Pelvic Care for Acupuncturists Introductory Course, taught by Krystal Couture, DPT, L.Ac., hosted by Michelle Grasek💙 Naturally, this episode is sponsored by Jane! The team at Jane understands that clocking out from the clinic doesn’t always mean you’re clocking out for the day. Instead, it’s often the start of charting long into the evening.With time-saving charting features, like custom smart narratives, chart duplication, and dictation (dictation, you guys!), Jane helps you finish charting your patient or client notes during work hours, not after hours. And, to save you even more time, you have access to Jane’s Chart Template Library that’s fully stocked with pre-made templates that have been generously shared by practitioners in the community. You can even customize them further with charting tools, like side-by-side photos, checkboxes, and range scales.To see how Jane can help you free up your evenings from admin tasks, head to meet.jane.app/more-time to book a personalized demo. But, if you’re ready to get started, you can use the code ACUSCHOOL1MO at the time of sign-up for a 1-month grace period applied to your new account.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

This week I’m talking with Dimitri Boules, an acupuncturist who built, scaled, and then sold a super successful clinic with his wife in New York City to relocate his family and their clinic to the island of Cyprus in 2021. We talk about:What sparked their decision to leave everything behind and move across the worldHow they’re building their new practice from the ground up with no contacts or family in the countryWhat marketing has been working really well to bring in new patientsWhat’s different building a practicing in Cyprus, which has socialized medicineDimitri’s specialty and his online class on orthopedic acupuncture, the Oak Point MethodPrioritizing family and health over traditional measures of successI hope you find this episode as fun and fascinating as I did, and feel inspired to pursue your biggest dreams, no matter how impossible they might seem at first.SHOW NOTES:Boules Acupuncture Clinic websiteDimitri's Instagram @boulesacuclinicThe Oak Point Method Practice Building Course (Use discount code PODCAST to save $50) The Business of Practice Conference Early Bird TicketsFree Email Marketing PDA Class (1 NCCAOM PDA Credit)This episode is sponsored by The Business of Practice Conference, hosted this year in Melbourne, Australia.I know Australia is quite a big trip for those of us in the US but I hope you’ll consider joining us. I’m honored to be the international keynote speaker, and I’m joined by eight other practicing acupuncturists who are experts in business growth, social media, practice management, building a brand, and much more. It’s going to be an energizing weekend and the goal is for you to leave feeling inspired and prepared to build a practice that’s aligned with your own definition of success.The early bird ticket price of $800 Australian ends on June 30th. With the current exchange rate that’s about $530 US. Grab your reduced-price ticket while you can.Plus I’ll be staying an extra half day the Monday after the conference to teach Acupuncture Marketing School in person. It’s the first time I’m teaching this coursework in person and it’s going to be a small group, so you’ll get plenty of time to ask questions and get feedback. I am really looking forward to it.Come and join us and your like-minded colleagues for a great weekend of learning, expansion and networking!The link is in the show notes to sign up and to view the lecture topics and everything else that’s included in this fabulous event. Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.

This week I’m talking with Kali Edwards, web designer and founder of June Mango Design Studio. She works on websites for wellness entrepreneurs and has built many acupuncturist websites, so I’m excited to talk with her about what makes websites for acupuncturists more effective in turning visitors into patients.In this episode, we discuss: The ideal website layout to get the attention of potential patientsHow knowing your target market is essential for an effective websiteWhat is a branding hierarchy?One thing that’s a waste of space on your websiteWhat is a positioning statement and where does it belong on your website? When writing less text is more beneficial on your siteHow branding is both visual and visceralAnd much moreHope you enjoy this episode with Callie!SHOW NOTES:June Mango Design WebsiteJune Mango Instagram This episode is sponsored by Jane, a clinic management software and EMR.The team at Jane understands that clocking out from the clinic doesn’t always mean you’re clocking out for the day. Instead, it’s often the start of charting long into the evening.With time-saving charting features, like custom smart narratives, chart duplication, and dictation, Jane helps you finish charting your patient or client notes during work hours, not after hours.And, to save you even more time, you have access to Jane’s Chart Template Library that’s fully stocked with pre-made templates that have been generously shared by practitioners in the community. You can even customize them further with charting tools, like side-by-side photos, checkboxes, and range scales.To see how Jane can help you free up your evenings from admin tasks, head to the jane.app/more-time to book a personalized demo. If you’re ready to get started, you can use the code ACUSCHOOL1MO at the time of sign-up for a 1-month grace period applied to your new account.Support the showCurious about Acupuncture Marketing School, the online course for marketing beginners? Join me inside! Click here to learn more.