Reflecting on the early days of our clinic, three months in, one of our most significant challenges was placing too much trust in a single marketing agency. In the medical field, there are countless marketing firms promising exceptional results, urging you to invest heavily with them. We learned this the hard way when we partnered with an agency that ended up squandering $40,000 in about 45 days without bringing in a single patient. This misstep, combined with our ongoing expenses, nearly drove us to bankruptcy. My partner Brenton and I had to dig into our own pockets to keep the business afloat.

From this experience, I learned a vital lesson: diversify your marketing efforts. It's crucial to engage multiple marketing strategies and conduct A/B testing to see what truly resonates with your target audience. Invest more in the strategies that yield patients and cut back on those that don't.

Another key takeaway was about building a team. Initially, I was fixated on finding only the best talent. However, I soon realized the importance of hiring good people and investing in excellent training and a strong set of core values to elevate their performance.

Lastly, the notion that business owners should avoid meetings is, in my experience, misguided. As we scaled and I transitioned from daily operations to strategic roles, meetings became essential. These aren't just any meetings—they're strategic sessions with partners, vendors, and potential investors to drive our business forward. Contrary to the idea presented in the book Death by Meeting, I believe that as your business grows, your role evolves from selling individual services to expanding the business itself. This involves constant communication and collaboration, making meetings invaluable for sustained growth and success.

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