Mentor Question #1 answered

[KHE]

My ambition after having gone through Optometry school is to one day open my own private practice......However, I am not a business major, and therefore don't have a clue as to what it would take to run the business side of a practice......I know that experience goes a long way..........but seeing how I am an upcoming student, my question for some of you, whom have gone onto opening your own private practice, are there any books (i.e. say basic fundamentals) that you would recommend to any students that have my same career ambition?

You do not have to be a business major to run a business. In the USA, there are millions of businesses run by people who are not business majors, and many who do not even have college educations.

Running a business requires more of an attitude than a particular skill set. Skill sets can be learned. Attitudes are hard to change.

You have to have the attitude that you CAN do it and that you ARE going to do it. There are practice management books out there, and some of them aren't that bad, but I think that a better way of doing it while you're in school is to talk to some of your instructors who are part time and who operate private practices on the side. During your down time in clinic, ask them questions like:

1) What did you do when you first graduated?
2) How did you come to own your own practice?
3) What were the 3 biggest mistakes you made in the early years?
4) What were the 3 best decisions you made in the early years?
5) What do you recommend that I do, knowing that I want to own a practice?

Not only will you get some great advice and hear some great stories, what it will also do for you is the following:

I had a great amount of respect and admiration for my practice owning instructors. Almost to a man and woman, they were great people, with great advice who were all very approachable and helpful in answering my questions. I'm greatful for their frienship and their mentoring. I realized very quickly though that none of them were any smarter, savier, nicer, better smelling, or better looking than I was. This realization helped reassure me that if they could do, I could do it too.

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