One of my greatest pleasures in life is connecting with people, because great connections can add so much value to your life. This carries over into my business, too. Recently I had the opportunity to connect and collaborate with a brilliant woman who is so good at what she does that I had to interview her. I’m thrilled to present to you, Amanda Chay, ND and business consultant to wellness professionals who seek to own a business that is rewarding for them as well as the people they serve.
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Who are you, and what do you do?
I am a Naturopathic Physician and business consultant for wellness professionals. After years of running a busy clinic, founding the Enliven Naturals supplement company, and creating an online hormone education platform, I now help wellness professionals create multiple income streams so they can continue to serve more people while also experiencing financial freedom and work life balance.
What motivated and inspired you to start your business?
The biggest motivator for me to start my own business was to have autonomy around my schedule. My husband and I worked in France for a while and I was obsessed with the relaxed attitude there.
We would get up and share a coffee together then stroll to work. Everyone at work would stop and have lunch together for an hour. After work no one rushed home. Instead they gathered at the cafes for an aperitif. They would chat about the day before heading home to enjoy a whole foods, home cooked meal around 9pm.
Everyone gets 5 weeks of paid holiday and the North American hustle seemed absurd there. I wanted to create a life where I could have a more relaxed schedule and take time off to enjoy the things I love. All while still being able to help a lot of people and make a good income.
Interview with Dr. Amanda Chay, ND & Business ConsultantClick To Tweet
What are you currently focused on?
Right now I am focused on teaching wellness providers to be exceptional entrepreneurs. As helping professionals it can be terrifying to charge a fair price for our services, promote our services, put ourselves out there, or even know where to start. I help wellness providers gain clarity, accountability, inspiration, confidence, and know-how in their businesses and services.
I believe the more wellness providers can enhance their business skills, the easier it will be to show up and put themselves out there. The more wellness providers who can show up authentically, the more people we can educate and empower collectively.
One of my big life missions is helping people spend more time enjoying their lives and have more work/life balance. There is a huge burnout epidemic happening right now. Wellness providers have a massive role in turning this around.
As a society we are obsessed with working all of the time and using hours worked as a measure of success. But this doesn’t need to be the case. The more individuals who believe we can work less and create more joy in our lives, the more normalized it will become. And the better off we all will be.
Describe your process behind helping wellness professionals create high level programs.
I love helping wellness providers diversify their income. For most practitioners, working solely 1:1 leads to burnout. It also leads to capping their potential income because they are trading their direct time for money. My favourite way to help wellness providers do this is by creating high touch programs in addition to (or instead of) their hour by hour services.
There is trepidation around ‘niching down’ for fear of excluding potential patients. In reality the more focused you can be the more patients you can actually help. That’s because you will expand your reach more quickly.
There is trepidation around ‘niching down’ for fear of excluding potential patients. In reality the more focused you can be the more patients you can actually help. That's because you will expand your reach more quickly.Click To Tweet
Many wellness providers are also afraid to charge a fair price for their services (I have been there, I get it!). That’s why mindset work is one of the key areas I help clients with.
My process for helping wellness professionals create high level programs is simple:
- Figure out their financial and work life balance goals to determine pricing
- Figure out who they want to serve and get crystal clear on desired outcomes
- Create an authentic marketing plan focused on service
- Create the outline for the program and all materials needed to promote it
- Launch your program and start attracting your dream client and creating work/life balance
RELATED ARTICLE: How to Create Your Ideal Customer Avatar
What are your top strategies for growing your business?
My top three strategies for growing my business are:
1. Connection
Building genuine connections is the #1 way to grow your business. This could be connections with potential clients, other practitioners, people outside of your profession that have the same ideal client as you, or mentors/masterminds. I cannot stress enough that the more time you spend fostering authentic relationships, the easier it will be to grow your business.
Connections lead to trust (you need trust before someone will invest in your services). They will also open up doors to collaborations which will help your business expand.
2. Giving clients a high level experience
I go above and beyond for both my patients and coaching clients. And I truly want people to transform their health and business. So I will go out of my way to make sure they feel seen and heard and get the help they are looking for.
By exceeding expectations and truly empowering people to be in control of their health or business it creates a next level customer experience that naturally generates exceptional word of mouth marketing.
3. Getting help
Aside from building connections, having a mentor and outsourcing have been the other two business necessities. Having someone on your side to help clarify your goals, streamline the process, motivate you, and help with mindset is crucial to growth. Having time to actually plan things out and constantly reassess and refine while giving the best service you can is only really possible when you have a team to help you.
What is your superpower?
Diagnosis in both health and business. Ever since I was a child I have always asked ‘why’ more than most people I know. I am constantly trying to figure out the deeper reason why someone’s health isn’t shifting or why their business isn’t thriving. In both health and business if you get to the root cause and work your way up from there people will experience lasting change and exceptional results.
What is a quote you live by?
My quote is by Eleanor Roosevelt:
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
I grew up being told this by my mom. I’ve seen over and over people who believe what they are working towards is possible will realize it in their future. Mindset is the biggest barrier to creating a business and life you love.
What makes you feel inspired or like your best self?
Being outside in nature. Whenever I am lacking inspiration or not feeling my best getting outside, breathing in the fresh air, and seeing all the trees almost immediately reframes everything. Instead of feeling like nothing is going to work out or there is a huge crisis I am suddenly a small human in a massive world. I realize my problem is solvable and everything will work out.
What are your favorite business tools?
Voxer, Canva, and Kartra are my favourite business tools.
- I use Voxer every day to connect with coaching clients so they have immediate access to me for any questions they have.
- Canva is where the magic happens to create a beautiful and consistent brand.
- Karta keeps my emails, online courses, freebies, and landing pages all in one place. It makes it super easy for me and my team.
On you bookshelf, what will you find?
On my bookshelf you will find everything from business (current read: The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist) to health and mindset, to books about travel (Most recent read: The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World’s Most Glorious – and Perplexing – City by David Lebovitz) to old favourites such as Lord of the Rings or A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice I received lately was to start thinking ‘how would 7 figure Amanda react to this situation?’ whenever a challenge arose. It seems so small but it completely changed the way I looked at any bumps in business and the natural ebbs and flows. It doesn’t have to be ‘7 figure’ you (that wasn’t even my goal but that is how the advice was given and I just took it to mean a higher level of myself).
It just needs to be the you you are dreaming of being. The you that has a huge waiting list and sold out group programs before you launch them. The you that takes 5 weeks off a year for holidays without it causing business or financial distress. The you that is always present for your family. Whatever it is, whenever a problem arises, start thinking how that future you would react to it?
What are the daily things you do in your business?
To me, being great at business is more about what you do out of it to stay grounded and connected versus what you do in it. Daily habits outside of your business are where inspiration, motivation, and self reflection happen that help you in your business.
The top five daily habits I have that help my business are:
- Checking in with a mentor either professionally or personally
- Spending quality time with people I love
- Writing down goals and gratitude
- Scheduling time for self care
- Be outside and moving my body
What is one common myth about _____?
The most common myth I see online is that you can create a six figure business easily overnight. Many people who are advertising this have spent years building up their platforms. They’ve also spent many sleepless nights hustling to grow their businesses.
These people also often work with clients who already have successful businesses or a large platform that they spent years growing. So when they showcase their client wins they did not have a 10K week overnight. That also may have been their only 10K in the last 3 months.
The reality is if you want to grow a multiple six figure business (or don’t care about the money but want an amazing work life balance while helping a lot of people) it takes time to build a strong foundation. It also takes time to build trust with your audience and build your reputation to attract your dream client.
What is one takeaway that you want our readers to absorb?
Your business will not grow overnight. It takes a strong foundation, showing up consistently, and providing exceptional service. There are no get-rich-quick solutions although a lot of marketing focuses on quick money rather than the effort required to grow.
If you want to create a lasting business you need to be willing to play the long game. You’ll neeed to create a strong foundation and constantly be working on mindset. You can truly create the life and business you want. And you can experience financial freedom. But it doesn’t happen overnight!
If you want to create a lasting business you need to be willing to play the long game. You'll neeed to create a strong foundation and constantly be working on mindset. You can truly create the life and business you want. And you can experience financial freedom. But it doesn’t happen overnight!Click To Tweet
What else would you like to share with our readers?
If you are passionate about what you are doing and continue to work to build authentic connections you will create a sustainable, financially secure business. You are enough and I believe in you!
Where can our readers connect with you online?
Readers can connect with me in my free private FB community, Healthy & Wealthy, or send me a DM on IG @naturalpathclinic.
Amanda is a Naturopathic Physician and business consultant for wellness professionals. She has run multiple companies, including The Natural Path Clinic. Amanda helps wellness professionals create multiple income streams so they can continue to serve more people while also experiencing financial freedom and work life balance..
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, great article!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Great article. Thanks for sharing.
Great article!