Isn’t building a virtual practice difficult?

How much training do I need to start my own virtual practice?

I hear questions like this every single day as I work with doctors and health experts from around the country. 

Even the most successful doctors in the virtual space have insecurities. They’re worried they don’t know enough or need to master other categories to provide value to their patients. In fact, I’ve worked with some of the most brilliant doctors who refused to move forward until they’ve completed hundreds of hours of certifications and training. 

Preparation is fundamental to success, but there’s a threshold where preparation and caution start to hold you back. If you become so focused on gaining more knowledge that you fail to translate your knowledge into valuable services and products for your patients, then you’ve crossed that threshold. 

Let’s dig into why you don’t need functional medicine training to build a virtual practice and how you can thrive in the face of your insecurities. 

Why Are You Insecure?

After a decade working with some of the most exceptional trailblazers in the virtual health niche, I’ve come to learn that most doctors seek additional training because they lack the confidence to jump into the (virtual) water and start to swim. 

Doctors with brick-and-mortar backgrounds feel unsure about launching a virtual practice. They’re terrified they don’t have the skills, mastery, talent, or potential to develop a successful virtual practice. 

My business partner in Japan loves to share a favorite anecdote that hits at the core of this idea. During a visit to America, my business partner attended a seminar where an overweight person was coaching others about weight loss. My partner approached the man and asked why he chose to teach that topic given his body composition. 

The weight loss coach proudly explained that he had already lost 100 pounds and was actively losing more. Though he might not be considered a “conventional” weight loss coach, he earned the trust of other people who struggled with their weight and wanted a coach they knew could understand and personally appreciate their journey. 

This anecdote teaches a powerful lesson: You don’t have to be perfect to create meaning and impact for your followers. 

What Do You Really Need to Go Virtual?

The “human operating system” is wired to make decisions that help you look good. We naturally want to avoid looking incompetent at all costs. This instinct drives human behavior and likely plays a role in your fear of launching a virtual practice without additional training. 

Stop yourself before you get into this pattern of thinking and subconsciously limit your potential. As a medical professional, it’s your life’s work to focus on serving others; looking “good” or “bad” isn’t nearly as important as the impact you bring to your patients. 

The truth is, you don’t need any additional training to build a successful virtual practice that generates six or seven figures in annual revenue! You already have the education and experience that allowed you to run a brick-and-mortar practice. Now all you need to do is translate those skills into the virtual space.

The key is to jump in and get started. You’ll learn ten times more actively working on your virtual business, interacting with customers, and experimenting within your niche. 

Taking your business online provides the unique opportunity to rebrand yourself and cultivate the identity you’ve always wanted. There are a few different ways to make the leap into the virtual world:

1. Offer your in-person services using an online venue
2. Create new packages and Signature Programs to sell online

Our Virtual Practice Accelerator Program gives you the entire blueprint to take action in whatever way makes sense for your practice. You can learn how to develop your Signature Process and Signature package, sell it online, and scale your practice to generate incredible freedom and success. 

Commit to your niche, start serving people, get on calls with experts, and you’ll quickly drive revenue in ways you never thought possible. 

The Bottom Line

When all else fails, remember this: you aren’t a high school kid searching for your first job at a burger shop. You’re a qualified, experienced professional with years or even decades of valuable skills and insights to offer. This is why a full 80% of our members have built their virtual practices without any formal or additional functional medicine training!

So get off the bleachers, get on the court, and start playing ball. Surround yourself with a talented group of like-minded individuals–like the team at HEA–to create upward momentum for your practice.