If you consider a bacon-and-egg breakfast, what is the difference between the chicken and the pig? It’s a question that determines commitment. While the chicken can produce many eggs over a lifetime, the pig can produce bacon only once. The chicken may be involved in the breakfast, but the pig is totally committed. So what does that have to do with independent advocacy?
Are You the Chicken? or the Pig? Continue Reading
Most advocates and care managers I know have huge hearts. They want to help everyone who needs help! They truly dislike having to charge money for their services (because many have done this work for free for friends and loved ones for a lifetime). Further, in many cases, they don’t give themselves credit for being as capable as they are. So they struggle. They ask themselves how on earth they are going to ask for money from these (possibly desperate) people who contact them, especially when: They are new, and haven’t worked in private practice for very long (if at
Charging on a Sliding Scale Just Creates a Can of Worms Continue Reading
“My directory listing doesn’t attract enough clients. What am I doing wrong?” “I get calls, but we hang up the phone without a contract! What am I doing wrong?” “I finished working with my client and don’t have anyone else to help. Now what?” These are questions I am asked frequently and repeatedly. Maybe you have the same ones! The answer to each one relates to marketing.
Need More Clients? 3 Marketing Realities and Resources Continue Reading
Common scenario: You have dreamed about becoming a private health /patient advocate or care manager for a while. You know you can do it, you know you are a good advocate, your heart really WANTS to change careers to advocacy, you know people need help with their medical system challenges… Plus everyone you know thinks it’s a great idea! They all tell you “OMG! There is such a huge need!” Maybe you have helped friends and family members over the years, or you have been a doctor or nurse for decades. (I often hear, I’ve been an advocate all my
Get Unstuck – Learn to Overcome the Paralysis of Analysis Continue Reading
Many of you, despite the fact that you have developed outstanding patient advocacy skills, will not succeed as independent private advocates, because you don’t act on one important distinction. Doesn’t seem right or fair, does it? So what’s that distinction? Let’s try a metaphor: Colleen has always loved houses, and has been the admin in a real estate company for almost 30 years. She has handled details upon details for others – from seller contracts to purchaser contracts, from hiring inspectors, to setting and retrieving signs on a property’s front yard. She knows her stuff, she’s done it all, she’s
Why Lifelong Advocates Can Fail at Independent Advocacy Continue Reading
You’re probably shaking your head… Criminal? Seriously? Of course you haven’t broken the law! You’re a law-abiding citizen and would never consider doing such a thing! And yet, there may be hundreds of you who have done just that. Further, you would deny it – until you learn the facts. The facts, described here, may help you get back in line with the law if it’s required.
You May Be a Criminal Without Even Knowing It Continue Reading
… there is nothing like a shared experience to improve our worlds: personal and professional. Just WOW!
ICOPA 2019 Proved, Once Again, That…. Continue Reading