Ep 35 - 6 Cash Generating Strategies To Use Now While Building Your Dream Business

Episode Show Notes

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Hi, I’m Sarah Almond Bushell, and welcome along to another episode of Beyond the Clinic.

Starting and building a health business is an exciting journey, but let’s be honest—it comes with its fair share of challenges, especially in the early days when financial pressures can mount. In this episode, I’m sharing six smart strategies to help you generate a quick cash boost while continuing to lay the groundwork for a thriving and sustainable practice.

Episode Summary:

Many of us underestimate how long it takes to build a business that aligns with our vision. Growing an audience, building trust, and creating a steady stream of clients takes time, and it’s easy to feel stuck in the meantime. If you’ve ever found yourself questioning how to stay afloat financially while pursuing your goals, this episode is for you.

I walk you through practical, actionable steps to ease the financial pressure without losing momentum. From reconnecting with past clients to exploring new income streams like training opportunities or private medical insurance, these strategies are designed to help you feel in control and confident as you continue to build your dream business.

Key Takeaways:

• Reconnect with past clients and offer high-touch, personalised support.

• Refresh your directory listings to increase visibility and attract new clients.

• Consider registering with private medical insurers to secure consistent referrals.

• Build relationships with referrers like GPs and consultants in your area.

• Reach out to businesses or brands you’ve worked with before for consultancy opportunities.

• Explore local groups or organisations for training or speaking opportunities.

Action Step for You:

Choose one of these six strategies and take action this week! Whether it’s sending a personalised message to a past client or reaching out to a local organisation, one focused step can help you create immediate cash flow while building for the future.

Looking Ahead:

In the next episode, I’ll dive into how to grow your audience authentically and attract the right clients for your practice. If you’re ready to take your business visibility to the next level, don’t miss it!

Let’s Build Your Business Together:

I hope this episode leaves you feeling inspired and motivated to take action. If you enjoyed it, please share it with a fellow entrepreneur or leave a review—it helps others find Beyond the Clinic.

The Master Plan:

Helping you build the business of your dreams. Get your 22 point step-by step workbook here: https://www.sarahalmondbushell.com/master-plan

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Episode transcription:

Beyond the Clinic EP35

[00:00:00] Sarah Almond Bushell: Welcome along. You are here because you had a vision. You wanted to build an online practice that feels meaningful, that allows you to work on your terms and brings in an income that reflects your true worth. But let's be honest for a moment. While building a dream practice is rewarding, There are moments when it feels like the income isn't coming in quickly enough, and the costs of running a business are stacking up.

[00:00:27] Sarah Almond Bushell: Does this sound familiar? If you've ever wondered how to bring in cash whilst laying the groundwork for a thriving and impactful business, you are in the right place today. I'm going to be sharing with you six smart strategies that will not only give you a quick income boost, but will also support the long term growth of your business.

[00:00:50] Sarah Almond Bushell: . Sounds good? Let's dive in. So I know when you started building a business, you began with such excitement. Perhaps you decided to quit the security of paid employment after one too many overrunning clinics, wondering how much longer you could keep pouring yourself into a job where you felt stretched.

[00:01:12] Sarah Almond Bushell: Unlimited in what you could offer your patients. Or maybe the change came quite abruptly with a redundancy or the leap into business where you imagined that this was your chance to finally create something meaningful for your patients or your clients, flexible around your life and ultimately something you had full autonomy over.

[00:01:34] Sarah Almond Bushell: But now. Here you are, you're building a business, you're doing great. And like many, many others, you quickly discovered that starting a business isn't just about launching a website or posting on Instagram. It's about building a personal brand. It's about growing an audience. It's about building trust and connecting with potential clients who truly value what you offer.

[00:01:59] Sarah Almond Bushell: And yes, this super important foundational work. Perhaps it's taking a bit longer than you anticipated. Most people actually massively under anticipate this beginning stage, and you might be starting to feel a bit stuck. It does take time to build an online audience. It does take time to grow an engaged following, to nurture an email list, and perhaps no one had explained that if you're starting from scratch, your clients won't.

[00:02:32] Sarah Almond Bushell: Come until they've been in your world for a while, consuming your free content, essentially getting to know, like, and trust you while you prove your worth to them. And although you said it's not about the money, it is actually costing you to build this thing, the tech, the subscriptions. And remember, building a business, it's ongoing, it's not just a one and done thing.

[00:03:02] Sarah Almond Bushell: So, with this in mind, there might be times where you have a completely natural moment of doubt, where thoughts of applying for part time jobs again, or going on the bank, or taking up a locum post, just for a short term, fixed. Flash through your mind, but what sets successful business owners apart is their ability to stay the course and seek out the right strategies at the right time to keep them moving forwards.

[00:03:32] Sarah Almond Bushell: And there are ways to supplement your income while you're doing this really important foundational work. And today I'm going to give you my top six suggestions.

[00:03:42] Sarah Almond Bushell: So today's episode was actually inspired by one of my lovely clients inside the Accelerate Mastermind. Let's call her Lucy. So Lucy's journey might sound familiar to many of you. Back in 2021, everything in her world changed. Overnight, her daughter fell seriously ill and although Lucy loved her role in the NHS as a dietician, her heart pulled her home.

[00:04:11] Sarah Almond Bushell: She made the truly difficult decision to take a career break, stepping away from a job she was passionate about to focus solely on her daughter's recovery. So as her daughter's health gradually improved and her career break drew to a close, Lucy found herself at a crossroads. She missed her work, she missed the purpose it gave her, but returning to her NHS role simply wasn't an option.

[00:04:39] Sarah Almond Bushell: Her daughter was still on the road to recovery and Lucy's mum, her dear mum, was beginning to struggle too. Her mobility was waning due to osteoarthritis and being an only child, Lucy felt the weight of responsibility sitting on her shoulders. The choice became clear. She would step away from the NHS permanently to fully embrace her role as mother, daughter and carer.

[00:05:09] Sarah Almond Bushell: But just when she thought she'd settled into this new chapter of life in 2022, it threw her an unexpected curveball. The end of her marriage left her single, navigating a future that she hadn't anticipated, and suddenly she was on her own. She was facing the question now of how to support herself and her family.

[00:05:34] Sarah Almond Bushell: You know, returning to the NHS at this stage would have been the easiest option financially, but that door was actually firmly closed. Her daughter and her mum needed her in ways that only a flexible and self directed career could truly allow. So, Lucy knew that there had to be another way to use her skills, her expertise and her passion without going back into a traditional clinic setting.

[00:06:02] Sarah Almond Bushell: She thought about her elderly patients in the NHS and her own mum and the impact that she could make on people like them. And so she took a leap into the world of private practice. Lucy started small. She set up a website. She listed her services on business directories and she poured herself into learning about local SEO.

[00:06:27] Sarah Almond Bushell: And then month by month, her efforts began to pay off as self referred clients trickled in. So each new client was a glimmer of hope, a small validation that she was on the right path. But the income still wasn't really enough to cover her bills or create the life that she envisaged for herself and her daughter and her mum.

[00:06:47] Sarah Almond Bushell: And that's when she made a big decision to cast the net a bit wider. She couldn't just rely on directory listings and local SEO. She wanted to reach people across the country. To be found by Anyone online who needed her services. And she started building her first blog. She then created a funnel and she started getting active on social media.

[00:07:13] Sarah Almond Bushell: Essentially crafting a space where clients could find her expertise from anywhere in the UK. And whilst her earnings doubled and her confidence grew. So did her expenses. The tech, the subscriptions, the software, all necessary to build out her business, were just starting to add up. And she found herself in that classic early business trap, spending money whilst building a foundation that wasn't yet live, knowing that the return on investment would come, but feeling that pinch in the meantime.

[00:07:51] Sarah Almond Bushell: So. Now, with Christmas round the corner, Lucy's at another turning point. She's building this incredible foundation and over the last six months she's done really, really well. But she now needs a cash boost to keep moving forward without draining her savings. And that's when we got to work on a plan. A set of six Quick cash generating actions that she could take now, even while her foundational business work continued in the background.

[00:08:24] Sarah Almond Bushell: So if you're in a similar place where you're, you've been putting in all the hours, you've been laying the groundwork, you've been investing in the future, and you're still waiting to see it all come together and take life, know that there are ways to just bring in income right now. So today, I'm going to walk you through each one of these options just like I did with Lucy.

[00:08:49] Sarah Almond Bushell: Okay, let's get into the practical steps that any one of us can use right now to bring in cash flow immediately. These six strategies are designed to give you a boost right now while your foundational work continues in the background. So let's dive in. Number one is an easy one. Just get in touch with past clients.

[00:09:10] Sarah Almond Bushell: So one of the quickest ways to bring in income is by reconnecting with those who've already used your services and are familiar with your work. So think of your hottest leads. These are people who've worked with you before and they've benefited from your expertise. So the key here is to reach out to them personally.

[00:09:34] Sarah Almond Bushell: Send a voice note or a DM or pick up the phone and ask them how they're getting on and if there's anything that they need help with. Give them a quick win by answering a question there and then and if they seem genuinely interested in further support, Offer to book them in to see you. So the key with this strategy is high touch content.

[00:09:58] Sarah Almond Bushell: So use your voice and use your face. Don't do texts and don't do emails. Number two is to update your listings in directories. So many of you may already be listed in directories. If you're a UK dietitian like me, we've got things like Nutritionist and the BDA Freelance Dietitians group register. But here's the trick.

[00:10:24] Sarah Almond Bushell: Give your listing a refresh. If you update your profile with new services, testimonials, client wins, an image, a new and engaging description, it can often elevate your profile in those search results, helping new clients find you more easily so, directories like these are great tools, but keeping them up to date and optimised can make a big difference in terms of how visible you are.

[00:10:55] Sarah Almond Bushell: Number three is to register with private medical insurance companies. So, another effective way to bring in clients quickly is just to register with the private medical insurers. Yes, they don't pay as well and yes, there is admin, but they do provide a consistent stream of referrals and it's cash at the end of the day.

[00:11:18] Sarah Almond Bushell: So some providers like Bupa and WPA often pay better than others. So do do your research and decide who you want to register with. So as a dietitian, we often get three consultations per client. Other professions may get a lot more. And don't forget, while the initial sessions are covered, you're also available for ongoing support if your client wants to continue with you and pay privately afterwards.

[00:11:48] Sarah Almond Bushell: Number four is to network and build relationships with referrers. So building relationships with key referrers like GPs or consultants or other healthcare professionals can provide a consistent flow of referrals into your practice. So look for events where these professionals in your speciality gather.

[00:12:11] Sarah Almond Bushell: And consider attending. So even if there's a fee that you have to pay to go to an event, it's money often well spent. Because when you go in person to conferences, it gives you a chance to talk to people. Let them know how you can help them because They get to know you, they get to make a memorable connection with you.

[00:12:34] Sarah Almond Bushell: So have your elevator pitch ready and focus on how your services can provide added value for their patients.

[00:12:43] Sarah Almond Bushell: Number five is to reach out to brands or businesses who you have worked with before. So, think about any brands or businesses who you might have done some consultancy for in the past and is there a potential for them to use your services again? So, sometimes all it takes is a personal email or a message to the person you may have lost contact with to reignite their interest.

[00:13:08] Sarah Almond Bushell: Now when you reach out, you want to keep it conversational. You want to be really specific about what you could help them with right now. So, remember, They need to know what benefit you can bring, what's in it for them. So a direct personal message is often much more effective than a general marketing email.

[00:13:29] Sarah Almond Bushell: So again, use your face and voice where you can because these go a long way.

[00:13:35] Sarah Almond Bushell: And number six, connect with local groups for training opportunities. So, finally, don't overlook the potential of offering training or consultancy to local organisations. So, I'm thinking schools, nursing homes, universities, councils. Anywhere that might benefit from a nutrition or health focused training session.

[00:14:01] Sarah Almond Bushell: Last year, I needed a bit of a cash injection and I did some training on nutrition to school holiday clubs for low income families and it was funded by the council. So these types of sessions are often paid opportunities and they can serve as a really great cash boost. And it also helps get your name out there locally, which can then lead to further referrals and further bookings.

[00:14:27] Sarah Almond Bushell: So when reaching out Again, focus on how your expertise can serve the needs of their organization or the clients that their organization serve. So whether it's health education for staff, whether it's wellness programs or nutrition workshops like I did for specific community groups.

[00:14:50] Sarah Almond Bushell: And here's an extra piece of advice for you. If money is really tight right now, consider putting those foundational business building efforts on pause just temporarily for a short while because these are essential parts of growing your business, but they do take time to deliver results, and I don't want anyone or their daughter or their elderly mum going hungry as a result.

[00:15:18] Sarah Almond Bushell: So there we have it. Today, we've explored six quick and effective strategies to bring in cash flow while you're still building your business. These are perfect to give you a financial boost, to ease the pressure and to help keep you moving forwards as you focus on that foundational work

[00:15:37] Sarah Almond Bushell: that will create a sustainable, thriving health business. What I want you to remember though, is that what sets successful business owners apart is their ability to stay the course and seek out the right guidance and strategies to keep on moving forward. So my action step for you today is, if this has resonated, I'd love for you to just choose one of these six strategies and commit to putting it into action this week.

[00:16:05] Sarah Almond Bushell: Whether it's reaching out to a past client with a personal message or refreshing your directory listings or scheduling time to attend a local networking event, just take that single focus step to bring in immediate cashflow right now. Building a business does take time, but each small step you take does build momentum.

[00:16:27] Sarah Almond Bushell: Bye for now.