Nurses have unique skills in caring about people, critical thinking, prioritization, and organization that are highly leverageable in starting their own businesses. However, they usually do not receive business education in school or CE. If you are dreaming of creating your own business, consider these things first.

Choose something you believe in and love doing.

Life is short. If you don't choose to do something you believe in and love, then you're creating another unfulfilling job for yourself. Choosing to do something you believe in and enjoy will make your business more likely to be successful, too. Your "Why" will help you get up in the morning with a smile, and on the days when your commitment waivers, your Why will keep you going. 

Find a problem you can help people solve.

Successful businesses solve a problem that their ideal clients are urgently seeking to solve. For example, a nurse coach might focus on helping people achieve more vitality so they can better contribute to their families. A staffing agency might focus on helping healthcare organizations solve critical staffing shortages. A nurse consulting business might focus on saving their clients time and money in a specific sector of their business.

Conduct market research.

Study and analyze the ways your competitors are offering to solve the problem you want to solve. Consider how you can follow their steps and assess how you can solve the problem faster, easier, with better results, or with less expense.

Identify your ideal clients and learn what is important to them.

Market research also includes studying the people you want to serve, listening empathetically to their wants and needs, and identifying additional value you can deliver to them. There's a wise saying that "When you chase two rabbits, you catch none." This applies to business, too. When you identify a specific audience whose problem you can solve, then you can focus your solution and your marketing messages with them in mind. Knowing your ideal client makes it easier to find them, speak to them in their language, and help them more effectively.

Ask your ideal clients to work with you.

Find people who need the services you offer and ask them to work with you. This sounds easy, but it can feel hard at first while you get used to it. You’ll also need to talk with people who know people like your ideal clients and ask them to refer potential customers to you. In both cases, share with them the value and benefits of working with you. This can be done in person, by phone, by email, through social media posts and messaging, and through a website.

Offer packages or bundles of your services.

Packages or bundles can include products and/or services. For example, as a health coach, you can have 3-month or 6-month packages that include an initial evaluation followed by a specific number of in-person, phone, or Zoom coaching sessions. The monetary and time commitments that come with packages provide a predictable time frame to achieve the desired results and that helps both you and your clients.

Begin with the end in mind.

When you know what you want to do, be, or have, you can build a business plan to get there. What do you want to be doing a year from now? Five years from now? How do you imagine your activities and energy? Having the end in mind is your measuring tool for how things are going. If things are not progressing as you anticipated, try something new. Many paths can get you to the same destination. 

Create a business plan.

To keep your attention focused, create a written business plan. A business plan is like a care plan for your business, and it will increase your chances of developing a healthy business. A typical business plan includes an overview of your company, what services you'll provide, the market for those services, your marketing strategies, pricing, and projections of your income and expenses. A good place to learn more is at sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan.

Business structure.

You'll also need to choose the legal structure of your business. For example, will it be a sole proprietor, corporation, or limited liability company (LLC)? You'll also want to consult a tax advisor to be sure your business is set up to meet all of the state and federal tax requirements and to optimize the tax benefits that apply to your situation.

Hire a business coach or mentor.

The process of starting a business has countless moving parts. How do you choose your priorities and decide what to do when? Our best advice is to hire an experienced nurse business coach or mentor. This person will give you expert guidance and proven tools to start, protect, and grow your business. Why is this necessary? When you first started in nursing, you had a preceptor who showed you how to prioritize, think critically, organize, and comply with policies and procedures. You will need the same kind of support in learning how to start and sustain a business. An experienced nurse business mentor can decrease your stress, fear, worry, and risk and reduce the amount of time it takes to become successful. 

A business mentor who is a NURSE will help you stay aligned with your values of putting people first. The best choice is a nurse mentor who shows you how to achieve your dreams and supports your unique genius, too.

Do you have a business idea but you're holding back, unsure of how to be successful? Learn more about how nurse business mentoring can support and accelerate your success. 

For a limited time, Sharon Burch, MSN, APRN is offering complimentary 1:1 Business Strategy Consultations. Sharon is board-certified as a public health clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice holistic nurse, and a holistic health and wellness nurse coach. She's the director of New Directions for Nurses and has been a successful nurse entrepreneur since 1984. Get Sharon’s input on your most urgent business question. Then see if you could benefit from the CE courses and nurse business coaching services she offers. Here’s the link to schedule your call: https://newdirection.as.me/business-strategy