Hi everyone. I'm Sandra provenza and I'm the
host of the doctrine Earth podcast and I am so happy you
decided to join me on today's episode.
This podcast is a platform for nurses to share their Journey as
they made their way in the diverse field of nursing as
either entrepreneurs and Academia private practice or
even corporate world. I think we should celebrate just
how diverse the field of nursing is through mentoring one.
Another with the stories of our careers, nothing is too much.
Because each journey is unique. This podcast will addressed
exactly how to make the most of your career and maybe inspire
you to make a change. If you're looking for something
different, I am motivated to see you live your best nursing life
and that looks different for everyone.
Let's get started with today's guests.
So today on the doctor nurse podcast, I'm going to be
chatting with Wendy wigs, a nurse entrepreneur, Wendy
graduated from the Santa Fe College nursing program in 1985,
and has worked in various areas of nursing for 25 years before
acquiring her bachelor's and her master's degrees in nursing from
the University of South Florida. As a nurse practitioner Wendy
has experience in urology. Gynecology Family.
Practice in Orthopedics. Wendy has a desire to deliver.
Excellent patient. Care to help her patients,
achieve Optimal Health, as naturally as possible, this is
what has driven her passion to excel in the practice of
regenerative medicine. She's married to the Santa Fe
baseball coach, Johnny wigs, and has three daughters.
Brittany Ashley. And Jenna, Wendy enjoys being
physically, active and competing in triathlons.
I really can't wait for you guys to hear my conversation with
Wendy. Here we go.
So again, welcome Wendy to the doctor nurse podcast and I'm so
glad to have you here to chat with me today.
So I would like to go ahead and get started cut of from the
standpoint of your history and start of your professional
career. Why did you originally choose
the field of nursing? I think it was a field that my
dad and my stepmom kind of saw natural ability.
Like when I would do science projects they would be about You
know, blood pressures on an inversion table.
I've always picked out a really interesting complex things.
My dad was intended, honest, an oral pathologist.
So, you know, I think he's, you know, pushed me a lot to strive
in science and I just kind of fell into that area very easily
and love doing science projects. So I think it just came
naturally. And so yeah, became my passion
in life. You know, it's funny like
nursing is definitely one of those areas that I think you
have to be called to just because the science of caring
for others really requires. I think for you to step back
from yourself, it's a very selfless field.
So it's definitely something that I think you can tell when
somebody's been called to the field of nursing.
So, I hear you on that just kind of a natural ability towards the
field is something that I think a lot of Nurses share.
I see that there is some years from 1985 until when you pursued
your bachelor's degree. What sparked?
You going back for more education?
I think it was a conversation. I had with my mother-in-law one
day on her porch. And you know, I just was doing
research nursing actually at the time in Lakeland and I saw a
nurse practitioner and in her role in research you really I
think was very autonomous and that's one thing I love about
research has you know, those patients They became really
close to us. I did research in malignant
melanoma and advanced breast cancer stage 4 colon cancer.
And I think just watching that nurse practitioner and her role
and then really enjoying that role of bringing patients all
the way through a study, you're basically kind of in charge of
their care. I think that's kind of what
started to drive me into more autonomous, nursing practice.
And I think, you know, after Five years being in the field,
working, inpatient and outpatient, I just knew that I
wanted more so I wasn't getting any younger.
I actually had three kids when I went back to school and and I
still work full-time and to the last year, when I really wanted
just to finish up. But yeah, I think I think it was
really having positive role models in the field of nurse
practitioner and the fact that we can work autonomously, I felt
like I had had enough experience under my belt, to be able to do
that. Do you feel like the Track that
you took is what allowed you to be, who you are now.
Absolutely. I think the track that I took
allowed me to do what I'm doing. Now, I think the experience
every job that I had gave me really valuable experience to
put me where I'm at today. Mean it's so obvious when I look
back when I was working in dermatology and do I see, you
know, one of my patients and I see a lesion.
I pretty much know what that is or note need to be biopsied or
not. I think without having a lot of
that clinical experience I wouldn't He is confident in my
practice that I am today and I really know my limitations if
it's something that I feel like I can't handle, I also don't
hesitate to refer them out and I think that just comes with years
of experience when I first graduated from school, there was
a lot of girls that were going straight through to get their
masters and their doctorate. And I took a little bit of a
time. I didn't go directly straight
through and I agree with you. I think that time and practicing
seeing different things it does kind of give you more of an idea
of what you Want for possibly like a long-term career.
And I think it all nursing is a journey.
So it's like, let's take let's, let's it doesn't have to be
immediate all now, go get your education.
It can take you a little bit and you can still get to a really
cool place. Now, that we understand kind of
your history and kind of how you got started in nursing.
How did you let's kind of dive into like starting of your
business. When like why and how did you
choose? Use to own your own business.
What was the kind of the motivation or passion mission
for your work? I think having control of your
own schedule something that I felt was important to me instead
of just kind of punching the clock and working in a Monday
through Friday 8 to 5, I'm just more of the type of person is I
like to get in their work hard and then if I finish by three, I
want to be able to leave at 3:00 and that was one of the
motivating factors. The other was really being able
to treat patients the way I felt like Need to be treated.
Unfortunately, I think because of insurance providers now, or
having to see patients in such a short amount of time, maybe 15
minutes basically, what's allowed, and sometimes they're
even double-booked. And I think that that really was
one of the other driving factors, it's I really like to
spend as much time as I feel like is needed with that
particular patient during that visit mainly.
Like, in kind of ecology, I started doing some Primary care
for the women that I was taking care of and Gynecology.
And I also really like a weight loss program and I think that,
you know, the doctors at the time were wanting me to see, you
know, 25 patients a day like they do, but my role was
different. And, you know, if you have a
woman that's crying in your office, I don't think you can
just say, well, I'm sorry you're gonna have to schedule.
Another visit. I don't have enough time.
I'm going to get so backed up. I'm going to have to be making
it up all day and So that was something else.
I just started to really see that I didn't want to be
dictated on, you know, how much time I could spend with my
patients that that probably was it.
So, I left my full-time job and took two part-time jobs to try
to figure out what I wanted to do.
Things that stick out to me, really huge with what you just
said, was patient-centered care. And then, having your own
schedule are kind of the two major take-homes.
I'm hearing from that. At which are incredible things
to be able to do. Because you're right whenever
you have a patient in your office that's upset and or even
as just wanting to talk about something that you're like,
listen, I've only got 15 minutes and they have something that's
heavier than that. It does feel awful to be like,
alright, I gotta go like I just can't be in here.
What you're describing is just like what?
Everybody wants, who doesn't want a provider that's going to
take time to talk to them. Were you scared?
Your own business and what gave you the confidence to go?
I can do that. Well, that's funny.
I read a book by Jensen Siro. You're a badass.
It's realizing your full potential and it's a really,
it's a really great book. If you ever want to, I loved
listening to audiobooks so on audio, she's pretty funny.
I think you get to a point where you ask yourself if I don't do
this, you know I'm not going to regret it for the rest of my
life. And the answer for me was yes, I
felt like I could always get another job.
You know, if this failed, what's the worst thing that can happen?
Also, I felt like if I never tried it, I would never know if
I could be successful. And I also gets important to
know that a lot of successful people.
Had a lot of failures to along the way.
Like, it's not always going to be successful your first time
out, although, I've been blessed so far.
We have been successful but I was willing to take that risk.
It's taken you. How long from when you decided
some that time that you'd quit, your job, your full-time job,
you took a part-time job to part-time jobs.
How long did it take you from there to start your business?
Probably about three years actually.
Okay, so it took you three years, get it started right?
I didn't really know what direction I wanted to go.
Honestly. So I didn't have a clear vision
and I think that's what that three years gave me was to try
to figure out, you know, what do I want to offer people that they
don't have right now? Oh, and that became pretty clear
to me. What?
I was working both jobs. So again, I felt like it was a
blessing to have a primary care position.
I work part-time with dr. Robert Ashley, who's been in
family practice for over 35 years in Gainesville threesome,
he's always been a really great mentor for me.
And then I was also doing joint injections for osteoarthritis of
the knees for a chiropractor and it was actually a blend of those
two positions that He led me to the vision of, you know, how can
we offer people treatment options, natural treatment
options for joint pain? So an example, was I injections
I was doing for osteoarthritis of the knees, which for Medicare
patients primarily using hyaluronic acid and I would do
probably 12 to 14 injections a day, so I got pretty good using
Periscope. And so my confidence level got
pretty high doing those treatments and But I would have
my gynecology patients, that followed me to Primary Care.
They would come in and, you know, have bilateral knee pain,
but they're in their 40s. So those aren't good candidates
for hyaluronic acid. Their problem isn't bone on
bone. Their problem is probably mild
to moderate arthritis, may be some ligament or tendon strain
and so I thought, wow, you know, I'm going to refer them back
over to me and I learned about Play the rich plasma at a
conference in Orlando and I said I'm going to start a program
within the chiropractor's office of doing PRP for the knees.
And so I started that program and it probably was about a year
in when I realized I'm doing all the work I'm the one that's all
marked. No I researched it.
I started the program but the chiropractor was actually you
know benefiting from that financially.
Yeah. And And I, you know, didn't make
any extra money based on that, not that it's all about the
money. But I started to realize, I
really didn't need him to do what I was doing.
And that's how you knew you had the right idea.
Like and the patients were getting better.
So my patients, I would follow them because they're my primary
care patient and their knee pain would be completely gone.
And I just thought, wow, what an amazing thing and I still see
that particular patient today, so that's probably five years
ago, four, five years ago, And she's still doing great.
She's actually a treated or shoulder since then with PRP.
So I think I have a lot of long-term history on these
treatments and seeing how people got better.
And it was a, it was a niche. So nobody else is really doing
that. And so that's what kind of
started to drive this vision for this practice.
That's really cool. It's almost kind of like, if you
heard that saying, like master of, like, Jack of all trades,
master of none, it's almost kind of like, I do.
You've Earned all these different things that you were
able to do and get good at it. Who's to say, you know, whatever
is level of Mastery. You had it, but you still
learned all these like different elements in the nursing field
and in medicine you were able to kind of carve out your own Niche
which you wouldn't have done if you hadn't got the experience
doing a lot of different things and kind of figuring out what
was missing from the scene, like okay, this is what's missing
some place where somebody can go and get all of these things.
Done at once, right? Absolutely.
I don't know, and I wanted. So I wanted to be an expert in
the field of regenerative medicine.
So basically regenerative medicine uses the body's own
healing properties, to heal or repair tissue.
So, no matter where you put it, whether it's in the face, or in
the joint or the scalp to help improve hair growth, it can make
tissue and cells healthier. And I just like that whole
concept, I remember coming out of nurse practitioners School
saying, you know, I want to focus more on health and
wellness. - and sickness and disease.
Like, let's get to the root problem.
Like what? What's going on and how can we
make a difference? And I think that is also one of
the drivers from traditional medicine where, you know, we
write so many scripts. If somebody has depression or
anxiety or they're not sleeping. Well, you know, it's a lot
easier to write a script that it is sometimes to figure out.
Okay, this is a hormonal imbalance.
Let's check your hormone levels. Let's see if we can help you get
those Demise. So you feel really good.
So that's very rewarding in the field of nursing.
I think is to be able to take the time to look at the root
cross. What's actually going on in?
Let's see if we can find a natural approach versus a
pharmaceutical approach. That kind of actually is kind of
spray meat on where I want to take our conversation now, which
is one throwback to our College of, Nursing days at the
University of Florida, where they taught us about holistic
medicine, looking at the whole person, not just focusing so
much on. These but also just focusing on
the whole patient and like you were describing that younger
patients. You were like it's not bone on
bone, like that's going on in the joint, it's something else.
And so kind of seeking out how to fix that thing that's
appropriate for that age is really what nursing is about.
We're not just looking at the issue of you have knee pain.
It's like okay so how old are you?
What's likely this cause of the knee pain and then what's the
best treatment that we can give you?
That's going to give you Longest, you know the biggest
bang for your buck, that's not just here.
Take a pill, get out the door, we don't have time.
Like, I don't know. That just, that's really cool.
I think that you're able to do that.
So, okay, so explain to me I you kind of went into it a little
bit but regenerative medicine and what services, you offer at
your practice and the I guess the, your job and
responsibilities around that. So I think my goal is to really
expand these play. The rich plasma treatments for
Alex, I did some training before I even open the practice
actually did a lot of preparation and training with
some of the top experts in the country who are doing platelet
rich, plasma treatments, whether it was for joints.
So I actually learned how to do ultrasound guided joint
injections, which I think really sets me apart from other
providers that don't use ultrasound because we can be
very specific and where we place the injections which is really
important. If there's a specific tear and a
specific Patient. And so I think the preparation
for opening the practice was important but we offer joint
injections and then I also did training for What's called the
OSHA and the P shot and vampire. Facial facelift with dr.
Charles Reynolds and peace in Fairhope Alabama.
And these are trademark procedures.
Since I had experience in urology and Gynecology the P
shot. No shot what you got on my
website. And Learn about those, it's PRP
region.com but you know those basically help sexual health and
wellness. And again, we know that as
people are in relationships long term, you know that helping them
maintain intimacy through improving sexual function is as
a really important part of how. And so I became pretty
passionate about offering. Those treatments just hard to
get the word out about them. But I also love doing some
Aesthetics. And so the vampire facial uses
platelet-rich plasma and micro-needling on the face to
improve skin Health, tone and texture and also helps to treat
acne scarring, which can be, you know, really important for
somebody's self-image. If we can something exactly, we
help them feel better. I had a nurse at the hospital
that I had treated her with the Vampire, facial for acne.
And you know, she said, she finally, you know, felt what?
Confident about, you know, being him in her role as a nurse and
people even commented in her skin.
And so I think it's not just about, you know, offering botox
for wrinkles, which I do. But I think that's also
something that makes people feel good.
And I think sort of the premise of our practices, help people
look and feel their best. And so we offer the platelet
rich plasma. The treatments and then I also
offer the several different treatment options for joint
pains and not just PRP, but actually using something called
placental tissue Matrix, which is pretty amazing product, and
really increases the speed of healing for people that have
kind of moderate to severe arthritis or tendon tears.
And then, I used to offer hair growth, treatments with PRP, but
I've kind of Drop that. It's very time-consuming and
really difficult for people to see the benefit of that.
So it sort of dropped that, that from my Arsenal and then one of
the biggest things I think that we've started offering is warm
and management for men, and women, using bioidentical pellet
therapy. And that is something that I
found me about that. Yeah, it's been really, really,
really life-changing for many of my patients.
And I went to a meeting with the American Academy of osteopathic,
medicine to learn how to do Prolotherapy, which is another
joint treatment or tendon treatment.
And one of the providers they are set, are your patients doing
hormones? And I said, no, you know, my
background in Gynecology, I done from as for years but not
necessarily using pallets. And at this meeting, you know, I
met addio a doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in there.
They're awesome to train with and work with and I guess she's
like, when do you have to do these hormones are amazing.
And so as soon as I got back from that meeting, I looked up
the wrap and come to find out there's already.
You know, a majority of gynecologist that were offering
this treatments through by otbi. Oh, teehee and I think as a
nurse practitioner training with Physicians, This procedure,
which is a little office procedure, which, you know, I'm
pretty comfortable doing procedures at my office.
So, that was nothing and then managing their hormones and
helping people really improve their quality of sleep, and
their energy, and their sex drive.
And so it, it's been amazing for my practice.
And it really is something. I think helped get us through
some of the difficult time through covid because I'm just
thinking you know, kind of staying up to date on this late
on these latest treatment options.
There's got to be a constant way of keeping your business
relevant and kind of Cutting Edge so that you can offer these
Services. How do you, how do you stay up
to date on these sir? Like these latest things that
are coming out and regenerative medicine?
I think going to meetings is crucial.
So I went to a regenerative medicine meeting on an errand.
Ona right before covid. Kind of shut everything down and
it was amazing because you're in a room with people that think
and believe like you do, it's very inspiring.
We learned a lot about peptides what peptides the FDA is going
to allow and what which ones are not, you know, I learned about
human growth hormone. And so it helps me try to decide
like what am I going to bring into the practice and one of the
other things? Things Sandra, that's difficult
is trying to stay focused on your one thing.
So there is a book out there. It's called the one thing and I
think as a nurse practitioners, we want to help everybody in
every area. And that was something I learned
early in practice, not early, probably three years into
practice, is that I can't offer everything.
I was just running myself crazy, you know, I was doing a Botox
treatment and then IV nutritional therapy and Other
room and then a joint injection and then maybe a hair treatment
and I just found like I really need to pair things down to
about three main things I want to offer.
Wow. So I think, you know, raining
that back in with important because you do go to these
meetings, where you learn a lot about what's coming in the
pipeline. But then you have to decide does
that fit? What I want to offer and so, I
can't stats a growing A point for me, as a business owner is
trying to rein it back in and stay focused.
Yeah, you know, it's so funny that as you're as you're saying,
how did this help with covid? You said, specifically this
helped with covid how I think as a business owner number one, you
know, a lot of people got shut down, the Aesthetics portion of
our practice got shut down, which was fine because we still
had medically necessary treatment.
That people were willing to come to us for and we felt like we
really important for their health and well-being when you
manage people's hormones, this is a procedure that within get
every three to four months and men get every five to six months
and it really has been shown to improve mood.
So I think there was a lot of anxiety and depression going on
with covid and still is so whatever we can do to optimize.
People's mood and well-being, I think was really important.
Also, you know, quality of sleep with the hormones is really
good. And so that's really important
as, you know, for healing the body and repairing and improving
the immune system. So that became something that
helped us get through. Number one, still taking care of
our patients, but also being able to sustain financially
Through kind of that difficult turn and we also did joint
injections because I feel like you know it's inhumane to leave
people in pain. You know.
Yeah. If they're willing to come then
I was willing to treat them and and so pain to me was something
else that was considered medically necessary.
And I think that gives me a lot of confidence because we are
we're not cash-based. I mean, we Take credit cards.
When I say cash-based, people are saying, you don't take
credit card. We just don't Bill insurance.
So I was always as a business owner of little bit nervous
about what would happen if the economy tanks.
You know what, people still be willing to pay for these type of
services and I think the answer is.
Yes. Wow.
That's that's huge. It isn't cool.
Yeah, that's really cool. And like I guess kind of going
on to the next vein of Where I wanted to go is about the
business building and its you kind of touched on a lot of the
questions that I had. But what were some of your
approaches to marketing? I mean, what have you?
I remember when I originally first, saw you going into your
own business I was like oh she's doing her own thing like you
just kind of went off and I just kind of saw it just from a you
know on Facebook stalking standpoint.
I was like oh man like she's doing her own thing and I was
kind of wondering like I think I've seen you know I follow you
Like your Facebook page and that's I see how you like, you
know, you would post stuff on there.
What else did you do for marketing?
Yeah, I've done a little bit of everything.
I will tell you that my best marketing is word of mouth.
And and then Google, the thing that's worth the return is is
referrals from my patients, but also, I do a lot of talks in the
community with Physical therapists and chiropractors
people that I think would be good referral sources for us.
And so, I think that that has been huge for my patients.
They do get a 25 dollar gift card, if they refer somebody and
they get treatment and that's just a little thank-you from us
and they don't do it for the $25.
I know that, but they like that. They like, oh, I got my little,
you know, referral gift card. Can I use that today.
And yeah, and, and we also do a birthday, fifty dollar gift card
for their birthday. So we try to really make our
patients feel like, you know, we couldn't be doing what we doing
without them and and then SEO optimization is something I've
learned about overtime and I have somebody that's working
specifically on that because platelet-rich plasma a lot of
people don't even know what that is.
So It's hard to Market it, but people that are looking for it.
If you have your website optimized and they searched PRP
Gainesville, you know, we want to be the first people that come
up and I think pretty much we are.
So next you are so good. Yay.
But that also comes in the back end, you know?
So I don't think you have to spend a ton of money in
advertising and I've actually shut down all marketing right
now. Just because I feel like that's
what I want to do. And so that's what we're doing.
Whenever you got originally started, did you have buyers
into your business? Did you finance this yourself?
Did you tell your husband? Listen, we're putting the house
on the mic. What did you do to get started?
We talked about being scared, my husband was very, very nervous
about me leaving my secure job and and, and taking this on.
But You know, we've been married almost 30 years in January.
And so he he was supportive. My brother-in-law has always
been really. An important part in person in
my life, I've been very close to him and of course my sister as
well, but financially, I asked him if he would loan us sixty
thousand dollars to start this business and he could be, you
know, my business partner on that.
And wow. And he said, yes.
And I just couldn't, you know, and that book Jensen, Ciro I
mentioned that, but she does talk about that.
She's like, just find a way to It, you know, whatever you need,
whatever you think is going to take to get started, just fine,
find a way to get that, and I knew that he might be interested
in helping me. And so, I've been indebted to
him. I am paying him back.
Now, I have actually and the sole owner.
And so I bought him out and, and I'm paying him back.
But honestly, we've just been blessed, because I remember only
seeing two or three patients a day, when I first started, and I
think that would be another advice I'd give.
And people starting out is, you know, start really small.
I mean, it was just myself and my office manager who is my
friend Natalie, we were at and then we had this little office
inhale and you know, when we were done seeing our three
patients we would go home. You know.
So I was I didn't have this big payroll as what I'm trying to
say. Where are ya?
You know, I've been really blessed with the employees that
I have that. If we don't.
Patients that I can ask them to maybe stay home or work.
I have a day and I think having that flexibility finding
actually helped us be successful.
Because I think the worst thing you could do is get a giant
office, have a big payroll and then just not have the patients
coming in and you have to take the time to build that.
Now, I see about, I don't know, 10 patients a day 10 to 12 and
you know, some of my procedures, take an hour and a half.
If so that's still a busy day for me.
And, you know, I throw some Botox in there and, you know,
new patient consult switch, I usually spend an hour.
So the day is is pretty busy but and I just hired on a new nurse
practitioner so that was scary. Hiring on new staff is more
responsibility. It's a financial commitment.
And so I think you really have to set the foundation to make
sure you've got The patient load an interest in what you're doing
to help, you know, bring on more people.
So of course I did not pay myself.
Like I would have paid a nurse practitioner or somebody else to
do what I did. And I think that made it
financially feasible to So in total, how many employees do you
have now? So right now I have four
including myself, so I have nately and then I just hired a
nurse practitioner myself and then we will time she full-time
know she is three days a week, okay?
Hmm. It's about 27 hours and look
around. And that's works great for her
but she's willing to work more of a meter or less if I need
her. So again, I think one of the
things I'm also learning is finding the right fit, you know,
the right person for the right job.
There's a book called traction that I'm part of a Christian
leadership group that meets once a month.
And so I learned from other Business Leaders in Gainesville,
you know? No, you know how are you running
your business and you know what's making the biggest
impact? Even if we don't do the same
business you still can learn from other Business Leaders
about you know, running a business.
I would say that probably the hardest part of my job not doing
the treatments to the procedures, it's running the
business and so yeah I can I could go on and on about that
well and then you kind of you kind of told me a little bit
about it when we were chatting before the podcast that Your
Mentor had said, just because you're good at what you do,
doesn't mean that you're going to be a good business owner.
So it's like, okay. So not only did you spin Those
Years, Learning all the different parts of nursing
finding this Niche, Doug digging out a tunnel for yourself,
right? Where you found this little area
of patients that needed to kind of have this regenerative
medicine, offered, you found this Niche, you then, you know,
Cure the skills and then you get the courage to LEAP out on your
own and now you're learning. Okay, wait a minute, it's not
just about the skills that I've learned.
I've now got to go be a business owner and I've got to learn how
to do business, which is a whole nother area that's completely
separate from nursing, but is totally weaved into nursing.
And I just, I think that is incredible to watch.
This journey that you've been on to get here and so what do you
think? And kind of a probably touched
on this a little bit? So it might be a little bit
redundant, but what have you found is kind of the overarching
Thing to say, whenever I look at a good business owner, I think
of this, or I see this picture in my brain.
What does that look like for you?
I think you have to be a good leader if you're not a good
leader, people are not going to want to follow your vision and I
would say that's what's different about our practice.
We have a vision, you have a vision to bring natural
treatment options for people to give them options, you know, as
far as, for instance, for joint pain, you know, usually it's a
steroid injection, Physical Therapy, you know, rice, you
know, sir. Sorry and so I think we are
passionate about really making a difference in people's lives and
everybody on my team has that same vision and I don't think it
mattered. Honestly, what I pay them, it's
because they have the same calling that I do that.
We are successful. I think, if you have, if, if
people are willing to follow you in, or not on board with your
vision, then I just don't think that At the practice is going to
work. Mmm, very good.
And how do you think nursing is helped?
You learn how to lead? I think by watching managers and
bosses that I've had over the years that were terrible at
leading terrible managers. Yes, you know, I've had some
really hard tough bosses that I made me cry and I just never
wanted to be like that and I think that was also one of the
benefits of having your own practices.
You can be a great leader, but it does take.
Education in that area. And I don't know that we
necessarily get that in nurse practitioner school, maybe in
the doctorate program because I know you have your doctorate but
I don't, but it really is something you have to some
people are born leaders but some people are not but I think you
could learn to be a good leader and so that's where leadership
groups come in. I listen to a ton of books and I
just try to soak up as much knowledge as I can in that area.
How many books do you read like a week or a month?
I'm trying to do two a month and I'm kind of an ADHD reader.
I have like two or three books at one time I'm doing.
So it's kind of hard for me to stay focused but I think you
know finding the time and that's Bringing on another nurse nurse
practitioner. It's going to allow me to grow
this practice. We're actually moving, which is
a complete blessing, that we were able to get some funding
through covid, to help us grow as a business and we would not
be able to do what we're doing now without that funding through
the SBA, which is a small Business Association.
So shout out to them. Them for hoping people like me,
be able to grow this practice during a pandemic.
Well, and so we're we're really excited for the future.
And yeah, we're hoping that we continue to grow and reach as
many people as possible that are looking for these type of
treatments and really become known as experts in North
Central Florida at what we do and it's really gratifying.
See patients come all the way from Tallahassee all the way
from Vero, Beach, and West Palm, wow.
Wow. To come see me for what we do.
Wow. And that, you know, one of the
questions I had was, what's your biggest success?
And it sounds like that's your biggest success so far in.
Correct me if I'm wrong, is this, this new future that
you're walking into? It sounds like this is this is
this is winning like you're winning here and it I don't
know. That's kind of what I'm I'm
hearing from you. It's all scary too.
I had a lot of sleepless nights making the decision to move
because I signed an eight-year lease.
So And it for the long haul. And yeah, so I think I think
you're going to be just fine. And, and then so a couple,
couple more questions and I guess I this is kind of all
wrapped in one but what would you say was your biggest mistake
or failure? Something that you could look
back and go that one hurt that would hurt a little bit, you
know, like was there anything that you experience like that?
I thought a little bit about that and I think that Hiring the
wrong people, potentially can be a mistake and then hiring
friends, I think it's hard. So initially, when I started
out, you know, my friends were willing to come, help me and and
then I became hard to be their boss.
Sometimes you know, it's hard to be a friend and Abbas I would
say in the future. I actually have somebody that's
helping me higher stuff so she does.
She's like a Headhunter but she's also part of our my
leadership organization. So she really understands the
personality and the core values that we have as a company.
And so she's able to find like the right people that are going
to be a good fit for us. And I think that's crucial to
the biggest takes maybe hiring the wrong people and not that
I've had anybody that's been necessarily wrong.
I just meant that we got to make sure that everybody's willing to
ride the bus with us if you so to speak.
You know, and work as many hours that need to be worked to get
the job done. And I think that's kind of the
biggest thing that that I would say, moving forward.
I'm, I'd always have somebody even though it's expensive to
hire somebody to help you hire people.
It's just you can You so much time and effort and money if
it's the wrong person. Mmm.
That's really good. So many nuggets so many nuggets.
Maybe. And so the other.
So another question that I had and this is kind of for future
goal planning and we're hearing that like you're moving into
your new building. When does that happen?
Then the move. Yeah, the end of December.
So we're hoping to start January 321 and our new space and for
eight years. So, in the next five years,
where do you see your business? Next?
10 years. Where do you see your business?
Just just throw out, like, just some thoughts?
Yeah, I mean, I don't think that we're, we're going to be
expanding other locations. I really just want to build this
particular practice up. We have for treatment rooms and
I think that's plenty. Expand, it would be opening up
on Saturdays potentially. So I see us offering that in the
future. I like to do after hours as
well, because I think it's important for working people.
So Saturday appointment, maybe expanding more like that, over
the next five years and we are probably going to be looking for
another nurse practitioner in Aesthetics in the future.
Because right now, that's that's kind of my job and
responsibility is Aesthetics and Orthopedics.
So we have our product is broken down into three main areas,
Aesthetics Orthopedics, and then hormone management and health
and wellness. So that would include Gynecology
exams. So that's the nurse
practitioner, I just hired. That's what her job is going to
be is to run the hormone and Health and Wellness.
Program for office. So I like the fact that people
have a very specific goal and so, my job would be, you know,
to help her rise to her potential there and then
hopefully she will exceed, you know, in that area right now,
it's almost too much for me to handle.
I have over 95, patients, and that program right now, that
doesn't include all the joint injections and aesthetic
procedures. I do.
So I'm just really tapped out and definitely hiring more staff
is going to be our Five-Year Plan.
And I think this new space will allow us to do that, and I
couldn't have made these decisions without Anthony.
He's my CFO that I work with. I've never actually met him, but
we do everything on the phone. And, you know, he's given me the
confidence to say, you know, Wendy what you're doing.
Is working, but you cannot grow without number one moving space
and number two hiring more staff.
And so it's nice to kind of get that green light from a
financial officer to say. Okay, these are my books for the
last three years. No way.
What do you think? And and I think just hiring
people like that to help you make decisions.
As you know, I don't have, I don't have all that knowledge.
You know, I am not a business major.
So I think that's really important for the future.
So we have not set our actual Financial five-year goals or
tenure goals. But my goal is to work, at least
eight to ten more years and then I don't know if, you know, my
daughter, my middle daughter. Ashley she's actually a nurse
right? Ash says she's over at Shands.
She works in the vascular through a Sakai see you.
So, you know, hopefully one day she'll want.
Take over the practice and I'll already have people in place
that are are used to doing, you know, the job at, they'll want
to keep keep working long. Past me.
Yeah, it sounds like you're planning on retiring at some
point. Yeah, 35.
So, you know, 10 years I would hope to be able to step back and
let somebody else run it. Yeah.
Good for you. That's really cool.
You know, one of the things Wendy that I really liked about
how You've talked so well about people, other MD's Dio's that
you've trained with. I think there's this culture
where nurse practitioners are almost set as Rivals against MDS
or Dio's and different areas and Fields and hearing you talk.
I just think see there's enough of the pie for all of us.
We are not at odds with one another.
We do not need to be fighting over this.
There's enough work for all of us and hearing you talk.
Out being in collaboration with these docks and other nurse
practitioners is, I think really inspiring for other nurses and
nurse practitioners to hear that we are not in war with other
professions. We are all, we are all working
for the same goal, which is patient, care getting people,
access to care. We want to make a living, yes,
but that really is like our goal.
And so I really like Like that, you that your mindset is on
that, something that I really am in miring from our conversation
today. So, thank you for just being
yourself and that being part of who you are.
Well, thank you. I do think it's important to
maintain those relationships and do everything in your power to
educate. Educate them about what you're
doing and, you know, not being afraid to ask their opinion.
Like what do you think about this?
I work for. Closely with some doctors that
she ends orthopedic doctors, that they know me and I know
them and we have mutual respect for each other and I think
there's practitioners have come a long way because I don't think
it was always the case. But I think the more that you
asked, you know, for suggestions and what do you think about this
and and referring to them? You know, I think setting up a
referral Network. With other providers that you,
you know, respect and admire I think is key.
Yeah, yeah, I agree. I really think that's, that's
huge. All right.
So the final part is our rapid fire questions which you were
like you, I gave you a little bit of prep on these, but not
all of them. So some of them are going to be
kind of funny but also like, you know, just a little thing that
we're going to do on the show. So what is The last great TV
show that you watched. Could it be Netflix?
Absolutely. It's the Queen's is a gimlet.
Oh yeah, the chest you ever get the chance?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, again empowering women which was kind
of cool. She was really an expert at
which she did, which was playing chess and I loved it.
Awesome. And how do you know?
I think you kind of touched on this but you stay connected to
the community and I heard you say earlier in the podcast that
you go out and do like, seminars for the community, is that true?
Like, can you describe that a little bit?
I would love to do community seminars.
But mainly it's with providers. So chiropractors and physical
therapists kind of educating them about what we do.
But yes, I, you know, I think that's one of the beauties of
nursing is. We'd love to educate.
We love to talk to people, and we're comfortable, talking to
people. And so, yeah, I love to do that.
And what self-care goal do you prioritize?
How do you say exercise? You know, I think having the
drive and the ability to do a full Ironman last year, that,
that was in the midst of trying to run a run, a practice.
Oh, I don't know. I think setting goals for
yourself, whatever they are for me, they're usually Health
oriented goals, like, exercising.
It's really important. And last one.
What advice do you have for the MPS?
Are our ends that are thinking about starting their own
business? I think definitely getting
involved with the leadership group and having maybe a
business coach beforehand. So, I worked with a business
coach and he always told me, I sort of put the cart before the
horse would have been better to probably.
You know, have things laid out a little bit better as far as
structure and plan and things like that.
I just sort of jumped into it, so yeah, preparation.
Yeah. I work with surgeons and so,
they always say, preparations is like 90% of the surgery like
having the right stuff on the table, being ready for the type
of surgery, you're going to do all the stuff to be prepared and
then they're like Last five to ten percent of it is the prep
like are like actually doing it. All right.
It's actually like doing the procedure and so, yeah, you're
right. The prep is the big part.
So, thank you again. For the interview.
When D, it has been awesome talking to you.
I'm just astounded at how incredible, as you said badass.
You are you really are incredible.
So I have enjoyed this conversation and I would like to
go ahead and give you an opportunity where people can
find you if they're interested in your services.
I got the pr p r e NG re GE n.com.
I'll put that in our show notes so if people want to go there,
they can find your practice and kind of look you up.
Or if there's anything else you wanted to kind of share about
your practice, give you opportunity to do that.
Yeah, I think our website is You know, I spent a lot of time and
energy we have videos on there that go through our procedures.
So it's just like doing a consult with me.
So that is probably the most accurate information and so like
you said you can Google us through PRP regeneration
Specialist or you can do PRP region.com.
Yep. And you've got a bunch of
reviews and you're currently five stars on Google so you're
doing Something right, keep it up.
You really are okay. Anna again.
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