The Top 7 Reasons Why Nurses Fail Miserably in Business

When I first started the YogaNurse biz, did I fail miserably? Heck ya!

I get asked all the time by nurses how to achieve success as a nurse entrepreneur.

Here’s what I’ve learned. Ready. Set. Go. READ.

No purpose, No product, No plan, No people, No perseverance, No discipline, No help 


  1. #1 No Purpose

    Also known as your WHY. You need a purpose, a reason, a why you are doing what you are doing. Your soul cry. A mission statement. How you want to make a difference in people’s lives.

Example: Our purpose here at YogaNurse is “expanding consciousness in health care, to relieve pain and suffering for nurses and their patients, to create health, peace, wisdom.

 

#2 No Product

You need a product, service, program that solves a problem your clients are struggling with and offers a solution, meaning and value.

Example: We offer YogaNurse signature self care care educational programs, products and services, live and on line, to nurses who are suffering with overwhelm, overwork and burn out PLUS love the idea of offering yoga therapy as an adjunct therapy and creating a new income stream.

 

#3 No Plan

You need to know how to get from A to B. A road map. A blueprint. A template to give you the steps to climb the ladder to success. Create your action plan on what you want to accomplish over 3 months, 6 months a year. Then do it…or it’s all just a dream.

Example: We built our brand over time with a plan. In year one, I created a website and my first product a stress management CD. In year 2, I offered my first live training and developed, tried and tested the program. Later I created my online continuing education program, called the YogaNursing Essentials, where we give nurses a PLAN to succeed. I continue to plan, improve and implement my services and help other nurses to do it too. AND BTW, without a website you’re not playing seriously in todays world, health care or otherwise.

 

#4 No People

This means your audience. Who are you talking to, serving, providing value to? You have to hone in on your tribe, get very specific on the kind of people who would want and could benefit from what you have to offer.

Example: Our focus is nurses who are into yoga therapy and holistic nursing, and want to change the health care status quo. These nurses are our target audience, our tribe. Get specific. If you try to market to everyone, you reach no one.

 

#5 No

Perseverance

You need to stick with it. Too many nurse entrepreneurs quit too soon. They expect miracles in the first year. It takes a nurse at least 3 years b4 she knows her way around nursing, same thing applies for a nurse who wants to learn her way around business.

Example: I have stayed with my belief in YogaNurse for 15 years. I became a nurse when I was 51 for heavens’s sake and still got my biz going part time, outside of my nursing full time gig. If I can do it, so can you. I kept at it, step by step. And it paid off. But I got help or I would never be here today. (See #7.)

 

#6 No Discipline

You need to build your discipline muscles. Start by doing ONE thing and do it until it’s done. Like so many people talk about writing a book and they never do it…another pipe dream. Set aside the time, because you make it a priority. If you don’t, it’s because it wasn’t a priority. Simple as that.

Example: I had to develop my discipline.To write my books, create my YogaNurse programs. It wasn’t easy- until it got easier, because my Purpose (see #1) was sooo strong. It propelled me to git’er done and I found and find it immensely creative and rewarding.

 

#7 No Help

Last but not least, you need help. You invested big money to go to nursing school to learn the HOW TO of nursing right? You learned the language of nursing and how to care for your patients. Same thing applies to nursing your business. You want to learn from experts who can teach you how to get from A to B. Create a life you love and get paid a sustainable income.

Example: I invested in learning how to build my online and offline YogaNurse nursing theory, care plan, movement, brand and business with experts. I still invest and am still learning. I knew NOTHING about how to do this when I first started. And if you are teachable, you can learn too. There is no mystery here. It’s about getting help with your plan and systems that you put into action. You find your sweet spot. Now, I teach other nurses how to create their own nursing sweet spot with the YogaNurse signature programs- making a difference by creating health, peace and wisdom. And that is oh so sweet.

I’d love to know what comes up for you around this list. What is your experience? How do you feel about this? Please comment below.

Here’s to you finding your sweet spot!

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14 Comments

  1. Yoga Nurse, Thank you for the great article. I’ve found that it’s been difficult with a fulltime position and conflicting priorities.

    Did you find that it was beneficial to create a schedule? Deadlines? How did you find support?

    Thank you!
    A.B. Fay

    1. Hey A.B. I moved from FT nursing, to PT, then to PRN as I built my positioning and a sustainable income. I gave myself a 1 yr deadline to move from FT to PT while building the biz. Support came from getting HELP, see #7, from great biz mentors who knew what they were doing, gave me systems to work with. I implemented step by step, little by little. Consistently. This is hard work, (BUT not nearly as hard as traditional nursing:) Eventually, you can create your OWN HOURS and schedule. xo

  2. What a great list and resource to set others up for success! Thank you for sharing! In addition to your point of “no product,” I believe that have a reimbursement model THAT WORKS, is key. If you have a great service, and a great product, but don’t have a good way of getting paid for it on a regular basis, the business is not sustainable.

    1. What an excellent tip Donni. Yes, if you don’t have a good way = PLAN for getting paid for your product or service “on a regular basis, the business is not sustainable”. Thank YOU for sharing, and your own business model looks great.

  3. This is a great article and something I did a scope on about an hour ago. The suggestions in this article can apply to any business owner. It took me some time to learn all these, but with the help of a business coach I am setting a foundation for a sustainable business.
    Thank you for these great reminders!

    1. We all need coaching. Whether we are coached in our nursing practice or our business, it’s a must. Sooo happy to hear you have a biz coach. Appreciate your caring to share Cassandra:)

  4. What a great post. I totally agree that being patient and persistent is an important aspect of working for yourself. And I have ALWAYS hired help… there is no way I can know, do or be it all. Thanks for these great tips- sharing with my tribe!

  5. These are fantastic tips Annette! They each are important and the one that resonates with me the most is sticking with it. It is so easy to give up when the going gets tough, but as they say, magic is what happens on the other end of your comfort zone. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it! It is so exciting to be able to create a business outside of clinical nursing. We have the potential to change the trajectory of care as nurses if we apply ourselves! Thank you for your encouragement and amazing vision. Namaste, Lisbeth

    1. Lisbeth, I LOVE your comment, “magic is what happens on the other end of your comfort zone.” Yes, we nurses who are entrepreneurially minded CAN change the trajectory of care. Keep ‘polishing your lamp’ dear one. xo

  6. Great list post! I totally agree with you, Elizabeth and #7. Outsourcing is your secret weapon to protecting yourself from burnout while earning more.

    Creating a product that provides recurring income is also so important as you mentioned. For instance, online education is a 15 billion dollar industry for sites like Udemy and Lynda.com. One course could net anywhere from a few hundred to a thousand dollars a month. Nice cash to have as you transition from your day gig to your own nurse consulting biz.

    Courses are much easier than you might think to create. Breanne Dyck is one of my fave instructional designers to follow. Thanks for pointing the way!

  7. I really like your post and your vision. I just started a blog thats all about yoga and for yogis and nurses. Please visit and tell me what you think? its yogidistrict.com
    i think your input will help me a lot.
    Alex

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