Fate, chance or destiny?

May 25th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

The season finale of the hit TV show 24 just aired this week.

Jack Bauer is the extraordinary hero of the show. I heard someone say “Jack Bauer is the man every man wants to be and every woman just wants.”

Jack is played by actor Kiefer Sutherland. I heard him say recently that he never wanted to do the show 24. But someone told him that they’d pay him for the pilot and since he thought that the show would never make it, he decided to do the pilot for the money. The rest is history - he was paid for the pilot and at least six  successful seasons
of the show.

That got me to thinking…

What opportunities have you had that helped you to build your practice? Was there a mentor that referred to you? Did you do a talk that resulted in more clients? Did you bite the bullet and attend a networking meeting that has resulted in increased business?

Was it fate? Was it a “meant-to-be?” Or was it you taking a risk and trying something?

I want to hear your success story! Did you go out on a limb and try something that helped you build your ideal practice? Did you use some of the practice-building techniques we talk about and had a great result? Did a chance opportunity turn into something wonderful?

To share your story, please click on “comments” below.

Can’t wait to read it!

Oh, and in case you watch 24, please don’t tell me how this season ended because we have the whole season on TIVO and will start watching it soon!

Happy practice-building!

Love and blessings,
Casey

There Are 7 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by alma on 25 May 2007:

    Casey,

    you have not heard from me for a while because I was too busy building my practice. I don’t know exactly what all contributed to having reached my target client number this month for the first time (eighty if all keep their appointments). What I do know is that your tips and strategies have given me the language and confidence to let people know what I do for a living. One of my marketing tools is my brochure. It works for me. I have gotten more than 5 times the cost of the brochure back. It looks like it is going to continue. Being on the website is making a significant difference. All around, how it all started was by listening to your AAMFT conference tapes. I liked what I heard, your knowledge, your confidence and belief in making a difference to people helping people by passing on your marketing strategies.I signed up with you and the rest is history.

    Thank you for your blessings,

    Alma .

  2. Comment by Eileen Crean on 25 May 2007:

    My best referrals have come from colleagues who have recommended my work to prospective clients. Second best source has been former clients, and in particular their recommendations on a local online bulletin board, the UC Parents Newsletter. Third down on the list: insurance companies I work with.

  3. Comment by Nancy Laughlin on 25 May 2007:

    After September 11th I knew I didn’t want to continue working as an insurance agent but wasn’t sure where my path was to lead me. I spent a year journaling and was drawn to counseling. Before I even researched schools, the education director at my job called to say they just approved a masters program for clinical psychology at Chapman University. I was approved. Amazingly, within a few months the company stopped paying for the psychology degree but grandfathered me in. In my first class, MFT Gary Henderson talked about the difference between the private and public sector and how he had formed a non-profit, The Place Within. I approached him after class and asked how to start my own. He has been my mentor and guardian through the whole process. Within a year, Kismet Center for Counseling opened its doors to serve the Sacramento area. I now have three counselors working with me - all of us still working on our hours toward licensure - now with two locations. My newest idea was to offer workshops but we didn’t have space large enough. Amazingly a collegue suggested someone and she’s not only provided space but places to advertise including bookstores, therapy groups, and spiritual centers. Every time I hit a pocket of fear or confusion, a new person appears with a simple answer. This has been a fabulous and amazing journey.

  4. Comment by Tori Janaya on 26 May 2007:

    Casey, your call for success stories is the perfect opportunity for me to say THANK YOU for this incredible service you and Juliet at Build Your Therapy Practice. I signed up for the trial month 3 weeks ago. Since then, through your Marketing Tools, you’ve helped me clarify my work and my ideal client more than I’d ever imagined was even possible (or thought was necessary!). I’ve also been so motivated to get a website up and running that I’ve DONE IT — and this is in 3 weeks, after 5 years of owning a domain name and never doing anything with it.

    So here’s my “success” story — more of a gratitude story, really. I’m trying to get a group called The Baby Question off the ground (I just purchased a domain by the same name! Although I know you encourage folks to focus on one niche, I feel strongly compelled to do both, though I’m very aware that I need to manage my energy, time and goals even more closely.) At any rate, I’ve got one interested client and some other nibbles but no bites. I’d wanted to start the group back in late April, but nothing came together.

    So last night I clicked the PUBLISH button on my website software for the first time, and then ran off to a gathering of women at a local venue where I’d recently hosted a mini-workshop. Although I brought flyers (now with my website on them!) it hadn’t occurred to me that I would get a chance to make an announcement — but that chance was given to me, and I took it gratefully. And guess what? Not one, but TWO women made a bee-dive for me after the meeting and are eager to join my group!

    I was as high as a kite afterwards, and kept thinking, now was that just a weird synchronicity (publishing my website and getting two clients on the same night), or the result of getting my energy focused (by getting my target market ID’d), or… because I’m ready? Or all of the above?

    Who knows… but I had a good chuckle seeing your email in my box this morning, asking about “Fate, chance or destiny”. I have no great philosophical answers, just abundant thanks.

    Smiling and looking forward,
    Tori

  5. Comment by Edie Olaughlin on 26 May 2007:

    Casey-
    You continue to inspire me. My mentor connection was from when I was teaching parenting classes in Sacramento for an agency called Child Action. I signed up to take another Child Action speaker’s class to observe his techniques. I was so impressed that I invited him to lunch to ask him questions about his practice. We shared our “ideal client” story (as per your recommendation). It turned out that he was teaching 3 parenting classes a week for Kaiser and the class he least enjoyed was my ideal class-for parents of 1-4 year olds! He asked me to teach that class for him so he’d have more time off. From those classes I’ve been getting private practice clients of parents of children in my favorite age group since my mission is to make parenting classes for parents of preschoolers to be like La Maz classes-everyone does it-not just parents who are struggling. Thank you so much for all you helpful information! Edie Olaughlin at Priority Parenting: for parents who see their children as their first priority.

  6. Comment by Jeannie Colvin on 31 May 2007:

    Casey,
    I bit the bullet and dove into full time private practice! Thanks to your techniques, I had 5 intakes in this past week! I used to average 1 per month. Out of the 5 intakes, only 1 was in my niche, and they are all great clients. Who said niche marketing is limiting? It’s hard to identify 1 thing that brought these clients. I would have to say it’s the on-going relationships with my referral sources.
    Jeannie

  7. Comment by Lynda Lyons-James on 2 June 2007:

    I am currently designing a website now that features many different applications in the field. It will offer a variety of things for my clients. Referral network, 12 step program links, and book purchase links. I am trying to information on how to get commission on the books provided on my website. Does anyone know how to do that?

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