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Your Total Guide To Business
Summarise how Co?vid-19 has affected you?
I had no choice to put my new business on pause. My children’s nursery closed and I had to look after them full time. Also, my husband is a key worker and relied on the home internet, so I didn’t have the bandwidth available to reliably offer my executive hypnotherapy sessions online.
What has been your plan?
On Monday 6th July my doors reopened! I am focusing on making in person sessions safe and available to my clients – old and new.
How has business changed for you over the last few months?
Lockdown gave me the chance to reflect on my business model, my ideal client and my work/life balance. My core business hasn’t changed, but the way I balance it with my life has. I now have clear boundaries between work and home life and have reduced my number of clients so that I can offer them the best possible service.
As lockdown eases what measures have you put in place to get back to business?
It’s felt like I’m back in the military again doing risk assessments and writing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to explain my COVID-19 safety measure to clients (old and new)!
All clients sign a COVID-19 Declaration form online 24hrs prior to their appointment and cancellation policies have been updated to be more flexible and promote honesty if a client is unwell.
With fewer clients per week this gives extra time in between to deep clean and reset the room. I run my practice from home, so have rearranged the layout to give 2m social distancing throughout appointments, have good ventilation with open windows, I can wear a face mask (if the client wants this for extra protection) and of course there’s lots of hand sanitising!
What has been the most challenging aspect of all of this?
Being disheartened during lock down and simply wanting to throw the towel in! As a hypnotherapist I talk to all my clients about the fight or flight response and it hit me hard in April. As my business had been open less than a year I had no financial support and started redrafting my CV to find another job. I felt I had to take some action to get control over things and that was helpful at the time. As the situation changed, my mindset changed with it and I got through those difficult days.
What has been the most positive aspect?
Time. This has been reflection time about me, my business and what I can offer. I truly believe this has given me firmer foundations for the business moving forward so that it’s the business I want it to be, rather than feel it should be.
Has it made you consider how you feel about other businesses/suppliers/customers/clients for good or otherwise?
I am making a more deliberate effort to support and collaborate with local businesses in my area, because I know that I most enjoy working with people in person.
How important is this phrase to you – ‘buy local, supply local’?
Very, as mentioned above. Also, I am a local business that wants to be available for local people. My focus isn’t on offering solution focused hypnotherapy worldwide, it’s about offering it to the people who live in my area.
What are your top tips at this time?
1. Break big, abstract, overwhelming challenges down into small, actionable steps – this is powerful for your brain.
2. Embrace the 90:30 rule – work for 90 minutes, take a break and do something that brings you joy for 30 mins.
3. Prioritise your sleep – it is one of the most important things for your physical health and mental wellbeing.
Your parting thought?
Stay positive - it is not the events in our lives that cause a perception of crisis, it is the way we think about them.
For more information visit www.oakviewhypnotherapy.co.uk
Scott Media is run by a UK-based journalist with more than 20 years' experience in the media - print, radio and television.
6 Gold View, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 8GZ
Website Email 07789 270030
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