This is a valuable insight into running a successful business, provided by American experts in plastic surgery. The book is aimed at an audience from across the pond so much of it is directly targeted to their medical school and residency training system which is very different to ours in the UK. However, it is still an interesting read and there are useful sections on developing skills in leadership and management, finance and marketing which is something we do not get taught well in the UK.
Writing a business plan is something I definitely did not learn in medical or dental school and rather something I struggled with when starting my aesthetic business. It is nice to see this included within this book with so much detail on how to construct it, from doing a market analysis to creating an operational and financial plan. Start-up costs are considered alongside sales forecast, monthly expenses and breakeven analysis. These are fundamental components of running a business yet ones that are not taught in our training system. Another topic which is well written is transitions. More so than ever before we are recognising the fact that we, as individuals, transition through life and careers and no longer follow static pathways. Instead, there needs to be the opportunity to chop and change, take a break for maternity, for instance, or to travel. The topic of retirement and closing a business is discussed and how to remain active in the field is also considered. We are living in a world of social media and this is something most of us would like to develop further skills in, to allow us to take our business to the next level.
The voice of social media can offer your practice a cheap, wide-reaching solution for marketing. The all-important question being “how do I connect to my audience and attract patients?”. This book helps you identify what steps are necessary in order to gain a good following. There is a good section on looking for a PR agent as well as how to prepare for TV or radio interviews. The marketing chapter in this book is great! It literally gives you a step-by-step guide as to how to market yourself, create value, target your audience, engagement, branding and writing good content. Planning an event is also covered with a countdown guide. Marketing in general is something that many clinicians struggle with and I feel this book tackles it particularly well. Running a successful medi-spa is, again, a great chapter highlighting the importance of keeping track of inventory, technology and traps, training staff, unhappy patients, avoiding litigation and tailoring your language.
All in all, this is a fabulous in-depth guide aimed at the American market who are looking to set up in private practice and are searching for an insight into the running of a business. However, inferences can be made towards the British system and the latter parts of the book are great for both UK and USA audiences, making it a good book for clinicians looking to gain further knowledge in marketing, setting up a business and keeping it afloat.
