We recently connected with Claudia Baettig and have shared our conversation below.

Claudia , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

I interviewed for my first job as an acupuncturist before I even received my physical license to practice in California. I had already passed my licensing exam and registered with the state, just awaiting my physical license. After nearly four years spent earning my doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, I was eager to start working. I remember feeling a lot of pressure to make all of the time, energy, and tuition count.

As an acupuncturist, unless you open your own business (which is rare right out of school), you typically work under someone else—either another acupuncturist, chiropractor, or a larger company. These roles are usually part-time to start, paid per treatment, and don’t offer much in terms of stability or benefits. There’s no guaranteed patient load, and you’re often expected to bring in your own clients.

At the time, I was interviewing at two different clinics. The first was a small private practice owned by another acupuncturist. It was a part-time role, paid per patient/treatment. I remember asking if I would be responsible for bringing in my own patients, and the owner chuckled and said, “Yes, of course,” as if that were a silly question. I remember thinking, What a great setup for her. I’d essentially be on call for any overflow patients, paid only a small percentage of what the clinic charged—and still be expected to market myself to bring in clients. I think we both knew by the end of the call that it wasn’t going to be a good fit.

The second interview was with a franchise that focused on community acupuncture. This job stood out because it was one of the only full-time positions I saw, and it came with the promise of benefits after a three-month probation period. They had a front desk, manager, marketing—which meant I could just focus on treating patients. It was one of the few full-time opportunities I came across that offered benefits after a probationary period. At first, it felt like a great fit. I was able to focus on treating patients, gaining experience, and developing my skills.

After an initial interview with a manager and a follow-up Zoom call with the franchise owner, I was offered the job. The timing aligned perfectly, and I started right after receiving my license. The position had both pros and cons. Community acupuncture meant high patient volume, so I was able to get a lot of hands-on experience early on—something I’m genuinely grateful for. I could clock in, treat patients, and clock out. But it didn’t take long before the corporate side of the business began to surface. I started receiving weekly visits from the regional manager, who had no acupuncture or healthcare background, asking why certain patients hadn’t bought a package or why they chose a specific membership option. If new patients were not purchasing multi-thousand dollar packages, profits were not being maximized. And if this wasn’t happening, it was my fault as the lead acupuncturist.

As a new grad, it was eye-opening. I entered this field with a deep desire to support people’s health and well-being and I felt I was doing so in this role. However there was an overwhelming pressure from upper management to prioritize sales over patient care. Ultimately I ended up getting let go along with the front desk associate. While difficult, this experience was a turning point for me. It pushed me to define my values as a practitioner, and further lit a fire to build something of my own.

Claudia , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Before attending graduate school, I received my bachelor degree from USC in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Being half taiwanese, I was exposed to Chinese Medicine growing up and have experienced the benefits, but I never really had a good understanding of it. Curious, I enrolled in an elective course centered around Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at USC. Taking this course, everything clicked. The theories felt intuitive and I could easily see how they applied to real life. The more I began to learn about Chinese Medicine, the more interested I became. I took this as my calling.

I’ve always believed that when you’re healthy and feeling good, every other aspect of your life will prosper. This is what sparked my desire to become an acupuncturist and open my own private practice. This medicine truly gives me the tools to help people feel their best. This is the mission of Prosper LA, our wellness clinic in West LA.

Prosper LA provides patient-centered care through both acupuncture and Chinese medicine (provided by me), and chiropractic care (provided by our co-founder, Kevin So, DC). As a practitioner, I provide acupuncture, fire cupping, herbal prescriptions, and more! I treat everything from pain to digestive issues to women’s health and even facial rejuvenation/cosmetic acupuncture. I was even featured in a New York Times article about the benefits of cosmetic acupuncture! At my core, I offer person-centered care aimed at making you feel your best. One of my favorite parts of this work is sharing lifestyle and dietary tips rooted in Chinese Medicine. I love seeing how even small, intentional changes can lead to meaningful improvements in how someone feels day to day.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Getting laid off from my first two jobs was a defining moment in my journey—and ultimately, a blessing in disguise. I was in my first year post-grad, and I was craving stability. Being in the job market as an acupuncturist felt like a rollercoaster for me. But it made me realize that perhaps instead of relying on someone else’s business for stability, I would rely on my own! And dare I say, there’s not another business that will take better care of me than my own business.

At the time I was laid off from my second job, I was already renting a room on the side and seeing my own patients a few days a week. Working this job gave me an extra buffer while I was starting to see my own patients. The business I was working for ended up closing down quite suddenly. I took the first layoff pretty hard, but with the second one and already having my own business established, I had the feeling that things would be okay. I took it as an undeniable sign from the universe. To go all in in my business, full-time, no security net. From that point on, I’ve put all of my energy into my business. While scary, it forced me to take the leap and bet on my own business. Fast forward to today, Prosper LA is coming up on it’s 2 year anniversary. We have our very own office with 5 treatment rooms and even a tenant.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Word of mouth has been the most powerful way to grow our practice. Clients referred by their friends or family tend to come in with a greater sense of trust and commitment. They appreciate the value of the care we provide, follow their treatment plans more consistently, and often become long-term patients who share their positive experiences with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.prosper-la.com
• Instagram: @prosperlosangeles