Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hannah Flammang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Hannah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

In the back of my mind I always knew I would one day own my own practice, but getting there was a journey. I had been an employee for several years after graduating from chiropractic school, and for several reasons. it became very apparent that it was time to leave and go out on my own. The hardest part for me was taking the initial leap of faith in leaving a steady job for the unknown of self-employment. But I can tell you that starting a business is one of the best decisions I have every made! Yes, there are challenges and yes, sometimes it’s really hard, but in the end, it’s always been worth it. My advice to young professionals considering starting their own practice is to take the leap of faith and just do it. I wish I wouldn’t have doubted myself and waited so long.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a chiropractor that specializes in prenatal, postpartum and pediatric care. When I went to school initially, I thought I would be heavily sports focused, but realized quickly that was not where my heart lies. I love supporting women through the motherhood transition, and feel honored when they let me work with their little ones too. I support clients through the aches and pains that come along with pregnancy. I help them prep for their dream labor and delivery, hoping to give them the best outcome possible and then support them postpartum in getting back to themselves and feeling good in their bodies again. Many of the babies and kiddos that I work with are coming to see me with feeding difficulties, body tension, developmental delays or for general health and wellness. I am most proud of the relationships that I’ve made with not only my patients but also other wellness professionals in my area. I truly love coming to work and supporting the families that I care for!

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

One of my first goals when I started, my business was to reach out and meet weekly with another professional in my area who worked with my ideal client (i.e. fertility acupuncturist, massage therapist, lactation consultant, etc.). I would set up a coffee or lunch date with the intention of getting to know them and their business better for when I needed to make referrals. Not only did it help me build my own clientele and gain referral sources, but it also helped me create an amazing community of other like-minded providers, many of which were also female entrepreneurs, that became friends and sounding boards in my personal and business life.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

In my experience, starting a business has taught me more about myself than anything else I’ve ever done in life. One of the biggest things I had to unlearn is that I cannot please everyone. I’ve spent most of my life people pleasing and basing my happiness and self-worth off of what others thought of me. I’m sure that many people can relate to this, but it’s a completely exhausting way to live, and I’ve been working hard to change that. Being in business quickly taught me that I have to do what is best for me and confidently make my own decisions, instead of anxiously making decisions based off of what I think others want from me. In the beginning that looked like trying not to caring what friends and family said about leaving a steady job and taking a “risk”, in their eyes, starting my own business. Now, three years into business, that looks like being firm with my own work boundaries and making sure that I am not available and working 24/7. I am slowly learning that, although boundaries are hard, they are so good and so necessary. Typically, I am my own worst enemy when it comes to this. My biggest aha moment was when I realized that my people pleasing and lack of boundaries was not because of the people around me, but because of me and the lack of respect I had for myself, Now when I make a boundary or promise to myself I do everything in my power to honor that even when it’s hard!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.craftedhealthco.com
• Instagram: @dr.hannahflammang
• Facebook: Hannah Flammang Wong

Image Credits

Morgan Potter Photography