We recently connected with Hiroko Shimoda and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Hiroko thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

I started my own practice in 2017 because I loved what I did, which was seeing patients’ health problems improve and they eventually return to doing what they loved to do.

Unfortunately, I not only had no business or entrepreneurial experience but also lacked confidence. Japanese are said to have very low self-esteem. And I was no exception. Fortunately, I had drive and passion.

Soon after I opened my practice, I got myself credentialed with the VA; and things took off like a rocket. The VA was sending me more veterans than my small 100sf, sublet room could handle. So, I had to look for a bigger space. In 2019, I moved my practice to a standalone building with 4 treatment rooms. In many regards, I got lucky. The business was its own creature and was growing exponentially. Actually, the business was running me.

Later down the road, I realized the true pitfall of the saying “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”. I say this because veterans’ referrals which made up about 95% of my patient base suddenly went to almost zero in 2020 for unknown reason. Then COVID hit, which presented a whole new set of challenges.

My advice to new entrepreneurs is to first, do your homework. Do market research and choose a location strategically.

Second, make sure to diversify income streams and have a backup plan. My parents taught me to have enough savings to survive for at least 6 months should something unexpected or even catastrophic happen. I applied this wisdom from my parents to my business and had enough to survive for well over a year. This is what allowed me to survive the pandemic.

Thirdly, have clear professional, financial, and personal goals. Think of them as guides or tools to help you get to a predetermined destination. By laying out this road map out ahead of time, you will know exactly what it will take and how long it will take. Every decision you make should be based on this one question: will the decision take me closer to my goals?

I wish this was something I knew or thought about before starting my own business. However, what I have learned from this is that it is not the failures that define me, but the knowledge I learned from them and how I use that knowledge to achieve those goals I mentioned earlier.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I came to the US in 1993 to attend college. I graduated with A.S. degree in hospitality management. My dream was to work at a hotel in the Disney World, and that dream came true before I graduated as an internship. I stayed in the industry for 20 years and loved what I did.

Alternative approach to health and sickness came natural to me as my mother believed the foundation of health was nutrition, lifestyle, and traditional medicine. Growing up, I can only remember a handful of times where I actually visited a family physician and rarely took pharmaceutical medication.

It was in my early 30’s that I started wondering how long I could stay in the hotel/restaurant industry since we worked long and late hours, and often times included holidays.

So, when I found out acupuncture and herbal medicine was available here in the States and there was a school close by, I was inspired to learn more. Once I started to inquire more, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I enrolled on January 2005 and graduated later with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science and master’s degree in Oriental Medicine.

At my clinic, Medical Acupuncture, the primary services we offer are acupuncture and herbal medicine. We specialize in neurological conditions, acute and chronic pain, headaches, stress, and anxiety.

What sets us apart from all other acupuncture clinics in the area is our unique ability to produce instant and sustainable results in most cases. And we don’t stop there. Our goal is to help our patients achieve their health and life goals. We are here to help support that journey. My experience and background in the hospitality industry also taught me to make sure we provide remarkable service to our patients as well.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think this applies to any profession. For me, outside of training and knowledge, it is important to know my goals, my numbers, stay ambitious, and keep pressing.

At the end of the day, regardless of what services or products you offer, it is a business. And, in order for your services or products to make positive impact on your target markets, your business must be successful. And there is no way around hard work.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Aside from social media allowing me to cast a broader net, I am a firm believer in “So, in everything, do unto others what you would have them do to you.” (Matthew 7:12)

We always treat our patients with the same love and respect. We care because they matter. I wholeheartedly believe that integrity is the most important trait I have to offer. And it is evident in the fact that we currently have 258 5-star Google reviews and that more than 80% of our new patients are referrals from our existing patients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MedicalAcupunctureGroup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_medical_acupuncture/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedicalAcupunctur
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiroko-shimoda/
• Youtube: youtube.com/@medicalacupuncture
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@medical_acupuncture

Image Credits
Jess McNamara (JSM Photos LLC)