We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lisa Pugliese a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lisa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
Starting my own practice was not something I had planned in advance. Instead, I was very happy working for my mentor in an established practice. I loved the ease of coming to the office to practice acupuncture without any of the responsibilities of running a busy clinic. That all changed when my mentor retired and the other practitioners went their separate ways. I quickly needed to find office space and start my own clinic! It was a bit overwhelming because my daughters were ages 1 and 5 at the time!
I was lucky to find an office space quickly. It wasn’t perfect by the size, location and rent were right! With bright yellow countertops and funky carpets, it needed to be spruced up. I quickly learned the art of negotiating with a landlord to tenant improvements! A close friend with a talent for interior design helped me create a very cozy and welcoming space. My friend and my husband were instrumental at getting that clinic ready for business! The next big step for starting my own clinic was something that continues to be a challenge for me sometimes; finding the right office staff. Again, I was lucky and found the perfect person to support my practice as we opened our doors.
My advice to a young professional would be to take the time to invest in finding the right person if you are hiring support staff. The person sitting at the front desk has a major impact of the success of a medical clinic so it’s important to have the right person in that role.
Many acupuncturists don’t hire support staff for one reason or another but, for me, having staff to run the front office is essential for running a successful business.
Lisa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a registered nurse, licensed acupuncturist and owner of Conception Wellness. At CW, we provide holistic care that includes Chinese Medicine and acupuncture as well as Functional Medicine. We also offer fertility massage and general massage services. With both my nursing career and acupuncture practice, I have been in the medical field for nearly 30 years!
Conception Wellness is a unique clinic. Our goal is to work closely with our patients to get to the root of what is causing their symptoms and provide a realistic treatment plan to get them well. Some cases are simple and just require a few acupuncture treatments while other cases may require lab work, nutritional supplements or maybe even a referral. We help people with chronic and/or unusual symptoms that may have fallen through the cracks of Western Medicine. We see signs and symptoms through the unique lens of Chinese Medicine while still understanding the Western medical approach. In a way, we bridge the gap for our patients, and they love that. Our patients often remark that they feel safe and well cared for at Conception Wellness. They put their trust in us and we take that trust seriously. In addition to the services we provide, we like to add a lot of “extras” to the treatments to enhance our patients’ experience.
For instance, we use red light and PEMF healing mats during out treatments. We may use essential oils if indicated. We make sure our patient our comfortable on the treatment table, so we use memory foam mats, crystal eye masks, Infrared lights and warm packs. We love to spoil our patients during their time in our clinic. Our whole staff goes above and beyond in their roles to care for our patients.
We are known for helping patients with fertility and hormonal issues like menopause at CW but we actually can help a wide variety of issues including: pain, depression/anxiety, GI issues, headaches, autoimmune issues, post-surgical recovery and more. We treat Women, men and children. I am so proud of the care that is delivered at CW. I know that our patients are loved and well cared for by all members of our team!
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
If I could go back and choose the same profession, I would. My nursing career was a great first job that provided me with so many benefits. I learned a great deal but most importantly I learned about being part of a team. The trust and bond amongst those working in a high-pressure situation like a pediatric ICU is incredible and I feel lucky to have been part of it. I still have many of my friends that I made during my nursing days. Nursing was also a great foundation for my acupuncture practice. I went into acupuncture with deep knowledge and experience for working with ill patients. It made the transition so much smoother for me and my nursing experience pops up daily in my acupuncture practice. I also think it gives patients who might not be familiar with Chinese Medicine a sense of reassurance since most people feel comfortable with nurses!
If I had to do it all over again, I might consider pursuing a Nurse Practitioner degree as well. Sometimes I think it would be nice to offer my patients prescriptions and services that are beyond my scope of practice. As it stands, I am able to refer my patients when needed to practitioners who can write prescriptions if needed. Having a solid list of referrals is essential to provide holistic care.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
I think that one thing that has been extremely helpful for me is to get help and support in the aspects of your business that you may not be knowledgeable about. Sometimes we business owners think that we need to “do it all” or “know it all.” As my business has grown, I’ve become more comfortable with hiring people to help me with the business side of the business so I can focus on my passion which is the medical and educational part of the business. It took me a long time to have the confidence to ask for help where I needed it but, in the end, it has helped me in so many ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.conceptionwellness.com
- Instagram: @ConceptionWellness
- Facebook: @ConceptionWellness
Image Credits
Popejoy photography