Keep this forum alive: Be an entrepreneur

I thank you for your advice. I am a new legal nurse consultant and I currently am studying to get my forensic nurse certification. I am trying to get my LNC business started, but I am having a rough time with writing a business plan. Do you recommend any business plan writing websites or software (not too expensive)? Or do you recommend a professional to write my business plan and if so, where do I begin to look for one?

Thanks in advance,

lecavalier4

Hi Folks,

First, this post is long, but I want to make sure I get the message out there. I am really just trying to fire up this forum a bit. I stop by this particular forum every now and again and notice a few questions get posted, with a few responses but then it dwindles a bit as time goes on. I suppose that this is mostly due to the fact that there aren't that many of "us" out there.

To start off, I am not selling anything and just merely providing motivation to all of the current entrepreneurs and to all of the prospective nurses who would like to become independent or go into business for themselves. Also, I am not telling you how you have to do things, but will certainly share how I am working as an independent contractor. Most importantly-YOU can become independent.

I have not always been in nursing and through the different stages of my career path I have owned a couple of businesses along the way. I would say that most nurses that I talk to face to face don't realize that they have the ability to start a business or really just become independent contractors. In my previous careers and of course my interaction with friends/colleagues, I would say that being a contracted employee is not all that foreign. I am sure this is why it was "easy" for me to do it, since I have done it before in other careers. I have worked in the food industry (contracted cooks/chefs), financial sector (contracted CPAs, financial advisors/planners), Sales of any kind (contracted sales staff), marketing/advertising (contracted account people, researchers, creative/graphic designers, even attorneys), and of course computer/IT (numerous folks here contracted for their services, SAP, developers, IT troubleshooters, software engineers).

When I have mentioned this to some of the nurses I have come into contact with, many have stated that they do not want to accept the liability. Well many of these folks mentioned above and in addition to this post in some form have licenses, certification, or some organization that makes the "rules" in how they can practice. Also, I am sure these professionals have something to lose as well. Simple: do the right thing, work within your scope of practice, in the case of being a nurse-Document it, and carry liability insurance just like many of the other folks do.

We as a profession need to unite and realize our potential. Feed the desire to want something more out of your career, whatever that is to you. I am not saying that nurses need to walk off the lines or move away from the bedside. If you like it and want to continue it, then figure out a way that you can do it on your own terms.

Now to the heart of it:

I worked in one of the most critical ICU's (Hopkins) and pretty much loved every aspect of the patient population, the people I worked with (including the MD's) and I learned a ton. There were experiences that were just jaw dropping and exhilarating and I would say ONE of the best career choices I made and I did it right out of school. I still get excited when I talk about it. Now, I would have to say THE best career choice I have ever made was to go out on my own.

Let me first admit that this was not necessarily something I was thinking about, but was really forced into it. We relocated so that my wife could take a job; Fair enough since we uprooted the family so that I could work at Hopkins. Anyway, daycare was a nightmare (2 kids at the time, we now have 3) and we couldn't get the kids into a daycare setting. Apparently we needed to be on waitlists long before deciding to move. So, my wife was going to an office while I was home with the kids. No problem since financially it wasn't necessary except that I was hoping to work, but certainly wanted a flexible schedule so that I could be with the kids more. I needed a balance and it's not that I wasn't cut out for it, but both my wife and I are the kind of people who have to do some type of work. She consulted from home while I worked in the hospital.

That's when I asked myself why couldn't I consult as well? Find some part time nanny for the kids and have the ability to work in and out of the home. Easier said than done, right? You bet. Something did kind of fall in my lap to start things off. A previous colleague of mine started a business to serve disabled individuals and heard that I was back in town. He needed a nurse to consult, which is pretty much standard in this particular type of business. Most of the organizations have a nurse on staff or use contracted nurses.

It wasn't a lot of hours to start, but a start it was. Now, I will admit that I love to read, research, and Google everything I can on just about anything I am interested in. I already knew how to incorporate (my business is s-corp) and how I wanted to set it up. Most everything I did to set up the corp. was done online and with very little money. Be sure to use local SBA's in your state if you need help. I use QuickBooks to track time, invoice, and do payroll. There are a ton of resources on the web either free or small fees incurred to help with contract templates, organizing the type of business, accounting assistance and of course forums just like this.

Let me also say this and admit that I worked my tail off in that ICU and I enjoyed it. It doesn't really compare to how hard I work now. I work very HARD, but I chose to do this and I truly love what I do. I am representing myself and my business and I take pride in both, so I am going to put everything into the services that I provide. I do however have flexibility to be with my family. I am with my kids everyday for a significant amount of time on some level and this is also why I work hard, so that I can fit it all in.

Aside from the "case management" work that I started doing I also do wellness/health coaching for individuals that either want the support after getting "bad news" from their PCP and need to make a lifestyle change. Some folks want to make a change on their own but really just need someone to assist them in achieving specific goals. I always refer any diagnostic concerns/questions back to the PCP and just work as an extension of the individual's primary medical team.A little advertising and word of mouth is a good way to get this type of service going.

At this time I am unable to take clinical contracts due to the bandwidth that I essentially don't have because of my other contracts and of course the kids. So, I do not have any direct experience with setting up clinical contracts with hospitals at this time, but will certainly pursue this soon. I do know that this is possible and have met the "one person" agency that is currently providing clinical services to hospitals in the area. She has an answering service that charges a small monthly fee to essentially take messages or route calls to the "appropriate department" if a hospital calls.

Let me just end this lengthy post by saying that you will work hard, you are going to have a lot of questions along the way, you will feel as if it is impossible at times and you may tell yourself things like, "I should have done it this way" but you will learn from those mishaps. Just be a good nurse, be smart, embrace your mentors/colleagues who are trying to help, ask questions, stay alert, always seek reliable information from your resources, of course document everything, carry insurance, start small-think BIG.

p.s. Going out on your own is not for everyone, no matter what your career. If you have it in you then experience both sides and see for yourself. Good luck!

Thank you for this great post! I am very motivated to start out on my own as well. I'd love to do ventures related to perinatal topics/nursing as well as health and wellness. I just started as a nurse, so I don't know if I should wait or get the process started now.

Welcome to nursing. It seems as if you already have a good amount of experience in health care, which of course will help you along the way. No matter what you have done prior to nursing, many aspects of your previous career experiences will find some way into your entrepreneurial endeavors as a nurse.

Certainly gather as much experience as you can as a new nurse, but I don't believe it is too soon to start planning your entrepreneur venture. Many nurses (and many other professionals) have started their businesses on a part time basis. Start working on some of the logistics now and seek out mentors that you can bounce ideas off of. Once your head stops hurting from all of the information that you are inundated with as a new nurse and get better adjusted to the lifestyle, then you may want to start putting some of what you have learned into practice as a consultant/IC.

Good luck to you and just keep working towards that goal.

Thanks!!

Would you be willing to be one of my mentors? Send me a PM.

thanks for the great post, I have a weath of experience, I really want my own business... the idea of being a consultant sounds interesting, how do you get that first customer? I know everything is word of mouth but you have to get one first...

"p.s. Going out on your own is not for everyone, no matter what your career. If you have it in you then experience both sides and see for yourself. Good luck!"

Agreed, my husband has started a few successful businesses in his time, (not nursing related) and has the freedom in his worklife. And recommends it.

For me I think Im too nervous, but my hubby would be behind it 100%.

Great thread, keep it going. It is important to show nurses that there is an alternative.

If you are too nervous to go out on your own try being an intrapreneur first. Intrapreneuring involves starting a division or product line within your current work environment. You won't benefit as much monetarily as if you were a nurse entrepreneur but you won't have the risk either. Think of something you would like to develop, create a business plan, and sell it to your current administration.

I did several intrapreneuring ventures before going out on my own. As someone with an entrepreneural spirit before I even knew it I was always anxious to create something. I created a return to work program for an employer, a medical case management division for a work comp case management company, and an auto case management division within a work comp case management company.

These were great ways to develop my skills before going out on my own. If you don't feel you are ready for entrepreneuring consider intrapreneuring.

Having your spouse/partner behind you and supporting your decision is more than half the battle. It certainly does take understanding from friends and family members that this type of venture takes a lot of time and effort.

If there is something that you are passionate I would say make a plan and see if you would think it would work. I try and surround myself with as many entrepreneurs as possible. Unfortunately there aren't too many of us nurse entrepreneurs to bounce ideas off of, but I am certainly trying to change that one nurse at a time.

Keep me posted if you do decide to go out on your own, even if it is just a few hours a week or even a month.

I always say some need the pencils bought for them and some want to buy the pencils and distribute, being an entrepreneur is not for everyone and you work much harder for yourself then you do for someone else, but I am willing to try.

I thougth I would go back to school, but I know now that is not what I should be doing..

I'll keep you posted.

I will keep you posted....