In this episode I sit down with Melinda McDonald, one of our upcoming presenters at the Business of Practice Conference, for a conversation about authenticity, connection, and what it really means to build a practice that feels aligned with who you are.

In a profession where it’s easy to compare yourself to others or feel pressure to constantly do more, this conversation explores the importance of building a practice that reflects your own values, strengths, and way of working.

Because sustainable growth doesn’t come from copying someone else’s model.

It comes from understanding what genuinely works for you — and creating a practice that patients can feel is authentic.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why authenticity matters in modern practice 
• The pressure practitioners feel to constantly achieve or “keep up” 
• How genuine connection builds trust and patient loyalty 
• The role of confidence and self-awareness in practice growth 
• Why sustainable success comes from alignment, not comparison 
• Buying a property inside your Self Managed Super Fund

This conversation is a reminder that the most effective practitioners are often the ones who stop trying to fit a mould — and instead build practices that are deeply aligned with who they are.

🎤 About the Guest

Melinda left the corporate world over 24 years ago to pursue her passion for helping others, along the way she discovered Traditional Chinese Medicine, and has now been a busy Sydney-based practitioner for nearly 20 years.

Having worked in a wide range of clinical settings – from multidisciplinary clinics, the Acupuncture Pregnancy Support clinic, to a home based practice and everything in between – Melinda has worn many hats. She has been a solo practitioner, clinic manager, clinic owner and mentor to many students, teaching at the University of Technology Sydney and within her own clinics. All whilst raising 2 children (now 10yo & 12yo) and being a very active member of her local community in East Redfern.

Melinda will share valuable insights from her ever-evolving clinical journey, including her recent experience of purchasing commercial property through a SMSF (Self-Managed Super Fund) to create her very own clinic with many tax deductible perks. Her goal is to inspire the next generation of practitioners to think beyond the treatment room: truly own their clinic, stop paying excessive rent, invest in their future and/or superannuation, and create true financial and clinical freedom.

🔗 Connect + Conference

Web: melindamcdonaldacupuncture.com
Insta: @melindamcdonaldacupuncture
FB: @melindamcdonaldacupuncture

Want more?

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