The Acupuncturists Biz Hub

In this episode, I sit down with Charmaine and Carly, two practitioners who have built a successful practice through collaboration, shared values, and a commitment to creating something larger than themselves.

While much of the conversation around practice ownership focuses on the individual practitioner, this discussion explores the unique opportunities and challenges that come with building a business in partnership.

From communication and decision-making through to leadership, growth, and navigating inevitable challenges, Charmaine and Carly share the lessons they've learned from working closely together while growing a thriving practice.

This conversation offers an honest look at what partnership really requires — and why strong relationships are often the foundation of sustainable businesses.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How they came to build a practice together 
• The advantages and challenges of business partnerships 
• The importance of shared values and vision 
• Communication, trust, and navigating difficult conversations 
• How different strengths can complement one another 
• Leadership, growth, and building a healthy clinic culture 
• What they've learned through working together over time 

Whether you're considering a partnership, leading a team, or simply looking to build a stronger clinic culture, this conversation offers valuable insights into what it takes to create something sustainable with others.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Successful partnerships are built on trust, communication, and shared values 
• Different strengths can become a significant advantage when properly aligned 
• Difficult conversations are essential for long-term success 
• Healthy clinic cultures don't happen by accident 
• Leadership begins with clarity and consistency 
• Collaboration can create opportunities that are difficult to achieve alone

🎤 About the Guests

Charmaine

Charmaine is an experienced Chinese medicine practitioner, business owner, and leader who has spent years building a practice centred on patient care, professional growth, and collaboration.

Throughout her career, she has developed a strong interest in creating systems and structures that support both practitioners and patients, recognising that sustainable practices require more than clinical expertise alone.

Her work focuses on helping create environments where practitioners can thrive, contribute meaningfully, and continue developing throughout their careers.

Known for her thoughtful leadership style and commitment to fostering strong professional relationships, Charmaine brings valuable insight into the realities of building and leading a successful practice alongside others.

Carly

Carly is a practitioner, clinic owner, and educator who is passionate about creating positive healthcare experiences for both patients and practitioners.

Through her work, she has developed extensive experience in team-based practice, clinic operations, and the day-to-day realities of growing a business while maintaining high standards of patient care.

Carly is particularly interested in the human side of practice ownership — the communication, trust, leadership, and relationship-building that often determine whether a business succeeds over the long term.

Her ability to balance practical decision-making with a strong focus on people and culture has been an important part of the partnership she and Charmaine have built together.

Together

What makes Charmaine and Carly's perspective particularly valuable is that they offer a real-world example of what collaborative practice can look like when built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision.

Rather than presenting partnership as a simple solution, they openly discuss the work required to maintain alignment, navigate differences, and create a business that supports everyone involved.

Their experience provides valuable lessons for any practitioner interested in leadership, teamwork, or building something bigger than themselves.

🔗 Connect + Conference

Website: https://the-melbourne-apothecary.com.au/

Instagram: @fertile_ground_health_group

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The.Melbourne.Apothecary

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
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In this episode, I sit down with returning Business of Practice Conference presenter Chloe Stubberfield for a conversation about one of the most misunderstood areas of modern practice: marketing.

For many practitioners, marketing feels uncomfortable, overwhelming, or completely disconnected from the values that brought them into healthcare in the first place.

But Chloe sees it differently.

She believes that marketing is simply the process of helping the right people find the care they need.

And when approached authentically, it becomes an extension of your practice rather than a distraction from it.

In this conversation, we explore what it means to build visibility without compromising your values, how practitioners can find their own voice online, and why creativity is often an untapped strength within the Chinese medicine profession.

We also discuss the realities of balancing clinical practice, business ownership, creativity, and personal wellbeing, and why sustainable growth requires practitioners to understand their own capacity rather than constantly pushing beyond it.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why so many practitioners struggle with marketing and visibility 
• How authenticity creates trust online 
• The creative strengths that already exist within the Chinese medicine profession 
• Finding a marketing approach that aligns with your personality and values 
• Balancing clinical work, business ownership, and creativity 
• Why understanding your own capacity is critical for long-term sustainability 
• The importance of rest, recovery, and avoiding burnout while growing a practice 

This conversation is both practical and reassuring for practitioners who know they need to market themselves, but want to do so in a way that feels genuine and aligned.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Marketing is about connection, not selling 
• Practitioners often have more creativity and expertise than they realise 
• Authenticity builds trust far more effectively than polished perfection 
• Sustainable growth requires understanding your personal capacity 
• Visibility helps more people access Chinese medicine 
• Rest and recovery are essential parts of building a successful practice

🎤 About the Guest

Chloe Stubberfield is a Chinese medicine practitioner, educator, speaker, and founder of The Which Doctor, a business that has become widely recognised for making Chinese medicine accessible, engaging, and relevant to the wider public.
Through The Which Doctor, Chloe has built a substantial online presence by helping people better understand Chinese medicine, while simultaneously demonstrating how practitioners can market themselves authentically without resorting to gimmicks or aggressive sales tactics.

More recently, Chloe launched The Which Coven, a practitioner-focused education and mentoring platform designed to help health professionals navigate social media, marketing, content creation, and business development. Through courses, mentoring, and community support, she helps practitioners develop the confidence and skills needed to grow thriving practices while remaining aligned with their professional values.

🔗 Connect + Conference

Website: https://www.thewhichdoctor.com.au/the-which-coven/

Instagram: @thewhichcoven

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
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• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

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?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
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• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

In this episode, I sit down with Yanan Kim, one of our upcoming presenters at the Business of Practice Conference, for a conversation that explores a question many practitioners quietly wrestle with:

If our medicine is so powerful, why are so many practitioners struggling to thrive?

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why so many practitioners struggle despite having excellent clinical skills 
• The hidden challenges of running a successful clinic 
• Burnout, resentment, and the pressures that clinic owners often carry alone 
• The gap between learning Chinese medicine and learning how to build a business 
• How Taoist philosophy can guide more sustainable decision-making 
• Why reconnecting with your own medicine is essential for long-term success 

Drawing on her experience as a clinic owner, mentor, and founder of ProjectDAO, Yanan shares her journey from building a successful multi-practitioner clinic to confronting the realities of burnout, blurred boundaries, and the challenges that many clinic owners face behind the scenes.

This conversation goes beyond business strategy.

It explores the relationship between personal growth, practitioner development, and the ability to create a sustainable practice that allows both the practitioner and the medicine to flourish.

Throughout the conversation, Yanan challenges practitioners to look beyond external solutions and ask a deeper question:

What is getting in the way of your medicine reaching the people who need it most?

This episode is both practical and reflective, offering insights for practitioners at every stage of their journey.
 
 🔑 Key Takeaways

• Clinical excellence alone does not guarantee a thriving practice 
• Many practitioner struggles stem from unclear structures, boundaries, and expectations 
• Sustainable practices require both business skills and personal development 
• Burnout often begins long before practitioners recognise it 
• Taoist principles can provide valuable guidance for modern practice ownership 
• The answers we seek are often closer than we think 

🎤 About the Guest

Yanan Kim is a classical acupuncture practitioner and founder of Project DAO in Sydney. She built a thriving clinic, stepped away from it for a year, and rebuilt it — learning that the first person she had to heal was herself. She now mentors practitioners through the inner work that no business course teaches: the beliefs, patterns, and stories that quietly keep a practice small. Her work draws on classical Chinese medicine, Daoist philosophy, and Compassionate Inquiry. She is the creator of The Roadmap to a Thriving Practice and the Business of DAO community.

• Website: https://projectdao.com.au/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectdao/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hello.projectdao/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hello.projectdao

🔗 Connect + Conference

Yanan Kim will be presenting at the upcoming Business of Practice Conference, where she’ll share practical frameworks and hard-won lessons from building, leading, and ultimately reimagining a successful clinic.

Her session will explore how practitioners can create healthier professional relationships, stronger business foundations, and more sustainable careers while staying connected to the heart of Chinese medicine.

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
• Connect on Facebook: Acupuncturists Biz Hub
• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

In this episode, I sit down with Keri Krieger, one of our upcoming presenters at the Business of Practice Conference, for a conversation about something many practitioners experience — but often don’t talk about enough.

Burnout.

• The pressure to keep going.
• The tendency to over-give.
• And the belief that being busy somehow means you’re doing things right.

This conversation explores what happens when practitioners lose sight of their own needs while spending so much time looking after everyone else.

Because the reality is, you can’t build a truly sustainable practice if you’re constantly running on empty.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why so many practitioners push themselves beyond their limits 
• The signs of burnout that often get ignored 
• How boundaries support both practitioner wellbeing and patient outcomes 
• The difference between being busy and being effective 
• Why looking after yourself is not separate from running a successful practice 

This is a grounded and important conversation for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or caught in the cycle of constantly doing more.

🎤 About the Guest
 
Keri is an experienced practitioner, speaker, and educator with a strong focus on practitioner wellbeing, burnout prevention, and creating more sustainable ways of working.

Having worked closely with practitioners for many years, she has seen firsthand how easy it is for people in caring professions to overextend themselves — often putting the needs of patients, businesses, and families ahead of their own wellbeing.

Her work centres on helping practitioners recognise the signs of overwhelm before they reach breaking point, while building healthier systems, stronger boundaries, and more sustainable practices.

Keri brings both professional insight and lived experience to this conversation. She understands the pressure that comes with running a practice, maintaining high standards, and constantly giving to others — while often feeling like there is very little left for yourself.

Alongside her clinical and professional work, Keri has become a passionate advocate for helping practitioners redefine success in a way that includes their own health, energy, and quality of life.

Rather than promoting hustle, overwork, or the idea that being constantly busy is a sign of success, Keri encourages practitioners to build practices that are supportive, realistic, and sustainable over the long term.

Her perspective is an important reminder that practitioner wellbeing is not separate from good business — it is a fundamental part of it.

Website: www.kerikrieger.com
Instagram: @kerikrieger, @chevronislandhealthstudio, @stab__club

🔗 Connect + Conference

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
• Connect on Facebook: Acupuncturists Biz Hub
• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

In this episode, I sit down with one of our upcoming Business of Practice Conference presenters to explore a deeper, more philosophical layer of practice — one that often gets overlooked in conversations about growth and success

We talk about the concept of the Dan Tien — traditionally understood as the centre of energy in the body — and what it means when applied to business, decision-making, and the way we show up in practice

This conversation moves beyond systems and strategy. It explores where your practice actually comes from

Because underneath the structure of any clinic — the marketing, the operations, the patient numbers — there’s something more fundamental driving it all

In this episode we discuss:

• The concept of the Dan Tien and how it translates into business and practice 
• Why stability and groundedness are essential for long-term success 
• How practitioners can lose their centre — and what that looks like in real terms 
• The relationship between internal state and external outcomes in practice 
• Why growth without grounding often leads to instability 

This conversation offers a different perspective on what it means to build a sustainable practice — not just from the outside in, but from the inside out

🎤 About the Guest

Peter Scarselletti brings a unique and deeply considered perspective to clinical practice, integrating the principles of traditional East Asian medicine with the realities of modern-day practice

With extensive experience as a practitioner, educator and mentor, Peter has spent years exploring how foundational concepts — often understood in a purely clinical context — can be applied more broadly to the way practitioners think, make decisions, and build their work

His approach goes beyond technique and protocol, focusing on orientation — how practitioners position themselves in their practice, how they respond to pressure and how they maintain clarity in the face of complexity

Peter is particularly known for his ability to translate classical ideas, such as the concept of the Dan Tien, into practical insights that directly impact how practitioners operate day to day

Through his teaching and clinical work, he challenges practitioners to move beyond reactive, surface-level approaches and instead develop a more grounded, stable, and intentional way of working

• Websites: https://tonikahealth.com.au/ and https://qiology.com.au/ 
• Instagram: @tonikahealth and @qiology.com.au/
• Facebook: @tonikahealth

🔗 Connect + Conference

If you’re ready to think differently about your practice — and what it takes to sustain it long-term — this is a conversation (and an event) you won’t want to miss. Peters valuable talk that will help you reestablish that deep connection of alignment within yourself that truly reflects itself through every facet of your life and business

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
• Connect on Facebook: Acupuncturists Biz Hub
• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

In this episode, I sit down with Naava Carman, one of our upcoming presenters at the Business of Practice Conference, to explore a fundamental — yet often overlooked — aspect of clinical practice: how we show up with our patients.

While much of the focus in practice is placed on technique, diagnosis, and outcomes, this conversation shifts attention to something deeper — presence, communication, and the quality of interaction between practitioner and patient.

Because beyond everything we do in clinic… there’s how we are.

And that has a profound impact on the results we achieve.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The role of presence in effective clinical practice 
• How deeper listening changes patient outcomes 
• Why slowing down can actually improve results 
• The importance of connection in building trust and retention 
• How practitioners can move beyond protocol-driven care 

This conversation highlights an essential truth:

That great practice isn’t just built on knowledge — it’s built on the quality of attention and presence you bring into the room.

🎤 About the Guest

This episode features one of our Business of Practice Conference presenters, Naava Carman, who’s bringing a unique perspective that bridges traditional East Asian medicine philosophy with modern-day practice and business.

Naava brings a deeply thoughtful and experience-led approach to clinical practice, with a strong focus on the relational and human aspects of patient care.

With years of experience working closely with patients, her work has evolved beyond purely technical treatment into exploring how presence, communication, and genuine connection influence clinical outcomes.

She has developed a reputation for helping practitioners refine not just what they do in clinic, but how they do it — guiding them to slow down, listen more effectively, and engage with patients in a way that creates deeper trust and more meaningful results.

Her approach bridges the gap between clinical skill and human connection, offering a perspective that is both practical and transformative for practitioners looking to build more sustainable, fulfilling practices.

Through her teaching and clinical work, Naava continues to challenge the idea that better outcomes come purely from doing more — instead showing that often, they come from being more present in the work itself.

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertilitysupport/
• Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growthpartnership

🔗 Connect + Conference

If you’re ready to think differently about what your Capacity in practice looks like — and what it takes to sustain it long-term — this is a conversation (and an event) you won’t want to miss. Naava Carman will be presenting at the upcoming Business of Practice Conference, where this conversation will be explored further through practical application and clinical insight.

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
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• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

In this episode, I sit down with our international keynote speaker for this year’s Business of Practice Conference, Kath Berry.

With over 30 years of clinical experience, Kath brings a depth of perspective that goes far beyond technique and treatment. As an acupuncturist, educator, author, and TEDx speaker, she has spent decades helping practitioners not only refine their clinical skills, but rethink their role within a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

This conversation goes deeper than the surface of practice.

We explore the often-unspoken reality that as practitioners, we are our practice — and what that means when it comes to sustainability, identity, and long-term success.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The blurred line between who you are and the work you do 
• Why clinical excellence alone isn’t enough to build a thriving practice 
• The importance of professional citizenship and community in modern practice
• How the healthcare and technology landscape is changing - and what that means for practitioners 
• Why investing in your practice (not just your skills) is essential for long-term growth 

This conversation is a powerful reminder that building a successful practice isn’t just about what you know - it’s about how you think, how you adapt, and how you show up over time.

🎤 About the Guest

Kath Berry is an Australian acupuncturist with over 30 years of clinical experience, currently based in Ibiza, Spain.

She specialises in women’s health and is co-author of The Menopause: A Comprehensive Guide for Practitioners - the first evidence-based textbook on traditional Chinese and East Asian medicine for menopause.

Kath is also a passionate educator and TEDx speaker, dedicated to helping practitioners navigate the complexities of modern practice while building meaningful, sustainable careers.

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KathBerryEducation
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathbberry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatherineBerryEducation
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kath-berry
• Treating Women Academy: TreatingWomen.com

🔗 Connect + Conference

Kath Berry will be joining us as an international keynote speaker at this year’s Business of Practice Conference.

If you’re ready to think differently about your practice - and what it takes to sustain it long-term - this is a conversation (and an event) you won’t want to miss.

Sign up to the Acupuncturists Biz Hub mailing list for first drop ticket release on “A Day with Kath Berry” 

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
• Connect on Facebook: Acupuncturists Biz Hub
• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

Thanks for your your patience! I’ve been working on something pretty special for you, my Chinese medicine friends and I’m so excited to tell you all about it in this episode!  

After more than a year away from the podcast, this episode marks the beginning of a new season - and a very different starting point.

Following the last Business of Practice Conference, what was meant to be a family camping trip turned into an unexpected turning point. A serious accident and emergency back surgery forced everything to stop - not just the podcast, but the pace, structure, and identity that came with running a practice and building events.

This episode isn’t about catching up.

It’s about acknowledging what happens when momentum disappears… and what it really takes to rebuild. 

What you can expect in this episode:

• What the past year of recovery and rehabilitation taught me 
• The difference between returning quickly and returning intentionally 
• Why sustainability in practice means more than growth and systems 
• How setbacks challenge identity - especially for practitioners 
• What this new season of the podcast (and conference) is really about

This is a reset.

A recalibration.

And a more honest look at what it means to build a practice that can support you - even when life doesn’t go to plan.

If you’ve ever been forced to step back due to health, burnout, or unexpected life events… this episode is for you.

What’s Coming This Season

This season of the podcast will feature conversations with presenters for the upcoming Business of Practice Conference being held in Brisbane Sept 5th & 6th 2026

Each episode will explore not just clinical or business expertise, but:

• How practitioners think under pressure 
• How they’ve adapted to change and challenge 
• What it really takes to build a resilient, sustainable practice 

🔗 Connect + Conference

If you’re ready to build a practice that’s not just successful - but sustainable - keep an eye out for upcoming conference announcements and speaker releases.

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
• Connect on Facebook: Acupuncturists Biz Hub
• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub

Welcome back from one hell of a weekend, a week and let's be honest, the past year.

In this episode I’m recapping the absolute epicness that was the 2024 Business of Practice Conference!

What you can expect in this episode:

• A recap on the weekend that was
• A summary of each of the presentations
• A huge thanks to everyone who presented, attended and participated
• And an all in love fest for what we achieved together

The recordings from the recent Business of Practice Conference are now available to purchase as a package or individually here.

Get access to all the Expert Talks held during the 2024 Business of Practice Conference, and hear from experts like Dr Scott Ling, Dr Chloe Stubberfield, Nat Kringoudis and other rockstars from the TCM world.

All the insider knowledge you need to build and grow a successful clinic business is in this bundle!

Want more?

• Conference tickets: Conference 2026
• Need support in your clinic business: www.acubizhub.com.au
• Follow on Instagram: @AcupuncturistsBizHub
• Connect on Facebook: Acupuncturists Biz Hub
• Wanna stay in the loop for all things Biz Hub? Sign up to mailing list here: Acupuncturists Biz Hub