The Physician Business Podcast

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Sometimes life throws you a curveball right when you need it least.

This week, days before the most complex retreat I've ever planned, I got some difficult personal news that forced me to completely pivot.

The temptation in moments like these is to try to control every detail and predict every outcome. But I've learned that's not what gets you through moments like these.

In this episode, I share the three things I rely on when life forces a pivot, and why so much of entrepreneurship is really about who you choose to be when things don't go to plan.

References

Join the Female Founders Accelerator waitlist and be the first to find out when the next cohort opens in 2026.

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] [Intro] A sudden loss, a last-minute pivot, and what it taught me about entrepreneurship

[04:47] [The pivot] When a family emergency forces a last-minute change to a major business commitment

[05:56] [Confidence] Why self-trust is more useful than trying to predict the future

[06:59] [The framework] Three things to keep you grounded when plans change

[10:53] [The human side] The reality of running a business and holding different emotions at the same time

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

One of the hardest skills we're never taught? How to have difficult conversations well. So we put them off… until they're living rent-free in our heads. When we finally do have them, we wing it, things get awkward or defensive, and we end up avoiding them even more next time.

But underneath every difficult conversation is actually three conversations happening at once. And once you understand what they are, you'll never approach a hard conversation the same way again. If you want a better way to handle tough talks — whether it's with a colleague, partner, or family member — this one’s for you.

References

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[01:20] [What is a difficult conversation?] Why they feel so uncomfortable and what most people get wrong about them

[04:55] [The framework] Difficult Conversations by Stone, Patton & Heen: the book behind this episode and why it's worth reading

[07:36] [Conversation 1: What happened?] How disagreements about truth, intentions, and blame make hard conversations even harder

[15:09] [Conversation 2: Feelings] Why feelings need to be part of the conversation, even in a professional setting

[19:40] [Conversation 3: Identity] How your sense of self gets in the way of having the conversation you need to have

[21:56] [Takeaways] How to use all three conversations to get a better outcome

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

Snapping at yourself, avoiding the tasks you know would help your business, and wondering why you just can't do the thing?

While exploring how to truly “be the boss of me” as a business owner, I had a harsh realization: my inner toddler was running the show. And it turns out the same parenting techniques that worked on my kids, work on grown-up resistance in business too.

Tune in to hear how re-parenting myself is helping me get out of my own way and build the business I actually want.

References

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] [Intro] Learning to be the boss of yourself when you leave corporate

[01:56] [Re-parenting yourself] Why self-management requires parenting skills

[03:53] [What doesn't work with kids] Failed experiments with physical discipline, logic, nagging, and comparison

[07:52] [What actually works] Selective ignoring and asking "Is acting this way going to get you what you want?"

[13:08] [Applying it to yourself] Using parenting techniques on your own resistance and negative self-talk

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

You’ve spent years learning how to make the “right” clinical decision. You come from a world with protocols, gold standards, and someone above you to blame when things go sideways. Then you start a business and realize it’s just you, your brain, and a hundred decisions a week you can’t outsource…

In this episode, I talk about why there is no “right way” once you’re the boss of yourself, and why trusting your internal compass matters more than hunting for the perfect strategy.

Featuring Martha Beck, a recurring dream featuring a beaver, a surprise cathedral window, and one very useful question: does this choice feel warmer… or colder? Trust me… it’ll make sense when you press play!

References

Martha Beck -The Gathering Room Podcast

Ep. 27: Learning to Be the Boss of Me

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] [Intro] Why decision-making is harder when there’s no “gold standard” in business

[04:08] [Letting go of reputation] Why being seen as “wrong” is sometimes necessary

[04:33] [Finding your North Star] Building an inner compass instead of looking for rules

[05:08] [Martha Beck’s story] A move that made no logical sense, but felt right

[08:09] [Warmer vs. colder] Freedom as the signal you’re moving in the right direction

[09:47] [Your body’s cues] Learning how “colder” shows up for you, and using it to make key decisions in business

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

“I’m just not confident enough.”

I hear this all the time from smart, accomplished women who are more than capable, but still waiting to feel “ready”.

Recently, I met a woman with a beautiful idea and watched her almost talk herself out of it in real time. Not because it wasn’t a good idea, but because she didn’t feel confident enough yet. 

And it hit me how familiar this pattern is, especially for women building something new. In this episode, I break down the real recipe for confidence, why courage comes first, and how confidence is built after you take action (not before).

References

Strong Ground by Brené Brown

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] [Intro] A January pie party and an unexpected conversation about courage

[02:08] [Admitting what you really want] A stranger shares her dream of facilitating ecstatic dance

[06:02] [The confidence recipe] Why courage and self-compassion come before confidence.

[09:08] [Upgrading self-image] A transformative photo shoot retreat for female founders.

[14:14] [Doing hard things together] The power of community and compassionate feedback.

[]15:45] [Building your own confidence] Amanda shares what she's working on to build confidence and what you can do next.

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

Ever find yourself lying awake rehearsing a conversation you really don't want to have? Maybe it's a performance issue, a behavior problem, or that feedback you know you need to give, but keep putting off.

If this feels harder than it “should,” there’s a good reason. You spent years learning medicine, not management. Nobody taught you how to have hard conversations with people you used to joke around with at lunch. And now you're the CEO, which means these conversations land on your desk whether you feel ready or not.

In this episode, I break down the three reasons difficult conversations feel so hard for physician practice owners, and what to do about each one. We talk about the lonely shift from colleague to boss, why your empathy can actually work against you, and a simple framework to structure any tough conversation.

References

The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence by Dacher Keltner

Strong Ground by Brené Brown

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] [Intro] A recurring theme in client conversations: how to have difficult conversations

[01:14] [What makes it hard] The different reasons a conversation might feel difficult

[02:24] [Hurdle 1: Topic uncertainty] When the discomfort is about not knowing enough, and when to bring in an expert

[05:40] [Hurdle 2: Role confusion] The transition from colleague to CEO and why empathy can hold you back

[11:39] [Hurdle 3: Framing the conversation] Using goals, values, and a "North Star" to structure the meeting

[15:00] [Feelings as messengers] Uncovering the secret thought behind your anxiety

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

You want to start (or grow) your business the "right" way, so naturally you look for a solid plan to get started. More data and more certainty should mean less risk, right?

The trouble is, we often cling to plans and data to create an illusion of control, even though business (much like life) is wildly unpredictable. The result is analysis paralysis, delayed momentum, and a business built around theory instead of real results.

In this episode, we flip the script. You'll learn why great businesses aren't built from perfect plans, but from experimentation. Drawing on Lean Startup principles, I'll show you how to truly de-risk your business by taking action, running small experiments, and letting the market guide your next move.

References

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] [Intro] The pattern emerging from recent consultations: why clients asking for solid plans and data might be missing the point

[02:58] [The plumber test] Why hiring for results matters more than detailed plans

[07:34] [Lean Startup vs old school] Testing assumptions with real customers instead of theoretical planning

[09:37] [Birth plan lessons] What my birthing experiences taught me about controlling the uncontrollable

[16:50] [Taking action] Why small experiments beat perfect plans when building your business

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

I left my last employed position (part-time) in 2025 thinking it would be easy to transition to entrepreneurship full time. I’d been running my own business for eight years… so really, how hard could it be to leave a job?

As it turns out, the hardest part wasn’t building the business at all. It was unwinding decades of invisible rules around time, creativity, and safety. Rules I didn’t even realize were still running the show. Freedom, I’ve learned, is exciting…. but  also deeply uncomfortable.

This episode is an honest look at what my transition into full-time entrepreneurship has actually been like: the creativity that’s finally resurfacing, the unsettling freedom of having no one else to point at, and what it really means to learn how to be the boss of me.

References

How to Build Your Practice, Not Another Job: 5 Critical Mindset Shifts for Practice Owners

Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] [Intro] The loneliness of entrepreneurship and learning who's really the boss

[03:50] [The transition] Leaving my job and going through the employee-to-entrepreneur shift

[08:38] [Hidden constraints] Realizing how much my creativity and habits were shaped by being employed

[12:04] [The cheetah metaphor] Staying in the cage for safety even when the door was open

[17:39] [Learning freedom] Taking full responsibility and building my business without old limitations

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

Thinking about starting your own practice, but worried you’ll be fielding patient messages at all hours of the day and night?

It’s a concern I hear often from physicians considering independence—the fear that once the layers of corporate support are gone, everything lands on your plate. With no admin buffer, you imagine yourself dealing with every message, every request, and every “quick question” that shows up after hours.

In this episode, I break down where that fear actually comes from and what really happens when you start a practice from zero. We talk about realistic patient volumes, boundaries that hold up in real life, and how much control you actually have over who becomes a patient and how they interact with you.

References

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] Intro: Physician burnout and mental health challenges in corporate medicine 

[03:28] The concern: Being overwhelmed by patient inquiries outside business hours 

[06:03] Key reframe: You get to design your own clinic on your terms

[08:23] Amanda's advice: Five strategies to protect your time and energy in your own practice 

[17:41] Why this work matters: Finding empowerment outside corporate medicine 

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.

**Send us a Text Message! Please include your name and email so we can answer you! Please note, this does not subscribe you to our email list, it's just to answer if you have a questions for us.**

For a lot of people, goal setting feels heavy. And as we edge toward the end of the year, it becomes harder to ignore the pressure to reinvent your life by January 1st.

A few years ago, my family figured out how to make this process something we actually look forward to. What began as a slightly awkward COVID-era experiment has turned into one of our favorite annual traditions. It’s reflective, practical, and dare I say… fun. (Yes, even my teenagers are into it!)

In this episode, I’m sharing the simple six step framework that helps us look back on the year, set meaningful goals, and stay connected as a family for the year ahead.

References

Free Resource: The Entrepreneur's Annual Goal Setting Guide

Becky Margiotta from The Billions Institute: The annual New Year’s Eve list of Big Dent Reflection Questions

Mel Robbins: How to Make 2026 the Best Year: 6 Questions to Ask Yourself

The 90 Day Clinic Launch Blueprint teaches the financial, marketing, and operational essentials to get your practice up and running in just 90 days. Get on the waitlist here.

Download my free guide 6 Steps to Opening a Clinic here!

Book a free discovery call today

Audio Stamps

[00:50] Intro: Amanda’s six-step process for annual goal setting as a family tradition

[04:06] Step 1: Creating space for reflection away from distractions

[05:33] Step 2: Reflection questions to review highlights, rate life areas, and plan what to start, stop, and continue

[08:48] Step 3: Drafting individual goals across different categories

[10:27] Step 4: Setting family goals and monthly outings together

[12:20] Step 5 & 6: Finalizing goals and monthly family meetings to review progress

[16:30] Key benefits: Self-awareness, family connection, and accountability

To work with Amanda Sabicer or find out more, check out her website at www.amandasabicer.com.