Leeds therapist helps health private practitioners build successful online businesses

Zoe Thompson, a private therapist from Leeds – and founder of Build It Brilliant Ltd – has launched an expert guide to help other private practitioners like her from around the region get their business off the ground and on the fast-track to success.

Aimed at therapists, coaches, and health professionals, the book ‘The Build it Brilliant Blueprint’ offers a step-by-step guide to help professionals with launching, growing and scaling their private practice using online technology.

With over a decade of hands-on experience in private therapy and a background in e-learning, business and finance, Zoe says she was in the perfect position to help.

The book – a combination of her skills – intends to offer clarity, cut through the noise and enable private practitioners to focus their time, money and effort by building a sensible business strategy.

Focusing on everything from marketing to pricing questions, the aim is to help them learn how to best navigate and implement technology that delivers for the needs of their growing business while allowing them to be of best help to the people they want to help.

“Many private practitioners suffer burnout or just can’t make the business side of things work. I’ve seen it happen time and time again throughout my 10 years of being in business,” Zoe comments.

“So, we have a growing need and a system which can’t answer that challenge right now. Yet we have limited resource and support for those who are in the perfect position to support more people. I couldn’t ignore the needs of those suffering, the challenges faced by private practitioners and not create a solution.”

While the use of teletherapy has exponentially increased since the covid-19 pandemic, and with demonstrated effectiveness – offering new ways for people to access mental health services across distances – the failure rate for therapy and coaching businesses is also high, affecting 3 out of 5 businesses.

The top two reasons cited are often burnout and not being able to make the business side of things work. A study by the GMC recently warned that the healthcare profession is currently experiencing workplace burnout at the highest ever levels recorded.

In the UK, worrying stats show that 79% almost 1 in 5 small business owners feel like giving up running their business every day.

“Private Practitioners face the additional pressure of running their business as well as doing the job they love. They are then burnt out and not making money, which means less time getting out there and helping those who are suffering,” Zoe says.

One of the biggest challenges, she explains, is that the majority of therapists, wellbeing coaches and health professionals aren’t taught effective business strategy, and the few that do have business related training aren’t taught how to use technology to help them build and grow a business. Instead, they have to figure this out on their own.

Most practitioners continue to rely solely on a 1:1 business model, which is an  expensive and demanding way to do business. Zoe sees technology as a clear answer.

She adds: “They need support, someone who’s been there and understands. Someone to hold their hand as they create something that’s right for them and build’s their confidence up so they can make educated and informed choices for their business. The book is the antidote, the clarity they’re seeking so they can make informed and educated choices.”

In the book ‘The Build it Brilliant Blueprint’, Zoe reveals the exact steps used to remove the overwhelm of online solutions and digital marketing. By following the simple steps, private practitioners benefit from a proven shortcut to building a brilliant business that lasts.

Building on her own mistakes and experiences, the book takes the reader step-by-step through a 4 step Blueprint (Foundations, Environment, Structure, Roof). With links to online worksheets and exercises, it’s designed to help practitioners work smarter, make educated choices, and choose technology that helps them work in the easiest, simplest and most cost-effective way.

Zoe adds: “I also love helping people to achieve the work/life balance they’d love. I feel technology holds the key to building this into their business model so they can have a more predictable income and a more flexible/enjoyable life whilst still making a difference in the world.”

In 2021, at the height of lockdown, Zoe set up Build It Brilliant Ltd to help people in the helping professions to grow their private practices using online technology – a combination of her expertise from a degree in business & finance, 10 years designing e-learning for multinational companies and another 10 years of building her own private practice.

She has also launched the BiB Accelerator, which offers membership to support people who want help implementing the Blueprint. The community-based platform offers a place where private practitioners can access online modules and live group calls, share their journey and challenges, celebrate their wins and realise that they’re not on their own.

If you’re a private practitioner and want help to market yourself effectively or build recurring income for your business, Zoe can help.