Podiatry Hive Member Profile – Jennie Thompson
Member Profile
Name: Jennie Thompson
Name of Clinic: Blacktown Podiatry
Where do you operate: Blacktown (Suburb of Sydney) NSW
How long have you been in business?
33 years
What attracted you to Podiatry?
I was first aware of foot care as a profession, in my early teens, when I noticed my Grandmother’s feet and her need to visit what was then known as a Chiropodist. Somehow my interest grew and I investigated what was required to become a Chiropodist/Podiatrist ( the name was now changing) .
I was always interested in a medically oriented career and a big positive for Podiatry was the ‘Right to Diagnosis’. Not having to work under the direction of a Dr, definitely appealed , also the ability to either work in a hospital environment or in a private practice.
What are the 3 crucial elements to your success?
- Caring for and liking people
- Consistent hard work
- Good service
What‘s your philosophy on WHY you’re in business?
I’m in business to do the work I enjoy in an environment I can control. I am here to earn money, but money has never motivated me in my decision making. This has probably been a bit of a negative as far as business development goes, but overall, I am happy. My business has survived me having three children and allowed me to be flexible in my working hours to care for them. I have had the privilege of working with some wonderful podiatrists over the years, particularly a number of new graduates. Many of my ex employees are still close friends.
What has been your biggest OOPS! moment?
I had a big oops moment many years ago when I dropped a scalpel into my foot and it got firmly lodged between the metatarsal bones
What has been your biggest A-HA! moment?
A big A-Ha moment was when I gained the skills for Dry Needling and realised how much more I could do for my patients.
Can you you share one or two marketing elements or methods you’ve used in your practice, that have been successful, and have provided growth?
I have not needed too much marketing over the years, my books have always been pretty full, now that I have a bit more local competition I have started to think about some marketing ideas. Good connection with the local GP still has a huge impact on my business
If you had your time over again, what would you do differently?
In hindsight I would not have ever paid an employee a 50 % split it is not conducive to business growth.
Other than being a fabulous Podiatrist, what do you do outside of Podiatry?
I love to cook and sing (in the shower mostly) and read. Spend time with my family and friends. I love the outdoors as long as it is not too hot- Bushwalking and the beach. I really think I’m made to live in Tasmania-cool and peaceful.
Can you explain what you have learned from Mastermind and your 3 biggest achievements or wins since joining?
Joining The Hive Mastermind has been a positive experience from day one. The alignment session set the scene and from there I started working ON my business not just IN my business.
I learnt the art of planning, the need to visualise your desires and the importance of having systems in place. I have been exposed to many marketing ideas and team building options for staff management. The camaraderie of the Mastermind team members and Mentors has blown me away. Friendly, supportive and unstinting in their sharing of ideas and resources.
Not everything has been smooth sailing. Sometimes it takes a while for things to “click”, and then you wonder why you couldn’t see it before. It is a journey in progress, which will continue as long as I continue to grow.
My 3 biggest achievements would have to be:
- The production of my GP pack, designed to promote my practice to current and new GP’s as well as other Allied Health Providers.
- Building a Policies and Procedures database to become more systemised.
- Understanding the KPI’s of my business and learning to monitor them as well as implement marketing strategies around them.
