Guest Interviewer and Student, Sarah LeVaque LMT, Interviews Me!
the inside scoop on being a beginner, producing a podcast, and how it has all evolved in the last 3 years.
I have personal and professional mantras on repeat in my head all the time. Some are even incorporated into my meditations. Are you challenged with perfectionism? Me too. So much so that I can turn a two hour project into a 2 week project. AND yes, my work is usually pretty damn good! But I tend to get stressed about time and how I can’t seem to get everything done. OR I don’t start because it feels overwhelming. OR I don’t finish because it feels overwhelming. Let me introduce my favorite concept. Producing a podcast has taught me this: PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION. Since I have started podcasting nothing meets my perfect standards. Podcasts are raw and conversational. Grammar, punctuation and proper sentence structure doesn’t exist. I say fuck. My interviewees cuss, their dogs bark and their kids play bowling alley outside their office while we record. As I have grown, my website is getting confusing and my branding colors are getting lost. It’s not perfect, but I think it’s helpful. I hope it’s helpful….. No. I’m sure it’s helpful!
Since I started my Acupuncture practice I have worked out of 3 different offices in 3 years. I started broad and am now re-defining my niche. I once had a pretty nice beginner website and now I am operating with just a landing page while I get my shit together, which takes time. Everything takes time. And I have two businesses, so it takes even more time.
Before the pandemic I was able to pay myself a little bit. My practice was growing. Slowly, but it was growing. Enter freakish Pandemic which forced me to close. I came home and started a podcast. So far my only return on investment with the podcast is self satisfaction. What I do matters. The same is happening with the post apocalyptic re-launch of my practice. Invest more time, invest more money, work, work, work, and eventually the tide will turn. This is the way.
It’s hard. Sometimes it’s lonely. Sometimes I feel like a Badass Superhero. Sometimes I feel like a total imposter. But I actually know what I am doing and I have a plan. That is something. That feels good! It’s all a process. I promise you this. If you don’t give up, you will get there. Start at the beginning and work your way to the end. That is all. That is success!
A special thanks to Sarah LaVaque for this episode. She conducted a great interview. I couldn’t have done it better myself!
today’s guests
SARAH LAVAQUE LMT, CHINESE MEDICAL STUDENT
Sarah LaVaque, BCTMB, is a board-certified massage therapist and TCM graduate student at Northwestern Health Sciences University. She currently practices massage therapy at a chiropractic clinic in Woodbury, MN. She has practiced therapeutic massage for 16 years and specializes in deep tissue massage, sports massage, and myofascial release.
STACEY WHITCOMB AEMP, LAC., PODCAST HOST, SHE/HER
Acupuncturist, Podcaster, Perpetual Knowledge Seeker, Teacher, Coach and Magical Cultivator of Supportive Networks. Stacey is the host of the AcuSprout Podcast, new Acupuncturist, old Massage Therapist and business owner and Coach to new Entrepreneurial Chinese Medicine Practitioners. Stacey is a true believer in creating the practice and life of your greatest desires.
After a long and successful massage career of working with competitive level athletes, Stacey loaded up the Tiny House On Wheels and headed to Portland of course, to pursue her Masters in Chinese Medicine at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. (Yes, they are working on the “O” thing….) Upon graduation and launching a practice in a town where she didn’t know anyone she quickly realized two things. One, the landscape of business had changed drastically in the last 25 years and she had some catching up to do. And two, there were very few resources available to new practitioners.
Add a dash of Pandemic and viola! A podcast is born!
You can find her here: AcuSprout
On Instagram here: @acusprout
On Facebook here: AcuSprout