In this post, I want to explain why it is important to validate your business idea. You may recall that in my previous blog post in this series, I described the factors needed to select a product or service to offer future customers:

• It's an area that you’re passionate about (or reflects your purpose),
• You have expertise or skills to share,
• There are customers with a problem to solve, and
• The customers are willing and able to pay for the product or service.

Try Selling a Prototype or Presell a Course

This trial run does not necessarily have to be a fully developed product. Let's look at an example.

• there are parents of these children looking for online help, and
• they’re willing to spend money to meet that need.

I’ve since found that there are products and services that physicians are willing to purchase to expedite their career transitions. This became evident when I started helping with a Facebook group (Physician Nonclinical Career Hunters) devoted to nonclinical careers two years ago, which now has over 15,000 members.

I now recognize that there's a demand for coaching, mentoring, and training. Several books have been published on the subject of nonclinical careers. There is a growing interest in this niche. And I’ve started to sell my own products.

I created a course dedicated to finding a job as a medical science liaison. That sold fairly well. So, I created more courses. Since I planned to continue developing courses, I decided to accelerate that process and open a membership site. I started with a minimal viable product (in my mind that was 12 courses).

I was able to sell an encouraging number of memberships. Now I've put more time into improving the first 12, and have added 6 new courses. I've recruited several affiliate partners to sell my course to their followers. And I'm relaunching the Nonclinical Career Academy Membership program very soon.

Several physicians I have interviewed who are coaches have followed a similar path. They started with one-on-one coaching. After building a sufficient following, they added group coaching. Some of them later created a course developed from their coaching experiences, which scaled their business, while serving more clients.

Examples include:

• First, Optimize Your Attitude – Interview with Dr. Katrina Ubell – 035,
• How to Be a Successful Physician Entrepreneur – Interview with Dr. Nneka Unachukwu – 123
• How to Be a Shrewd Business Coach and Consultant – Interview with Dr. David Norris – 111

Summary

As you plan your nonclinical online business, be sure to validate your business idea by confirming the demand for your product or service. Begin by looking for others who seem to be successful.

Then sell a prototype, or begin with a limited run of whatever you're selling. If you are a coach, sell a few discounted sessions to get going. Assess the response of your clients and the success of your coaching.

If you're creating a course – develop the first few lessons, then try to pre-sell the soon-to-be-finished course. But only finish creating it if there is interest confirmed by sales. Then use the feedback from your first few students to help direct future lessons.

Coming Next

In the next blog post, I will answer this question: What are the legal and business issues I should address before moving on?

Next Steps

Please add you're thoughts and questions in the Comments. I will respond to them all.

Contact me: john.jurica.md@gmail.com

Thanks for joining me.

Until next time.

The post How to Validate Your Business Idea appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

On this episode of the PNC podcast, Dr. Robert Applebaum joins me to discuss the transition into his nonclinical niche as a physician advisor after many years of clinical practice.

Rob’s training was in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. He spent decades working in private practice, then as a hospital employed physician. He is the first guest I’ve had on the podcast that I have worked with in real life.

When we met, I was the chief medical officer. And he was the director of the open-heart program at our hospital. Now Rob is a physician advisor focusing on utilization management, quality improvement and clinical documentation.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. And, unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. Recently, Economist Magazine ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization. As a result, University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills needed to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Burnout and Fatigue

Cardiac surgeons spend much of their time in an operating room. The hours-long cases were beginning to take a physical toll on Rob. So, too, were the middle-of-the-night phone calls. Clinical practice was becoming less satisfying and more stressful. Even the complicated cases he used to enjoy were becoming a stressor that began to foster feelings of burnout.

The post How This Heart Surgeon Found a Rewarding Nonclinical Niche – 132 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

On this week’s episode of the PNC podcast, I’ve invited physician medspa owner Lisa Jenks back for a follow-up interview about medical aesthetics and her business, Genesis MedSpa.

Lisa is a former emergency room physician who went into medical aesthetics 13 years ago. She joined me on this podcast about a year ago. This week we catch up, learn more about her business, and about a new consulting business she started.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. And, unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. Recently, Economist Magazine ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization. As a result, University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills needed to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Medical Aesthetics

There is a broad range of services that a physician medspa owner can provide. But generally, a MedSpa is any business that offers medical-grade aesthetic services. That includes procedures such as PDO threading, radiofrequency skin tightening and micro-needling.

Lisa explains that when she first began practicing medical aesthetics, she admittedly suspected that she was dealing in the business of vanity, serving people on a quest to look marginally more attractive. But she quickly realized that she had oversimplified the situation.

She has since found that the people who seek medical aesthetic services are doing so in an act of self-care, to feel better about themselves, to be more confident and improve their self-image.

The post What Makes a Physician MedSpa Owner So Happy? – 131 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

On this episode of Physician NonClinical Careers, I give you a behind-the-scenes look at all of the exciting new projects I’m developing for you this year.

In order to maintain a web site, produce a podcast, and host online courses for you, I need to transition my role in this venture from hobbyist to business owner. I started that process about 18 months ago

Now I continue that process by taking on three big projects that I should have up and going by the end of the first quarter. In this episode, I let you in on my plans and how I'm implementing them.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. And, unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. Recently, Economist Magazine ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization. As a result, University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills needed to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Nonclinicalphysicians.com

The first project is a revitalization of my website. I’m doing a re-design of vitalpe.net, complete with a new domain name. After March 1, you’ll be able to find me at nonclinicalphysicians.com.

To go about updating my website, I completed the following steps:

• Purchased several potential domain names and discussed with colleagues and my business coach before selecting one.
• Hired a consultant to help me develop my website strategy.
• Engaged a second consultant and brand-management expert to redesign my website.

The new website will have a much more modern, clean and user-friendly layout. But it will contain all of the blog posts and podcast show notes from the old site. It will also highlight some brand new offerings for my readers, listeners and students.

The post It Looks Like 2020 Should Be a Crazy-Good Year – 130 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

This week on the PNC podcast, I discuss the experience that I've had with my wife, Kay, pursuing home care franchise ownership as a nonclinical career option.

Kay was a working as a respiratory therapist when her mother became chronically ill with lung disease. While working as her primary caregiver, she realized how difficult providing 24/7 care is. And she recognized a passion for helping others with similar challenges. We signed on with Home Helpers in 2009 and have been franchise owners ever since.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. And, unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. Recently, Economist Magazine ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization. As a result, University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills needed to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Franchise Ownership

When Kay and I became interested in purchasing a franchise, we visited the franchisor in Cincinnati, Ohio. There, we:

• learned how the company was founded and how a franchise works,
• met other potential franchise buyers,
• reviewed the fees and other upfront costs, and
• discovered the obligations of a franchise owner.

Once we were convinced this was a viable business, we also:

• Engaged our attorney to go through the Franchise Disclosure Document (the legal document that the Federal Trade Commission requires franchisors provide to their potential franchisees prior to selling a franchise to them);
• Asked our accountant to create financial projections, based on assumed expenses and projected growth, to predict the likelihood of our success.

We also had to jump one more unanticipated hurdle. Since the State of Illinois had just implemented a licensing requirement for Home Services Agencies, we spent several months preparing and applying for our license. My experiences with hospital and nursing home licensing as chief medial officer were helpful during this phase.

Franchise ownership is entrepreneurial. But there is a tradeoff. The additional safety and speed provided by a franchise's proven success come at the cost of the franchise fee, royalties and policies and procedures that must be followed. But Kay and I agree that the benefits have far outweighed the costs.

The post The Exciting Life of the Home Care Franchise Owner – 129 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

On this week’s episode of the PNC podcast, Paul Esselman returns to the show to discuss new leadership roles for the restless physician executive.

Paul is the President and Managing Director of Cejka Search, a health care executive search firm that focuses on leadership positions. He describes how the spectrum of leadership roles for physicians has expanded beyond the Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director roles of the past. Physician leaders must now be multifaceted, bridging ambulatory, inpatient, post-acute and long-term care.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. And, unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. Recently, Economist Magazine ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization. As a result, University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills needed to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

The Restless Physician Executive

In recent years, more physicians are stepping into roles such as Chief Integration Officer, Chief Transformation Officer and Chief Operating Officer. In this episode, Paul explains the responsibilities of these leadership positions.

Before seeking such a position, however, Paul encourages physicians to ask themselves, “Is this really what I want to do?” Some physicians find that they miss patient care, while others enjoy spending time with the board or out in their community.

Sharpen Your Skills

For aspiring physician leaders, Paul suggests that you first broaden your experience. Join committees and volunteer for leadership roles whenever possible. This will demonstrate your ability to accept additional responsibilities. And it is important for your resume to reflect growth over time.

Second, Paul advises that every leader needs to have at least one mentor. Experienced leaders in your field can ensure that you are on the right path to meet your goals.

Third, Paul says to focus on your interpersonal skills. Colleagues who can speak to your ability to collaborate will differentiate you from high-achieving physicians who have cracked a lot of eggs on their leadership journey.

Lastly, Paul recognizes that advanced degrees are important, but experience is equally important. Being able to explain the value of your education is more important than simply having the degree.

The post What Is New for the Restless Physician Executive? – 128 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

On this week’s episode of the PNC podcast, Dr. Nicole Rochester explains how she found fulfillment and freedom as an independent healthcare navigator.

Nicole is a board-certified pediatrician who spent her first four years after residency in primary-care before transitioning to hospital medicine. For about 13 years, she had what she thought was a perfect job: working in a community hospital while teaching medical students and pediatric residents.

Then, in October 2010, her father became quite ill. And she suddenly took on the responsibility of being a family caregiver and healthcare navigator.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. And, unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. Recently, Economist Magazine ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization. As a result, University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills needed to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

The Information Gap

When her father’s chronic conditions began deteriorating, Nicole thought being a physician would prepare her to serve as an advocate for his medical care. However, the task was much more difficult than she anticipated. It left her wondering how the other 44 million family caregivers, most of whom do not have a medical background, navigate this intimidating area.

Inspired to address the issue, Nicole started a website and a Facebook page, writing about her experiences caring for her father. She was attempting to bridge the healthcare information gap between patients and medical professionals. So, she began writing about:

• health insurance and how to appeal denials,
• finding a good primary care doctor, and
• communicating effectively with healthcare providers.

Shortly thereafter, Nicole launched her business and began offering consulting services as an independent patient advocate and healthcare navigator. In her role, her allegiance is entirely to her client, so her recommendations are unbiased.

The post How to Start an Innovative Career as a Healthcare Navigator – 127 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

I want to focus on pharma jobs this month. So, I decided to do something a little different with this episode of the podcast to help you get your first MSL job.

I’ve taken the best parts of my interviews with Drs. Savi Chadha and Linda Ho, from Episodes 50 and 51, and combined them to bring a very focused guide to getting your first MSL job. And my two guests get right to the heart of what an MSL does, and how to get that most difficult first job in the industry.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. Unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. And Economist Magazine recently ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations. While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills you need to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Resources for Your Transition

It was interesting to hear how Savi and Linda agreed on several topics, yet each with their own perspective. I tried to capture the most pertinent and useful information from the two interviews. Several useful resources were mentioned by my guests, which include the following:

• MSL Society
• Medical Affairs Professional Society
• Samuel Dyer’s The Medical Science Liaison Career Guide: How to Break into Your First Role

They did not mention them, but there are other resources you should be aware of:

• All Medical Science Liaisons Started with No MSL Experience by Jane Chin, Ph.D.
• MSL Institute

Online MSL Course

Finally, if you’re really serious about pursuing this career, I created a complete course that covers all of the above information, plus:

• How to use LinkedIn to network and find jobs.
• Why prepare a resume rather than a CV.
• Where to look for job postings.
• How to prepare for your first interview.

The Complete MSL Course is now available as part of the Nonclinical Career Academy Membership Program at NCA Membership. For a small monthly membership fee, you can have access to the MSL course (valued at $397.00) and all of the other courses and lessons included in the membership program.

Other links for today's episode:

• Show Notes for Full Interview with Dr. Savi Chadha
• Show Notes for Full Interview with Dr. Linda Ho

Thanks to our sponsor…

Thanks to the UT Physician Executive MBA program for sponsoring the show. It’s an outstanding, highly rated, MBA program designed for working physicians. It might be just what you need to prepare for that joyful, well-paying career. You can find out more at vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

I hope to see you next time on the PNC Podcast.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes.

Podcast Editing & Production Services are provided by Oscar Hamilton.

Disclaimers:

The opinions expressed here are mine and my guest’s. While the information provided on the podcast is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, there is no express or implied guarantee that using the methods discussed here will lead to success in your career, life or business. 

Many of the links that I refer you to, and that you’ll find in the show notes, are affiliate links. That means that I receive a payment from the seller if you purchase the affiliate item using my link. Doing so has no effect on the price you are charged. And I only promote products and services that I believe are of high quality and will be useful to you, that I have personally used or am very familiar with.

The information presented on this blog and related podcast is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. It should not be construed as medical, legal, tax, or emotional advice. If you take action on the information provided on the blog or podcast, it is at your own risk. Always consult an attorney, accountant, career counsellor, or other professional before making any major decisions about your career. 

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

Here are the easiest ways to listen:

vitalpe.net/itunes  or vitalpe.net/stitcher  

The post How to Get Your Fabulous First MSL Job – 126 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

On this week’s episode of the PNC podcast, Dr. Gerald Diaz discusses how he is using his background in computer science to make physicians’ jobs a little bit easier.

Dr. Gerald Diaz is an academic hospitalist and former software engineer who founded grepmed.com. He received his medical degree from the St. Louis University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at UC Davis.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. Unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. And Economist Magazine recently ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations. While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills you need to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Gerald worked as a software engineer for four years before coming to the realization that he wanted to help people more directly. He attended medical school and completed two years of radiology training, but decided to shift to internal medicine. So, he now works as a hospitalist. In the past year and a half, however, he has also taken on a new project: GrepMed.

GepMed is a community-sourced, searchable medical image repository. It makes high yield diagnostic and management algorithms, guidelines, checklists, evidence summaries, clinical images (x-rays, rashes, ekgs, microscopy) easily searchable and accessible from any web browser.

Information Overload

In training, everyone carries around their copy of “Pocket Medicine.” In emergency rooms, important algorithms are posted directly on the walls. Physicians, however, do not have the space in our white coat pockets to carry the overload of information we're are expected to know.

The post Here is the Designer of the Best Medical Image Repository Ever – 125 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

This week, I bring you my conversation with a former academic pediatrician who now works as senior medical director for a contract research organization, or CRO.

Dr. Michelle Bailey knew she wanted to be a pediatrician since she was 12 years old. She received her medical degree from State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences University and completed her pediatrics residency at Duke University Medical Center. She trained in the Integrative Medicine Fellowship through the University of Arizona, and served on the faculty of Duke University School of Medicine for 18 years.

Michelle worked in a demanding academic setting for many years. Then a medical scare helped her realize she needed a change. Now, she works full time as a medical director for a contract research organization, and part time as a career development coach for physicians.

Our Sponsor

We're proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. Unlike other programs, which typically run 1 – 1/2 to 2 years, this program only takes a year to complete. And Economist Magazine recently ranked the business school #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA.

University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations. While in the program, you'll participate in a company project, thereby contributing to your organization.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations. And they've become entrepreneurs and business owners.

By joining the University of Tennessee physician executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills you need to advance your career. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or go to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

What Do You Want?

Michelle worked as an academic pediatrician for over 20 years, when she began to experience symptoms of burnout. One day she developed chest pain and sought medical care at the insistence of a colleague.

She had not suffered a cardiac event. But she took the episode as an indication that she needed to make a change in her career. She needed more balance and less stress.

She realized that she had reached a point where she was neglecting her health for the sake of her career. So, she began asking herself questions to determine what she wanted for herself at that stage of her life.

A friend of hers had recently transitioned from clinical practice to a pharma job at a contract research organization. Michelle knew nothing about the CRO world. But she was willing to learn. When the opportunity presented itself, it turned out to be a perfect fit.

Working for a CRO

CROs are companies that pharmaceutical, biotech and device companies hire to run their clinical trials. As a medical director, Dr. Bailey collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to bring new drugs to market.

She presents at bid defense meetings. These are similar to sales meetings where she shares her expertise to try to win contracts for her company. She also reviews safety narratives developed by pharmacovigilance teams to ensure they make sense.

Michelle enjoys her role at the contract research organization. Many CRO medical directors have training in internal medicine or family medicine. But Michelle says not to rule yourself out based on your specialty. She has been quite successful with her pediatric background.

According to Michelle, physicians have advantages in this industry simply based on their experience working with patients and families. However, there are other skills that can be valuable if you want to work for a CRO:

• leadership skills,
• teaching experience,
• research background,
• understanding the clinical drug development process, or
• experience working on an investigational review board (IRB) or ethics committee.

There are several roles for physicians at a contract research organization. If not qualified as a medical director, a physician could also pursue:

• a medical monitoring role,
• work as a safety physician within a pharmacovigilance department, or
• a clinical research associate job providing onsite monitoring. 

The post Should I Work for a Contract Research Organization? – 124 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.