Author Topic: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated  (Read 3889 times)

Christy

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Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« on: December 13, 2012, 11:24:19 AM »
Hi all!

Just started my business in the fall. I couldn't wait to leave my medical office job and work from home...Now I miss going into the office every day and interacting/talking with others all day. I am a serious introvert, so I am surprised by my own reaction!

I am offering on site billing support in hopes to get out a little. BUT in the meantime, doing it all alone and marketing myself to many dead ears gets lonely!

I have one client so far and working to get others...

jUst wondering if others have ever felt the same way...

thanks!

Michele

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2012, 11:43:55 AM »
It's always a change going from working in an office to working on your own.  There were things I missed, but mostly I was thrilled.  Although I started out with a partner so I never really did it alone.   :)
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PMRNC

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2012, 11:51:05 AM »
Absolutely NORMAL. I went from working in fast paced, extrmely stressful and powerful job in claims dept of a major insurance company where we had mandatory overtime.. sometimes 60-70 hour work weeks.. I LOVED it. I loved the hustle the bustle, the 9-9 hours, the stress, even water cooler corp backstabbing gossip. LOL  (my husband thought I was nuts)  I was lucky that when I left I already had signed 2 clients. BUT it was a very big adjustment in the way of time, money, etc and was an especially hard adjustment going from ONE side of the fence (insurance companies) to the other (physicians) ha ha.. so I had a double whammy and I am not a person who accepts change very well.   But the reasons I made the switch were always right in the forefront.. I had two little girls (now 19 and 20) and I wanted to be home and available for them. I worked through the pregnancies and when they were infants and unlike many other moms I knew my kids wouldn't remember the long hours I put in when they were babies.. it was when they got to be school aged that I made the decision and investment and did it.   
Some things I did to help with the adjustment were:   got a sitter for a few hours a day to get some solid work time in, when I met with clients, I did so in a more professional manner than most, I would take them out to dinner, lunch, it gave me that interaction I needed and was better than traditional sit down's in their office. This of course was a wise marketing point as well. I also went to seminars as that seemed to provide me with my "people" / "crowd" fix :)  I also scheduled sessions with current clients and their staff to go over things and even did my own sessions with multiple providers and their office staff which also helped obtain clients.  All those things were marketing techniques but they helped me make the transition from "employee" to "business owner"   Above all you can't make too many drastic changes in your work environment either.. don't be a kitchen table biller, your potential clients will know it. Get up for work, get dressed, and make your work environment as similar as you can to what your used to.  When your first starting out you should be OUT there.. not at your desk. Get out and about and do more person to person marketing. Don't give up on traditional mail marketing as it's still needed, just get out there into the public and get your name out there. Look for some seminars, meet other billers and go to lunch, network!  Don't forget to find accountants, tax and financial planners and attorney's to network with as well.

It is a big adjustment and I've seen billing companies take a year, or even a few years until they get to that point where they can say they are "busy".  But I've also seen some that for their own reasons just were not cut out to make the transition and would go back to their 9-5 and there's nothing wrong with that either.    My thing is .. DO WHAT YOU LOVE and LOVE WHAT YOU do.. or you won't be successful.   I have seen enough start up companies where the owner wanted to just hire billers/data entry people, start a company and think they will just rake in the bucks. (like starting a pizza place and never having made a pizza, LOL) Never seen one with that way of thinking make it.. if your not loving what you do.. you can't do what you love and it will be a bust. 
Linda Walker
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One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

Christy

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2012, 12:14:09 PM »
wow, Linda!  thanks so much for another thoughtful reply! I will write more later, I am actually on my way out to "meet and Greet," as I have been doing....like you, I have a little girl (age 9) and feeling the same, want to be around for her before/after school....

I do love billing, so I am in the right field. The only decent paying office jobs where I live (rural NY) are a 1 hour commute each way, so I am trying it on my own. I have nearly 13 years experience.

thanks also, Michele!
You ladies are awesome!

PMRNC

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2012, 12:47:45 PM »
Christy, where are you located in NY? I'm in upstate (Adirondacks) and I'm in rural area too.. in fact the town I live in .. makes Mayberry look like NYC. LMAO. 

When my girls got older they really appreciated having me available.. WAY more so than an infant or toddler so that's the plus..  The downside is as they got older when things would pop up and they needed rides here and there.. my girls would always say "My mom can do it, she doesn't work"  :o :o :o :o ::) ::) ::)  So some more advice.. the earlier you start with structuring them to understand what you do the better.. when they got to be about your daughters age I tried to give them small tasks to do like stapling and stuffing envelopes. Later on my one daughter became a wiz with graphics and made all my flyers and mailers :)  Great write off too :)
Linda Walker
Practice Managers Resource & Networking Community
One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2012, 12:47:45 PM »

Christy

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2012, 07:38:10 PM »
ha! my daughter makes signs for my office that say "Medical Billing!"  We also kid around a lot about how it's been a slow day at "Medical Billing."

I would love to network with accountants and other billing companies....not sure how to get in with accountants- I guess just visit them like I would to a doctor's office?

There is a large medical billing company near me that sells Medisoft/EMRs. Would love to get in with them if they would refer smaller clients to me (ones that would not want software /EMR) and I would refer people to them....seems sticky, though....

looking for networking events, my specialty areas are acupuncture and chiropractic...looking to get int mental health, eagerly awaiting Michele's updated Mental Health Billing ebook!!! ;D

PMRNC

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2012, 08:22:52 PM »
I started out with Mental health and like the specialty.. LOT of new changes coming for 2013. .going to be very confusing.
As I told you in private message, I'm always traveling with clients south.. we should plan a lunch or something :)

As for accountants and attorney's just call from Yellow pages. They are very NON confrontational and all too happy to exchange business cards. :)
Linda Walker
Practice Managers Resource & Networking Community
One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

DMK

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2012, 01:25:44 PM »
You can get some "face time" with chiros by looking for seminars locally.  You could "sponsor" snacks with your card attached. 

Christy

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2012, 05:40:18 PM »
thanks, DMK!

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Re: Feeling Lonely/Frustrated
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2012, 05:40:18 PM »