Importance of Identifing KEY Partners - Accountant, Attorney, IT, Consultant.
Partner up for maximum success!
There are 4 Key Partners every practice should identify and make darn well sure they are amazing in their profession. These relationships are investments into your business - DO NOT GO CHEAP!
It is true that in your practice there is you, your employees and perhaps other practitioners. You all make medicine happen in your office. Your patients see you and identify you as “the medical providers”. However, on the business side of things, knowingly or unknowingly, you have key partners that either help elevates your business opportunities or quickly can bring you down.
The Accountant - This is your primary partner for all things financial. The right accountant should be engaged in your business, giving you advice and a heads up on your finances. Taxes, accounting, budgets, managing assets, structuring your business, acquisitions, are all various aspects that an excellent accountant should provide. They are your partner in finance issues.
The Attorney - This is your primary partner for all things legal. Trust me, you want this relationship established early in your business when you do not need it. Your attorney should specialize in business, medical and if at all possible functional medicine. Working in the medical space, treating patients and having employees necessitates you having an attorney. If you don’t have one, start asking around to establish a relationship.
The Information Technology (IT) professional - Though technical issues may make your head spin and the idea of calling in a computer guy (or gal) to fix your computer virus ages you - they are essential. My recommendation is to find specialists and not a generalist when it comes to tech. If you have a Mac environment, get a Mac expert. If you have cloud phones, work with a company that specializes in cloud phones. Just know that technology is always changing and you need a partner that will proactively advise you on the changes and make suggestions to keep you current. Nowadays if your computers go down, phones go down, get a virus, or the internet is slow…you’re dead in the water and not generating revenue. The right partner may be an individual, tech group or a combination of the two depending upon your setup.
The Business Consultant - It would be misleading to say that the services that I offer are optional. They are not. Business acumen and strategy are essential for your success. Read books, attend lectures, watch seminars yes, but always have a business professional you can consult. I don’t care if it’s me, another firm, or a board of business associates. Establish a relationship outside of yourself that can offer business strategy, thought, and planning.