The Systems That Helped Dr. Nikita Grow Without Burning Out

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Dr. Nikita shares how she went from fear and overwhelm to building a profitable private practice that supports both her patients and her family. In this episode, she reveals the mindset shifts, systems, and leadership decisions that helped her grow with confidence—without burning out. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s really possible to build your dream practice and dream life, this conversation will show you that it is.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to the Profitable Private Practice Podcast, the show that proves that private practice isn't dead. It's just getting started. I'm Teta Anajuku, and every week I sit down with thriving private practice doctors who are rewriting the rules and redefining what success looks like in healthcare. From smart business moves to mindset shifts and everything in between, we're here to show you how to build a practice that is not only profitable, but purpose-driven. If you're ready to thrive like these doctors, join the movement at ongmd.com forward slash thrive. Now let's dive in. Hello everybody and welcome back to the Profitable Private Practice Podcast. Today with me I have Dr. Nikita. Hi, Dr. Nikita.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

Hi, how are you?

SPEAKER_01 0:41

I'm doing great. How are you?

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Wonderful. Happy to be here.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

So glad you're here. So let's go ahead and get started. Could you please give us a 60-second introduction of yourself just so people can get to know you?

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Yes. So I'm Dr. Nikita Shaw. I'm an obesity medicine physician in Orlando, Florida. I've been in this space before Ozempic went viral. And my drive is to help people take care of their metabolic health in a way that feels human, makes sense to them, and it's backed by science. I have two sides in my practice. One side is my boutique clinical medicine site, and another is a clinical employee health site for weight management. When I'm not doctoring, I'm enjoying everything Orlando has to offer from pickleball to theme parks. And in between, I'm a mom, a wife, a daughter, and I like to have low maintenance hobbies like pickleball, crochet, and I attend to a small indoor hydroponics garden.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

Alrighty. So I will just kind of throw this question in here. But if there is one myth that you know that people believe about, you know, that what it is that you do, um, what myth would it be and how would you demystify it?

SPEAKER_00 1:50

I think the myth would be that what I do looks easy. Um I think sometimes when we're looking outward, it can seem that, oh, there's this fact, was it successful, it's doing well, and it's all because it's easy, but we know that's not the truth, that there's a lot of work and trials and tribulations that go into it. But with the right mindset, with the right team, with the right um support group, then it can be all doable.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

That's amazing. Alrighty. So could you tell us a little bit um about, let's say, the key turning points that led you to, you know, becoming an entrepreneur? What were the circumstances around that that made you decide that?

SPEAKER_00 2:33

Yeah. So my my path to private practice was really a nudge from within. Um, just a little voice and a feeling that kept telling me that I should start my practice. It was something I couldn't ignore and just started feeling painfully overwhelming. I was not in a group setting or work environment that I disliked. I actually really enjoyed um my previous job and everyone around me. So it was a really tough decision to go all in, but I'm happy I did.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

I'm happy you did too. That sounds amazing. So um, were there any like, let's say, outward like things that were going on around you that you were like, okay, I'm the one who can make this change? Were there any of those type of circumstances?

SPEAKER_00 3:21

Yes. So in my field, even though weight management has become viral and vogue right now, back in 2020, 2021, we still weren't in this space where there are lots of people practicing obesity medicine, prescribing anti-obesity medications. So I saw in my community that this is an area where I can make impact because it wasn't being done. So that really led towards uh starting my practice.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Okay. So while um in the process of starting your practice, could you talk a little bit about some of the big challenges that you had to overcome, the challenges that you faced?

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Yeah. So I joined EBS right around the time I got my EIN and practice name and things set up. So it was at the beginning. And at that time, my business was still very much a hobby or a side gig. And the first challenge I had to overcome was letting go of this fantastic job with all the people I loved and all the patients I loved. And through EBS, I was able to come to a decision about going out on my own full time. So that was my first challenge. Some of the other challenges that have happened are um really just all the things that have business that come up. So we I used to think that if you start a practice, if you're a good doctor, patients just show up. Um I used to think that it would all kind of line up as long as you were practicing medicine, the business would sustain itself. I did not know all the things that Dr. Una has taught us in the process, but I knew something was up because before I started the practice, I had anxiety and panic, even years before I decided to become an entrepreneur, because the simple thought of all the things that go into a business felt very overwhelming. So a lot of the challenges were just understanding that every challenge, every obstacle is just a part of the process and that we are always in a construction site, that we're always trying to get better, but we can still have a good office and create touch uh patients' lives and help them, even while we're trying to evolve and get better.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

So now if you could say something to someone who has like been dealing with, you know, um the obstacles and they feel like, okay, this is where I'm gonna have to quit because I don't know um how to be able to get past this, and they don't understand that, you know, that the obstacles are part of the process, what would you tell someone like that?

SPEAKER_00 5:52

Likely that that obstacles are part of the process. And then I tell them, let's get help and let's get crystal clear on what we want to achieve. Because if we can just see the problems for what they are, like things that we can overcome and it's part of the journey. And if we can just think of the one thing that we could work on to make an improvement, then it doesn't become so overwhelming. We just work on one thing at a time to get things better.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

Okay. And so now one of the things that you mentioned as a top win was that yeah, um, you've been building a practice that delivers um, you know, excellent medical care while also creating systems that support, you know, both the company and then the people in it. So could you walk us through um some of the things that it took you to get through that to get to where you are now?

SPEAKER_00 6:40

So very detail-oriented in certain things. And I think one of my areas at high level of attention is in the care and the thought process that it takes um to deliver viable attention and care. So that has evolved into training procedures and documents for my medical team. And many of my medical assistants are pre-health uh college graduate or in college currently students. And what I love is that the way the practice supports them is that they have an opportunity to work in a medical practice where they are participating and participating in clinical medicine and helping patient care and knowing things of how to cancel counsel um patients on medications, how to use medicines, how to intake patients, how to do prior offs, all things that I never did prior to becoming a medical student. And so from that angle, I think it's fantastic to have this learning opportunity and a practice that supports future um healthcare professionals. And then the way I think the business supports both my patients and this team is that everyone um needs some level of flexibility. And so, because we have great team dynamics, I'm very proud of my employees because if one has a test, the other one steps up to support them so that they can focus on their test. And then a part of the business is also mentoring them so that they can go on and get into medical school or get into PA school and just dietitian school, just move on towards their goals and dreams. So I love that. I love that there's a process and a place for students. Um, education has always been important to me. And I love that I don't have to be in an academic setting to create um this sort of impact.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

So, what was it that um pushed you to make that decision where where your practice is, it also helps people who are in medical school and you know you um take care of students at the same time?

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Well, um, Dr. Una said I needed to hire employees that I wouldn't do it on my own. And so I did. I hired, I looked and searched for um a college of college graduate student who was in their gap year. And she was my first hire. She was fantastic, and we built kind of the first iteration of what it is to have an employee, and then she brought her friend and we worked on them together, and slowly we created systems for like Gen 2 of my assistants.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

Wow, that's excellent. So, you know, Dr. Uno was that that little push that she needed. Okay, and then so um, what's one opportunity that came from entrepreneurship entrepreneurship that, you know, surprised you? It was something that you weren't expecting, but entrepreneurship opened those doors for you.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

Yeah, so it's being a speaker and a thought leader and educator in my field of obesity medicine. And this is lovely because I get to spend time um every month educating and helping doctors, nurse practitioners, and PAs uh learn more about the field, this field of medicine that I feel so passionate about.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Okay. Um, and then we can talk a little about the business school because you have mentioned Dr. Inna quite a bit. So, how did you end up finding out about us about the business school and what was it that pushed you to join?

SPEAKER_00 10:22

Um, a friend posted about the entree MD podcast, and I listened to it, and then I thought this is exactly what I need.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

My assembly. That's amazing. And I know you were also at um the business makeover mastermind, and so you were able to be in the room and to experience, you know, the different help from people and the different lessons that Dr. Una taught. So could you talk a little bit about your experience at the event?

SPEAKER_00 10:47

Okay. So I still very, very much love my one-to-one patient time. Um, however, being clinical and then also protecting time to grow as a business and also to support my team in the way that I need to, it means I have to step away from the one-to-one time. And so a big part of our business makeover mastermind was just mastering our what we call the CEO calendar and allowing for that administrative time to be there to grow the business and not necessarily admin time to do more medical work. And so that's this time we call it our CEO time that is there for our top 20% activities. And so at this, at this uh business makeover mastermind, I sat at a table and everyone essentially just waited until I blocked the time in my going to Google this time. Is it? And they just said, Hey, are you going to block it? And I said yes. So I just went ahead and blocked time, and so now it's there, and now I know what I need to work on. And that seems very simple, but again, like I said, I always want to put patient care first. And I need to say it's okay for people to be seen the next day or the time in the morning or the following week. This time is also vitally important to the success of my business.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

So you talk about um wanting to put patient care first. So, how are you able to put patient care first without burning out?

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Systems. So the systems and teaching everyone what I need them to do has very much helped. My medical assistants are fantastic. I also have another part-time doctor and nurse practitioner that work with me. They play a role in this as well. And having the systems to handle the patient flow and then also just make sure that everyone is delivering fantastic care.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

So, could you talk a little bit, uh, more like a little bit in-depth on the specific systems that you do have?

SPEAKER_00 12:56

We have a system for patient intake, scheduling, appointment reminders, and cancellations, and how to handle them. We also have systems um and discussions. So we actually all have lunch together. I think that builds up camaraderie in our group. Um, that's important to me as well. So that we we work so long and hard about like with patient care, but I want connection and cohesiveness among us. So quarterly, we get together to do one fun activity or dinner. And another thing that we do is at lunchtime, we'll actually have our lunches together. So then we I can kind of have a pulse on what they're experiencing in the practice, and I won't be so removed from it. So I think that builds um camaraderie in the practice. It's different elements of the systems, but one is standard operating procedures, so we know what to do with every sort of inquiry or task that's necessary in the practice, and then the other is just key performance indicators outlining what is necessary for each role. And so I don't have to keep thinking about it constantly, like that this get done or that that get done. We're streamlining systems so that I know it's getting done and there's somebody responsible. Okay, that's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

And now, what have since starting your practice, what have been some of the top, you know, the top biggest wins that you have in tangible wins and tangible wins?

SPEAKER_00 14:25

Yeah. Um, so I think the first one is self-confidence. Prior to gosh, I'm not even sure when I started feeling confident in my ability to run this business. But I know previously I would have panic attacks even before I had a business about all the things that could go wrong. And now I realize that I have my own back and I can take care of myself and I can take care of this company, and there's ups and downs, and there's seasons. There's a sense in pitfalls, and that's all normal, but I trust in myself and my ability um and those around me to support me to continue moving forward. So that's number one. Number two is I allow myself to enjoy my life and remove myself from the hustle and grind. So naturally, as doctors, many of us are hard workers, um, but it's also very important for me to be there for my family, especially my daughters. So number two, when is I feel that I've been a part of um many of the mom events that they need me at and want me to be at, and I've been able to handle my schedule in a way that works for me. I remember when I was employed, um, actually all throughout training and being employed and always have to ask for time off. And it wasn't about patient care. Like I would always see the patients when I needed to see them and help them, but there'd just be a time where I'd need to go to a play or to a parent-teacher conference, and that asking just always stressed me out. And now there's no one to ask except for myself. That is okay because I know that there's other parts in the day or their times where I will still handle what needs to be handled. So I love the freedom and flexibility there. Because my girls see what I'm doing, they're also my biggest fans. I think they rank my SEO up because they're always Google. Yeah. So it's wonderful. And then the third, um, it's kind of along with number one, it's just normalizing the emotional aspects. Um, since joining EBS, I know that there's so many fears, um, excitements, joy, guilt. There's so many things that occur when we are business owners. Uh all very, very, very normal. So I understand that the thoughts are normal. I neutralize them. I think the next best thoughts I know to keep taking action despite how I feel in the moment, because we must move forward. And having been in the entree and D business school now four years, it's so nice. Oh, this is downloaded in my head. And I hear it on his voice, I see those um kind of the I have memories of like all my classmates when they've had their challenges and struggles, and it's just so nice to know that this is all very normal. Other people just don't talk about it. And we can keep moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

And so you mentioned how like you watch your classmates in the business school and how you know they also have challenges, and that you see from that, and then it's normal. And so I know one of the big things with the entrepreneur D community is that they're always helping each other. So, could you give us um an instance of where the community helped you overcome a challenge that you had?

SPEAKER_00 17:52

Oh my gosh, it's like every week. Um I could oh goodness. It can be as simple as I need a new social media assistant. And then they can tell me what to do. It could be Facebook turned off my page. What do I do? Um hey, I'm noticing a string of cancellations. What am I missing? Every single moment there is some question, big or small, that someone is available to help, to help you with. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 18:30

And now I know something that Dr. Una talks about a lot is that she wants you to not only have your dream business, but to also have your dream life. So could you talk a bit a little bit about how you're experiencing both of those?

SPEAKER_00 18:45

I love everything I do. Really do. And I think it shows up in my excitement to go to work. So just as I just as excited as I am for like Friday, four o'clock when I'm done. I'm also really excited for Monday morning when I get to go be a doctor and wear my business owner or doctor CEO hat. I also really love that there's parts of my business that are fun to figure out. And a part of that dream life aspect is I also know that I have to pull away. Like I can't be in my business 24-7. And so the summer, summer's coming up. We have camp schedules for our children, but then we also have our vacation time plugged into it. I think a few years ago, I would have been worried about the revenue. Can't like, is it going to be financially feasible to keep the business running when I'm not there? And now I realize that it's all in the math equation that my time off is a calculated factor, and it is completely okay and completely normal to do that. Wow. I asked about them dream life and dream business.

SPEAKER_01 19:55

That's amazing. So you're living your dream life and your dream business. Okay. And now, if there's something that you could say to a private practice own private practice owner who is listening, they feel overwhelmed or they feel stuck. What is one thing that you would want to tell them? Something that they could hold on to?

unknown 20:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:14

So we're physicians, we can do hard things, and there are resources within EBS to help you, and we can just rebuild things one brick at a time. The Entre MD Business School podcast, I recommend to everybody. So if you're starting a practice, if you're questioning a practice, if you need help, it is gold. As is all the books Dr. Una has written, if you can even implement like 0.001% of the suggestions, I think you will have solutions to have a successful business. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 20:52

And all of that, because she said she talked about um the podcast and the business school. So if you are interested and you're wondering, okay, I don't know if the business school is the next best thing for me, or maybe it could just be PPPM, or maybe it's the podcast. I would like to invite you to book a call with our team. What's going to happen in that is that you'll speak to a team member and they'll essentially walk you through your next best step. They'll answer some of the questions that you have and they'll let you know, okay, I believe that this is the next best thing that she can do. So you can go to entreamd.com forward slash success so that you can book a call today. And now, Dr. Nikita, to close us out, if there's one thing that you would want someone who is listening to take away from your journey and from this episode, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 21:39

Being a business owner isn't doom and pull down. It isn't all easy, but with the right framework, tools, and guidance, we can learn to be successful and you can make your mark on the world with all the greatness that you have within you.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 21:53

I could you say that again? Being a business owner isn't doing it. Gloom. It isn't easy, but with the right framework, tools, and guidance, we can learn to be successful so that we can take all the goodness within us and make our mark on the world.

SPEAKER_01 22:11

That is amazing. That is awesome. And now for people who want to connect with you or to learn more about your work, where can they find you?

SPEAKER_00 22:20

Dr. Andobimad, I'm not that visible. But it's uh it's at Nikita Shaw Do on all social media platforms. And my practice name is Wait Sense. So it's wait-sense.com. That's W-I-G-H-T-Sense-S-E-N-S-E.com.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Wow, that is amazing. Alrighty. So, Dr. Nikita, thank you so much for joining us on this episode of the Profitable Private Practice Podcast. It has been amazing, and there are many lessons to take away from this, especially the last point that you just made about how with the right tools you can do just about anything that you need to do. So thank you. A really big thank you to you.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

Thank you for listening to the Profitable Private Practice Podcast. If this episode inspired you, share it with the Private Practice Doc in your life and subscribe so that you never miss an episode. Don't let this podcast be the best kept secret. I'm Chatana Chiku, and I'll see you next week.