Erin didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up.

She had a healthcare management degree and a physical therapist assistant career. Yet, she still wasn't sure what she wanted to do.

When she was younger, she liked the idea of running a clinic and being in charge. So that's why she got a degree in management. But, it turns out, she wasn't cut out for that. She had worked her way up from being a PTA to being a manager in a physical therapy agency. But she didn't enjoy it. Being a manager took her too far away from the people she wanted to help.

Erin went back to treating patients as a PTA. She was inspired to expand on her skills because she felt like she hadn't found her thing yet. So, she decided to study massage therapy. She had always enjoyed that aspect of physical therapy.

It turns out massage is her happy place.
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Creating security and extending the lifetime of her career

This was a work experience she didn't know was possible – BUT she wasn't about to quit her day job. She needed the security of her PTA job and the insurance. Erin was starting a family, and she couldn't afford to take any chances.

Erin continued working full-time as a physical therapy assistant and saw massage clients on the side. Over the course of 10 years, she slowly grew her clientele. Then one day, she realized she had more clients than time.

After some gentle nudging from her husband, Erin decided it was finally time to go for it. So she quit her PTA job and opened a massage clinic of her own.

Learning to trust herself

Opening her own business had never been part of her plan. She wasn't even sure she had a plan. But, her family's support and healthcare management degree gave her the confidence to take the entrepreneurial plunge.

It wasn't because she wasn't familiar with clinic management software. She used software all the time in her PTA job. However, she didn't feel like she needed it when massage was just a side hustle.

That changed when she decided to do massage full-time. Buying a commercial building required financing. Getting a business loan requires a business plan.

Her business plan outlined how she would track clients, revenue and book appointments. Clinic management software could do all of that for her simply and efficiently.
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"I love the fact that I can link ClinicSense to my website, and people can book appointments online. This has made my life so much easier."

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Having used many other systems in previous jobs, Erin knew what she liked and what she didn't. She also didn't want to spend too much.

ClinicSense offered all the features she needed at a price she could afford. Plus, it came highly recommended by other therapists in her network. So choosing the right software may have been the easiest part of the process.
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Her business plan required investing in software

During the years Erin worked part-time as a massage therapist, she did everything with pen and paper. She had a physical appointment book. She tracked revenue manually and made handwritten SOAP Notes.

She stopped doubting herself. This was something she could do. She had the experience, the education, and the clientele to succeed.

Erin's always been a cautious person. She didn't go into business without a plan. Before quitting her job, she did her research. The Small Business Association offers free classes for entrepreneurs. She took advantage of that and took a course on creating a business plan.

Then, she put that plan into action. She bought a building and opened the doors to her own private practice. She rents out her extra space to other therapists. Now, her days are filled with helping clients that, after all these years, feel more like family to her.

What's next? The only thing Erin's certain of is that she wants to keep doing what she's doing. She's happy and has room to grow. She can see herself with a waiting list and mentoring massage therapists who want to start a business. Actually, she's not too far from making that a reality.
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The simple software she uses to manage it all.

What Kerry didn’t know about running a business before she started one was how much goes into it. Kerry’s not just responsible for treating her patients; she’s responsible for managing everything.
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‍"When you’re a business owner, your time is no longer your own."

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As a business owner, she manages people, finances, marketing, maintenance, scheduling, and admin tasks. That’s a lot for one person, and that’s what software is for.

Kerry chose to use clinic management software from the very start. She didn’t have time to do every single task herself. Using technology to automate some of those tasks was just sensible.

It took some time to find the right software. She started out using MindBody. However, their system was really complex, plus it was expensive. It was also an American company, making it even more costly for a Canadian.

Then she learned about ClinicSense. It’s a much more intuitive system. Her therapists had zero issues switching over to it because it’s so straightforward and easy to use. It has everything they need and none of the stuff they don’t.
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"The email integration in ClinicSense has been a huge help. I don’t have to use Mailchimp, or some other company, to send mass emails anymore."

ClinicSense is now an integral part of their practice. It allows admin staff to do tasks quickly and easily and allows the massage therapists to focus solely on treatment. All this combined helps create the experience their clients have grown to love and expect.