The Million Dollar Private Practice: Using Your Expertise to Build a Business That Makes a Difference

Being in private practice, I've read a lot of books on practice development. As far as i'm concerned, this is one of the best. One of the things that I find helpful is that Steele shares so much from his own experience. He shares exactly how he built his practice, the things that worked really well as well as the things that didn't. He's not afraid to admit that he made some bad decisions, throwing his money away on campaigns that just didn't work. But he also writes about what HAS worked. Sometimes they've worked because that was the master plan, and sometimes they've worked because he allowed them to evolve, even when he wan't sure what they were evolving into. He doesn't give a cookie cutter plan but outlines a process for the reader to follow in discovering their own plan and marketing it. Material covered does include finding and owning your niche, the importance of a brand, creating a delivery system that's a match for your target audience and encouraging commitment. Consistent themes are: We can do good things in the world and still profit financially from them; and, We need to know and appreciate the value of what we do. Finally, it doesn't matter how good we are if we do not have the business and marketing sense to get the word out there. The real measure of the book's effectiveness for me is that it's stirred my own thinking. Steele's book helped me to have a new perspective and to get past some sticking points in my own practice. I am now developing some short and long range plans that I wouldn't have thought of before reading the book. Very honestly, I almost didn't buy the book because of the tittle. I've found that many books with "Million Dollar" or "millionaire" in the name are short on concrete material and long on author self promotion. This book is an exception to that pattern. I recommend it to any therapist or coach who wants to dream bigger and is looking help in achieving those dreams.

I am a psychologist in practice and have just finished this book in preparation for a workshop I am giving. While I like many things about the book, I am concerned that some of the examples might turn off some helping professionals, especially the part about upselling. He uses many examples from the self-help movement and some of the self-help gurus take monetary advantage of desperate people. As practitioners, we psychologists have a fiduciary duty to our clients to do what is in their best interest both clinically and monetarily so some of this information will not apply to our businesses and practices. He is right that too many mental health professionals neglect the business side of practice and some of the material on marketing is right on. I liked the book best when he focused on successful psychologists like Harville Hendrix and John Gottman who have created good models and good training programs that are ethical. The basic business principles are okay here but since he did write this mostly for licensed professionals it would have been good had he included a few caveats...such as we can not solicit testimonials from clients either current or past..this part of the book is not really relevant to us unless we give up our licenses and practice as coaches. Overall I think the message is sound..we need to see our practices as businesses...and I found myself disagreeing with him on the pieces that are relevant primarily to coaches and not mental health professionals.

As someone on a soap box for the last decade about how they don't teach this stuff in grad school, I am over the moon that David Steele has gifted the profession with this book. Let me share why I think it is so great: 1. He knows his stuff. The author clearly is writing not only about what others have done but what he has accomplished as well. He is a shining example of how to create a therapy business that goes beyond private practice. He generously shares that wisdom with us in this book. 2. He knows how to give us out-of-the-box ideas and then give follow it with practical steps. That lovely combination is not usually easy to accomplish and he has done so brilliantly. 3. He acknowledges that the journey toward a successful 'million dollar private practice' is not a one shot effort but continues as a journey. This is a very sound business lesson and with all the 'quick systems' out there, it is refreshing to find someone who tells it like it is. Building a business takes work. But when we leverage our time and energy, we can have more fun and more profit. A great resource for your library!

I'm using this book in one of my college classes "Creative jobs in the Human Services". David Steele's writing style is easy to read, to the point and splashed with lots of examples from someone who practices what he teaches. If you are looking for a skill's - based book to help increase your private practice, or any business for that matter, start here. It's an excellent read that is going to move your business ahead as far as you can believe it will.

I recently started a private practice and I feel very insecure about the business side of it. This book gave me some solid advice. Some of the ideas are pretty unrealistic but it made me think in a new way about my business.

I read and review a bunch of books regarding private practice and business and this book is one of my favorites. In fact, if you are interested in private practice this a a MUST READ!!! The book is absolutely filled with wisdom and insight for anyone involved with Private Practice!!! David, Thanks so much for offering this book!!!! It is amazing!

Amazing book for those wanting to take their practice to the next level. Really helpful

It is really a dense read. So many of the chapters are repetitive. A lot of the book is based on the author's own experience and chalked full of his stories mixed with some sage advice. There were some useful things I can apply from the book, but overall, it is an okay read.

This book really made a difference to me. I was expecting a polished yet superficial motivational rallying cry but David Steele provides substance and depths as well as good practical advice. I felt get he was writing exactly to people like me. Let's see if I'll make a difference, too, oh, and a million dollars.