going it alone... setting up your own oh business

Going it alone...

Setting up your own OH business

Alison PresswellSenior OH Advisor & Director

Carlyon Bay Occupational Health Ltd

Making the decision to work for yourself

Questions to ask yourself:• What’s my motivation?• What’s my attitude to risk?• Have I thought about set-up costs?• Can I support myself financially in the early days?• Where will I work from?• How many hours a week am I prepared to work?• How is my emotional resilience?• Do I have good support (spouse, family, friends)?

Business planning

• Business set-up: consider carefully what’s right for you.• Trading name & logo• Investment• SWOT analysis and USP• Know your market• The importance of a 3 year business plan• Think about the day-to-day• Seeking professional support

Establishing & maintaining your business...The early days of CBOH

Establishing & maintaining your business... Be prepared for a steep learning curve!

Establishing & maintaining your business

Getting established• Network with other

professionals• Consider agency work• Marketing/website• Take the direct approach• Word of mouth

Maintaining the status quo• Keep your clients• Strive for excellence in

professional standards • Great customer service• Don’t become complacent• Never stop learning• Never stop improving

Managing your clients

• Managing expectations• Getting repeat business• Contracts & SLA’s for larger clients• Getting paid (not always as easy as you might think!)• Managing difficult clients• Losing or ‘dropping’ clients

Legislation & clinical standards

Legislation/good practice• Data protection & records

storage• H&S legislation• HSE guidance• Consider established ‘best

practice’• Benchmarking• Maintain competencies

Clinical standards & practice• Working with standards &

guidelines• Analyse every procedure• Develop your own protocols• Don’t forget the ‘small

stuff’: Clinical waste, patient questionnaires, info leaflets, customer feedback documents

Time to grow...

• Responding to change

• Making the decision

• Managing the transition

• Employing others

• Continued investment

CBOH evolution 2014

Pro’s & con’s of working for yourself

Pro’s• Being your own boss• Flexibility & variety• Working hours• Freedom from workplace

politics & constraints• Rewarding• Sense of pride &

achievement

Con’s• Unpredictable• Uncertainty & risk• Working hours • Can be lonely & isolating• The buck stops with you

CBOH team & new offices 2014