There was a physician I met 15 years ago who believed in something different.

At the time, the standard of care in oncology was clear: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation. That was the playbook.

But he was studying something else—vaccines as a treatment for breast cancer.

He showed data.
He shared patient scans.
He walked through real outcomes.

And yet, his ideas were dismissed.

Colleagues ignored him. Some openly mocked him. He was seen as an outlier—someone who didn’t follow the accepted path.

At the time, even I didn’t fully understand what he was proposing.

But years later, as immunotherapy has become a powerful and legitimate pathway in cancer treatment, I keep coming back to one question:

What if we had listened sooner?

In healthcare, imitation makes sense.

We rely on evidence-based medicine. We standardize care to improve outcomes. We follow established protocols because lives depend on it.

But there’s a hidden cost to this system:

It conditions clinicians to stop thinking creatively.

To defer.
To conform.
To avoid risk.

And while that may protect patients clinically..

It can quietly erode clinicians themselves.

The Question Women Clinicians Are Asking (and Why It’s Incomplete)

Today, many women clinicians are stepping outside traditional systems—building clinics, launching programs, creating new models of care.

And almost universally, at some point, they ask:

“How do I make more money in my practice?”

It’s a valid question.

But it’s not the right starting point.

Because if you build from that question alone, you risk recreating the very system you were trying to leave.

A system driven by:

• Volume over value
• Efficiency over meaning
• Revenue over alignment

The Real Problem: Loss of Meaning

Human beings are meaning-making machines.

We don’t just want to work—we want to understand why our work matters.

When that meaning is lost, something shifts:

• Energy declines
• Creativity disappears
• Burnout accelerates

This is why so many clinicians feel like “zombies” in corporate medicine.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

You can build your own version of that same experience in private practice.

Why “Your Why” Isn’t Optional

When clinicians come to me asking how to grow revenue, I redirect them to deeper questions:

• Why do you do this work?
• Which patients do you love working with?
• What kind of problems do you feel called to solve?
• Where do you want to challenge the status quo?

These questions can feel frustrating—especially when you’re focused on immediate financial goals.

But they are foundational.

Because any offer built without alignment will eventually collapse.

Not because it’s unprofitable…
But because it’s unsustainable.

The Difference Between Offers That Drain You vs. Fuel You

Let’s look at two examples:

Offer A:
“Three visits for weight loss.”

Offer B:
A thoughtfully designed program for a specific patient population you deeply care about—addressing not just symptoms, but the underlying experience of that condition.

Both could generate revenue.

But only one will:

• Energize you
• Inspire creativity
• Keep you engaged long-term

What Happens When You Build From Alignment

When your work is rooted in your “why,” something powerful happens:

• You become more resilient when things don’t work immediately
• You’re willing to iterate, improve, and try again
• Your ideas become more innovative
• Your connection to patients deepens

And ironically…

That’s what creates more sustainable income.

The Courage to Be “Different”

Remember that physician who was dismissed for exploring vaccines?

Being different is uncomfortable.

It challenges systems.
It invites criticism.
It creates uncertainty.

But it’s also where transformation happens.

Not just in medicine—but in your career.

A Better Question to Ask

Instead of asking:

“What should I offer to make more money?”

Try asking:

• What kind of work gives me energy?
• Who do I most want to help?
• What gaps exist that I feel uniquely positioned to fill?

Because when you answer those questions…

You don’t just build another offer.

You build something meaningful.

Final Thought

You didn’t leave corporate medicine just to recreate it.

You left because something in you wanted more:

• More purpose
• More autonomy
• More alignment

So before you build the next thing…

Pause.

And ask yourself:

Why does this matter to me?

Because the most successful practices aren’t built on strategy alone.

They’re built on meaning.

Your Next Step

If you’re ready to explore what building your own practice could actually look like—with the right structure and support behind you:

→ Learn more and apply here
→ Register for an upcoming Q&A webinar
→ Submit a question for the webinar

Because the next phase of your career won’t come from more information.

It comes from stepping into a different level of action—with the right people around you who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.