The Decision You’re Avoiding Is Probably Holding Your Business Back

The businesses that continue to grow aren’t always run by the smartest owners or the most experienced clinicians. They’re usually run by the people who make decisions sooner.

We All Delay Decisions

Think about the decisions you’ve been putting off. Maybe it’s increasing your fees, or perhaps it’s employing another podiatrist.

Maybe it’s finally time to make the decision to let go of an underperforming team member.

Or perhaps it’s investing in better equipment, moving clinics, updating your website, or starting that marketing campaign you’ve been talking about for six months.

Whatever it is, you’ve probably spent far more energy thinking about it than it would actually take to make the decision.

The mental load of avoiding something is often greater than the work required to solve it.

Waiting Doesn’t Usually Make It Easier

One of the biggest myths in business is that time brings clarity. Sometimes it does. More often, it simply extends the discomfort.

I’ve seen clinic owners delay conversations with staff for months because they didn’t want any conflict, and by the time they finally addressed the issue, everyone already knew there was a problem.

I’ve seen owners hold off on increasing their fees because they were worried patients would leave. When they finally raised them, almost nobody complained. How much did that cost them financially? 

I’ve seen practitioners delay employing another podiatrist because they wanted to “wait until the time is right.”

The irony? The right time often arrives because you made the decision, not before it.

Calculated Beats Comfortable

I’m not suggesting you make reckless decisions. Successful business owners aren’t gamblers.

• They’re calculators.
• They gather information.
• They ask questions.
• They look at the numbers.
• Then they make a decision.

Jackson explained this perfectly when discussing the expansion of his clinic. Rather than hoping everything would work out, he calculated how many additional patients he needed each week to cover the extra expense.

The numbers removed much of the emotion. That’s what good decision-making looks like.

Momentum Builds Confidence

Many people believe confidence comes first, then you take action, but I think confidence only comes after you’ve taken action first. 

Once you’ve successfully made one difficult decision, the next one becomes a little easier, not because business gets easier, but because you start trusting yourself.

That’s why Jackson’s closing advice resonated with me so much: “back yourself”. They are simple words, but powerful advice.

Ask Yourself One Question

If you could wave a magic wand and instantly solve one problem in your business today, what would it be?

Now ask yourself another question. What’s stopping you from making progress on that problem now?

If the answer is fear, uncertainty or avoiding a difficult conversation, you’ve probably identified the next decision you need to make.

You Don’t Have to Figure It Out Alone

One thing I’ve learned after owning multiple podiatry businesses is this:

The best business owners still ask for advice. They don’t see getting business assistance as a weakness. They see it as a way to shorten the learning curve.

Sometimes all you need is someone who’s already faced a similar decision. Someone who can help you look at the numbers objectively, challenge your thinking, or simply give you the confidence to move forward.

That’s exactly what I do through my coaching.

I work exclusively with podiatrists because I understand the unique challenges of running a podiatry business. Whether you’re thinking about starting a clinic, growing your team, increasing your fees, improving your marketing, or simply feeling stuck, I’d love to help.

If you’d like to learn more, please email me at tf@tysonfranklin.com or check out my business coaching page. 

Sometimes the biggest breakthrough in your business isn’t learning something new. It’s finally making the decision you’ve been avoiding.

Or, if you just want to make more money in podiatry, we can talk about that as well.