Does it feel like we sometimes lose sight of the accomplishments we’ve had so far? Here are few awesome highlights:
- 4,667 — The amount of individual and unique clients we’ve served this year
- 40,442 — The amount of appointments we’ve serviced
- $4,000,000+ — The amount of revenue we’ve collected for our therapists this year
We’ve done a LOT right! We should be proud of ourselves!
What’s even better are the many comments we receive on a monthly basis:
Addo has the specialized knowledge, programs and training to help people recover from this specific kind of addiction and betrayal trauma, in a world that it is not very common in. I am so grateful to have this resource that is changing my life, and in actuality, saving it.
And, this:
It was exceptional. Beyond my expectations.
Right now, take a second to pat yourself on the back. You’re doing an amazing job. I know all of you are hardworking, loving and embody everything that Addo is trying to be.
At the same time, I want to apologize. Sadly, in November, we will be losing New Anchor. An account that we were pumped for and thought could become Lindon-esque. Here are their reasons why they are leaving:
- Not making requested changes to schedules in a timely manner, communicating messages or filling schedules with clients from a previously established waitlist.
- Not administering and/or uploading assessments, failing to contact new client prior to initial session, assignment of a client to a therapist that clearly does not see such clients, and much confusion and frustration on both sides in coordinating the scheduling of new clients
- Billing problems with therapists and errors in charging group clients.
- Confusion with clients and the “mountain time” Simple Practice format and inaccurate time reminders.
Tough to hear, right? I lost sleep and stirred about this one for a long time. As a pondered this, I kept thinking to myself
This isn’t Addo.
Reading Why Simple Wins taught me a key concept. I think we’ve missed a key stage in the development of our company. The development stages of companies typically follow this order:
I feel we naturally went through stages 1–3. However, I think we got a little excited, skipped four and jumped to five. We never refined our process and tried to add too many accounts too quickly. We became too complicated, on accident, creating many issues on a variety of levels.
Additionally, due to the complexity, I’m sure you’ve been feeling a little too much pressure. For that, I apologize.
Fortunately, with the loss of New Anchor, we’ve been forced to back track, refine and simplify. Earlier this week, I had a meeting with the NCCs, asking them this question:
Why are we doing this? Why do we have this business?
They said they work at Addo because they want to help people. They love Addo and the cause is what they were drawn to. However, they also shared that they feel some of the pressure stemming from growth has clouded our cause and mission. Do you feel the same way?
I do.
Here’s my proposal—lets bring Addo back to her roots. Let’s remember why we do this. Let’s simplify!
Here’s my request — I need your help in simplifying the work for everyone: therapists, clients and employees.
I love this quote:
Many people think that culture is paramount. Not true. If you get the work right, you get the culture right…The culture follows in due course, naturally, organically, without a lot of extra effort and expense. “Wow,” people start to say, “things feel different around here. What a great culture we have.
Here are my questions — What ideas do you have to help simplify the work? What ideas do you have to make the work more fun? What ideas do you have about products?
I would love to know. Slack me.
If there’s a part of your daily work process that’s weird, write it down and lets fix it. If there’s something that doesn’t make sense in our process, challenge it. No one knows better than those deep in the work.
Together, we can improve. And, when we work together, it will be more fun.
To begin the effort, a big and difficult decision we’ve needed to make is to scale back, free up resources and finely define our customer. Going forward, our company focus will be on larger, branded clinics, not small individual therapists. With this new focus, we will sign up less but will enjoy more stable, profitable and bought-in clinics long-term.
I wanted to give you a heads up, as over the coming months you will see a number of therapists leaving our partnership. Just know that’s by design.
Again, thanks for all you do. I’m excited for the future and that we continue to learn.
And, lastly, let’s continue to get better everyday.
