Mark Stephany, D.O., Diplomat ACLM.
1. What's your practice focus and what kind of clients knock on your door ?
Sound Lifestyle Medicine is focused on helping achieve optimal health for any individual, especially those looking to help prevent or manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. We help our clients improve their health through the pillars of lifestyle medicine including nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, and connections.
2. Tell us about yourself.
The choice for me to lead a healthier life came down to two reasons. One, if I was going to tell my patients to eat better and exercise more, I’d better be practicing what I preach. And two, since I don’t have the best genetics when it comes to cardiovascular disease, I did not want to put my family through what I saw my parents and grandparents deal with as it related to their health and happiness. Helping people in their time of need is a huge responsibility, but it comes with a lot of joy.
3. Tell us the story of a patient who you are most proud of helping.
When you are finally doing what you love, you are proud of every single client you work with.
4. What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a practitioner in private practice?
Starting out, it's simply the uncertainty of success.
5. What are the top 3 tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a private practice today?\
These would be my pieces of advice:
- Talk to as many people as you can about your idea and not just practitioners
- Clients are not going to magically show up. Have a client acquisition plan
- Just do it