Business Update: Building Sustainable Systems in Holistic Wellness Clinics
May 06, 2025"Our company is in a really lovely phase right now. The team, the combination of people we have are just super positive. And everyone wants to be there, which is super cool. But it's not always that way. Every phase is not that way." - Kendall Hagensen
In this engaging and relatable episode of the Wellness Center Creators Podcast, hosts Anna Rudel and Kendall Hagensen offer listeners an unfiltered glimpse into the day-to-day realities of running thriving alternative healthcare practices. Their honest business updates reveal both the challenges and triumphs that come with growth and leadership in the wellness industry.
The conversation opens with Anna sharing a humorous yet instructive story about arriving early at her clinic only to be locked out by technology and her own memory lapses. Unable to remember her security codes and with a blaring alarm system, Anna found herself in a chaotic situation that was only resolved when an employee arrived to help. This anecdote brilliantly illustrates a common pitfall for business owners—creating separate systems for themselves versus their team members.
"How many of us have been growing our practices from forever ago and have one rule for us and another rule for everybody else?" Anna reflects. "I realized I'd used a number that I thought I would remember. But for many, many reasons, didn't remember. But I did remember the rule that I had thought of for everybody else, just not me."
Kendall counters with her own unexpected emergency—a surprise visit from the fire department when downstairs neighbors reported smoke. The image of firefighters in full gear rushing through a clinic filled with patients highlights the importance of emergency preparedness in healthcare settings. Their discussion expands to safety protocols, highlighting how wellness center owners must balance patient-centered care with comprehensive safety planning.
The conversation then shifts to exciting business developments at both practices. Anna proudly shares the success of her newly launched massage wing, which has already booked 80 appointments within its first six weeks. The hosts discuss the strategic advantage of expanding services within an established practice where trust has already been built with patients.
"If you build something that is sustainable and established... and you have a steady patient base, that's a very different experience to then invite those patients over to receive massage," Kendall notes, offering valuable perspective for listeners considering practice expansion.
Anna transparently discusses her marketing strategies, including having her acupuncture practitioners experience massage services themselves so they can confidently refer patients, offering introductory discounts, and encouraging collaboration between practitioners. This process-oriented mindset demonstrates how thoughtful customer journey planning creates elevated experiences for clients.
Kendall shares updates about Vancouver Wellness Studio's positive team culture and their participation in a women's leadership conference called "Inspire Her," where their medical director presented on menopause and thriving in the workplace. This community engagement exemplifies how wellness practices can extend their impact beyond clinic walls while building their brand presence.
Both hosts candidly discuss the evolution of their leadership roles. Kendall reflects on her interim position as spa director and her realization that rather than hiring a director-level replacement, a spa manager handling daily operations might be more appropriate while she focuses on visioning and strategic decision-making. Anna openly acknowledges her exhaustion with rebuilding systems for the new massage wing so soon after establishing processes for the acupuncture practice.
"The idea of redoing everything for the massage side is overwhelming for me," Anna admits. "I do see that I can't maintain this pace anymore. And so I'm definitely finding myself sort of sitting back and letting others take over a little bit, which is really what I need to be doing."
This honest dialogue about leadership fatigue and the importance of delegation offers listeners permission to acknowledge their own limitations while providing practical insights about sustainable business growth. The conversation concludes with encouraging reminders about pacing expansion appropriately and celebrating wins along the way—valuable wisdom for any wellness practitioner navigating the challenges of business ownership.
Throughout the episode, both hosts demonstrate the kind of trauma-informed leadership they advocate, blending professional expertise with personal vulnerability to create content that truly resonates with fellow wellness center creators.
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About Anna Rudel
Anna Rudel, L. Ac is the owner and founder of Lokahi Acupuncture Clinic in San Jose California, founded in 2003. Anna is a master organizer and clinician, and as a Coach she specializes in working with Clinic Owners in the state of California, and Acupuncturists and Acupuncture Clinic Owners, or groups wanting to add Acupuncture worldwide, as well as teams that need support with employee retention and satisfaction. Born in the UK, Anna has traveled extensively in Asia and now has a thriving multi-practitioner clinic in the US!
Anna's Website and Links
- Website: https://lokahiacupuncture.com/
- Learn Group Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/group-coaching
- For info about Individual Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/individual-coaching
About Kendall Hagensen
Kendall is a Somatic Mental Health Therapist, Multidisciplinary Clinic Owner and Business Coach. She specializes in, and is passionate about, working with healthcare professionals to create the businesses of their dreams. Big goals always have a psychological component beneath the surface, so Kendall uses her background in Somatic Psychotherapy and EMDR Therapy mixed with Business Coaching tools to help clients develop a healthy relationship with their business and their strength as a leader.
As someone who lives with a chronic illness herself, Kendall feels that health happens best within community, which is why she takes a holistic, integrative, and collaborative wellness approach to her personal and professional life.
Kendall’s Web/Social Links