How to Master Systems for Clarity and Sustainable Growth in Wellness Practices
Mar 20, 2026Another system falls apart. The scheduling protocol you spent weeks creating? Nobody's following it. The communication structure you implemented? It lasted two weeks before reverting to chaos. You're starting to think maybe you're just not cut out for this "systems thing."
But what if the problem isn't you? What if traditional systems advice was never designed for the kind of work wellness practitioners do?
In this episode from the Thriving Wellness Series, Anna Rudel—dubbed "the queen of systems" by Kendall—tackles why wellness business owners struggle with structures that work beautifully in other industries but crumble in healthcare settings. Her insight cuts to the core of the problem: "Traditional systems advice isn't built for the kind of work that we do. The business isn't just about optimizing tasks and optimizing logistics. What we do is so much about emotional presence, it's about trust, it's about attunement."
This fundamental mismatch creates the resistance many wellness owners feel toward systems. We hear "systems" and imagine rigid corporate structures that strip away the humanity central to our work. But as Anna reframes it: "Systems aren't supposed to replace the care and the humanity and the connection... they're meant to protect it."
So what makes systems different for wellness practices? Anna introduces the concept of "humane systems"—structures designed not for your peak performance day, but for real life. "We tend to design systems for our very best day. When we've woken up with tons of energy and we've eaten the right foods... A humane system is one that works in real life." These systems must be repeatable, simple, and forgiving.
Anna illustrates this with a painful personal story about a payroll system that failed spectacularly—not once, but three times. Despite setting up what seemed like a perfect structure (outsourced payroll processing, direct employee access to administrators), a tax withholding change created chaos. The missing piece? She hadn't designed clear protocols for when problems arose. "When you do create these systems, they have to be able to adapt and you also have to be able to see where the break might be and then correct it."
The conversation addresses common mistakes wellness owners make. The biggest? Trying to fix everything simultaneously. "Our instinct is to realize, okay, we're on the back foot... so I'm going to fix everything. Going to fix the scheduling, going to fix the marketing, finances, the team communication... and what that does is really set the cat among the pigeons." Every system has a cost—attention, maintenance, emotional energy. You can't optimize everything at once.
Anna's alternative approach focuses on impact: "If one of my systems could improve by 20%, which one would change my life the most?" This question shifts from scattered effort to strategic focus. A 20% improvement in scheduling, patient communication, or onboarding could transform daily operations more than minor improvements across ten different systems.
The episode also tackles a pattern Anna sees repeatedly: wellness owners conflating accessibility with support. "We think the more accessible we are, the more supportive we're being. And what that leads to is burnout." Boundaries aren't withholding care—they're protecting both the leader's capacity and the team's ability to function without constant owner intervention.
Kendall adds important context about pace: "The pace of alternative medicine providers is often in direct tension with the pace of our culture. We can feel that pressure as business owners to go bigger and go faster... but sustainable, organic, slower growth can be really powerful."
Anna will be teaching systems at the 2026 Wellness Center Creators Retreat, guiding both tracks through identifying their specific needs and creating or improving key systems. As she notes, it's not about systems theory—it's about practical implementation tailored to each practice's reality.
If you've struggled to make systems stick, or if you've felt like systems advice just doesn't apply to wellness work, this episode offers both validation and a different path forward.
For information regarding the upcoming retreat, go to: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/retreats
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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