Nurse Business Boundaries

Nurses are the epitome of information givers, and nurse business owners are no different.

We give out free information all the time. Friends, family, neighbors, teachers and so on are always bending our ears. Whether they are looking for a new doctor, have a medication question or need a side consult regarding their health. 

Of course, we are eager to help! 

We want to share information with everyone, and that includes sharing with other nurses. Helping fellow nurses after all seems like such a great gesture. There's a special kinship that occurs between nurses. It’s a bond among the industry like no other. I can’t tell you how many random nurses I have met over the years. Striking up a conversation with a stranger is quite easy for me. However, when two nurses strike up a conversation only to realize they are both nurses … instant bond. 

All that sharing can be fantastic, but when should that sharing come at a cost? 

When I started my first nurse business, Everyday Divinity, I spent a lot of time just figuring it out. Yes, there were failures, wins, and obstacles. Sure, I pushed through all of that. It wasn’t easy figuring out what worked or - in a lot of cases - what didn’t work. 

There were not a lot of mentors to ask. I found two nurses on the internet who were doing foot care. Both were willing to share some information with me. Naturally, I was a sponge soaking up any info I could find. 

What was this unknown industry of foot care nursing about?  How did they start their businesses? What could I learn from them? Their information was genuine (as nurses usually are), but they could only take me so far with their knowledge base. 

As the years have passed by, I love to see the evolution of nurse-owned businesses. Social media has been a great resource for founders to showcase their nurse-owned businesses. We are inundated with information constantly. This is a great place to share your business. However, are you ready for the questions you are about to receive? Do you have the answers? How much time are you willing to give to the stranger on social media … and are you going to give it away for free?  

It can be hard for nurses to draw boundaries when sharing their business tips once they do find what works. A lot of nurses will want to connect with that nurse to learn more about the business they have started. You may even choose to like, follow or connect with that nurse. 

Here is my disclaimer portion … do your research. 

Yes, starting a business is hard work, and takes a lot of work. More work than most nurses can explain in a single post. Find out what that nurse has achieved in their own business before taking free advice from anyone online. 

Some nurses may not want to share information regarding their nurse business. This could be for a variety of reasons, so obviously respect that choice. They have spent years cultivating that business. If you embark on this path, you will soon learn how much time went into building that business. 

I used to spend on average two hours per phone call talking with nurses about foot care nursing, only to never hear from that nurse again. I didn't expect a follow up call, but after giving them so much information for free, they didn't create any business. This was deflating for me. 

Starting a nursing business is hard work and takes a lot of self-discipline. A lot of times, this is something that can't be taught. It is on you to do the work period. Some nurses are an open book, and will share all their insights into their nurse business for free, and I applaud this effort, but at what point are we giving the information away for free? 

As the saying goes “time is money.” 

Learn more about growing a successful nursing business with the help of The Foot and Nail Institute®.