The NDIS and allied health world is changing quickly, and a lot of providers are realising that the way they built their businesses over the last few years may not be the way they need to run them going forward. Pricing changes, reduced travel income and tighter funding are forcing business owners to look much more closely at where their money is coming from, how their team is spending time and whether their business is actually sustainable.

In this episode of the NDIS Provider Growth Journey, Michael speaks with Alyce Svensk about what she is seeing across allied health businesses right now. They talk about why providers can no longer assume referrals will simply keep turning up, why relying almost entirely on NDIS funding creates risk, and why having a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C is becoming increasingly important. Alyce explains that some providers are now having to learn business skills they never really needed before, including marketing, private client acquisition and understanding other funding pathways.

They also get into the difference between simply having a caseload and actually building a strong business. For years, many allied health providers could grow without doing much marketing because demand was already there. That environment is changing. Michael and Alyce talk about why providers need to understand what they are genuinely good at, become known for something and make a conscious decision about the type of clients and work they want rather than taking whatever happens to arrive.

Alyce also talks about the importance of having other leaders around you. Running a business can be isolating, and trying to work everything out yourself can waste an enormous amount of time. She shares what she is building through her business hub, where allied health business owners can learn from each other, keep up with changes affecting their businesses and have a place to talk through the practical problems that come with running a team.

If you run an NDIS or allied health business and you are wondering how to protect your profitability, diversify where your clients come from and build something that can keep working as the sector changes, this episode is worth listening to.

That was a great podcast.

If you want some one-on-one support, get in touch with me, michael@athletickoala.com.au.