I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with David Thompson, client acquisition specialist for doctors and chiropractors in the San Francisco Bay Area. We had a very open and candid conversation in which David revealed something very critical, which surfaced around his why. That one powerful word has the capability to decide success in any industry. David shared his why and the pivotal moment that caused him to join the world of online marketing. David also disclosed how he now uses the advertising experience gained to increase profits and attract new clients for health professionals. Here’s what David had to say:
David, your story is quite compelling. In your own words, tell us how did you reach the level where you are today in digital marketing?
I can tell you this – it wasn’t easy. As a matter of fact, prospecting was probably one of the hardest things I ever had to do. When I first started searching for new clients, I was already working full-time. I was easily putting in 60+ hours a week as a traveling pharmaceutical representative. If that wasn’t stressful enough, I was working part-time as a waiter as well, and to top it all off, my wife was pregnant! So you can only imagine how challenging life was at that time.
Needless to say, things only got harder, especially when my wife and I were unexpectedly kicked out of our rental home. You can certainly say that pressures were mounting. Then, if life wasn’t difficult enough, my wife wanted to purchase a home in an expensive part of Northern California that we could not afford. My plate was completely full! I had no idea what I was going to do, but I knew that I needed to change my circumstance and fast! I recognized that I had to get out of my comfort zone and talk to prospects if I intended to make money.
There were nights where I just wept because I feared rejection. It felt as though the weight of the whole world was on my shoulders. This process took way longer than I ever imagined. But the pain kept me going. I decided that instead of letting those feelings pull me down, like they had for years, I was going to make a change. I repeated to myself, every single day, “I will never rely on my feelings to motivate me to take action towards my goals.” I knew if I ever stood a chance, I would have to learn how to act on my values, promises, and commitments; not my feelings.
Wow, it’s amazing the pressures of your circumstance didn’t stop you. Congratulations on your success! How did you find a way to succeed?
Honestly, I was successful before I started working on my business. I had everything I ever wanted. I was blessed with a beautiful wife, amazing children, a supportive family, my faith, and I had my health. The only reason I became involved with this business was because I wanted to provide a financially secure lifestyle for my family without sacrificing quality time away from my family. In short, success is being happy with what you have now while working towards what you want tomorrow.
It’s important to realize that once you have momentum, it’s hard to stop being productive. I do all that I can to keep that momentum going strong, and the most effective way to do this is through masterminds. Masterminds saved me and my business. I invested into masterminds for more than 18 months just to gain the opportunity to surround myself with other entrepreneurs performing at a higher level.
Every three months, I meet with these brilliant men and women. We help one another grow our businesses together. I receive the momentum that I need to stay focused and motivated for the next three months. Without the proper environment, it is impossible to grow. Without growth, you place your business at risk. “Any entrepreneur that is alone is an entrepreneur at risk”.
So it sounds like unity is truly a positive way to build a successful career. What kind of success did you gain from approaching your work with this mindset?
I was very fortunate to mentally shift gears and begin practicing a new way of thinking. It paid off big time! As a result, I was asked to serve as a speaker at a Winner’s Edge Consulting Event. I turned $60,000 in debt into $60,000 a month as a digital marketer! I consulted with over 40 chiropractic-marketing agencies to improve results and processes. I became a new patient magnet for chiropractors!
That’s incredible! It sounds like you really used your personal will-power to make real positive results in both your business and personal life. Is there any advice you’d like to leave with the readers?
I can truly say working for myself and the financial freedom it affords was definitely worth the sacrifice. Just the thought of working for someone else is unbearable. I don’t want to commute to work every day or answer to anyone except my clients and my wife. This is what drives me. I know the pain of being employed versus the joy of being an entrepreneur, and it is always at the forefront of mind.
Regardless of the volume of business I have to manage, I always prioritize my family and faith. I know my strength does not come from the amount of money in my bank account. It comes from knowing that I am getting better every day. I’m building my business in a way that doesn’t impair the relationships that are most important to me.
There is a saying that kept me going. It goes, “Know what you know. Know who knows what you don’t know. That’s all you need to know.”