The Clinical Entrepreneur

What if one of the biggest reasons your patients are not improving has less to do with the protocol itself… and more to do with whether oxygen, nutrients, and support can actually reach the tissue? In this episode, I'm unpacking why microcirculation deserves far more attention in clinical practice. These tiny vessels, the arterioles, capillaries, and venules, are where the bloodstream meets the ce...

Your patients aren't disappearing because of their budget or their schedule. In most cases, they stop coming back because of what happened - or didn't happen - during their very first visit.  You know the drill…. they quietly drift off with no warning, no explanation, nothing. So the only thing left to do is construct a perfectly reasonable theory for why it happened. Check. But here's what I've f...

As it turns out, mushrooms may play a far greater role in human health than we originally thought - and as such, may deserve a place in every clinical protocol. In this episode, I'm joined by long-time herbalist and mushroom expert Lee Carroll for a fascinating conversation about Lion's Mane, mushroom quality, and two new products from Real Mushrooms: Lion's Mane Focus and Lion's Mane Calm . We ta...

The Standard Process price increase and MediHerb price increase have practitioners talking, and they have a right to feel frustrated. This affects inventory, recommendations, protocols, and what patients can realistically afford. But the real problem is not just the price increase. It is what happens when frustration starts driving decisions that should still be clinical. After a Facebook post in...

I recorded this episode once already, and when my production team went to download the file… there was no sound. I was annoyed, avoided re-recording it for a week, and then finally sat back down, opened my notes, and the very first line said: get your head right before you do anything. Honestly? That was the perfect reminder - because this episode is really about the mindset and business shifts I...

If your patients aren't getting better - despite doing all the right things - blood sugar might be the piece you're missing. I'm walking you through the symptoms, the labs, and the exact protocol I use to stabilize blood sugar in functional medicine patients. This one might change how you see every case you've ever stumped yourself on. Blood sugar isn't just a diabetic problem. It shows up as brai...

I've heard every excuse about why wellness practitioners don't raise their rates. Things like "my patients can't afford it," or "I don't know enough to charge more," or even "what if they leave?" The underlying fear that keeps your prices low isn't about the money. It's about what you believe you actually deserve. I recently raised my fees – by only $20. And I laughed at myself - because I know I'...

I'm just going to say it: you probably don't need as many lab tests as you think. After 23 years in practice, I'm sharing why over-testing is getting in the way of good clinical work - and the only three reasons I'll actually order a test. I see it constantly: a new patient walks in with a stack of results - stool tests, genetic tests, mold panels, toxin panels, sometimes $3,000 or $4,000 worth -...

If your schedule has more holes in it than you'd like, it's probably not a marketing problem - it's a practice model problem. I'm breaking down the 5 elements of an entry-level, outcome-based program so your patients stop disappearing and you actually get paid for the transformation you deliver. If every patient you'd seen in the last six months was still active in your practice right now, would y...

If your patient is doing everything right and still not moving the needle, stop changing the protocol. Start here instead. I'm breaking down 3 of my 5 Clinical Non-Negotiables: the foundational things I address with every single patient before anything else, no matter what they came in for. Here's the unconventional truth: more/better/different protocols aren't the answer. Doing them in the right...

Great clinician, anemic bank account? Let's identify the real reason you're stuck: you are pricing like a hobbyist. In this episode, I'll show you how offers, boundaries, overhead math, and a clear niche help you finally pay yourself without burning out or working 60-hour weeks. Inside this episode, I walk you through the five "financial anemia" culprits I see over and over in clinical practices,...

Five very different cases, one big lesson: the "obvious" answer is often the wrong one. In this final episode of my 6-part clinical thinking series, I'm giving you real-life updates on five challenging cases - and the six principles these cases reinforced in my own practice. You'll hear what changed (and what didn't) with everything from a cracked tooth infection and H. pylori progress, to panic a...

A former competitive athlete came to me barely able to function. He had severe nausea, almost constant stomach pain, a known ulcer, crushing anxiety, and unrelenting fatigue.  After looking at his intake forms, it seemed obvious that his digestive system was screaming for help so I did what any practitioner would do - I started by supporting optimal upper digestion. And everything made him worse. ...

What causes relentless belching that can clear a room - even after four rounds of H. pylori treatment? A 55-year-old retired dental hygienist had been treated for H. pylori four times. Two rounds of medical intervention and two different functional medicine practitioners tried to help - without success. The infection kept coming back, along with the belching so severe she could clear a room. The p...

Twenty years of restless legs. Two failed attempts. One patient who kept coming back anyway. In this episode, I finally figured out what was missing - and it had nothing to do with magnesium, valerian, or sleep hygiene before bed. This case humbled me. I'd treated her twice before with all the "right" things - minerals, adaptogens, calming herbs, etc., and nothing worked. When she came back a thir...

She was convinced it was her thyroid. After years of panic attacks, chronic anxiety, and a body that felt like it was "fighting something," she came to Ronda certain the answer was in her thyroid labs. It wasn't. In this Clinical Thinking case study, Ronda traces the real root cause back to compromised digestion and a nervous system running on stress hormones. This 28-year-old executive assistant...

She looked perfect on paper. Impeccable diet. Physically fit. Emotionally stable. Then she walked into my office and said, "I can't stop crying. I can't think. Something is wrong, and I don't know what it is." Her labs told part of the story: CRP at 87, neutrophils through the roof, lymphocytes bottomed out. But there was no fever. No illness. No obvious source. Until she dropped one sentence that...

I'm going to be honest with you: 2025 humbled me. It wasn't my year. I didn't hit the goals I set. I didn't finish the projects I planned. I spent more time putting out fires than building anything meaningful. I went from a team of five down to two plus a virtual assistant and I ended up picking up way more work than a business owner should be doing. I was so scattered, so mentally fatigued, that...

Those "quick questions" your patients sneak into chats, emails, and hallway drive-bys are quietly draining your time, profit, and clinical excellence. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on boundary creep; what it looks like, why it happens, and the exact phrases you can use to redirect those questions into paid appointments so you can protect your schedule, your sanity, and your bottom...

Big pharma has officially crossed the line: 30-something women are being told they're in 'perimenopause,' and the recommendation (of course) is to start HRT. The truth is that they are tired, stressed, skipping meals, and feeling overwhelmed.  In this ultra-sassy episode, Ronda breaks down the manufactured narrative driving this trend, the physiology that proves it wrong, and a real case from her...

In this episode of The Clinical Entrepreneur, I walk you through a real case study of a high-stress, high-anxiety patient who turned things around - no labs, no overwhelm, and no complicated protocol.   Instead, I focused on what I call "the low-hanging fruit": stress, sleep, digestion, and diet. You'll hear the exact questions I asked, the protocols I recommended, and the surprising symptom he re...

As the year wraps up, it's time to do more than just "plan for the next." This episode is a clear walk-through to help you celebrate the wins, identify the lessons, and set your business up for a powerful new year. Inside this episode: ✅ How to reflect on what worked (and what didn't) ✅ Where most practitioners get stuck when planning the next year ✅ The 4-step framework I use to refocus with i...

If you've ever second-guessed your value, avoided raising your rates, or let a patient dictate their own care plan - this episode is for you. We're diving deep into the silent ways wellness practitioners play small - often without even realizing it. From discounting your services to avoiding visibility, these subtle habits can keep you stuck in a practice that feels more draining than fulfilling....

Ready for some real talk about what it takes to grow a thriving wellness practice? In this episode, Ronda Nelson shares the truth no one's saying out loud: strategy isn't enough. We'll talk about mindset, fear, ownership, and how to finally get unstuck without working harder or chasing one more "perfect" plan. 🔗 Get weekly support from Ronda  

Got a list of past patients collecting digital dust? 😬 You're not alone, and reactivating them might be the fastest way to fill your schedule. In this episode, I'm breaking down five simple, low-tech strategies to reconnect with old patients, without feeling awkward, salesy, or desperate. Because sometimes, the easiest growth isn't in new leads… It's in the ones who already know and love you. 💛...