Lois Francis: My Health Network

I have a passion for health and education which has been expressed through my private client work, teaching acupuncture and delivering workshops on general health issues. I’ve been practising as an acupuncturist since 1992. I taught at the College of Traditional Acupuncture from 1995 to 2001 then I took over ‘Way of Life Health’ Store. This prompted further studies in nutrition and health care with The Institute of Optimum Nutrition and various training seminars.

In 2004 I won a national award for customer service and education which recognised the work I did in helping educate my customers and clients. In 2006 I then sold the health store to concentrate on my private practise and devising a method for delivering health education to a wider audience.  This led to almost 2 years of research and development work culminating in the launch of My Health Network website this year.

Getting started

Because of my passion for health and wanting to share my knowledge and expertise with a wider audience I thought that running my own business would fulfil that dream.

I’ve been self-employed for 18 years and my private clients already know they want acupuncture.  I just have to make sure they can find me and that my website tells them what they want to know.  With My Health Network it’s a whole new ballgame.  The product is new and innovative so I needed guidance on developing a marketing strategy that would get me in front of decision makers who would want to invest in my service.

This is when I decided to contact Business Link who put me in touch with the Women’s Business Development Agency. As a woman working on my own in developing this business, I knew that I both wanted and needed external, qualified support.  To work with an agency devoted to supporting women in business seemed just the right place for me to go.

I was then booked in to see Sheridan Culverwell for one-to-one business advice sessions. She helped me with developing my marketing plan and sales forecast.  My formerly nebulous ideas about what I could do became more definite and I have a timetable plan in place that I can work to.

The sessions gave me confidence that I did actually know what I needed to do and to get on with it. I now have a clear structured plan and I can see the progression of developing the business.

About My Health Network

My purpose is to deliver to employers an internet based training and education resource on health issues.  The website provides extensive training programmes on stress, back care, healthy diet and addresses the common health issues which lead to sickness and absenteeism.   

By making this resource available the employer can help to boost employee loyalty and morale, reduce the costs of providing stress management training and reduce sickness and absenteeism costs.

The service is relevant to every company with employees.  It helps them to comply with HSE legislation and to provide stress management training which is available whenever the employee needs it.  It offers a substantial saving on the cost of bringing in external training providers, therefore giving an immediate return on the investment.
Research shows that where services like this are in place, employee morale and productivity improves.

Although I’m launching locally in the West Midlands area, the product has no geographical limits in the UK and I shall be looking for people who would like to be involved.

For more information about My Health Network please contact Lois on 08453038660, lois@myhealthnetwork.co.uk or check out her website www.myhealthnetwork.co.uk