Brighter Spotlight with Mikki McGill
Introducing May’s inspiring Brighter Spotlight, Mikki McGill.
Mikki works as a Principal Mediator in the greater Twin Cities area helping individuals, couples, and families improve communication and move past conflict with one another in a healthy way.
Grab a cup of coffee and join us as Mikki answers our questions about how Brighter Vision helped her build confidence in her brand and learn how to better market her services online.
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Q: Tell us a little bit about you and your practice – what do you specialize in, where is your office, how often do you see clients, etc.
A: Hi, I’m Mikki McGill. I’m a mediator with Great River Mediations. I help people have conversations and work through them. People come to me for help with their separation, divorce, or shared parenting issues.
As a mediator, I specialize in helping people move through conflict so they can be the people and parents they want to be. I do this by helping people make decisions together (with their partner) and decide what each wants most to find workable solutions.
I provide day, evening, and weekend options via telehealth virtual mediation sessions and serve people across Greater Minnesota.
Q: What is the biggest reason you’re glad you became a mediator?
A: I am a mediator because mediation is a healthy alternative to problem-solving and my work makes a difference for individuals, families, and kids! I am passionate about supporting others and excel at blending knowledge to craft an individualized approach to a situation or dynamic. I love helping people and mediation is about people, their relationships, and their lives. It’s a privilege to be a part of other people’s lives.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time when you’re not working?
A: When I’m not working, I enjoy dancing, occasional writing, singing any old time for no good reason (it’s amazing that even if it feels awkward at first, you always end up in a better mood if you keep doing it), walking my ginormous puppy, traveling and laughing with family and friends.
Q: When did you become a Brighter Vision client, and why?
A: I became a BV client because I loved their websites, I liked the people, I felt their services would suit my needs and they’d ‘mostly’ understand what I do (at least in the same solar system ;-). I get referred to as a therapist once in a while by BV staff — I consider that an unearned compliment since therapists, in general, are genuinely good people.
Q: What methods were you using to attract new clients before you had your BV website?
A: Previously I was using word of mouth and my connections to attract work and clients.
Q: How did your process of attracting and attaining new clients change after your BV website went live?
A: Although I’m not new to mediation, I brought BV onboard early on—once I decided to start a more formal mediation business—at the ground level. Having a website was a logical next step. It was a start to develop a more public face and build confidence in my brand and services.
Q: What is your favorite part of your BV website? How does it represent you and your practice?
A: My favorite part is all of it even though I feel like I’m always tweaking it here and there. I have many ideas for the website to grow as I have time to develop it and as my practice grows. I like how it tells my story and provides information to help others. A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by a teacher and her class who found my website and felt the shared parenting resources were helpful to them. That was something I never expected. BV helped make that happen!
Q: What is something you now know about marketing your practice, or making a private practice website, that you have learned from your experience with BV?
A: I feel marketing is a continual learning process that will keep changing. Being a lifetime learner is critical and I’m so glad I am. Since there are many things, including my practice to keep an eye on, I really appreciate the support of BV for any needs I have on the website and for the SEO. There’s always more to learn but BV is there to help. They gently keep giving me a little bit to learn each time (tools) and if I don’t get it, they will go ahead and take me there. They keep nudging me forward and are patient and there for me. I’ve learned a lot from them. The perfect website developer for a start-up!
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Q: How do you keep organized and on-schedule in your day-to-day life?
A: I use Google calendar but I really like paper for my calendar and to-do list — for me, there’s something about checking off or referring forward or back that is easier in a planner than on an app.
Q: How do you make time for self-care with your busy schedule?
A: I get up early each morning at 5 am and spend 40-60 minutes reading and journaling to ground/center myself for the day. I take a walk after that or go to the gym. Then start my day usually with email. Each evening part of my routine is to check the next day’s schedule and close up any loose ends (or assign those loose ends a time and place in my schedule to be dealt with). Pull out or put aside anything I anticipate needing tomorrow.
Q: What other tools or services do you use to help boost your business?
A: I’ve used Canva and PicMonkey and liked both for graphics. I like a spreadsheet for my contact management list but I may consider Hubspot or Zoho in the future. I’m not currently using it but I’ve liked Constant Contact in the past and I want to try Mailchimp. I’ve really liked Zoho mail for a variety of reasons including templates and because I can change the subject line anytime I want to be pertinent to the changing conversation and it allows me to keep email trails by customer, which I like.
Q: What have you found to be the most important piece of advice someone has given you about being a private practice owner?
A: As your practice grows it’s important to find the people and resources to take the next steps with and that isn’t always easy but it’s essential to smoother sailing and going to the next level.
As your practice grows it’s important to find the people and resources to take the next steps with. Click To TweetQ: Do you have any pieces of advice for someone just starting their own private practice journey?
A: Be consistent in and out of season and try something new after a true good go and evaluate before moving to the next approach. Have great mentors and coaches to guide you along the way and bounce with. Finally, grow and develop your relationships! It’s essential to your survival and success. Build up others whenever you can.
Q: What else should we know about you?
A: I’m a great mediator who is good helping people have difficult conversations, holding space to get to the other side of conflict so they can lead good lives and thrive with fewer burdens, and more freedom really psychs me and gets me going. I’m passionate about my work, sincere, dedicated, and thorough. I care and am trained and committed to helping couples work through their various separation issues peaceably and affordably.
Contact me today with any questions or if you have someone you love going through a difficult time in their relationship, tell them there is help. I’d love to be a piece of that puzzle toward a great future!
Want to follow in Mikki’s footsteps? Give your practice the very best and try out the world’s leading therapist website service – Brighter Vision.
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