On the wall of Health Union's offices in Philadelphia is written CEO Olivier Chateau's favorite saying - "If you believe your dreams are achievable, they are too small. Dream bigger." No one could accuse Olivier of doing anything else!Since founding Health Union in 2010, Olivier has been dedicated to integrating the power of human connection and technology, bringing people together in the shared experiences of living with chronic health conditions. Olivier and Health Union believe that the voice of personal experience from people impacted by a complex health condition is the most important voice in healthcare. Today, the Health Union family of brands includes online health communities for over 40 separate conditions.Olivier's passion and enthusiasm for Health Union is contagious, inspiring the team to think bigger, be creative, and to constantly do what hasn't been done. In this interview, he talks about the ways that patients can advocate for themselves and have a real impact on the healthcare industry through Health Union's communities, all while getting paid! In this episode:Health Union's mission and where it came fromThe roles that patient leaders play in Health Union's online health communities - and, what constitutes a "health leader"Olivier's definition of "Social Health" and why it's such an important concept for patients and the healthcare industry to understandWhat Olivier thinks the healthcare industry can do to better integrate the patient voiceHealth Union's future plansFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/paid-experience-health-union

Kathy visits with a PGP member to get their take on what has been most valuable about the PGP membership for their business. This time she catches up with Kathy Chester, who was previously heard on Episode 16 (Making Your Passion Your Chronicpreneur Business). A valued member of the PGP community, Kathy C. says that the coaching sessions inside the membership can "breathe life back into you".  If you've been debating whether to join the PGP Community, visit PatientsGettingPaid.com for more information, but don't forget that there's a price increase right around the corner! In this episode:A quick recap of how Kathy's career as a physical trainer was derailed by her double diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid ArthritisHow she first heard about PGPThe things that she has gained through being a member of PGPDetails of how people with MS can take part in Kathy's upcoming fitness seminarFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/kathy-chester-membership-testimonial

If you're thinking about creating a new career that can be done remotely, a great option is being a Virtual Assistant (VA). It's certainly something that I've wanted to share with PGP'ers for a long time because it can fit into the chronicpreneur lifestyle perfectly.  But what is a VA, and what kind of things do they do?To answer that and many other questions, my guest today is Tawnya Sutherland, one of the pioneers of the VA industry. Tawnya was working as a VA when she wanted to join a social network to support her work-at-home business. When she couldn't find one, she set up a forum of her own and invited a couple of friends to hang out there to socialize and talk shop (VA shop that is). In 2003 Tawnya founded VAnetworking, the largest and most active Virtual Assistant network today, with thousands of members worldwide.If you've ever considered working as a VA, this episode contains a ton of information, including the full range of support that VAs can offer. Most interestingly, the riches are in the niches - so if you can offer more specialized skills (for example, in social media) you can get paid more!Tawnya also talks about her FREE Virtual Assistant Summit and the upcoming course that she'll be holding exclusively within the PGP community. So if you haven't joined the membership yet, now's the time!In this episode:How Tawnya began working as a Virtual AssistantThe benefits that Tawnya sees in working freelance as a VA over being an employed 'secretary' - for the Virtual Assistant AND the employer The different roles that a VA can undertakeWhy Tawnya set up her VA membership and training course in 2003The importance of having an online presenceDetails of Tawnya's Virtual Assistant Summit, and the forthcoming workshop she'll be holding within the PGP CommunityFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/virtual-assistant-tawnya-sutherland

If you know me or have been following these episodes, you'll know that tech is… not my favorite thing, shall we say. But if you're embarking on a chronicpreneur journey, especially one that includes working remotely, you will need to grapple with tech at some point. And believe me, if I can do it, so can you!I could not be more thrilled that Jackie Zimmerman, Queen of Getting Shit Done and previous podcast guest, is going to be working alongside me on Patients Getting Paid! And in these special Tech Talk episodes, we're going to be taking a deep dive into all the different technological bits and pieces that you're going to want to think about as you begin your life as a chronicpreneur.Jackie received not one but two chronic illness diagnoses in her 20s (Multiple Sclerosis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and turned to the internet as a way to cope and build a support system. Through the process of blogging and developing communities, Jackie honed her skills in digital communications by learning to design websites, create brand recognition and build online courses. She has now turned those into a full-time career in her digital marketing company Queen of GSD. In this first Tech Talk episode, we're covering different pieces of software that can manage your schedule. You might say that you already have a calendar, but programs like the two we focus on here - Calendly and Acuity - can do so much more, including taking payments!Don't forget, Jackie is now working alongside me on the Patients Getting Paid Community. So if you join up you'll be able to get her input on schedulers or any of the things we're going to be covering in the Tech Talk podcasts. Visit PatientsGettingPaid.com for more information, but don't forget that there's a price increase right around the corner!In this episode:Why Jackie believes that scheduling software is a key thing to get organized right from the start of your chronicpreneur journeyMy own experiences of using Calendly to organize my two podcasts, my advocacy work, and the PGP communityAn overview of the various things that these programs can do for you, aside from managing your calendarA comparison of Calendly and Acuity, two of the major players in this gameFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/tech-talk-scheduling-software

I can hardly believe it, but today's episode marks the first anniversary of the launch of Patients Getting Paid!This community has long been a dream of mine - I've spent years learning how to find work that replaces a regular paycheck, but fits around my health condition. And once I found it, I knew I had to share it with my chronic illness community!In this episode, I talk about my own chronicpreneur story and the birth of PGP, before we hear from a handful of people from within PGP about what they've loved about being part of the community.Thank you for being a part of the Patients Getting Paid story so far. And if you're sitting on the fence about becoming a full member, check out what people currently inside the community are saying. And bear in mind that there's a price rise on the horizon! Now really is the best time to invest in yourself and begin living the chronicpreneur dream of work that fits around your health needs and that PAYS. In this episode:How Kathy's first steps to a chronicpreneur lifestyle grew out of monetizing her blogWhat led to her decision to leave full-time workHow Patients Getting Paid was born the moment she realized that she was making more money than when she was employed by someone elseAn overview of the different aspects that make up the PGP CommunityMessages from a number of PGP Community membersFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/patients-getting-paid-first-anniversary

My aim in these podcasts and the PGP Community is to expand the minds of people with chronic illnesses about the kinds of paid work that are available. All of this took me years to learn, so I'm here to save you the time. It isn't solely for people that need to make the leap right now, but some of the things we talk about could lead you to an interesting side gig or a whole new direction.Well, my guest today will blow your minds with her proven ideas of how your side gig could replace your regular income - and more!Elena Saris is a semi-retired criminal defense attorney, a former stand-up comic, and a 7-Figure E-commerce seller. She walked away from a career she once loved to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams of personal and financial freedom. She is a sought-after speaker on how to break into the online business world based on her unique career path, her online success, and her incomparable ability to entertain while educating. She is the co-founder of the Create Profits Online Mastermind, an active community of online sellers who are starting and growing their own online businesses with 7- and 8-figure mentors showing them the way.Elena shares so many nuggets in this interview, which is why we went long. But if you can believe it, she has EVEN more tips to share. So she is holding a LIVE workshop within the Patients Getting Paid Community - make sure you join today to avoid the price increase!In this episode:Elena's work history and how she got started in online businessThe message that helped her make the leap - "It's called Chapter Two, and you're allowed"The three key elements of Print On Demand (POD), with Shopify, Amazon, Etsy and moreInformation about Elena's booksLearn more about the Create Profits Online Mastermind communityFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/online-selling-7-figures

There's a definite hierarchy of needs when it comes to creating your chronicpreneur lifestyle. First, you want to find a way to work that fits around your health condition. Secondly, you want to get PAID. That's why you're here, right? As we've seen in the past, a lot of chronicpreneurs end up working in ways that can ultimately make life better for other people living with chronic illnesses.Well, my guests today do all of those things. And on top of all that, they offer workshops through their business that can help individuals, groups and corporations learn about, communicate with, and be more accessible to people with disabilities.Lainie Ishbia and Estela Lugo are friends, business partners - and chronicpreneurs.  Using their own experiences of living with chronic illnesses, they created the EmBRACE It podcast and workshop series to empower people with disabilities and chronic conditions to look and feel their best and ultimately live their best lives. Lainie and Estela are helping individuals living with physical challenges to improve their quality of life, while cultivating a true chronicpreneur business and lifestyle. You're gonna love meeting them!In this episode:Lainie and Estela's diagnosis storiesThe work they did previously, how they transitioned to become chronicpreneurs, and the work that they do nowThe kind of workshops that Lainie and Estela offer to companiesInformation about their upcoming Disability Badass AcademyLainie and Estela's tips and tricks for any budding chronicpreneursFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/paid-chronic-experience-workshop

Over the course of these podcasts - and within the PGP community - the topic of Patient Advocacy and how to get paid for sharing your patient experience comes up repeatedly. People can be a little shy in naming their price - I know I certainly was!But now I say that you should not be shy about charging what your time and experiences are worth. Patient advocates have valuable skills and information in how they live their lives. And people will pay for it! I'm pleased to say that today's guest agrees with me. Jenna Green is a patient advocate, content creator, consultant, and speaker living with Multiple Sclerosis, Dystonia, and IBS as well as depression and anxiety. As you'll learn, Jenna is an overachiever in all areas of her life!Since her MS diagnosis in 2016, she has used her 20 years of experience in marketing, and a decade of self-employment to help bring awareness, support, education, and community to those who live with invisible illnesses, chronic pain, and fatigue. She’s dedicated to helping disabled and chronically ill people live their best lives and also works with companies that want to engage with the community.At various times over the years, Jenna has had to rethink how she wants to define success or what her idea of a good life looks like. In our chat, she has a ton of advice on how to shift your career or side hustle into a new stage. In this episode:The story of Jenna's pre-diagnosis career and how her numerous chronic illnesses changed her working lifeHow the term 'passive income' doesn't reflect how much work it takes!Why working for herself with numerous chronic illnesses forced Jenna to redefine what success looked like to herThe reasons why undercharging for patient advocacy work can harm the whole community Details of a very generous discount for the PGP community on Jenna's Business Brainstorming PlannerFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/patient-advocacy-paid-work

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is hard at any age. But my guest today was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 15!Following her diagnosis, Melody Sapien has been managing her symptoms through nutrition and lifestyle practices. She now views it as her life's mission to teach others how to do the same, becoming a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner in 2019 and a Wahls Protocol Health Professional in 2021. Today, she works with clients to help them create a formula for vitality that is sustainable for a lifetime.Listen in to find out how the pandemic was the kick-start that Melody needed for her business, how she uses social media to find all of her clients, and how she is able to work in a way that supports her health.As we say in this interview, entrepreneur life can be a rollercoaster, with or without a chronic health condition. Get support by becoming a part of the Patients Getting Paid community. In this episode:The story of Melody's diagnosis at the age of 15, and why she felt relief when her symptoms were given a nameWhy Melody chose to manage her condition with nutrition and lifestyle, and how she was able to turn this into her chronicpreneur businessHow Melody uses social media to grow her business, and how she works with her clientsMelody's novel workaround for getting full health insurance coverageWhy she recommends getting a legal structure in place from the startWhere you can find MelodyFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/nutrition-lifestyle-wellness-business

The medical establishment has finally realized that if you want to know how patients feel about their lives, you need to speak to them! And they recognize that our patient experience is VALUABLE, so they're willing to pay for our time.But it can feel like you're only there to share your complaints and problems. And you are more than your health condition!My guests today work at Merakoi, an agency that enables healthcare companies to collaborate with patient experts and their communities across multiple diseases and geographies. For me, the key word in that description is collaborate. Merakoi recognizes that patient advocates are highly skilled professionals with lived disease experience. So by getting to know their community, Merakoi ensures patients are enabled to deliver real-life insights and creative solutions to the projects that they work on. It's not just about sharing your problems, you get the opportunity to bring your skills across the entire product development lifecycle! I think Merakoi is offering a uniquely human-centric way for patient advocates to work with health solution providers. So I'm proud that they are working closely with Patients Getting Paid, posting many of their opportunities with the PGP Community. It's another reason to join today!In this episode:Where the idea for Merakoi came fromKathy's early experiences of patient advocacy, and why working with Merakoi is different How patient experts are recruited, and how they are selected for each projectThe big question! How much do patient experts get paid?Details of Merakoi opportunities inside the Patients Getting Paid communityFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/getting-patients-paid-merakoi

The old line is “we all have a book in us." But international fame and a mega-bucks movie franchise notwithstanding, there are other ways that you can earn money through your writing. Kyle Young is a writer for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, CNBC, Psychology Today, Forbes, and Business Insider. He's the founder of Growth Solutions, LLC, a popular marketing agency.In this episode, Kyle talks about his experience of writing for these major sites, and how writing can be a means of generating flexible, at-home income. Even more than that, he shares how you can turn the exposure that your writing gets into other PAID opportunities.On top of all of this, Kyle is just one of the featured experts within the Patients Getting Paid Community, with an upcoming *LIVE* training workshop inside the membership. Visit PatientsGettingPaid.com for more information about how you can join.In this episode:Kyle's professional background and why writing is such a great opportunity for people looking for flexible, remote workEverybody gets "No"s - so don't lose hope as you build your writing résumé!Writing for publications can lead to other opportunities - what these can be and how to get themWhat syndication is, what editors are looking for, and the importance of following up in order to build relationships with themDetails about Kyle's writing course and the live workshop he is running inside the Patients Getting Paid communityFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/how-to-earn-money-from-writing

Medical researchers have FINALLY realized something that we in the chronic illness space have known for a while - that the true experts are not necessarily those who have studied a condition but are in fact those of us who live with a condition 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Due to this realization, researchers now want to include our voices (as well as those of our family caregivers) in their studies. And we are getting paid for our time and input. Because it can be difficult to connect with patients and caregivers, there are organizations that exist to join the dots. One of these is Rare Patient Voice (RPV), and my guest today is Mel Havert, the Patient Outreach Manager for RPV. Mel's role is based around connecting with patients and caregivers, and inviting them to the RPV panel so that they can assist with research opportunities and make their voices heard.Listen in to find out how you can be involved, improve medical research, and get paid for your time and experience!In this episode:What is Rare Patient Voice and what does it do?How patients can join and how the RPV process worksThe key question - how much patients can be paid?!What RPV does (and doesn't do) with your personal data How patients can sign up to RPV via the PGP affiliate linkFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/paid-research-patient-experience

As you build your chronicpreneur business, appearing on social media is one marketing channel that you're going to want to use. How else are you going to get your name out there without throwing money at advertising?Of all the social media channels that are out there, I doubt that LinkedIn was the first to spring to mind. But my guest today should spark your interest, not least because of this stat from her website:One post on LinkedIn is the equivalent of three posts, two reels, and appearing in your stories daily on InstagramRead that again!Megan MacNeill describes herself as a gin snob, beach bum, and book clubber. She works as a Personal Brand Strategist and LinkedIn is her magic power.Listen in to find out more about Megan and how you can leverage LinkedIn to build your personal brand. Megan also has an exclusive offer for PGP listeners for her Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn course.In this episode:What is a personal brand?Megan's work experience and how she became a Personal Brand StrategistWhy Megan thinks that LinkedIn is integral to building a personal brand"Likes don't pay the bills" so be wary of "vanity metrics" - build engagement on LinkedIn the same as you would at a real networking eventHow to get a discount on Megan's Online LinkedIn courseFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/blog/branding-linkedin-megan-macneil/

Kerstin Ramstrom worked on Wall Street and in finance for more than 20 years before brain fog and fatigue started to impact her ability to work. After receiving a diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, she quit the high-pressure job that was making her sick. Kerstin is now a chronicpreneur, holistic health coach, podcaster, and career advisor committed to helping people to improve their health.As you'll hear, Kerstin didn't go looking for a chronicpreneur career. But it did come to her because of the connections she had made through networking. You have to get out there and tell your contacts what you're looking for in order to be open to receiving these opportunities!In this episode:Kerstin's experience of working on Wall StreetHer healing journey through diet and lifestyle change following her diagnosis When she realized that she didn't want to return to working in finance, and what she does nowWhy Kerstin started a podcast and how she monetizes other aspects of her businessKerstin's experiences with health insurance providers, how she stays organized, and her advice for budding chronicpreneursFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/podcast/finance-medical-medium-kerstin-ramstrom

This mother and daughter duo were both career Army Officers until they were medically retired - Jean following a Traumatic Brain Injury, Lita with Early Onset Dementia. This gutsy pair started podcasting four years ago and continue to this day. PodcastDX showcases weekly interviews with patients, providing experience-based medical insight in a peer-to-peer format.Their podcast is a labor of love and they don't draw income from it at this time, aside from a few affiliate links. They feel that it gives them both a purpose and a reason to get up every day.About the same time they started the podcast, Lita and Jean began writing their book, "Lita & Jean: Memoirs of Two Generations of Military Women."As you’ll hear, Lita and Jean see themselves as being in a privileged position, having been retired from the military. There is so much actionable wisdom in this conversation!In this episode:Lita & Jean’s careers in the military, prior to their diagnosesWhy they got into podcasting and, eventually, writingTheir tips for other writers and budding chronicpreneursLita’s experience of being part of the PGP communityFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/podcast/lita-jean-marie-podcasting-writing

Holly Bertone was busy climbing her career ladder when she was derailed by debilitating fatigue caused by breast cancer and autoimmune disease. She dealt with this by turning her hobby blog into a thriving healthy lifestyle community for other chronics.After writing her Amazon.com bestseller, Thriving in the Workplace with Autoimmune Disease, she turned what she’d learned into a course for businesses - just as Covid hit and the world shut down. So she trusted in the universe, regrouped, and asked herself, what was her niche?Now, she helps women view their chronic illness as a gift and unwrap resilience using a proven method to build fortitude with gratitude. There are a lot of great nuggets in this conversation - not least, that your chronicpreneur business can be flexible and adapt to deal with whatever is thrown at it!In this episode:Holly’s diagnosis story and what happened nextThe development of Pink FortitudeHolly asked herself, what was the gift of her illness? And how her belief that Gratitude Builds Fortitude led into her current businessHow she makes money through having a broad portfolio of revenue streamsHolly’s advice for chronicpreneurs - the riches are in the niches!Details of Holly’s Gratitude QuizFull notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/podcast/multiple-streams-income-holly-bertone

So far all the chronicpreneurs we’ve featured on the PGP podcast have been solopreneurs. But today we’re featuring two friends who have combined teaching Pilates with a thriving community into a business. Cassie and Chelsea met teaching Pilates before joining forces to form a chronic illness support group in Wichita Kansas. During the pandemic, they moved their group online (The Wellness Hub), and started a podcast - The Real Life Show: Living with a Chronic Illness. They continue to grow their community while building their Pilates teaching schedules.Of the two, Cassie is the chronic illness overachiever, while Chelsea has family links to the chronic illness community. But the fact that they don’t have a shared language of health experience is one of the things that really plays into how they work together. I loved spending time with these two friends - and if you do too, you should join the Patients Getting Paid Community, because they’re both members!In this episode:Cassie’s diagnoses, how she met Chelsea, and why they decided to work togetherWhy their plans were upended by the pandemic but led to the formation of The Wellness Hub online communityThe importance of passive income to their businessProblems they have both faced with regards to health insurance through being self-employedTheir advice for other budding chronicpreneurs!Full notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/podcast/community-chronicpreneur-business

In a "former life", Kathy Chester was a corporate travel agent with a passion for being active, when she was hit by a double diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Against the advice of the time, her instinct was to keep moving!She became a certified trainer, and after working in other businesses, she now owns and operates her own studio, Disrupt Fitness. The COVID pandemic led her to look closely at her business. She has now found safer ways that she can work and has niched down to service the MS and Autoimmune communities in particular.As well as sharing her inspiring story, Kathy also relates her experiences within the Patients Getting Paid community.In this episode:Kathy's life and career before getting her double diagnosis The reasons why she decided to focus on lifestyle and exercise, against the prevailing medical wisdom of the time!Why she decided to change her fitness practice to focus on helping people with autoimmune conditions – and the reason Kathy decided to stop training in other venues and begin working with clients in her garageKathy's experiences of being a part of the Patients Getting Paid communityResources:Visit the Patients Getting Paid website to learn more about, and join, the PGP communityVisit Disrupt FitnessFollow Disrupt Fitness on Facebook and InstagramListen to the Move It Or Lose It podcastTools mentioned in this podcast include MindBody app, Google Suite, Calendly, Square, Venmo,  QuickBooks**Be sure to join us on the Patients Getting Paid Facebook and Instagram pages AND get on the PGP email list to stay updated on all things PGP!Special thanks to Steve Woodward at PodcastingEditor.com

My guest today, Kelley Tredwin, says that your chronicpreneur career does not have to be a straight line. And you don't have to stop changing. As if to prove the point, since this interview was recorded she has changed her business focus! After what she calls a "wake-up call" in 2013, Kelly left her Development and Marketing job in the health space. Due to seeing the benefits of Yoga in dealing with her chronic migraines, Kelley made this the center of her first chronicpreneur business. At the time of our conversation, she was working as a health coach. And now she has gone into business with her husband as a Wealth Advisor.In our chat Kelley shares a lot of relatable wisdom about mindset and shares some of her top tips for managing your health and everyday life while building your ideal job (or should that be jobs?!) By adding different skills at various points, her career has evolved naturally - it's not a straight-line path.In this episode:Why Kelley calls leaving her full-time job the best thing everHow she defines success - and why she views failure as just one more step on the pathKelley's journey to chronicpreneurismWhy she chooses to move outside her own pain narrative and practice "radical self-compassion" Full notes and resources at https://patientsgettingpaid.com/podcast/kelley-tredwin-switch-career-change

It can be an exciting time when you begin your chronicpreneur journey. But you can find yourself in trouble if you haven’t thought through the potential legal issues of owning a business.Joel Ankney is a lawyer who has been helping freelancers start and run businesses for over 25 years. AND - he's my attorney!Joel is also the author of Before You Leap, a great book that walks freelancers through some of the most important legal issues involved in starting and running a business. And he's here today to help us think through what legal needs we may have when starting a chronicpreneur business, answering some of the questions which I've seen in the PGP community.Not only that, he's also giving away a limited number of audiobook copies of "Before You Leap" to listeners of the Patients Getting Paid podcast. Just email joel@jalawoffice.com, mentioning Patients Getting Paid, to request a download code.In this episode:Joel's definition of the gig economy Why I decided to get a lawyer for my patient advocacy work in the first placeDo chronicpreneurs need an LLC or a corporation?  The difference between being an employee and a contractor - what Joel calls the principle of worker clarificationCommonly overlooked legal issues when running a freelance, consulting, or service business - including how to set up contracts that make sure you get paid!How much does all of this cost?The bare minimum you need to be thinking about getting right from the start - and how much would it cost to hire an attorney to sort this all out?Resources:Visit the Patients Getting Paid website to learn more about, and join, the PGP communityBuy Joel's book, Before You Leap: What a Lawyer Wants You to Know About Starting a Gig Economy Business *affiliate link*Email joel@jalawoffice.com to request a code for a free audiobook copy of Before You LeapVisit Ankney Law  Connect with Joel on LinkedIn, and check out his YouTube channel**Be sure to join us on the Patients Getting Paid Facebook and Instagram pages AND get on the PGP email list to stay updated on all things PGP!Special thanks to Steve Woodward at PodcastingEditor.com