Nursepreneurs trained to follow the rules (it's f*cking w/ business)

Nurse practitioners are trained to be rule-followers. From clinical practice guidelines to strict prescribing regulations, we’re conditioned to work within a rigid system designed to keep us (and our patients) safe. And while that structure is crucial in a traditional NP job, it’s the very thing that’s f*cking up your business success.

If you’re a nursepreneur—someone ready to break free from the 9-5 grind and build a thriving, profitable business—you need to let go of the mindset that’s keeping you playing small. Because in business, being “compliant” doesn’t make you successful. It keeps you stuck.

Let’s talk about why these ingrained rules are holding you back and what you need to do instead to create the income and impact you actually want.

How the "Good NP" Mindset is Killing Your Business Growth

We’re taught from day one to follow the hierarchy of healthcare. We listen to our preceptors, follow the protocols, and avoid stepping outside of what’s considered “appropriate” practice. And that works when you’re working in a clinic or hospital. But in business? That mindset will keep you broke.

Here’s how this mindset is screwing you over:

✅ You’re waiting for permission – In healthcare, you need orders, approvals, and sign-offs before you can act. In business, no one is going to give you permission to be successful. You have to take it.

✅ You’re afraid to break the mold – The most successful entrepreneurs don’t follow the traditional path. They innovate, they take risks, and they do sh*t differently. If you’re playing by the “rules,” you’re blending in instead of standing out.

✅ You’re overanalyzing every decision – In healthcare, hesitation can be life or death. In business, hesitation is the death of opportunity. If you’re stuck in analysis paralysis, you’re losing time, money, and impact.

✅ You’re scared of making the wrong move – As an NP, mistakes have serious consequences. In business, mistakes are how you grow. If you’re avoiding risks, you’re avoiding success.

The “Non-Compliant” Mindset That Will Scale Your Business

If you want to scale your nursepreneur business—whether it’s coaching, consulting, aesthetics, or another venture—you need to rewire your mindset. You need to become non-compliant in business.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Stop Asking for Permission

You don’t need a board of directors or a hospital admin to tell you it's okay to go after your dreams. You already have the education, the experience, and the passion to succeed. The only person who needs to approve your success is YOU.

💡 ACTION STEP: Instead of overthinking, take action. Launch that program, raise your prices, or pitch your services today—without waiting for someone to tell you it’s the “right” time.

2. Get Comfortable Breaking the Rules

The best businesses disrupt the norm. If you’re trying to build a six- or seven-figure business while following the same path as every other NP, you’re going to get lost in the crowd. What makes you different? Lean into that.

💡 ACTION STEP: Identify one area of your business where you’re holding back because it’s “not the norm.” Now, go all in on it.

3. Trust Yourself More Than the Guidelines

In healthcare, we trust the research, the protocols, and the experts. But in business? You are the f*cking expert. If you don’t trust yourself, why would your clients or patients?

💡 ACTION STEP: Make a bold business decision this week based purely on your gut instinct. Stop second-guessing.

4. Take Risks That Make You Uncomfortable

Scaling your business means stepping outside your comfort zone. If it feels too safe, you’re not growing. If you’re not a little bit scared, you’re not pushing hard enough.

💡 ACTION STEP: Do something that scares the sh*t out of you this week. Go live on social media. Invest in coaching. Charge premium prices. Your future self will thank you.

5. Own the Life You Want—Unapologetically

You didn’t start your business to stay stuck in the same burned-out cycle. You started it to create freedom—financial, time, and personal. So why are you still playing small? It’s time to step up and claim the life you actually want.

💡 ACTION STEP: Write down your dream income and lifestyle goals. Now, ask yourself: What’s stopping you from making it happen? Then, eliminate that excuse.

Are You Ready to Break Free?

If you’re sick of following the rules that are keeping you mediocre…

If you’re done with playing small in a business that should be changing your life…

If you’re ready to actually make the impact (and income) you went into healthcare for…

Then it’s time to go all in.

🔥 Book a strategy session with me now. Let’s break the rules, rewrite your success story, and build the business (and life) you f*cking deserve.

Erica D the Nursepreneur Business Coach specializes in helping nursepreneurs scale their side hustle to create more impact (and income) than their full-time nurse practitioner job- without burning out!

Get into the "Non Compliant" Nursepreneur Membership: Where nursepreneurs scale their side hustle by becoming "non compliant" with the internal and external limiting beliefs that "keep us safe!"