A Pediatrician Becomes an Independent Businesswoman

Katrina Ubell is a doctor turned independent businesswoman who has taken on new challenges in her professional life. But, despite her impressive resume, Dr. Ubell is also a very ‘real’ and down to earth person whose success lies in her ability to connect with people on a personal level.
As early as her college years, it is apparent that Katrina didn’t shy away from challenges. As an undergraduate engineering major already taking an intense course load, she had an experience working in orthopedics research and decided to become a doctor. After taking the required pre-med courses, she was accepted to medical school with the plan of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. But during her clinical rotations, pediatrics was the specialty that felt most right to her.

She worked as a pediatrician for ten years, enjoying the interaction with children and parents. And while she loved her work as a physician, after ten years she started to feel that she wanted to achieve something different professionally.
During a relatively stressful time of home renovation, she casually decided to use the professional services of a friend who was training as a life coach. Dr. Ubell says that the coaching was transformative. She decided to train as a life coach so that she could integrate the skills into her pediatrics practice. She looked into training as a life coach, but, as a busy mom and physician, she didn’t have the time.
And then systematic issues at work became more bothersome. She thought about finding another practice set up. And then she decided that she would continue working as a pediatrician for ten years and then become a life coach. Within a fairly short amount of time, she decided not to wait ten years to become a life coach, and to do it sooner. She gave her job a generous 6 months notice, and then she left to start on the next chapter in her professional life.

Dr. Ubell began her life coach training. Coursework included life coaching skills as well as business coaching, and she says that the tuition was definitely cost effective. She still remains in touch with her graduating class, and they bounce ideas off each other in an online forum.
As a life coach, Dr. Ubell is an independent businesswoman. She describes her coaching as algorithmic and logical- although she explains that not all life coaches approach it that way. Her work is challenging in a number of ways. She explains that she went from the highly regulated field of medicine to a significantly less regulated field. Women physicians are her niche client group, but she has other clients as well. She runs her own business and takes care of online marketing and PR. Her business set up includes an introductory call with potential clients, followed by a sales call describing services and payment, and then a coaching schedule. Overall, she knows the value that she provides to her clients and she has been gratified because her clients recognize her value as a coach, which has led to a growth of her business through word of mouth.
Dr. Ubell discusses her personal experience with coaching here.
You can contact Dr. Katrina Ubell on her website katrinaubellmd.com