Meet Ila Foster of Graceful Hands Chiropractic & Wellness Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ila Foster.

Hi Ila, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I am originally from Marks, MS, and moved to Nashville on January 1, 2006. Growing up in a small town (so everyone can understand how small: we had two red lights and now none, ha-ha) was priceless, and I would not change a thing. My parents were educators, and learning has always been exciting and fun, but I knew I did not want to follow in their footsteps. After graduating high school, I attended Alcorn State University in Lorman, MS, and majored in Biology/Pre-Med. I planned to become either a Psychiatrist or an Anesthesiologist. During my Junior year, I was chosen to participate in a summer program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where you shadow your intended specialty while preparing for the MCAT. I am so thankful for being a part of that program because it helped me realize I did not want to follow that career path, but on the other hand, I was nervous because I had no clue about what I wanted to do. Once the program ended and a few weeks before returning to Alcorn for my Senior year, I awakened with severe back pain. I decided to see a Chiropractor, and my Life changed. The doctor diagnosed me with scoliosis, and after a few adjustments, the pain was gone and has not returned in 24 years due to maintenance treatment through chiropractic care. I asked the doctor if I could shadow him for the remainder of my summer, and after those two weeks, I knew I wanted to be a Chiropractor.

I graduated from Alcorn and received my Doctorate of Chiropractic from Life University in Marietta, GA. I then moved to the Washington, DC area (after visiting the area with my parents when I was younger, I told them I would live there one day) and worked as an associate doctor with Dr. Steven Wander. I was fortunate to work in an office where I learned a lot on the clinical and business sides. After a few years, I decided to step out and become an entrepreneur. I had a friend/classmate from Life who was considering opening her practice around the same time, and we decided to form a partnership and open a practice in Nashville, TN. We opened Back to Life Chiropractic in February 2006 and stayed in business together until May 2012. During this time, I did not do a great job managing my work-life balance so I burned out. I took a three-year hiatus from full-time practice and started a personal chef business (I love to cook) and a Chiropractic office coverage business so I would not lose my clinical and adjusting skills while having the freedom to do whatever my heart desired. One day in 2014, the light inside flipped back on, and I knew I was ready for full-time practice again. In February 2015, I opened Graceful Hands Chiropractic & Wellness Center and have been going strong ever since.  The main goal of our team is to help patients achieve their optimal level of health through chiropractic care while educating them on the importance of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. We have a massage therapist in the office and offer supplements to help with the body’s overall functioning.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been smooth, with some minor bumps and a few potholes. The biggest struggle early on was realizing you do not know how to operate a business until you are in its midst. It looks easy from the outside, but once you step inside, you see all the moving pieces behind the scenes needed to make it work successfully. I quickly learned professional school teaches you how to be a doctor, attorney, etc., but the one class on business teaches you nothing in reality. I did learn some business operating tools while being an employee for Dr. Wander, but it was not until Dr. Frails and I opened Back to Life Chiropractic that I realized we were in the midst of the ocean and had to learn to swim fast or drown.  We hired a business coach, and with their help, we were able to learn how to run a business properly.

Another struggle for me is I am an introvert, so networking is extremely hard for me. If you start the conversation with me, I am all in, but if I have to walk up to a stranger and start the conversation, there is a 75% chance it will not happen. While in the partnership, Dr. Frails handled most of it because she was good at it, but once I opened my solo practice, I had no choice but to do it. I am better, but it is still a struggle.

As you know, we’re big fans of Graceful Hands Chiropractic & Wellness Center. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Graceful Hands Chiropractic & Wellness Center is a practice that focuses on each patient as an individual. We tailor treatment to fit that specific patient and educate them on daily habits to help maximize their overall health. Our patients receive a thorough examination, x-rays from a radiological center so multiple eyes can review them, a review of the x-rays so they can understand what is happening structurally in their bodies, and a treatment plan for their specific problems or general wellness. Treatments include chiropractic adjustments, in-office therapies, massage therapy, supplements, at-home exercises/stretches, and more. What sets us apart is that our patients know we genuinely care about them and want the best for them in all areas of their lives. We make it a point to get to know our patients and treat them like family. We are proud to know our patients feel heard and not like a number.

To wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Once I became an entrepreneur, I loved it and wanted to have more businesses. In 2019, I opened a second business with my friend, Stacey Lanier, a Psychotherapist. The Atelier is a private office co-working space for Psychotherapists, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, Life Coaches, and other Wellness Professionals. The two of us had been in private practice for years and knew the needs of solo practitioners just starting to ones in practice for years. We wanted to help them learn from our mistakes and decided to create a space for practitioners to independently own and operate their private practices through a no-hassle avenue by providing affordable, fully equipped, and beautifully furnished spaces. Being a part of The Atelier community helps those practitioners with accountability and support, the loneliness of being a solo practitioner, gaining knowledge from being in a close community with other wellness entrepreneurs, and much more.

Pricing:

• In-Network with Most Major Health Insurances
• Self-Pay New Patient Exam = $100.00
• Self-Pay Chiropractic Adjustment = $50.00
• Self-Pay Re-Exam = $75.00

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: gracefulhandschiro.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracefulhandschiro/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracefulhandschiropractic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GracefulHandsCW
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/graceful-hands-chiropractic-and-wellness-center-nashville

Image Credits
Denise McCann Photography Frozen