by Lawrence Lau, L.Ac.
“What opportunities will be out there for me after I graduate?” This is a question most students ask at one point or another during the course of their studies. With the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) / acupuncture profession growing in public acceptance as well as professional recognition, opportunities exist for licensed TCM practitioners in many areas outside the conventional clinical practice setting. At Yo San University, we are very proud of how many of our alumni have successfully carved a niche for themselves in the rapidly advancing TCM profession. We are sharing some of their success stories with all students and practitioners in TCM with the hope that they may be a source of inspiration for your own career development and success.
In this inaugural article, we feature excerpts from a recent interview with two YSU alumni, Nini Mai, L.Ac. (Class of 2009) and Jonah Ewell, L.Ac. (Class of 2009). Together, Nini and Jonah established a successful TCM herbal dispensary company, Fat Turtle Herbs, based in Culver City, California.
“In the course of our studies at Yo San, we came to realize the need for a full service TCM herbal pharmacy that not only offers custom fulfillment of herbal formulas, but also provides educational support to both the acupuncture profession and the public in general” said Nini. “We were inspired by the awesome herb instructors we had at Yo San, and the supportive environment at school really made a difference; we felt encouraged and were optimistic we would make it,” added Jonah. Over the last two years, their company has grown from a part-time student-intern venture into a full-fledged successful business with four employees and orders coming in from Hawaii to Florida. In addition to the herbal company, Nini also maintains a thriving private acupuncture practice in the west Los Angeles area.
To fulfill their mission of educational support to the profession, Fat Turtle Herbs made a donation to the Yo San University Alumni Scholarship fund in 2009, “as a token of appreciation for the education we received at Yo San, as well as to encourage other Yo San students to strive for success after graduation.”
What advice do Nini and Jonah have for other students or junior practitioners on how to be successful? “The key is to be confident at what you do and don’t stop learning” Jonah offered. “Develop an ‘entrepreneurial hustle’ – you’ve got to get out there, identify opportunities and put in time and energy to make things happen”. “Good basic business acumen definitely helps,” added Nini, flashing a wide grin.
To learn more about their herbal company, visit them online at:
www.fatturtleherbs.com
