Katrina Johnson has made a name for herself as a towering figure in the dynamic realm of sonography, with an illustrious career spanning 18 years. Her success as an ultrasound business owner and business coach is a testament to her unwavering commitment and diligence. The founder of Affordable Ultrasound Imaging companies in 2010, Katrina’s establishments provide cost-effective diagnostic and elective ultrasound services.
Known as “The Ultrasound C.E.O” among her peers, Katrina’s 14 years of entrepreneurial wisdom make her the ultimate mentor and coach. She empowers fellow sonographers to carve their paths to success by expanding her brand through dedicated business workshops and personalized one-on-one ultrasound business coaching on social media platforms.
Today, we have the privilege of interviewing Katrina Johnson, where she will share her journey, insights, and impactful strategies she employs to guide aspiring entrepreneurs in the field of sonography.
- Your passion for sonography has evolved over the years. Can you share your inspiration to delve into this field and how it has changed over time?
My passion for sonography has deepened over the years as I recognized a crucial gap while working with patients in hospitals and clinics. In my role as an employee, and years before my entrepreneurship, I discovered that some individuals couldn’t afford essential imaging tests, depriving them of proper care. This realization fueled my desire to become a business owner and establish a space to offer ultrasound imaging for the uninsured and underinsured. Affordable Ultrasound Imaging was born. My motivation was to make a positive impact and introduce flexibility into my career while generating revenue.
Observing the growth of similar ultrasound service providers in various cities has been gratifying. It is heartening to witness the increasing accessibility of ultrasound services, ensuring that those in genuine need can avail themselves of these vital resources.
2. What challenges did you face during the inception of Affordable Ultrasound Imaging in 2010, and how did you overcome them to create a successful venture?
During the inception of Affordable Ultrasound, I faced initial challenges due to a lack of mentors and limited presence of ultrasound businesses for guidance. To overcome this, I relentlessly made cold calls and reached out to various cities where similar services might be offered. Despite numerous rejections, perseverance paid off with a crucial yes from an individual who provided valuable guidance. While much of my business development relied on exhaustive independent research, I encountered setbacks, made mistakes, and learned from them, contributing to continual improvement. With the evolution of technology and increased online accessibility, I expanded my knowledge by networking and seeking mentorship from physicians, radiologists, and successful business owners. Experiencing both losses and wins, a valuable lesson I’ve embraced is that if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. This insight has driven me to continually seek knowledge and wisdom, shaping my ongoing journey and development in the business.
3. Being recognized as “The Ultrasound C.E.O” is impressive. Can you share the principles and strategies that have contributed to your continuous brand expansion, and how do you maintain your position as a leader in the industry?
Thank you! Three words encapsulate my core contributions to the success of my brand and business: Faith, Fearlessness, and Creativity. Building my business started with a vision, and transforming that vision into a plan required activating my faith. My belief in God and self-determination propelled me forward, elevating my ideas to a new level.
Confronting fear was a significant challenge, particularly as I navigated being an African-American woman in an industry with limited representation. Overcoming this fear was essential to pursuing my purposeful business and breaking barriers in the field.
Creativity played a pivotal role in propelling my business to the next level. Innovating and creating new ultrasound service options for patients allowed me to grow and attract not only clients in need but also those seeking elective ultrasound services. This commitment to faith, fearlessness, and creativity has been instrumental in maintaining my position as a leader in the industry.
4. As a business coach and mentor, can you highlight a success story from your coaching initiatives that stands out to you, demonstrating the impact of your guidance?
This is the aspect I cherish the most. With over 16 years of experience as a business coaching mentor, my mentorship journey wasn’t solely client-based. I often assisted individuals by providing guidance, advice, and answering questions through blogs and online advice columns. This resulted in hundreds of emails from people seeking insights on starting an ultrasound business or learning about the field. While I may not have tracked the progress of each person I’ve helped, it’s immensely rewarding to know that my guidance has contributed to the creation of more services like mine.
One particularly memorable success story stems from mentoring a fellow sonographer and dear colleague, Leticia Gonzalez. Under my guidance, she launched her ultrasound business and secured her first clients within an impressive 30 days! Witnessing such rapid success in client acquisition through my assistance with branding was truly remarkable. Unfortunately, Leticia lost her life during the pandemic, but her passion for her business remains dearest in my memory as a testament to the impact of effective business coaching.
5. Your workshops serve as a roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs. What specific aspects of entrepreneurship do you emphasize, and how do you tailor your guidance to address the unique challenges faced by sonographers entering the business world?
Over the course of my ultrasound career, I have worked in various clinical settings and have diverse experiences in several areas that have equipped me with insights into different options within the ultrasound service business. My workshops offer unique and creative approaches to deliver a great service. Whether through a mobile ultrasound service, ultrasound imaging facility, or specialized services tailored for expecting women, including elective ultrasounds and gender reveals. These are just a few examples of what my coaching workshops have to offer and what excites me most is the opportunity to introduce a wide array of possibilities. Clients not only gain insights from a business plan but also benefit from my firsthand clinical experience and hands-on training. Having navigated the challenges and pitfalls of different ultrasound businesses, I’ve done the groundwork, allowing clients to focus on guidance, brand building, and education throughout the process.
I am enthusiastic about assisting others with building businesses similar to mine. By providing a roadmap, I aim to empower them to create a rewarding and profitable business and brand.
6. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have transformed the way you connect with and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs. How has the use of these platforms affected your coaching, and what advantages do you see in utilizing social media for business coaching?
Social media has proven to be an invaluable tool for sharing my gifts, skills, and providing an open book for creativity and business insights. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to not only showcase the coaching services I offer but also to mentor, guide, and inspire fellow sonographers and individuals in the medical field, encouraging them to pursue their passions to the highest level.
The ability to receive messages from individuals hundreds of miles away who are interested in building their own ultrasound business is truly fulfilling. These platforms facilitate not only learning from one another but also collaboration. I am excited about the prospect of expanding and growing on these platforms, connecting with individuals from all corners of the globe. The advantage of utilizing social media for business coaching lies in its power to create a global community and foster collaboration among like-minded individuals.
7. Your ultimate goal is to help sonographers build rewarding ultrasound businesses. Can you share a defining moment in your career that fueled your determination to guide others on this path, and how has this mission shaped your approach to coaching and mentoring? What specific steps have you taken to achieve this goal?
I love this question because it resonates with me as I recall a defining moment in my career, much like it was yesterday. It began when I responded to a question about building an ultrasound business on a well-known maternity birthing website’s community chat in the early 2000s. These types of conversations were just not public at the time. By answering that single question and providing my contact information, I received hundreds of emails over the course of my career.
The pivotal moment for me was recognizing the impact I made by dedicating my time and efforts to answer these inquiries without expecting anything in return. This passion led me to realize the potential of providing one-on-one coaching services and tailored workshops, helping individuals develop thriving ultrasound businesses in various cities. The mission became clear: to assist my ultrasound business mentees in becoming the best version of themselves within the business by fostering financial success.
To achieve this goal, I’ve taken strategic steps to create workshops that serve as the ultimate blueprint, guiding individuals in establishing successful ultrasound businesses. The mission shapes my approach to coaching, emphasizing personalized guidance and practical strategies to empower aspiring sonographers on their entrepreneurial journey.
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