Natural Medicine Week 2023 was another great year with 55 events hosted, 82,590 visiting the www.naturalmedicineweek.com.au website; 190,227 people engaging across our ATMS channels with likes, comments, clicks and shares; 2.6 million consumers reached via social media and a total estimated reach of 4.1 million.

We recently had the chance to speak to two Natural Medicine Week Ambassadors about their experiences being involved, to find out what they’ve learned and how its benefitted them and the industry.

Meet Danielle Elliott, a naturopath, herbalist, and homeopath with a special interest in digestive complaints and Alice Bullivant, a kinesiologist, mind body medicine therapist and integrative complementary therapist, two of our Ambassadors since 2021 each passionate about their therapies and sharing their knowledge.

1. How did you first become involved in Natural Medicine Week, and what inspired you to become an Ambassador?

Danielle: I hosted my first event in 2019. It was a big learning experience for me, but I loved it. When the pandemic hit, it really gave me opportunities to continue to reach new clientele. I was approached by ATMS to be an Ambassador for the first time in 2021 and immediately I was excited about the prospect of helping to build awareness about the massive difference naturopathy can make in people’s lives.

Alice: After hearing from colleagues about Natural Medicine Week, I thought I’d give it a go and try something new by hosting my first online webinar (well first week of webinars). I learned so much in that first year about time management and overcommitting myself, but also how rewarding it was. I was honoured to be invited to be an Ambassador, as my therapy, kinesiology, is not well known or understood, and being an Ambassador is such a great opportunity to share the gift of kinesiology with our community.

2. How has your involvement with Natural Medicine Week benefited you and your business?

Danielle: I think you learn to step up and be more visible, to not ‘play it small’. It made me get over my fear of being visible and in the last three years I have been sharing so much more of what I do and what I can help people achieve. Being able to help each other promote what we do and feel supported is a great part of the Natural Medicine Week experience and I get excited each year. Every time I am involved it helps to grow my following and my email list too, by having another angle or reason to create and share content on my social media accounts.

Alice: Being an Ambassador has benefited me with admin tasks, like time management and deadlines, and in marketing tasks like promoting my events, and being on camera to talk to an audience. It helps my business on many levels – it gives me both a reason and a deadline to get in front of the camera and be the face of my business, which can be a challenge to make a priority as a small business owner.

3. Can you share some highlights or memorable moments from Natural Medicine Week?

Danielle: The most exciting thing for me, is the feeling I get after presenting my masterclasses for Natural Medicine Week, it leaves me so inspired and grateful to be doing the work I do. Attendees’ reactions at the end are always heartwarming. Sharing our knowledge with people who are interested and willing to hear about ‘another way’ is always exciting.

Alice: My favourite year was last year, where I talked about a familiar but unknown topic, cycle syncing, or how to flow with the natural rhythms of your body. It was also my most popular webinar to date, and my most well-developed plan that aligned well with where I wanted to take my business.

4. Is there anything that you’ve learned from the experience?

Danielle: To not shy away from opportunity and putting yourself out there. It has got me over my fear of sharing what I do in clinic, for fear of what others might think or that I might ‘say the wrong thing’ or something ‘I’m not allowed to’.  I realise people need to hear what we have to say and to be able to share exactly how we can help people out there that are searching for answers to their health concerns.

Alice: I learned to not over-commit! I’ve learned how important being the face of your business is, and to talk all things natural therapies and to share the gift of what we do. This experience brings back many elements of my training in the corporate world in terms of project delivery and being reminded how a lot of my skills are transferrable to small business.

5. What is their advice to other practitioners on getting involved with Natural Medicine Week?

Do not hesitate to say yes, just do it! You will grow in so many ways and be able to be involved in so much positive change for our industry.

“I believe that a growing awareness of what we do has led people to seek us out first, not as a last resort, which is really refreshing and is an incredible shift when you think about it. But we still have more work to do.” – Danielle Elliott

“This opportunity is so beneficial to you if you are starting out your journey, to get your name out there and establish some credibility for your business brand.  If you, like me, are more established, it helps you re-affirm your authority in your field, make strategic decisions, keep talking to people about your business and your modality, and create new opportunities, year-on-year.”- Alice Bullivant.