The Business of Public Health: From 9-5 to Entrepreneurship

03/20/25 • 40 min

🎙 Welcome to The Dr. Des Show! This is the first episode in our four-part series leading up to the Business of Public Health Summit on April 11, 2025, in Atlanta, GA! If you haven’t grabbed your ticket yet, what are you waiting for?! 🎟
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Dr. Brittny James, also known as Doc B, the Chief Operating Officer of Healthcare & Emergency Solutions and CEO of Project Chick Planner. We’re diving into our journeys in public health, career pivots, and the moment we realized that public health entrepreneurship was the way to go.
🚀 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How our careers started in the Department of Health and what made us leave
The aha moment that showed us public health consulting was the real bag 💰
Why public health programs don’t teach entrepreneurship (but should!)
How Dr. James built multiple successful businesses (while managing a team of 100+ people)
The importance of branding yourself as a business and making money in public health
💡 Key Takeaways:
You are the business. If you have skills, you can market them and get contracts.
There is money in public health. We were out here signing contracts for consultants making our yearly salary in six months! 😳
Imposter syndrome is real, but so is your expertise. Stop doubting yourself and go after those opportunities.
Networking and mentorship matter. The right connection can change your career.
🎧 Tune in and get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about public health careers!
💬 Join the Conversation:
Are you ready to make moves in public health? Join The Public Health Club for mentorship, career tips, and consulting opportunities!
🎟 Get Your Ticket to the Business of Public Health Summit!
📍 Atlanta, GA | April 11, 2025 | Limited Spots Available
👉 Subscribe & Leave a Review! If this episode resonated with you, show us some love by rating and reviewing the podcast! It helps more public health professionals find this space.
Access All 4 Episodes: https://www.publichealthclub.com/bphsinsidersignup
Secure Your Ticket To The Summit: https://www.publichealthclub.com/business-of-public-health-summit
🔥 Let’s build the business of public health—together!

https://www.drdesshow.com/
https://www.publichealthclub.com/

https://www.drdesshow.com/
https://www.publichealthclub.com/

Previous Episode

How to Turn Your Million Ideas into Actionable Success

In this episode, Dr. Des dives deep into Shiny Object Syndrome—that overwhelming feeling of having a million business ideas but struggling to execute them effectively. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get distracted by new opportunities, but without proper strategies, this can lead to burnout and lack of progress. Dr. Des shares personal experiences, practical strategies, and an actionable game plan to help you stay focused while still nurturing your creative business ideas.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

🔹 What is Shiny Object Syndrome?

Understanding why entrepreneurs often feel pulled in multiple directions.
How constantly jumping from one idea to the next can prevent real success.

🔹 Dr. Des' Personal Struggles with Shiny Object Syndrome

Juggling consulting, coaching, and content creation while maintaining balance.
Learning to say no and prioritizing what aligns with core business values.

🔹 Strategies to Organize and Execute Your Ideas

Brain Dumping & Prioritization: Writing down ideas and evaluating them later.
Aligning with Core Values: If an idea doesn’t fit your mission, it’s not the right time.
The Power of “Not Right Now”: Placing ideas in a queue instead of abandoning them.
Batching Content & Work Tasks: How dedicating set days for different tasks increases productivity.
Blocking Distractions: Avoiding random projects that don’t align with long-term goals.

🔹 Why Saying “No” Can Be a Form of Self-Care

Declining one-on-one coaching sessions to preserve energy and time.
Shifting from one-on-one services to scalable group coaching models.
Recognizing that saying no to distractions means saying yes to family, rest, and self-care.

🔹 Time Management Hacks for Entrepreneurs

Theme Your Days: Keeping all meetings on one day to free up time for deep work.
AI & Automation: Tools like ChatGPT, scheduling platforms, and AI note-takers.
Scheduling & Pre-planning Social Media Content: Staying visible without being glued to social media.

🔹 Making Money Without Trading Time for It

Moving from trading hours for dollars to passive income through courses & memberships.
How Dr. Des structured her Subcontracting to 6 Figures course to be hands-off while still providing value.
Why launching a digital product or membership model can free up time while increasing impact.

Action Plan: How to Turn Your Million Ideas into Actionable Success

✅ Step 1: Write It Down – Keep a notepad or digital document to store all your new business ideas.

✅ Step 2: Prioritize Your Ideas – Align each idea with your business mission & long-term goals before acting on it.

✅ Step 3: Set Clear Business Goals – Use SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to determine if an idea is worth pursuing.

✅ Step 4: Structure Your Time – Use batching, scheduling, and automation to stay productive without feeling overwhelmed.

✅ Step 5: Learn to Say No – If an opportunity takes time away from your priorities, it’s okay to decline it.

✅ Step 6: Focus on Scalable Income – Shift from one-on-one services to group programs, courses, and digital products to maximize impact while working less.

🙌 Share this episode with a friend who needs help prioritizing their business ideas!

https://www.drdesshow.com/
https://www.publichealthclub.com/

Next Episode

Mastering Time, Money, and Growth as a Public Health Entrepreneur

Welcome back to The Dr. Des Show! We’re diving into Episode 2 of our special four-part Business of Public Health Summit Insider series with Dr. Brittny James! 🎙️
In this episode, we’re getting real about starting, building, and sustaining a business in public health. Dr. Brittny James shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, how she manages her time and finances, and why having a plan (not just a business plan) is everything when scaling a business.
We also talk about:
✅ The mindset shift from 9-5 to full-time entrepreneur
✅ Why time management and systems are crucial
✅ The biggest mistakes new entrepreneurs make
✅ The importance of networking & getting in the room
✅ Balancing business with life, relationships, and mental health
🔥 PLUS – We’re dropping gems about what to expect at The Business of Public Health Summit on April 11th (tickets are moving fast – grab yours now!).
Why You Should Listen:
💡 Real Talk – No fluff! We’re giving you the unfiltered truth about entrepreneurship in public health.
📌 Actionable Advice – Not just theory. We break down what it really takes to succeed.
🗣 Exclusive Insider Access – Get insights from successful public health entrepreneurs.
🎟 Summit Sneak Peek – Learn how to make the most out of the event, including who to connect with and what questions to ask.
👉 Want to binge all four episodes? Click the link below and we'll give you early access 😉 https://www.publichealthclub.com/bphsinsidersignup
Connect with Us:
📌 Follow Dr. Des:https://www.instagram.com/desireecourtneyj/?hl=en
📌 Follow Dr. Brittny James: https://www.instagram.com/imbrittjamesbih/?hl=en
🎟 Grab Your Ticket to the Business of Public Health Summit! →https://www.publichealthclub.com/business-of-public-health-summit
🚀 Ready to take your consulting or public health business to the next level?
Tune in now!