Connect
To Top

Meet Heidi McHardy of Tempe Community Acupuncture in Tempe

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi McHardy.

Heidi, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I actually was contemplating a career change shortly after I started doing acupuncture. I was constantly hearing from people “it is helping a lot but I just can’t afford it.” I was struggling to find a way to cover my business expenses while still providing prices that allowed people to come in as often as needed for optimal benefits. A friend of mine introduced me the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture and the Community Acupuncture business model.

I was immediately excited, a business model that allowed for prices people could afford while still being feasible towards covering the overhead of running a business! Plus, I loved the idea of my patients in a community room, healing together! At the time there was only one community clinic in the entire Valley so I flew to several different states to visit the clinics there, talk to clinic owners, and absorb as much information as I could. 4 years ago I opened the doors to Tempe Community Acupuncture and now could not imagine ever doing anything else!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The clinic has been well received by the community. We hear often how grateful they are to have an alternative that is affordable. I don’t think opening a business is ever a “smooth road”. As a first-time business owner, I kind of had to learn as I went along.

Fortunately, I did have the support of several amazing mentors in P.O.C.A. The first two years were very long hours with very little income. That could be stressful at times. But for the most part, it has all been so exciting to me that the struggles have become part of the adventure. I love watching my little clinic grow and change. I have loved the community of regulars we have, and watching their progress and learning about their lives.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Tempe Community Acupuncture story. Tell us more about the business.
Tempe Community Acupuncture provides affordable quality acupuncture in a group setting. We run on a sliding scale of $17-$35 and we let our patients decide how much they want to pay on the sliding scale. We are the first fully community style clinic in Tempe and we are 100% family owned. We treat pain, stress, headaches, fertility, PMS, sciatica, anxiety, morning sickness and much more!

We are extremely proud to be able to offer prices that allow patients to receive treatment more often leading to potential for faster results. We are also very proud to be a part of the community. It is important to us to participate in our community in a meaningful way outside of the clinic. For example, we send monthly gift certificates to teachers, policemen, first responders etc. to come get a treatment on us for their service in the community. We have done several fundraisers for local animal rescues. We love to participate in local events that involve community service such as food drives.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I was lucky enough to have a huge support system, my family. They cheered me on when I decided to go back to school at 30. They cheered me on when I decided to open up this clinic. They helped me where they could with things like painting, decorating, spreading the word. And they have continued to cheer me on year after year. I think luck plays a small role in any new business venture. But I do think hard work, perseverance and most importantly love for what you do play a much larger role.

Pricing:

  • First Treatment with initial consultation $25
  • Sliding scale follow up treatment with consultation $17-$30

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in