Shangri La

Diversity ~Education ~Atmosphere

Business Plan
Lisa Nostdahl
 Business Plan

For the

Shangri La Wellness Clinic

Prepared for English 320

By Lisa Nostdahl

Distributed August 4, 2010

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Table of Contents
Table of Figures...............................................................................................................................................iii
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................................iv
The Business.....................................................................................................................................................1
Objectives.....................................................................................................................................................1
Diversity...................................................................................................................................................1
Education..................................................................................................................................................1
Atmosphere..............................................................................................................................................1
Methods.......................................................................................................................................................1
Implementing Quality and Diversity.........................................................................................................1
Educating Patients....................................................................................................................................2
Creating the Atmosphere.........................................................................................................................2
Services............................................................................................................................................................3
Physical Therapy...........................................................................................................................................3
Acupuncture Therapy...................................................................................................................................4
Dietetic Advising...........................................................................................................................................4
Utopian Foods..........................................................................................................................................4
The Facility.......................................................................................................................................................5
Competition.....................................................................................................................................................6
Implementation................................................................................................................................................7
Works Cited......................................................................................................................................................8
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Table of Figure

Figure 1: Interior Design...................................................................................................................................3

Figure 2: Interior Design...................................................................................................................................3
Figure 3: Facility Components..........................................................................................................................5
Figure 4: Local Competition..............................................................................................................................6
Figure 5: Tentative Timeline of Construction...................................................................................................7
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Executive Summary

Shangri La: Living Healthy the Natural Way

Shangri La is a wellness clinic designed to offer patients an alternative to contemporary medical treatments
while simultaneously implementing healthy life habits. The clinic focuses on three dimensions throughout
all its operations: diversity, education, and atmosphere. Through proper implementation of these elements
Shangri La can create a healing experience with both physical and emotional benefits.

The Current Treatment Options

Currently, people in need of medical treatment have limited options. In the U.S. society has put all its faith
in contemporary medicine and often times overlooks simple, un-invasive solutions to ailments. Alternative
medicine has been growing in popularity as of late, but a lack of understanding of basic wellness concepts
still exists among the general population. Shangri La wants to re-familiarize individuals with the natural
steps that can be taken to remedy certain conditions and prevent relapse.

Our Objectives
Shangri La focuses on three objectives: diversity, education, and atmosphere. Each of these is important in
upholding Shangri La’s promise of delivering quality alternative medicine.

 Diversity: Shangri La takes pride in its acceptance of the medical theories and practices developed
around the world. Although we require our own extensive research be conducted before adding
any new services to the clinic, we always welcome new ideas.
 Education: Shangri La hopes to teach patients to maintain their spiritual and physical well-being
long after their visit to the clinic.
 Atmosphere: At Shangri La we believe that the first step in the healing process is peace of mind.
Intended to relax and recharge, the ambiance of our facility is always calm and inviting.

Services and Methods

By offering physical and acupuncture therapy as well as dietetic advising, Shangri La will fulfill its promise of
delivering quality un-invasive medical treatment. In each of these areas Shangri La will require certain
standards to be met for continued operation. To ensure quality throughout Shangri La, the following
controls will be enforced:

 All practitioners will be required to have a four-year degree in their specialty.

 Employed practitioners must log a minimum amount of classroom learning to ensure that they are
staying current in their field.
 Any newly adopted methods must be presented by a team of researchers and approved by the
appointed Board of Alternative Medicine.
 Staff will be required to produce educational literature.

Societal Contribution
Shangri La will be providing people with not only remedies to their everyday maladies, but also a simple
means of coping with daily stress. We will create a facility that invites individuals to recharge their bodies
through relaxation and natural healing methods, while simultaneously educating them on how to practice
these methods independently. Shangri La will exist to meet the needs of those we serve.
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The Business

Vision: To promote wellness and healthy lifestyles through natural remedies and education.
Shangri La is a three-dimensional wellness clinic that focuses on diversity, education, and atmosphere.
We pride ourselves on the delivery of quality care through natural methods that have been practiced
around the world for centuries. Our acupuncture and physical therapists can relieve patients of the
common aches and pains that come with today’s active lifestyles. In addition to the therapeutic
services, we offer a wide variety of organic remedies in our in-house health food store, Utopian Foods,
where a full-time dietitian is on staff to answer any questions. All staff members are trained not only
to be expert practitioners, but also to be instructors of their trade. Through education, Shangri La
hopes to lead patients to healthier lifestyles.

Objectives
Diversity
Shangri La prides itself on providing patients with a diverse selection of medical practices.
Currently, our most developed branch of alternative medicine is in acupuncture therapy,
but as the business grows we hope to expand into other forms of non-contemporary
healing such as bee venom therapy, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine.

Education
Patient education is a critical attribute that will set Shangri La apart from its competitors.
Our goal is to not only remedy the maladies brought to us, but also inform individuals of
methods to avoid similar situations.

Atmosphere
Relaxation is an important element to incorporate when healing the human body. As such,
Shangri La hopes to create a soothing ambiance for its visitors through the use of soft
lighting, water fountains, and appealing fragrances. We hope to be referred to as a type of
sanctuary rather than a doctors’ office.

Methods
Implementing Quality and Diversity
To ensure that our patients are always given a variety of quality treatment options,
Shangri La will make certain that the following qualifications are met:
i. Before any new methods of treatment are introduced, at least 100 hours of
research must be conducted. Research findings must then be compiled in a report
that will then be distributed to all members of the Shangri La staff. Researchers
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and report authors must then present their material in a meeting with Shangri La
management. The management team will then determine whether or not to
adopt the method or, potentially, put the issue before the entire staff for a vote.
ii. All practitioners employed by Shangri La will be required to have a four-year
degree from a college or university that has been accredited by the U.S.
Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
iii. All employed practitioners will be required to log a minimum of 60 hours in
educational workshops per year to ensure that they are current on all new
methods and developments in their expertise.

Educating Patients
In an effort to encourage our patients to develop healthier lifestyles, Shangri La plans to
offer a variety of educational resources that include, but are not limited to, the following:

Educational Seminars
For the benefit of both employees and patients, alternative medicine experts will
be invited to Shangri La several times a month to lecture on current and developing
theories and methods in their specialty. These lectures will be open to the public.

Literature
Each staff member will be required to compose literary works of some sort every
six months. These compositions should be condensed packets of information
regarding each staff member’s specialized practice. Brochures, reports, and picture
diagrams are all acceptable. The finished products will be duplicated and left in the
waiting area where they can be easily accessed by our guests. In addition to this
literature, Shangri La will also compose and distribute a letter discussing current
events and new developments within the wellness center.

Group Activities
Shangri La will offer group activities such as Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates to its patients
as a means of teaching individuals to maintain spiritual and emotional well-being as
well as physical health. Patients assigned to the class by a physician will have
priority as there is limited classroom capacity. Any excess capacity can be filled by
other patients who wish to attend.

Creating the Atmosphere

By incorporating soft candlelight with an assortment of other calming features, we hope
to create an environment that welcomes relaxation. The layout will resemble those often
found in spas.

Treatment Rooms
Candles and ornamental water fountains will be included in the interior
decorating throughout the facility. With each visit to Shangri La, patients will be
brought to their candle-lit treatment room 15 minutes prior to their appointment.
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The purpose of the 15 minute pre-treatment is to allow the patient to become

completely relaxed. Shangri La’s philosophy is that total relaxation is necessary
before the human body can begin to combat any ailments. During those 15
minutes the therapeutic water fountains will be running and potentially calming
music playing to enhance the stress-free environment. At the end of their session,
patients will again be given another 15 minutes to unwind before departing.

Lobby
Candles and ornamental water fountains will decorate the lobby to make our
guests comfortable while they wait. Iced lemon water will be offered to every
guest upon arrival and samples of healthy snacks from Utopian Foods will be
available as well.

Figure 1: Interior Design Figure 2: Interior Design

[ CITATION [ CITATION
These photos represent the type
Ric08 \l of atmosphere
1033 ] that Shangri La hopes to provide.
Mok10 \l
1033 ]

Services
Physical Therapy
Although physical therapy isn’t generally classified as alternative medicine, it is a natural
and un-invasive strategy. The goal of physical therapists is to teach their patients how to
strengthen damaged areas of the body as a means of recovering any lost muscle mass and
range of motion[ CITATION Uni08 \l 1033 ]. Physical therapy is often used to repair damage
inflicted by the following:
 Sports injuries
 Surgical incisions
 Chronic muscle and joint pain
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Acupuncture Therapy

Over the past several years, Eastern medicine has experienced a significant increase in
popularity in the U.S. Acupuncture, one of the most common Eastern medicinal practices,
uses needles to stimulate the flow of qi (pronounced chee) through the body. Ancient
Chinese doctors believed that this “life force” needed to be balanced to maintain good
health[ CITATION May10 \l 1033 ]. Although there are many who are skeptical, many
Western medical professionals agree that acupuncture is useful in stimulating nerves,
muscles, and connective tissue[ CITATION May10 \l 1033 ]. This results in increased blood
flow and a stronger immune system.

Acupuncture has been effective in treating a variety of conditions including the following:
 Infertility
 Headaches
 Menstrual cramps
 Migraines
 Back pain

Dietetic Advising

An adjustment to one’s diet is often the simple solution to a seemingly complex issue.
Unfortunately, many people don’t understand exactly what part of their eating habits
needs to be adjusted; for this reason we have implemented dietetic advising into our list of
naturally healing practices. Our on-staff dietician will be available to meet with guests by
appointment every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To increase the dietician’s awareness
of patients’ needs as well as to allow a more personal relationship with each customer, the
dietician will be working on the floor of the “Organic Kitchen” every Tuesday and Thursday.

Utopian Foods
Utopian Foods will act as both a health food store and a pharmacy. It will provide many of
the natural remedies prescribed by Shangri La’s practitioners as well as foods that are
known to be particularly good for the body. Utopian Foods provides everything from snacks
that are known to energize the body to teas that boost the immune system during flu
season. The following is a small sample of products that will be available at Utopian Foods:
 Herbal teas
 Vitamins
 Probiotics
 Protein shakes
 Freshly cut herbs
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 High protein snacks

 Fresh fruits and vegetables

Cook books and other literature, all approved by the dietician, will also be sold at Utopian
Foods. The primary focus of this business segment is the education of our patients. By
providing a health food store we hope to help individuals take that first step in making a
lifestyle change for healthier living.

The Facility

The facility as a whole will maintain the atmosphere previously described. Specific components of
the building are given in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Facility Components

Room Classification Number in Facility Description

Bathrooms 2 One in the lobby for guests,
the other in the back with the
offices for staff use.
Treatment 8 Each will be set up for specific
treatment types.
Classrooms 2 Used for Yoga and Tai Chi
classes as well as for lectures.
Offices 8 Each staff member will have
their own office.
Storage 4 These closets will be used to
store excess supplies as well
as chairs for classroom
lectures.

As listed, the building will have classrooms and offices in addition to the treatment rooms. Because
every practice requires different resources, treatment rooms will be outfitted to accommodate
specific methods; some will be for acupuncture and others for physical therapy. The classrooms will
be designed to be easily converted from a fitness classroom to a lecture hall. The offices will be in a
separate branch of the building that can only be accessed by employees. Because we expect
research and documentation from all our practitioners, each is assigned their own office. If new
methods are adopted in the future that require new personnel, an extension of the building may be
necessary. In addition to what is outlined in figure 3, the Shangri La facility will also have a space
designated for Utopian Foods, the in-house health food store, and, of course, the lobby and front
desk.
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Competition

Figure 4 provides some information about local businesses that will be competing with Shangri La.
As listed, many provide acupuncture therapy as well as herbal and alternative medicinal practices.
Despite this apparently fierce competition, we believe that Shangri La can gain a competitive
advantage by promoting the vision of changing lifestyles through education and by providing a calm
welcoming atmosphere to which patients will want to return.

Figure 4: Local Competition

Institution Name Competing Services Address

Two Turtles Wellness Center
Red River Health
Walker Chiropractic
Fargo Chiropractic and
Acupuncture Clinic
Acupuncture and massage
therapy, herbs and nutrition
Acupuncture, herbs
Acupuncture
Acupuncture, alternative
medicine
810 4th Avenue South #100
Moorhead
824 Main Ave. Fargo,
250 25th Street South
Fargo ND 58103
1515 South University Drive, Fargo

Bjorlie Chiropractic Acupuncture 1383 21st Avenue North, Fargo

Healing Arts Chiropractic Acupuncture 3290 20th Street South, Fargo
Van Dam Chiropractic Acupuncture 2701 9th Avenue South, Fargo
United Health Chiropractic Acupuncture, alternative Ste 2, 3212 14th Avenue South, Fargo
and Wellness medicine

Sources listed in bibliography.

Research of our competitors has shown that all tend to focus on either cosmetic spa treatments or
alternative medicinal practices. No facilities were found in the local area that incorporate elements
of both types of business. This is the niche in which Shangri La intends to compete.
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Implementation

Figure 5 gives a tentative timeline for the construction of the Shangri La facility. We hope to begin
the project on May 1st, 2011. The graph represents construction progress in weeks. As shown, we
hope to complete the facility in eight weeks and hold the grand opening on the first of August.
Because this goal requires a somewhat accelerated pace, extensive planning will be done
beforehand to ensure the highest level of efficiency throughout the operation. Contractors will
compete for employment and will be hired based on the fairness of their bid as well as their
performance reputation. An individual who has been involved with the formulation of this business
plan will also be on the construction site at all times to protect the integrity of the facility’s
proposed image.

Figure 5: Tentative Timeline of Construction

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Foundation

Skeletal Structure

Electrical engineering

Plumbing

Insulation and sheetrock

Shingles and Interior Decorating

Siding and Landscaping

Grand Opening

Progress in Weeks
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Works Cited

Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges. Explore an Education in Naturopathic Medicine.

2010. 29 July 2010 <http://www.aanmc.org/>.

Google Maps. Acupuncture in Fargo/Moorhead. 29 July 2010 <http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-

8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-
8&q=acupuncture+in+fargo/moorhead&fb=1&gl=us&hq=acupuncture&hnear=Moorhead,
+MN&view=text&ei=NYVZTNKRBsminAfRkKHWCA&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=more-
results&resnum=>.

Mayo Clinic . MayoClinic.com. 8 July 2010. 1 August 2010

<http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acupuncture/MY00946>.

Mokara Spa. Mokara Spa. 1 August 2010 <http://www.themokaraspa.com/fortworth/home.html>.

Red River Health. 29 July 2010

<http://www.redriverhealth.com/Red_River_Health/Acupuncture_Fargo_Herbs_Fargo.html>.

The Ayurvedic Institute. About the Ayurvedic Institute. 2002. 28 July 2010
<http://www.ayurveda.com/about/index.html>.

Top Alternative Healing Schools. 2010. 29 July 2010

<http://www.schoolsgalore.com/articles/directories/natural-healing-
schools/alternative_healing_schools.html>.

Tuschman, Richard. Florida Employment & Immigration Law Blog. 6 November 2008. 1 August 2010
<http://www.flemploymentlawblog.com/articles/employmentrelated-torts/>.

Two Turtles Wellness Center. 29 July 2010 <http://www.2turtleswellness.com/>.

University of Iowa. What is Physical Therapy. 19 September 2008. 30 July 2010

<http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/bonesjointsmuscles/bone3460.html>.

University of Maryland Medical Center. Ayurveda. 2010. 28 July 2010

<http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ayurveda-000348.htm>.

Van Dam Chiropractic. 2010. 29 July 2010 <http://vandamchiropractic.com/>.

Walker Chiropractic. 29 July 2010 <http://www.walkerchiropracticpc.com/>.

Wong, Cathy. About.com. 2010. 28 July 2010

<http://altmedicine.about.com/od/treatmentsremedies/u/treatments.htm>.
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