Physician marketing sucks! At least, that's what my clients and other physicians tell me repeatedly. I take that to mean one of two things: Either having to market as a physician business owner is a very distasteful activity, or the marketing skills of a physician business owners are severely lacking. Or both. The secret ingredient of successful marketing is education -- educating yourself and educating the right prospective clients or patients. And physicians are natural educators.

I had the privilege of receiving a galley copy of "The Color of Atmosphere: One Doctor's Journey In and Out of Medicine" prior to publication and had originally planned to "skim read" the chapters and write a review. Instead, from the first chapter, I was hooked. To all tired and frustrated physicians struggling to make sense of your life and work, I recommend this book. It will let you know that you are not alone, and validate your disillusioned observations about the problems within the U.S. healthcare system.

In keeping with our theme of enhancements to your medical practice, it's time to talk people. Your people! You may be the smartest doctor in the city, or have the best bedside manner, but all your efforts to build a great medical practice will flop in the face of an uncaring or rude staff.

From time to time, I experience a deep hankering in my heart. Sometimes it is a yearning for Africa, sometimes I long for a simpler life; most often it's an almost nameless desire to be living a life "on fire with purpose." As a physician business coach, I can only hope to create a ripple effect through my clients, as they increase their contributions to their communities, and sometimes the world.

Part-maverick, part-unconventional, part-smart business owner Sir Richard Branson has business lessons to share in spades. Since I recently read his third autobiographical book "Business Stripped Bare: Adventures of a Global Entrepreneur," I wanted to pass on some lessons for physician business owners that I learned from the book.