Meet Dave Mayer of DuPage Acupuncture Clinic in Naperville
Today we'd like to introduce you to Dave Mayer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dave. So, let's start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I first became interested in Oriental Medicine during childhood and have been interested ever since. I read a fictional story in elementary school where one character went out to a field, gathered some plants and made medicine to heal another character. I had a variety of health problems as a child and that was the first time I realized medicine didn't have to come from a shot or a pill.
I went back to school at age 46 for my MSOM. I've had two major careers in my life - jewelry and health & fitness. My first degree is a MS in Geology. After that I became a graduate gemologist then master graduate gemologist. I was in and out of the jewelry industry for almost 25yrs. The jewelry industry paid the bills.
I first became a certified personal trainer in 1998. Absolutely loved helping people to get healthier. Only problem was the inconsistency of income. I got married in 2005 and need a stable income so I went back into jewelry.
In the summer of 2012 I was fed up with the greed of the industry and had a long talk with myself on what I wanted to do with my life until I can't do anything anymore. It all went back to helping people. I wanted to do more than personal training. Digging deep I realized I wanted to finally go into oriental medicine. I enrolled that fall at National University of Health Sciences. Thankfully the classes were at night. I worked full time as a custom jewelry designer/ diamond & jewelry buyer for CD Peacock during the day and went to school full time at night. I graduated valedictorian and started working at DuPage Acupuncture Clinic December 2015. When I started there, the founder Sally VanCura told me she was fighting cancer. July 2016, she asked me if I wanted to purchase the practice which I did as of Oct 1, 2016 and she passed away December 2016.
I am continuing to do the good work she started 15yrs ago.
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?
Biggest challenges were working full time (supporting my family - and my wife went back to school too). My father passed away the Friday before my clinic entrance exams (Tues-Thurs) and his funeral was the day of my practical clinic exam. I went from his funeral to school to take the practical exam. 9 months later my father in law died from cancer. It was an extremely rough time for my wife and myself.
So let's switch gears a bit and go into the DuPage Acupuncture Clinic story. Tell us more about the business.
I offer a full range of traditional Chinese Medicine care - acupuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion, cupping, tui na, gua sha. I also offer fitness coaching to my patients. I have had very good success with female fertility patients. Helping someone bring a life into this world is an amazing feeling!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Good luck - when I purchased the practice I found out that I was going to have to move at the end of July 2017. The neighboring eye doctor clinic had first rights to my office space. I spent 6 months looking for new office space. 2 weeks before I had to move out they backed out of the deal. Not only did I not have to move, the landlords made it worth my while to stay.
Pricing:
First visit $125, Each additional follow up $70
Contact Info:
Address: 29 S. Webster Street, Suite 250
Naperville, Illinois 60540
Website: http://dupageacupunctureclinic.com
Phone: 630-355-9498
Email: dupageacupuncture@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dupageacupuncture