“My goal is to help these women feel whole and attractive again in a way that no one looking at them will even be able to tell they had a mastectomy.”

Interview by Mike Sullivan of Sully’s Blog

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Pattie Cagney Sheehan was a marketing/advertising professional for more than 25 years.  Her last position before opening her own consulting firm was VP, Director of Client Service for an ad agency. In 2004 she opened March Forth Consulting specializing in branding and product positioning. In 2005 her mother, Tess, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. For the next 2 years Pattie turned her focus to her mother and when Tess died in 2007 Pattie found her next career.

Since 2008 Pattie has operated Second Act, the only accredited cancer recovery boutique in downtown Chicago specializing in individuals who have undergone breast surgery and chemotherapy; selling wigs, post-breast surgery prostheses and mastectomy bras, under one roof.  Second Act was named a Small Business Blue Ribbon winner by the US Chamber of Commerce and the 2009 New Venture of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Chicago chapter.

Pattie has been featured on the US Chamber of Commerce Free Enterprise web site, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce web site, the website of the Campaign for Better Health Care, “Hotline” on Chicago Cable Access Network TV, and the NBC Chicago podcast “Better Health”. She has been a panelist discussing entrepreneurship at the Illinois Women’s Diversity Conference, Business Network Chicago and the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) Chicago. She also won the 2010 City of Chicago Treasurer’s Office Elevator Speech contest, and was a panelist at the recent City of Chicago Small Business Expo.

MO:
You dealt with the loss of your father to cancer in 1979 and then your mother in 2007.  You certainly have experience with the stress and emotional demands that come with a diagnosis and fight against the disease.  Has this helped you run your business more successfully?  Are you able to relate with your customers at a deeper level?  Why is this so important in your line of work?

Pattie:
Empathy is extremely important in this business.  From a business perspective, referrals are my main source of business so making these women feel heard and understood is critical.  But on a deeper level, these woman have been through a great deal of trauma and a little understanding goes a long way.  In my last career the handshake was the most common way to end a meeting.  Now it is a hug.

MO:
I imagine there is a great deal of fear and uncertainty when anyone walks in for the first time, not knowing what to expect.  Can you walk me through what a typical customer might experience from the moment they walk in your door until they leave?

Pattie:
You’re right.  This is new experience that none of them asked for.  So first we sit and talk about their individual experience and what they want to accomplish.  Then I show them the various products.  I let them hold a breast prosthesis and show them the pockets in the mastectomy bra that will hold that prosthesis.  I explain what Medicare and insurance covers and let them know I will file the paperwork for them.  Then I take a brief personal history after which we move on to the actual fitting.  Finally I fill out several pieces of paperwork that they then sign.  And, as I said, the last thing before they walk out the door is a hug and a reassurance they can call me with any questions or concerns.

MO:
Creating Second Act was not as simple as making a decision to change careers.  You had some catching up to do in terms of training and certifications as well as networking in a new industry.  Why is it that all of this was required?  Why couldn’t you just open up a store and start your business?

Pattie:
This business is much more healthcare than it is retail.  I am an extension of the woman’s medical experience.  My training included learning the different types of breast cancer, breast surgeries and solutions, and the use of chemotherapy and radiation.  Then there is understanding the recovery process, including when and how to properly fit a prosthesis and mastectomy bra.  My goal is to help these women feel whole and attractive again in a way that no one looking at them will even be able to tell they had a mastectomy.  Finally, there is the government designation of these products as Durable Medical Equipment (DME).  As I tell these women, I don’t consider my breasts durable medical equipment but the government does.  It is also a great icebreaker.  But, seriously, to be recognized by Medicare and the insurance companies you must be a certified fitter and an accredited organization so there was no option not to.

MO:
What is your relationship with Flourish Studios and what is it that they provide?  Is this a supplement to your business?  Do you work together?

Pattie:
Flourish is, basically, my landlord.  My business is totally independent of theirs.  My boutique is a private studio away from the public areas.  However, we do have a nice synergy.  The mission of Flourish  is positive change through education, art and retail.  The owner and director of Flourish Studios®, Dr. Julia Rahn, is a clinical psychologist and she has therapists on staff who do counseling.  Her vision is for a multi-faceted learning gallery, which motivates and prepares adults, teenagers, and children to bring about significant, self-selected life changes.  The location does contribute nicely to the sense of health, wellness and warmth that a women feels when she walks in here versus walking into a standard store front retail operation.

MO:
What is it like to leave a career that you have developed, trained for, dedicated time and effort over the years, for a new career that you feel passionate about?  Was marketing fulfilling for you or a career you fell into?

Pattie:
Marketing, specifically ad agency client service, was fulfilling for many years.  It was a conscious career decision made when I selected the college I would attend.  Which, by the way, was the University of Montana.  It had a commonality with this career in that my day-to-day activity revolved around helping people, whether it was teaching clients new strategies or mentoring the younger people who worked for me.  But that industry has always been youth oriented and at some point, especially after 50, they no longer appreciated  what my maturity brought to the party.  In my new career my maturity is a respected asset.

MO:
How did you use your previous marketing and advertising experience to identify your specific niche and promote your business?

Pattie:
In marketing I was very skilled in identifying niches and new product development.  From the very start, I identified the need for a full service cancer recovery boutique in downtown Chicago as a void to be filled.  The content and tone of my web site, my printed materials, my e-mail marketing all draw upon my ability to recognize and speak in the voice of the customer.  I am well-versed in understanding how to speak to the business customer; in this case healthcare workers who refer their patients to me; as well as the end user; the cancer patients themselves.

Of course I fully understand the role advertising could play in all of this but because this is such a targeted audience and very few targeted media options exist I don’t do much advertising.  Besides, there is no way to know who will be diagnosed with cancer tomorrow, next week, next month, so there is no way to specifically target them.  Therefore the only target marketing I can do is to the healthcare professionals.  This is best done face-to-face to build a rapport so they feel confident I will handle their patients in a caring and considered way.  My years in senior management speaking in front of groups and presenting ideas/concepts prepared me for these face-to-face meetings with the healthcare workers when I meet with them and introduce them to Second Act.