David Kalmanovitch

With more than 15 years of experience, David Kalmanovitch is a child psychologist from London, England. He has always been interested in studying human behaviour, with the hope of being able to identify root causes and influence future behaviour for the better.

Starting out his career working with adults, David Kalmanovitch transitioned to work with children in order to make a bigger impact on behaviour before it became a habit. He works to figure out what has had an impact on his patients that could lead to long-term issues. After working for hospitals in London, he set off to start his private practice five years ago.

David Kalmanovitch is also a professor and acts as a mentor for several of his students, as he believes his profession is severely underrepresented.

When he isn’t working or teaching, David Kalmanovitch spends time with his wife, works to stay active, and reads in order to further his professional development and keep up with current news and affairs that could impact his industry and patients.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

While I liked working for the local hospitals, there were too many procedures to go through with too much red tape. A hospital environment is more strict with a lot of protocols. I wanted my own practice to set my own office hours and free myself up for teaching positions and mentorship opportunities.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

Right now, there really is no typical day due to the current pandemic. Before the pandemic though, I would start my days early and read the news to see what affairs could impact my work or make for interesting discussion for my courses. Based on my schedule, I would then either go to teach or go to my office to see patients. I would then use lunch hours as office hours to see my students. Then I would head back into my practice to see patients in the afternoon. Usually around 4:30 p.m. I would go for a walk and get a quick bite to eat. Sometimes I would see patients in the evening as a lot of them are in school during the day. If I wasn’t seeing patients, I would get home before 5:00 p.m. to help cook dinner for my wife and I. Shifting priorities is important to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I think a lot, so I always carry a notepad with me. When a potential idea comes to me, I just jot it down to return to later. A lot of these ideas have to do with certain patients or for course material. Writing it down ensures that the idea stays fresh in my mind.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Right now, it’s the current pandemic. While it’s not exciting as it’s actually been causing a lot of stress for people, it is interesting to see how it is impacting people. It is impacting children a lot, as parents need to be careful in explaining the current situation to their children and why they can’t see their friends and why they may need to wear masks when they go out. It could have long-lasting impacts on children, as they could grow up being afraid of germs or if they already were afraid of germs, that fear would only be amplified. Situations like this show how child psychology is vital.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

While my schedule isn’t necessarily consistent, I always keep track of my daily schedule, even if it includes family dinner. If you keep track of a schedule, it’s easier to stay productive. I even make time for professional development and research in my schedule.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Maybe to open my private practice sooner than I did, but at the same time if I hadn’t worked for hospitals early on, I wouldn’t understand the limitations.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Our behaviour impacts our children’s behaviour more than we know. Children also often exaggerate some details. If they see us fighting, they believe that fighting is normal behaviour. If they are constantly faced with negative comments, they will never believe they are good enough. It is important to monitor our own behaviour in order to encourage positive behaviour in our children.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Always keep up with current affairs and technology in order to stay current and relevant. If you don’t, it can come off as ignorance.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Over the years, I have built a strong client base and have kept relationships going so that when a patient is discharged, if parents know others that could benefit from my work, they recommend me.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I hired a family member for my office at one point and it ended up being a mistake. While working with family and friends is great, it’s not always practical.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Apps that help people navigate their lives better are great ideas, like meditation apps, journaling apps, or scheduling apps.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

At the onset of the pandemic I purchased an e-reader. It’s been great and I don’t know why I didn’t do It before. You can subscribe to newspapers and magazines in addition to purchasing books. It’s been really seamless.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I have a scheduling app on my phone that helps me a lot.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman is a really great book. It’s exclusively about human psychology.

What is your favorite quote?

“I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 things that do not work,” by Thomas Edison.

Key Learnings:

• Our behaviour influences children behaviour more than we know.
• Keeping track of a daily schedule will help you stay productive.
• Being aware of current world news and affairs is vital to career success.