Private Practice Success Stories

Latest Episodes:

Building a Private Practice for Flexibility (Including Time for Tennis) with Tracy Droege OTR, MS Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

Are you dreaming of more flexibility so that you have time for the things that you love?

Starting a private practice is the perfect way to live life on your own terms. You set your hours and you decide what’s important to you. Since it’s your private practice, you get to run it how you see fit.

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Tracy Droege to talk about how she grew her private practice with flexibility in mind so that she could still make time for her other passion- tennis. Tracy shares her goals for hiring, marketing tips, and how she plans to integrate systems as she grows.

Tracy Droge is an occupational therapist and certified ADHD provider in Temple, Texas. She started her OT private practice, The Rise Center, in order to have more flexibility as she cared for a sick family member. Although it was born out of a sad situation, she has been able to turn it into a happy one by caring for children and families who benefit from her services.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How Tracy has created her practice around her life
Tips for prioritizing things that are important
When Tracy decided to start growing her private practice
The hiring process
The systems that have helped Tracy grow her business
How Tracy stepped into the CEO role
Time management tips for private practice owners

I hope you found this episode inspiring. I love how Tracy created a private practice with flexibility in mind. Between caring for family members and her tennis career, having flexible hours has allowed her to have significantly more control over her time than she would if she was working in a regular setting.

Want help to grow your private practice and get some help with hiring? Visit www.GrowYourPrivatePractice.com to learn more about how we can help!

Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources Mentioned:

Check out Tracy’s website: https://risecentertx.com/occupational-therapy

Follow The Rise Center on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/risecentertx/

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

How to Build Your Private Practice by Taking Little Steps Every Day with Liz Seagrave Tantareanu Aug 22, 2022

Show notes

Do you feel overwhelmed by the idea of starting a private practice?

Many SLPs and OTs feel that way and it’s totally understandable. Starting a whole business can seem like an impossible task when you are already dealing with overflowing caseloads. Rest assured, it can still be done! By taking little steps every day, you will be ready to take on your first private practice clients in no time.

In today’s episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Liz Seagrave Tantareanu to talk about how she did it little by little and now has a successful practice. You’ll also learn how she became a Medicare provider and how she deals with things like people pleasing and perfectionism.

Liz is the founder of Golden Coast Speech Therapy Services in San Rafael, California, and has been a practicing speech-language pathologist for over 10 years. Liz's clinical interests include neurogenic voice disorders and Parkinson’s Disease, care of the professional voice, gender-affirming voice therapy, early intervention for language delays and speech sound disorders, and literacy development. She is trained in LSVT LOUD®, SPEAK OUT!®, PhoRTE voice therapy, and Hanen: It Takes Two to Talk®.

Liz received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science in Medical Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Washington. Her graduate work included research in the Vocal Function Lab at UW, investigating the construct of listener effort and speech intelligibility in individuals following total laryngectomy.

She completed a graduate internship at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and a Clinical Fellowship at the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in West Los Angeles. She has worked across a range of settings and patient populations, including an interdisciplinary pediatric clinic, preschool early intervention classrooms, and acute and outpatient care, before founding Golden Coast Speech Therapy Services in 2020.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How Liz got started in the profession and decided to start a private practice
When Liz decided to make her first hire
How becoming a Medicare provider grew her business
Why confidence comes from taking action
The importance of doing it scared
How private practice allows Liz full control of her professional and personal life
The benefits of taking small steps to start your own practice

It’s totally possible to jump into your private practice if that’s what you want. Just remember that it’s also okay if you just want to dabble and take it slow. As long as you do something to move the needle forward, even if it’s just writing what you want down on paper, you’re one step closer to making it happen.

Liz is the perfect example of taking small steps to help you build big dreams. If you want to learn how we help SLPs and OTs start, grow and scale private practices, please visit www.IndependentClinician.com.

Resources Mentioned:

Check out Liz’s website: https://www.goldencoastspeech.com/

Follow Liz on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldencoastspeech

Podcast episode with Rene Robles and Christina Ramos: https://independentclinician.com/where-are-they-now-did-they-open-five-clinics-in-five-years-with-rene-robles-and-cristina-ramos-ccc-slp/

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

How a Decorated Navy Veteran Became an SLP and Private Practitioner with Rachael Harrelson Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

Are you a military SLP or OT?

It used to be pretty complicated to start your own private practice as a member of the military since you had to relocate more often; however, that’s not really the case now. In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Rachael Harrelson, a decorated Navy veteran to talk about how she started a successful private practice on the side of her full-time job.

Even if you aren’t in the military, you’ll love this episode because Rachael shares some amazing tips for starting your practice on the side, the importance of Google reviews, and becoming a health insurance provider.

Rachael Harrelson, M.S. CCC-SLP is the owner of Southern Star Speech and Language Therapy in Burleson, TX. She is a Texas State licensed and nationally certified Speech-Language Pathologist. Prior to starting her practice, Rachael worked in various settings including in-patient rehabilitation, home health, and public schools.

Rachael received a Bachelor’s and Master's Degrees at Baylor University and is a veteran of the United States Navy, where she served 8 years as a Hospital Corpsman in the medical field. Rachael has had extensive experience assessing and treating clients with autism, articulation, apraxia of speech, phonological and fluency disorders as well as pragmatic and receptive/expressive language impairments.

Rachael believes in a team approach to therapy and therefore encourages collaboration with parents, teachers, and other therapists to provide the most encouraging and successful environment for her clients.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

The route Rachael took to start taking insurance
How Rachael utilized Facebook groups to grow her practice
How military families can still start a private practice
What to do if you want to move after starting your private practice
How Rachael finds inspiration for her private practice
How Google reviews can grow your business
The importance of putting yourself out there

I love seeing the ways that students in my program are making their private practice work for them. Rachael wanted to take the summer to be more present for her kids, so she did! She adjusted her schedule to include summer hours where she took 4-day weekends. It’s her private practice, and she calls the shots.

Everything that worked for Rachael can totally work for you too. To learn more about how we help SLPs and OTs start, grow, and scale private practices (and how we can help you too!), visit IndependentClinician.com.

Resources Mentioned:

Check out Rachael’s website: https://www.southernstarspeech.com/

Check out Southern Star Speech on Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Southern-Star-Speech

Connect with Southern Star Speech Therapy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernstarspeech

Visit my website to learn about our programs: https://independentclinician.com/

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

Making the Leap with Ali Moulton - A Grow Your Private Practice Case Study Aug 08, 2022

Show notes

Are you at maximum capacity with your clients that you see on the side and considering making the leap to full-time private practice?

I always recommend starting your private practice on the side, but there comes a time when you grow so much that you have to choose if you want to stay small or go all in. In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Ali Moulton, one of my Grow Your Private Practice students, to talk about how she started and grew her private practice.

Ali is a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed as a Speech-Language Pathologist by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. She received her graduate degrees in Speech and Language Pathology and Learning Disabilities from Northwestern University. She received her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a concentration in Speech and Language Pathology from Northwestern University.

Ali enjoys working with children of all ages and prides herself on having a child-centered approach to evaluations and treatment programs. She has experience working in the medical, clinical, and public school settings and has extensive training in interdisciplinary models of assessment and treatment to optimize outcomes.

Ali began her career at Kennedy Krieger Institute and participated in the Maternal and Child Health Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) program. She has assessed and provided treatment for children with a variety of communication disorders, including speech sound production disorders [articulation disorder, phonological delay or disorder, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), Dysarthria], orofacial myofunctional disorders, cognitive communication disorders, receptive and expressive language disorders, fluency disorders, and language-based learning disabilities.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How Ali got started with her private practice
How she knew it was time to go full-time
Setting boundaries as you grow
How Ali finds her clients
Marketing tips
The benefits of having a mobile practice
The systems that Ali uses to run her private practice

Straddling two worlds is hard. There comes a time when you have to make the leap from part-time private practice owner to full-time. With the Grow Your Private Practice program, Ali was able to make the transition without any stress.

I don’t want you to be stressed out in private practice, I want you to be successful like Ali. I hope this episode inspires you to take the leap so that you can start thinking like a business owner and find the success you deserve.

If you want help to grow your private practice in a successful vs. stressful way, we would love to help you in the Grow Your Private Practice Program.

Resources Mentioned:

Apply to join the Grow Your Private Practice Program: https://www.growyourprivatepractice.com/

Check out Ali’s website: https://www.moultonspeech.com/

Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moultonspeech/

Connect with Ali on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisonmoultonspeech

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

Transitioning from Part-Time to Full-Time Private Practice with Amanda Donaldson - A Grow Your Private Practice Case Study Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

I am a firm believer that starting a private practice part-time is the best way to start, but it isn’t the best way to grow.

Growing your private practice takes time, support, and dedication. In today’s episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Amanda Donaldson, a Grow Your Private Practice student, to talk about how she knew it was time to invest in herself and her business and go all in to grow in a systematic rather than stressful way.

Although originally from Canada, Amanda spent most of her childhood in northeast New Jersey. She attended Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania where she completed the five-year accelerated program earning her bachelor's and master's degree as well as a teaching certificate. Immediately following graduation, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona.

Amanda worked for 4.5 years in various public schools and a charter school system. During this time, she worked with children from preschool to 8th grade and has ample experience with speech and language delays, developmental delays, Autism, specific learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, fluency, and nonverbal students. Additionally, she has more than four years of experience working with adults in a rehabilitation setting.

She started CommuniCAN Speech Therapy in September 2019 to be able to reach and serve clients and families in their home environments. As a young child, speech and language therapists made a difference in her life as she struggled with the articulation of certain sounds. Now, she is passionate about giving back and making a difference in the lives of others.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How Amanda is on track to hit six figures her first year in business
Why she chose to have a mobile office
Why a smaller caseload creates a bigger impact
Ways to attract new clients
Marketing tips that Amanda uses to find clients
Why Amanda wishes she would have started her private practice sooner
Tips for hiring your first contractor or employee

If you have a growing caseload and you’re trying to decide if going all in on yourself and your private practice is your next move, I hope this episode is helpful.

People join the Grow Your Private Practice program when they are overwhelmed by their growth and know that they need help to build a sustainable private practice. This is exactly what we're helping Amanda and other growth-focused SLPs and OTs with.

Starting a private practice is easier than growing one. If you want help to grow your private practice in a successful vs. stressful way, we would love to help you in the Grow Your Private Practice Program. Click here to learn more: www.GrowYourPrivatePractice.com.

Resources Mentioned:

Check out Amanda’s website: https://www.communicanspeechtherapy.com/

Follow CommuniCAN Speech Therapy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Communican-Speech-Therapy-LLC/100057067825449/

Join the Grow Your Private Practice program: www.GrowYourPrivatePractice.com

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

From Dreaming of Private Practice "One Day" to Having One Only 5 Years Into The Field with Patricia Saenz Jul 25, 2022

Show notes

Are you still dreaming of starting your own private practice?

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with one of my Start Your Private Practice and Grow Your Private Practice students, Patricia Saenz. She started her private practice after just 5 years in the profession!

In this episode, she shares why she started her private practice and how she let go of imposter syndrome. She also shares some really good information about how to become an insurance provider.

Patricia has been a private practice owner for a little over a year and an SLP for 5. She is a single mom to a wildly outgoing and fun teenage boy. He's 15 and her best friend. Everything she has done was for him and because of him.

Her educational journey began in 2008 a year after her son was born. After changing degree programs and attending 7 different colleges over the course of 9 years, she graduated from Our Lady of The Lake University in 2017. She’s worked in school, home health, and clinic settings. She’s always known her path was to be an owner; however, she did not know how soon that time would come.

Her practice is built on the foundation of building strong relationships. It is so important to her to have all of her families and patients feel safe, encouraged, cared for, comfortable, and heard. While her practice is still fairly new, she feels more accomplished and fulfilled in her career than ever before. It has also improved her personal life.

When she is not working, she is spending time with her family. She enjoys watching movies, going to arcades, and bowling, and her newest activity has been escape rooms!

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How Patricia decided to start her private practice
How referrals helped her business grow
The biggest advertising source for Patricia’s private practice
The kinds of clients that she serves in her practice
How you can be a generalist and specialist practice at the same time
The benefits of working with a team
How she got started with insurance
How to deal with imposter syndrome

It can be scary to decide to follow your dreams and finally start a private practice. Imposter syndrome may tell you you’re not ready, but people like Patricia are the perfect example of why that just isn’t true. She knows what she wants, she makes it happen, and it is so inspiring.

I'm doing a Free Training called “How to Start Your SLP or OT Private Practice" on Tuesday, July 26th at 9 pm EST. I'm going to cover the ins and outs of private practice and major mistakes to avoid. Click Here to register: www.PrivatePracticeTraining.com.

Resources Mentioned:

How to Start Your SLP or OT Private Practice Training: PrivatePracticeTraining.com

Check out Patricia’s website: https://www.theheartoftherapytexas.com/

Follow Patricia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theheartoftherapytx

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

I'm Writing a Book Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

I have some big news! After 15 years of teaching SLPs and OTs how to start and scale successful private practices, I’m writing a book.

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what went into my decision to write a book, who it’s for, and how to get your hands on a copy when it’s released.

This is something that has been on my radar for a long time and it is finally happening. I have been helping people start their private practices since 2008, and I have a lot of levels of people that I serve—everyone from people who are just thinking about getting started or who are considering whether a private practice is for them all the way to people in their “scale” phase. These are clinicians who are looking to grow their income with a multidisciplinary, multi-location private practice.

This means I have audiences with different folks who need to hear different messages. One of the largest groups though is the group of people who are still in the schools or hospitals thinking of starting their private practice. These are the people dealing with high productivity requirements, endless paperwork, unnecessary meetings, and low pay.

These people are often scared and have a lot of questions about whether they should start a private practice. So, this first book is for those that are on the path to private practice but haven’t started yet.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

The types of people I serve
What this book is and what it isn’t
What’s included in this book
The tentative release timeframe for my book
How to get the book when it’s released
Bonuses that will be included with the book

I am having an absolute blast writing this book for you, and I hope that you’re looking forward to reading it. If you are in my SLP & OT Private Practice Beginners Facebook group, you’ll notice that I am starting to post things about the book! If you’re not in the Facebook group yet and want to be a part of the book creation process, join the group at PrivatePracticeFBGroup.com.

Want to be notified as soon as this book comes out and learn how to get the amazing bonuses? Head on over to PrivatePracticeBook.com and sign up to get notified as soon as it's available!

Resources Mentioned:

Get notified when the book is available

Join the free Facebook group

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

Growing Because of Connections with Sherley Jackson (A Grow Your Private Practice Case Study) Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

Thinking about leaving your job and going all-in on your private practice?

It’s a big decision and it can be intimidating, but it could change your life. In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with one of my Grow Your Private Practice Students, Sherley Jackson, to talk about her decision to go full-time with her practice as well as hiring, referrals, and so much more.

Sherley L. Jackson is a Speech-Language Pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language Association and licensed by the Georgia Department of Education and Board of Speech & Language Pathology.

With 22 years of experience in the field (in Louisiana, Florida, and North Carolina), 20 of which have been in the public school system, working with PK through 5th-grade students in special education programs.

Sherley earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in Audiology and Speech Pathology from Florida State University. She earned a specialist degree in Special Education from the University of West Georgia.

Her primary concentrations include early language development and articulation/phonological delays. Sherley engages in multicultural issues, IEP coaching and development, and new parent training on facilitating language development in everyday home activities. Sherley is recognized as a Hanen Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and a Master IEP Coach with Catherine Whitcher, M.Ed.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How Sherley got started with her private practice
How she was able to fill her caseload so quickly
The benefits of having a community when running a practice
How becoming systems-focused helped Sherley grow
Tips for finding the right hire
When Sherley decided to go all-in with her practice
Sherley’s plans for growth in the future

I hope you found this episode inspiring. I love how Sherley said that if that seed is in you to start a private practice, then that’s what you should be doing. If it’s been planted, it’s not going anywhere! You just have to take those steps to make it happen.

Are you ready to leave your job and go all-in on your private practice just like Sherley did? Want support with getting more clients, setting up systems, understanding your finances, and becoming a CEO? If so, we would love to support you in the Grow Your Private Practice Program. Click here for more information.

Resources Mentioned:

Check out the Grow Your Private Practice Program: https://www.growyourprivatepractice.com/

Check out Sherley’s website: https://shoutsltherapy.com/

Follow Shout Speech and Language Therapy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoutSLtherapy/

Follow Shout Speech and Language Therapy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoutsltherapy/

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

Hiring for Your Growing Private Practice Jul 04, 2022

Show notes

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the growth of your private practice and wondering if it’s time to hire? Or do you know that it’s time to hire but you don’t know who or how to do it?

When you first start your private practice, it’s completely normal to wear all of the hats; however, as your private caseload and demand start to grow, you will reach maximum capacity. There are only so many hours in a day that you can see clients and since seeing clients should be your priority, you might start to drop the ball about things like billing.

You may have started with no intention of ever hiring anyone, but as your practice grows, you’ll start to get more referrals than you can handle. That’s when it’s time to start thinking about hiring.

Among many other things, hiring is something that we help folks do in the Grow Your Private Practice program. In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I am sharing everything you need to know about hiring because whether you are in the hiring stages now or will be soon, this information will help you immensely.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

What the messy middle of growing your private practice looks like
When to think about hiring
Why hiring is an investment, not an expense
The two different types of hires you’ll make
Questions to ask yourself before hiring

Getting support during the hiring process is invaluable. No one knows how to make their first hire until they do it. Just like learning to become an SLP or an OT, it takes time and practice, but it is essential to growing your private practice and income.

If you're interested in learning more about how we help growth-focused private practitioners with the hiring process, visit www.GrowYourPrivatePractice.com/hiring and fill out the quick form below!

Resources Mentioned:

Check out the FREE hiring training

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/

How To Get Set Up and Ready to See Clients this Summer Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

Summer is here, and it is the perfect time to start dipping your toe into the waters of private practice!

This is something that is often on people’s to-do lists for years before they finally take action, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Take advantage of the opportunity to get your ducks in a row over the summer so you can start taking on your first few clients.

You might be thinking that by only seeing one or two clients to start, it isn’t really a private practice—but it actually is, so in this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I am helping you finally get started because I truly believe that there is no better time than right now.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

Why summer is the perfect time to start seeing clients
The importance of setting your business up legitimately
How much you could make if you start this summer
How to determine if there is a need for your services in your area
The legal protection you need in place when you start your business
What forms of payment to accept when you start taking clients
How to find clients

I am here to teach you the true, legal way to finally start that private practice you have been thinking about. You don’t want to put yourself or your license at risk by cutting corners or not treating it as a legit business, so these are the first steps you’re going to want to take.

All that being said, starting your private practice is not as complicated as some people make it out to be. I hope this episode helps you understand the basics of what you need to know to get ready now to start accepting clients this summer.

It's not too late to start seeing private clients this summer. For more information and support, join our Facebook group here!

Resources Mentioned:

SLP & OT Private Practice Beginners Facebook Group

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/