What if you could build a private practice so strong, you could retire early—without letting go of the clients you love? Today's guest is a speech-language pathologist who turned decades of specialization into a thriving practice, a legacy plan, and a roadmap to hiking the Amalfi Coast while still staying connected to the field she's passionate about.

I'm thrilled to introduce you to Maureen Neukirch, a speech-language pathologist and the owner of Little Speech Boutique in the greater Nashville area. Maureen provides in-home, preschool, and community-based services but she's not your average generalist.

With over 25 years of experience across a variety of early childhood settings, Maureen’s journey is built on a deep foundation. Her research background in sensorimotor integration, prerequisites for early reading success, and rural service delivery via teletherapy has always set her apart. After decades in the field starting in schools, transitioning to neurodegenerative work during COVID, and learning what kind of boss she never wanted to be — Maureen made a bold decision: she would specialize in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).

That decision didn't just change her caseload. It changed her entire career trajectory.

Now an early intervention specialist serving clients from 18 months to 12 years of age, Maureen works with children across varying degrees of severity related to speech development. Her expertise is nationally recognized. She is a Certified Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) Research Clinician, a distinction awarded by the Once Upon a Time Foundation, where she was selected for a prestigious research study and trained by leaders. She is also recognized by the Apraxia Foundation and Bjorem Speech as an Apraxia Trained Clinician. In addition to DTTC and the Dynamic Evaluation of Motor Speech Sounds (DEMSS), Maureen utilizes Rapid Syllable Transition (ReST) and has been trained in PROMPT, ensuring her approach is backed by the most current, evidence-based practices.

In this episode, Maureen discusses how specializing in CAS helped her build a full caseload in a new city, why she confidently refers to anything outside her niche, and the legacy plan she's building as she looks toward retirement.

Maureen is passionate about dynamic assessment, differential diagnosis, and helping families find clarity. She believes in going deep, not wide and that being a specialist doesn't mean struggling for referrals. Outside of client care, she’s building something bigger: a network of clinicians and a vision for connecting Nashville’s private practitioners so families can finally find the specialists they need.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• How specializing in CAS — one of the most specific niches in our field — actually made it easier to get referrals in a city where she had zero connections
• The "splashy" marketing strategy she used to get noticed from day one
• Why she sees other SLPs as collaborators, not competitors (and the networking philosophy that's fueled her growth)
• The legacy she's building as she plans her next chapter — a community-wide referral network for clinicians and families across Nashville

Maureen is proof that you don't have to be everything to everyone. By going deep on what she loves, she's built a practice that serves her ideal clients, fuels her intellectually, and gives her the freedom to start thinking about what's next.

And here's the best part: her story does not have to be the exception. You, too, can build a practice that lets you specialize, collaborate, and eventually scale whether that means hiring, retiring, or just taking more October hikes.

Want to build a private practice that gives you the freedom to specialize, the confidence to refer out, and the vision to plan for your future—just like Maureen? The Start Your Private Practice Program gives you the roadmap, resources and mentorship where our mentors can help you overcome fears, build systems, and find your path to get started. Learn more at www.StartYourPrivatePractice.com.

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

Resources Mentioned:

Follow Maureen on

Instagram: instagram.com/littlespeechboutique/

Facebook: facebook.com/littlespeechboutique

Check out her website: littlespeechboutique.com

Where We Can Connect:

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