Private Practice Success Stories

Have you ever dreamed of starting a private practice that brought in six figures?

When many people think of starting their own private practice, they think of it as a side income, but it doesn’t have to be. You can grow it as much or as little as you want.

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with one of my Start Your Private Practice students, Samantha Asher, to talk about how she grew her private practice to six figures while only working 3 days a week. She is able to support her family financially with her private practice and also be there for her kids every day.

Samantha Asher, MA, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and the CEO of Green Light Speech and Language Services, LLC. Green Light specializes in providing effective feeding, language, and speech therapy that children genuinely enjoy. Samantha built Green Light on the principles of responsive feeding and parent-child-therapist collaboration. Samantha also develops and shares content about responsive feeding and therapy strategies through her Instagram page @greenlightspeechtherapy.

Outside of the speech world, Samantha is a loving, happy wife and mother. She has two young children and a large rescue pup.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• The tremendous need for private practices
• Why it’s completely normal to be nervous
• The benefits of having a community of people on the same journey
• How Samantha managed her private practice while moving to a new state
• How to know it’s time to take your private practice full-time
• Why it’s okay to ask for reviews
• Hiring team members
• Samantha’s plans for her private practice moving forward

We all want the time to spend with our families while still providing for them. Starting your private practice is the first step to creating the life you want. It is totally possible to make a full-time income while only working part-time hours, and Samantha is proof of that.

She was able to build a six-figure private practice while only working three days a week and taking her daughter to ballet class. The possibilities really are endless.

If you are inspired by Samantha’s story, the programs she did were the Start Your Private Practice program and the Grow Your Private Practice program. To learn more about how we support SLPs and OTs just like Samantha, visit www.IndependentClinician.com to learn more about our free and paid programs.

Resources Mentioned:

Check out Samantha’s website: https://www.greenlightspeechtherapy.com

Follow Green Light Speech Therapy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenlightspeechtherapy/

Follow Green Light Speech Therapy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenLightSpeechTherapy

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/

Do you dream of growing a large private practice with multiple clients? This episode of Private Practice Success Stories is for you!

I sat down to chat with Dr. Jennifer Moore. She is a renowned speech-language pathologist and the proud co-owner of a thriving multidisciplinary private practice in northern New Jersey.

Jen started her private practice on the side of her regular job. She started small, like we all do. Once she realized how many kids needed help in her area, her practice grew and expanded quickly. She now co-owns Brave Wings Therapy with Naomi Sutton.

During our conversation, she talked about the baby steps that she took along the way to grow from solo to having 55 employees and two locations. She shares about her hiring process and how she cultivates both happy employees and happy clients.

She also shares one of the biggest secrets to getting more referrals, and hint: you can do this too!

This episode is truly a delight, and whether you're at the very beginning of your private practice journey, or you have an existing private practice and you're looking for hints on how to grow it, this episode has major gems that are worth listening to.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• The road that led to private practice for Jenn and how she got started
• The importance of going where your heart is in your career
• Defining what success means to you in your private practice
• The ways that Jenn makes her private practice more accessible to families
• How hiring different specialists grew her private practice
• How Jenn cultivates an open and happy culture in her private practice
• The hiring process and how to attract people that align with your vision
• Where Jenn gets her referrals and clients
• The power of leading with helpfulness
• How having a private practice can impact your family

Dr. Jennifer Moore truly embodies the spirit of passion, dedication, and collaboration. It's so inspiring to see how her journey intertwines professional excellence with personal values. She's doing exactly what she loves to do in helping so many people in the process!

Want help to start your private practice? I'm offering a Free Training called How to Start Seeing Private Clients.

There are two days/times to pick from- Sunday, November 5th at 3 pm EST and Monday, November 6th at 8 pm EST.

To register, just visit: StartYourPrivatePractice.com/livetraining

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:

Visit the Brave Wings Therapy website: https://www.bravewingstherapy.com/

Follow Jenn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmoorespeech/?hl=en

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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Looking for more flexibility for your family and career fulfillment? You’re going to love this episode of Private Practice Success Stories.

I sat down with Jessie Kensey, a Start and Grow Your Private Practice program student. Jessie decided to start her own private practice as a speech language pathologist, in order to have more flexibility and time with her family, especially after her son was born.

In this episode, Jessie and I discuss ways for her to grow her practice, including expanding her online presence and hiring additional clinicians, which would allow her to serve more clients and generate more income.

Jesse's story shares the incredible transformations that can happen when you follow your passions and seek a more fulfilling path, and I know you’re going to love it!

Jessie founded Simply Speech Therapy to make meaningful changes in her clients' lives by supporting the goals that matter most to them. She celebrates her clients' unique interests, preferences, and strengths while helping them communicate successfully at home, school, and out in the community.

Prior to becoming a master's level clinician, she also taught high school English and worked as a speech-language pathology assistant. In her free time, Jessie enjoys traveling, running, and reading. As a new mother, she also loves spending time with her family and making lasting memories!

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• When Jessie knew that private practice was right for her
• The flexibility you get when you have a private practice
• Tips for finding clients through referrals
• Ways to use your website to grow your private practice
• The tremendous need for private practices
• The boundaries you can set as a private practice owner
• The ability you have to work with the clients you’re passionate about in your private practice

I hope Jessie’s story inspires you to get started on your own private practice journey! Just like Jessie, we would love to support you in starting and growing your private practice. Visit StartYourPrivatePractice.com and GrowYourPrivatePractice.com to learn how to get started.

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:

Visit Jessie’s website: https://www.simplyspeechtherapy.org/

Follow Jessie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplyspeech_

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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Interested in offering innovative therapy services in your own private practice?

You’re going to love this episode! I sat down with Mary Hadley, a Start and Grow program student, to discuss how she took the leap into private practice after facing a pivotal moment in her career. Now, she’s offering a very innovative therapy model for teens who need help with social communication.

Join us as Mary discusses how being in private practice has given her career fulfillment, flexibility for her family, and financial success as she’s earning significantly more than she was as a school SLP.

Y’all, Mary was considering leaving the profession, but starting a private practice helped her turn things around. This is a can’t-miss episode!

Mary is a highly experienced, certified speech-language pathologist and founder of Signpost Speech and Language Therapy. She specializes in evaluating and treating social communication and executive functioning issues for children, adolescents, and adults.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• When Mary realized she wanted to start a private practice
• The immense need for speech private practices
• The earning potential as a private practice owner
• Tips for overcoming imposter syndrome
• How Mary’s private practice is set up to allow time for her family
• How her private practice is growing
• Mary’s plans for the future of her private practice
• Tips for managing taxes and accounting for your private practice
• Why you don’t need social media for your business if you don’t want it

I hope you loved this conversation with Mary! Her determination to find balance, stay true to herself, and build a thriving private practice is truly inspiring.

She's a shining example of someone who decided to take control of her destiny and accomplished something truly amazing! Her innovative approach to working with kids with social communication deficits in after-school programs is so, so cool.

Want to learn how to grow your private practice and expand your income by offering innovative therapy services? Come join the Grow Your Private Practice Program! To learn more, please visit www.GrowYourPrivatePractice.com.

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:

Visit the Signpost Speech website: https://www.signpostspeech.com/

Follow Mary on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Signpostspeech

Visit the Ensemble Therapy website: https://www.ensembletherapy.com/social-communication-groups

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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Wondering how you can grow your clients for your private practice online?

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Ahlam Issa to discuss how she did it. Her story is a testament to the incredible transformations that can happen when one follows their heart and perseveres through challenges.

We talk about her boutique-style private practice and how it works, how she's built her client base through word of mouth, online searches, and yes- TikTok!

Ahlam has a long-term goal of taking her private practice to a national and international level to provide more services to underserved communities. If you've been thinking about pursuing private practice, especially to underserved populations, this is a must-listen episode!

Ahlam Issa, M.A. CCC-SLP, is the owner and founder of Issa Speech Therapy. She has dedicated her career to helping children and adults of all ages find joy in expressing themselves and connecting with others. Ahlam Issa brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as a leading speech-language pathologist.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• Why Ahlam decided to get into speech and private practice
• The importance of sharing your goals with someone you trust
• The fulfillment private practice can bring
• The location of Ahlam’s private practice and her plans for it in the future
• The services Ahlam offers in her private practice
• The gradual approach to starting a private practice
• How Ahlam utilized social media to grow her private practice
• Ahlam’s short and long-term goals for her private practice
• What you need to know if you’re thinking about starting your private practice

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Ahlam! Her journey from overcoming personal challenges to building a thriving private practice is nothing short of inspirational. She is a perfect example of someone who dared to dream and then turn those dreams into reality

If you're as inspired as I am by Ahlam's story and are interested in starting your own private practice, be sure to visit www.IndependentClinician.com. We offer programs and support to help SLPs and OTs like you take the next step in your journey.

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Ahlam’s website: https://www.issaspeechtherapy.com/

Follow Issa Speech Therapy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Issa-Speech-Therapy-PLLC/100089185425655/

Follow Issa Speech Therapy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/issaspeechtherapy/

Follow Issa Speech Therapy on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@issaspeechtherapy

Check out the Issa Speech Therapy YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHtI8kNtSAyVL9fei_oklmg

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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Do you ever wish that you could hear directly from the people who have gone from regular SLPs or OTS to successful private practitioners after going through the Start Your Private Practice program?

Well, today's episode of Private Practice Success Stories is going to introduce you to four amazing Start Your Private Practice alums. We've got three SLPs on the panel: Vanessa Alcala, Luisa Rinaudo, and Rachael Harrelson. We also have one OT: Megan Bartley.

All four of these Start Your Private Practice students came from different backgrounds. Some of these clinicians are in major cities and others are in small towns. Some work exclusively with adults, others exclusively with children, and others with all ages. Three started their private practices early in their careers and one started after a career change.

These clinicians all had the same fears, doubts, and hesitations about private practice as you do, but they decided to go for it and join the Start Your Private Practice program to create a new future for themselves, their families, and their clients. I am so excited to share their stories with you!

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• The settings that these alums worked in and why they decided they wanted to venture into private practice
• The outside-of-the-box services you can offer in private practice that you can’t offer in traditional settings
• The various routes they are using to land clients in their private practices
• The different payment methods you can take in your private practice
• The many incredible benefits of starting a private practice
• What these alums have to say to anyone considering starting their private practice

I hope you enjoyed hearing from these four amazing Start Your Private Practice students and they inspired you to take action and take your future into your own hands.

Making the decision to start a private practice is a big decision, but it could also be your best decision. I can't wait to help you start your private practice!

Enrollment for the Start Your Private Practice Program is open for a limited time! Please visit www.PrivatePracticeCourse.com to enroll!

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:

Enroll in the Start Your Private Practice Program today

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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Are you in search of more balance in your professional and personal life?

Private practice may be the answer! In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Tayler Garzarek to talk about how she built her practice with balance in mind.

In this episode, she shares the fear she had about the cost of the investment in the Start Your Private Practice program, how she rationalized the cost, and what she’s been able to gain as a result.

I’ll let her fill in the blanks, but let’s just say that a year later, her practice has grown, her income has grown and the amount of flexibility she has for her family has grown! Plus, she’s sharing one really cool thing she’s done with the money she’s earned.

Hint: I’m totally jealous!

Tayler Garzarek is a Speech-Language Pathologist and owner of Chatterbox Children's Therapy located in Mary Esther, Florida. She currently provides services in her clinic, on-site at daycares, and via telehealth throughout the state of Florida.

Tayler is a Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) trained clinician with a passion for providing neurodiversity-affirming speech, language, and feeding therapy. She has advanced trainings/ certifications in Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing, Gestalt Language Processing, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Feed the Peds, and Beckman Oral Motor.

When not working as an SLP, Tayler is enjoying life as a military spouse and mother of 2 children.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• When Tayler realized that her dreams were worth investing in
• The free social media marketing Tayler used to grow her practice
• Simple ways to find clients
• The freedom that private practice can bring you
• The importance of being intentional with your time as a business owner
• Why you need to shake the scarcity mindset
• How teletherapy can help grow your private practice
• Why now is the perfect time to start your private practice

I hope you loved this conversation with Tayler! She’s a perfect example of someone who knew what she wanted, knew what her family needed, and faced her fears and went for it.

She didn’t do it alone! She followed our step-by-step process in the Start Your Private Practice Program because she didn’t have time to figure it out on her own.

Enrollment for the Start Your Private Practice Program opens this week! Please visit PrivatePracticeCourse.com to enroll and grab the special bonuses!

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:

Visit Tayler’s website

Follow Tayler on Instagram

Follow Tayler on Facebook

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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Are you ready to finally start your private practice? There has never been a better time to get started. 

In this solo episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I’m sharing why fall is the perfect time to start working with private clients. Whether you're a newer clinician who is already feeling burned out and looking for a change or you’re a seasoned clinician who has been putting off private practice for years, or even decades, and is finally ready to do it, this episode is for you.

If you've been thinking about starting a private practice for a while now, but haven't taken the plunge, the time is now. The fall seasons, energy, and the demand for your services make it an ideal moment to turn your private practice dreams into a reality.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• The contagious energy of back-to-school time
• Why more families are seeking out services in the fall
• The benefits of starting your private practice now 

I hope this episode inspires you to take action on your private practice dreams and start taking your first private clients. There really is no better time to make it happen!

Our Private Practice Bootcamp starts next week! Don't miss this amazing free event. To register, visit PlanYourPrivatePractice.com.

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: 

Join the Private Practice Bootcamp: PlanYourPrivatePractice.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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Sometimes, you have to overcome a lot of obstacles to make your dreams happen and it takes a lot of perseverance.

In this episode, I’m sharing my conversation with Vanessa Alcala to talk about her journey into private practice and the perseverance it took for her to get there.

Vanessa knew that she wanted to start a business and after graduation in January of 2023, she participated in our private practice boot camp and then decided to invest in the Start program to avoid wasting time and money.

Now, just eight months into her private practice journey, she’s sharing how it's going. We discuss the clinical populations that she works with, where she sees her clients, what services she offers, and her desire to eventually have a small team of culturally responsive SLPs.

Woven through this episode are discussions about the need for more minority and bilingual SLPs in the field and the importance of showcasing diverse role models in private practice, and I am so excited to share it with you today.

Vanessa Alcala, M.S. CCC-SLP, CDP is the owner and founder of Vital Therapies, a bilingual Speech Therapy private practice serving adolescents and adults. Vanessa is a Dementia Caregiver consultant and SLP Coach who is passionate about serving the bilingual community.

Vanessa is also the co-creator of Sip & Social, which creates opportunities for connection and collaboration for female entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry by hosting social networking events throughout the Tampa Bay area.

It is her mission to provide a holistic approach to speech therapy by utilizing evidence-based and culturally sensitive practices with clients, parents, caregivers, and families.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• Vanessa’s journey to become an SLP and eventually a private practitioner
• The naysayers Vanessa overcame to get to where she is today
• How Vanessa knew she wanted her own business so early in her career
• What made Vanessa decide to sign up for the boot camp and Start program
• Vanessa’s mentality as a business owner
• The power of having a network of peers to interact with as a business owner
• What her private practice looks like now
• The flexibility you get with a private practice
• What you need to do when you’re feeling imposter syndrome
• Vanessa’s plans for the future

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Vanessa! She is a perfect example of someone who persevered and had a dream and went for it. I love that she got that LLC right after grad school so that she had it when she was ready.

I can't tell you the amount of young clinicians who are pursuing private practice early in their careers. As long as you have something to bring to the table, there is no need to wait to start your private practice.

We would love to work with you to get set up, started and seeing clients just like we helped Vanessa in the Start Your Private Practice program! For more information and to enroll, please visit StartYourPrivatePractice.com.

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:

Visit Vanessa’s website: https://www.vitaltherapiesfl.com/

Follow Vanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theravolvewellness/

Follow Vanessa on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theravolvewellness

Follow Vanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.social/

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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/

Suffering from early career burnout?

This is something that many overworked SLPs are suffering from, and private practice may be the answer.

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, Laura and Adrianne share how they started their private practices after overcoming burnout. They both share where they get their referrals from, what types of clients they see, and whether they are generalists or specializing in certain populations.

If you've been thinking about starting a private practice and want to see how other folks are doing it, this episode is for you!

Laura and Adrianne are the hosts of The SLP Book Club podcast. Each month, they carefully select amazing books that speech therapists might not have the time to read and discuss them on their podcast chapter by chapter. They create and post free resources to accompany the books, allowing SLPs to immediately use the information they've learned with their caseloads.

Laura began her career in public schools, working as a contracted employee in a very large school district for six years. Outrageously high caseload numbers and unrealistic expectations led to complete burnout in her fourth year. A switch to part-time proved to be more manageable, but she ultimately decided to open her private practice in 2021 after discovering the Start Your Private Practice course. Her private practice, Springboard Speech Therapy, provides support to preschoolers who stutter and their families in the Los Angeles area. In addition to seeing clients in their homes, Laura creates digital and printable materials for other speech therapists in her TPT store, Laura G SLP.

Adrianne has spent much of her career working in public schools with grades K-12. She enjoys helping children as both an in-person therapist and a teletherapist. In 2021 she opened her private speech therapy practice, Say Hello Speech Therapy, in Orange County, California. She has a special interest in articulation/speech sound disorders and is extensively trained in UCLA's PEERS program for both teens and young adults. She is especially enthusiastic about empowering parents to be the best advocates and speech coaches possible for their children. Adrianne currently balances motherhood, working full-time as a teletherapist, hosting a podcast, and seeing private practice clients.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• How the Start program helped Adrianne and Laura start the private practices they dreamed of
• How specializing helps clients come to you
• The job satisfaction private practice can bring
• How empowering it can be to own your own private practice
• The power of parent coaching and home connection
• Running your private practice from home and setting your caseload sizes
• The freedom you get as a private practice owner
• The truth about burnout among SLPs
• How Laura and Adrianne are finding their clients

I hope you enjoyed this episode with Laura and Adrianne! Private practice is all about taking back that control. They didn't switch careers. They just switched to a new job setting- their own, where they are the boss. They set their schedules and their rates and decide which clients to see and how many to see. They literally set their own caseload caps and I'd love to see it!

Make sure to check out their podcast, follow them on Instagram, and join their Facebook group!

If you would like our help to get set up, started, and seeing clients, just like we helped Laura and Adrienne, head on over to StartYourPrivatePractice.com to learn more and sign up.

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 their podcast: www.theslpbookclub.com

Check out the Springboard Speech website: www.springboardspeechtherapy.com

Check out the Say Hello Speech website: www.sayhellospeech.com

Follow The SLP Book Club on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slp_bookclub/

Follow Laura on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.g.slp

Follow Adrianne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriannesayshello/

Join their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theslpbookclub

Visit Laura’s TpT store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Laura-G-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/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/