The Growth Lab Podcast

What if the skills you already have, the degree you earned, and the experience you built were already enough? In this episode of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with Hannah Boeck, business coach, creative strategist, founder of Cued Creative, creator of Scale Smart Academy, and host of the Scale Smart podcast. Hannah shares how she went from a burned-out speech therapist struggling to pay rent to building a business around her strengths, and how she now helps therapists create income that does not depend on trading every hour for pay.

Together they talk about burnout in the caregiving professions, aligned growth, pricing with confidence, building multiple income streams, and setting boundaries while raising a family. They also get honest about mom guilt, defining what “enough” looks like, and why your worth is never tied to your business. Whether you are a therapist, a business owner, or a parent who feels stuck but knows you are capable of more, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Hannah on Instagram: @cuedcreative and @thehannahboeck

Scale Smart podcast: https://www.cuedcreative.com/podcast

Scale Smart Academy : https://www.cuedcreative.com/scalesmart-academy

Connect with Luba on Instagram: @lubapatlakh

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba’s website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

[00:00] Welcome to The Growth Lab

[00:52] Meet Hannah Boeck

[02:36] From interior design to speech therapy

[06:17] The notebook list that changed everything

[08:58] Burnout and trading time for money

[10:53] Building Scale Smart Academy

[18:08] Money stories and setting your rates

[21:47] Facing fear around rate changes [

30:05] What aligned growth really looks like

[31:44] Growth seasons, mom guilt, and boundaries

[42:19] Aligned or misaligned: rapid fire

[44:23] Monetizing your expertise without reinventing yourself

[49:51] First steps if you feel stuck

This one is for the mom nobody talks about, the one who keeps the entire family moving. She knows which child needs new shoes, when the dentist appointment is, and which kid has been coughing for three nights. She answers work emails while making dinner and still ends the day wondering why it feels like she is not enough. In this solo episode of The Growth Lab, Luba speaks directly to her about the invisible mental load, the guilt, and the quiet exhaustion of caring so much for so long with almost no one noticing.

Luba unpacks the feelings underneath "I am failing," from grief and identity loss to hypervigilance and loneliness, and offers a gentle reframe: stop measuring yourself against the outcome and start measuring yourself against your intention. If you are a mom who does everything and still feels like it is never enough, this honest, encouraging conversation is the reminder that you matter too.

Connect with Luba on Instagram: @lubapatlakh

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab

01:30 The mom nobody talks about

06:00 The invisible mental load

11:00 Grief, identity loss, hypervigilance, loneliness

16:00 The standard nobody agreed to

20:00 Doing everything right vs. real life

24:00 The reframe: intention over outcome

27:00 You matter too

For so many children in foster care, everything they own is carried in a trash bag, and the message it sends is that they are not seen, not valued, not important. In this deeply moving episode of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with Rob Scheer, founder of Comfort Cases, who lived that reality and decided to change it. Rob grew up in the foster care system, and when his own adopted children arrived with those same trash bags, he set out to restore dignity to children entering care. Comfort Cases has since delivered hundreds of thousands of backpacks filled with pajamas, toiletries, books, and comfort items to kids across all 50 states and beyond.

Together they talk about empathy, legacy, resilience, and how the smallest acts of intention can completely change how a child sees themselves. Rob shares what children in foster care truly need, how to raise kids who give rather than take, and the simple ways any family can make an impact. If you have ever felt less than, or you want to raise more compassionate children, this conversation is for you.

Comfort Cases: comfortcases.org · [email protected]

Rob Scheer on Instagram: @rob_scheer

Connect with Luba on Instagram: @lubapatlakh

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab

02:00 The trash bag that started it all

06:00 Feeling less than in the foster system

10:00 Teaching empathy and legacy to our kids

15:00 What children in foster care really need

21:00 Comfort Cases and the dignity of a real bag

26:00 Adopting Alex and building a family

30:00 Simple ways anyone can help

34:00 A message to a child in foster care

Sometimes the most meaningful businesses are not built in boardrooms. They are built in hospital rooms. In this Season 5 premiere of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with Morgan and Josh Weiser, the parents behind TUBzi, an innovative bathing assistant born out of one of the hardest seasons of their lives. When their twins arrived three months early, the family spent more than 100 days in the NICU and navigated nine surgeries before their son was two and a half. What started as a way to safely bathe their healing child became a product designed to make bath time easier, safer, and less stressful for families everywhere.

Together they talk about parenthood, resilience, entrepreneurship, and mental health, and how some of life's hardest moments can unexpectedly become our greatest purpose. Whether you are building something of your own, raising kids through a tough chapter, or you simply need a reminder that you can get through hard things, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about TUBzi: https://tubzitime.com/

Connect with Luba on Instagram: @lubapatlakh

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab

01:30 Meet Morgan and Josh

04:00 Life in the NICU

09:00 Nine surgeries and coming home

14:00 The basement experiment that became TUBzi.

20:00 Designing around real kids

27:00 Protecting your mental health in survival mode

32:00 Parenting twins vs. launching a business

36:00 Advice for a parent in the hospital right now

Most people know Allen Genkin from the dance floor, but dance was never really the story. In this deeply personal episode of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with professional ballroom dancer and Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro competitor Allen Genkin, whose family has been family to hers since the day he was born. Behind the television lights and the trophies is a story of extraordinary resilience: losing his mother at just 15, growing up with ADHD and as an ESL kid, and battling cancer as a young adult. Allen opens up about how dance became his therapy, what kept him moving through his darkest chapters, and why he chases the dream instead of the accolades.

Together they talk about grief, identity, perseverance, and what parents raising kids with ADHD, loss, or adversity most need to understand. This one is about turning pain into purpose, dreaming after loss, and finding the courage to keep dancing through it all. If you have ever faced a hard chapter, or you love a child who has, this conversation is for you.

Allen Genkin on Instagram: @allengenkin

Allen Genkin on TikTok: @iamallengenkin

Connect with Luba on Instagram: @lubapatlakh

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab

01:33 Meet Allen Genkin

02:36 Growing up as family

05:10 From hockey to dance

07:46 ADHD, ESL, and finding his footing

12:35 Losing his mom at 15

14:13 Dance as therapy

19:01 Beating cancer

22:19 Chasing the dream, not the trophies

28:08 Raising resilient kids

30:55 Lightning round + advice to a struggling kid

It's 8:30 at night. Your child spikes a fever, or takes a fall off the playground, and suddenly you are weighing urgent care, the ER, the pediatrician, or waiting until morning. Every parent has stood in that exact spot, phone in hand, unsure which door to walk through.

In this episode, Luba sits down with Dr. Daniel Kogan, owner and founder of MedX Urgent Care, to unpack what urgent care actually handles for kids, from newborns to young adults. Dr. Kogan shares which fevers in young infants need attention right away, what to watch for after a head injury, why so much chest pain turns out to be non-cardiac, and why no family should ever feel embarrassed for getting something checked out. His message lands for every parent. You know your child better than anyone, and a fair, thorough look is always worth it.

Listen in for the clarity to trust your instincts the next time a moment turns scary.

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 Welcome to the Growth Lab

01:42 Meet Dr. Daniel Kogan

04:07 What urgent care actually handles for kids

07:57 The most unexpected cases he has seen

08:55 When scary symptoms turn out to be minor

10:58 Fever guidelines for babies

11:21 Warning signs after a head injury1

2:02 Why you should never feel embarrassed to come in

16:42 Why he chose to open an urgent care

21:04 Where to find MedX Urgent Care

You know you were made for more than a packed caseload and an endless to-do list, but figuring out how to actually build the business can feel like guesswork. In this special business edition of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with Ebony Green, owner and CEO of The Speak Center, creator of the SLP Business Suite, and founder of the Made for More movement, for an honest look at what it really takes to grow a speech practice on purpose. Ebony breaks down her three phases of intentional acceleration, from stabilizing as the operator, to building systems that run without you, to stepping into legacy and longevity as a CEO. She shares the client who almost made her quit, why she finally stopped trying to do everything herself, and the shift from delegating tasks to delegating decisions. If you are an SLP who knows there is more but you are figuring it out in real time, this conversation is your permission slip.

Ebony on Instagram: @slpbizqueen (personal), @theslpbusiness_suite (business)

Made for More conference: @madeformoreslp

Ebony Green on LinkedIn

The SLP Business Suite (her online education platform, home of the School Contracting Masterclass): https://theslpbusinesssuite.teachable.com

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:02:52 Meet Ebony Green

00:03:54 From proving herself to leading on purpose

00:10:35 The school job that pushed her to start her practice

00:13:36 The client who almost made her quit

00:18:20 Phase one, stabilizing as the operator

00:21:05 Why school contracts made sense

00:24:38 Did your cash register ring today

00:29:04 Phase two, building the architecture

00:31:52 Delegating decisions, not just tasks

00:46:33 Phase three, leadership, legacy, and longevity

Somewhere between the parenting books, the expert opinions, the evaluations, and the 2 a.m. Google searches, a lot of parents stop trusting their own instincts. In this solo episode of The Growth Lab, Luba explores how that quiet loss of confidence happens and why a parent's gut feeling deserves more weight than it usually gets. Through the story of a mom who sensed something was off with her son years before anyone listened, Luba shows why intuition matters, how confidence is built through small everyday actions rather than certainty, and what it looks like to reconnect with the most important parenting tool you already have. She also opens the doors to The Parent Pathway, her community where parents find honest conversations, real support, and resources without judgment or shame.

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parent Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:56 Welcome to the episode

01:25 Why so many parents lose trust in themselves

03:36 The mom who knew something was off at age two

07:53 Parenting has become impossibly loud

10:32 Why Luba created The Parent Pathway

17:08 Your intuition is not magic, it's data

18:35 How comparison destroys your confidence

21:25 Losing her mom and what children actually remember

24:52 How to start trusting yourself again

27:18 An invitation to join The Parent Pathway

In this episode of The Growth Lab, Luba Patlakh sits down with Alex Lopiccolo, known as the King of Swings, a certified occupational therapy assistant and sensory integration specialist who has spent the last decade designing sensory gyms and teaching hands on workshops around the world. Alex shares how his own childhood experience with sensory sensitivities shaped his approach to movement based therapy, and the two dig into why regulation has to come before behavior and learning can improve. They talk through practical bedtime strategies, how to balance screen time with movement, and what parents can do at home to help kids get the input their bodies are craving. Alex also opens up about building a mission driven career, avoiding burnout, and what he hopes kids carry with them long after therapy ends.

Check out Alex's website: sensorydigest.com

Alex's Instagram: instagram.com/sensorydigest

Alex's Facebook: facebook.com/SensoryDigest/

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parental Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 – Meet Alex Lopiccolo, the King of Swings

04:00 – Growing up with sensory sensitivities and using sports as therapy

05:10 – Finding purpose as an inventor and occupational therapist

09:54 – The role of movement in regulation, learning, and behavior

14:02 – Leading by example as a parent

22:49 – Bedtime routines and calming techniques that actually work

25:12 – Avoiding burnout and building a mission driven career

33:58 – Balancing screen time, video games, and movement

42:15 – Rapid fire questions with Alex

43:30 – Where to find Alex and Sensory Digest

This episode is one of the most personal conversations on the podcast, as host Luba Patlakh opens up about losing her own mom to cancer and how that loss shaped her view of advocacy and leadership. Luba sits down with Katia Conte, founder of the Daniela Conte Foundation, who shares the story of her daughter Daniela's four year battle with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. Katia walks through the moment everything changed, the years of treatment, relapse, and resilience, and the heartbreaking decision to keep fighting even when answers ran out. The conversation covers what real support looks like for a family in crisis, how the Daniela Conte Foundation helps cover rent, bills, and medical costs for families in active treatment, and how Katia turned unimaginable grief into a mission that has already helped hundreds of families. For anyone who has wondered what genuine support looks like for a family facing a child's serious illness, or who is looking for a way to help, this conversation will stay with them.

Learn more about the Daniela Conte Foundation here: https://www.danielacontefoundation.org

Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/

Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com

Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com

The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com

Join the Parental Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/

00:00 - Introduction to the episode and why this conversation is personal for Luba

01:55 - The day everything changed, pumpkin picking and the first signs something was wrong

04:00 - Rushing to the hospital and the diagnosis no parent is prepared for

07:44 - What it feels like to hear the words "your child has cancer"

10:52 - Starting chemo immediately and the realities of treatment

17:21 - The cancer relapses and the family faces a harder road

20:56 - Daniela's final battle and the days leading up to her passing

22:33 - How grief became the spark for the Daniela Conte Foundation

30:36 - How the foundation supports families financially and emotionally during treatment

44:18 - Advice for anyone who feels called to start something meaningful after loss