The Growth Lab Podcast

Somewhere along the way, parents were made to believe that advocating for their child means being difficult, confrontational, or “that parent.” In this solo episode of The Growth Lab, speech-language pathologist and child advocate Luba Patlakh challenges that narrative and explains why advocacy is not aggression, it’s clarity. Drawing from years of experience supporting families through IEP meetings and school systems, Luba shares the mindset shifts and practical language that can completely change how these conversations unfold. From asking the right questions to regulating emotions in high-stress meetings, this episode gives parents the tools to advocate with confidence, stay steady in difficult rooms, and ensure their child’s needs are truly heard.

(00:00:46) Empowered Parental Advocacy for Child Services

(00:10:41) Power of Clarity in Effective Advocacy

In this episode of The Growth Lab, Luba Patlakh sits down with speech-language pathologist, educator, and clinic owner Jessie Ginsburg—known online as the Sensory SLP—for a candid conversation about the evolving world of speech therapy and what it really takes to support children and families well. Together they explore Jessie’s journey from starting her own clinic to building widely used sensory-focused training programs for therapists, including the course she created to help SLPs better support autistic children in virtual therapy. They discuss the power of mentorship and specialization in clinical settings, the importance of finding the right therapist–family fit, and the realities of balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and leadership in a growing field. The conversation offers both practical insight for clinicians and reassurance for parents navigating developmental concerns.

Check out Jessie:

Jessie's Website: https://www.sensoryslp.com

Jessie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensory.slp/

(00:02:07) Innovative Approach to Children's Speech Therapy

(00:09:53) Virtual Sensory Course for Autism Therapy

(00:15:05) Specialized Pediatric Speech Therapy Clinic's Approach

(00:16:40) Specialized Muscle Function Correction Therapy Training

(00:21:13) Therapeutic Success Through Strong Therapist-Client Bonds

(00:27:07) Navigating Work-Life Boundaries for Well-being

(00:44:04) Empowering Team Growth Through Delegation

(00:51:34) Autism Support Through Sensory Speech Training

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussion of suicide and loss. Please take care while listening. Crisis resources are included below.

In this powerful Season 3 episode, Luba welcomes Mattie Murrey a former Speech-Language Pathologist and private practice owner of 30 years who traded speech drills for stages and story thrills. Now a keynote speaker, certified life coach, ghostwriter, and publisher, Mattie helps thought leaders turn their ideas into page-turning books.

This conversation goes deep. Mattie shares her journey from running a private practice to stepping into values-driven work, manifestation, vision boarding, and helping others find their voices. She talks about losing her husband to suicide, being shunned from her religious community, and the affirmation that got her through: "I am strong. I am me. And I am okay."

Today, her mantra is: "I am wild, beautiful, smart, and successful."

In this episode, Mattie shares:

• The moment she merged all her passions into one career (values, not just skills)
• The power of manifestation (she took a $15K vision boarding course)
• How to shift from "I'm stuck" to "This is where I'm going"
• Why limiting beliefs are handed to us and how to break them
• The 5-step process for writing a book (research, outline, write, edit, publish)
• Why everyone has a book inside them (writing is how your soul heals)
• The shift from client to author (your book isn't for you it's for the reader)
• Her affirmation practice: 30 seconds of mirror work every day
• How she talks to her 80-year-old self to get unstuck
• The "hero story": When the calling awakens, the hero within you wakes too
• Why she uses ChatGPT as "Barbara Corcoran" for business coaching

"If you're asking the question, you're ready right now. Don't wait."

Key Insights:

• Limiting beliefs: Recognize them, shift them, break them
• Vision boarding: Not a collage it's a "dare to declare"
• Manifestation works (wake up at 4am when there's more space)
• Transferable skills: Critical thinking, communication, resourcefulness
• Affirmations change lives (say your mantra daily in the mirror)
• Plateaus = end of a chapter (close it and write your brave new one)

Sensitive Content: Mattie shares her experience of losing her husband to suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call/text 988
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

This episode is for SLPs feeling stuck, entrepreneurs holding back, anyone who wants to write a book, and people navigating grief or major life transitions.

📲 Connect with Mattie Murrey: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/myownghostwriter Instagram: @myownghostwriter | @freshslp Tagline: "Friends don't let friends write bad books."

🎙️ Subscribe now!

📲 Follow us: @thegrowthlabpodcast

If you're listening to this late at night your house is quiet, your child is finally asleep, but you're on your phone wondering, "Is this normal?" this episode is for you.

Luba speaks directly to the parents Googling developmental milestones at 2AM, comparing their child to other kids, or feeling dismissed by "wait and see" advice. As a speech-language pathologist, myofunctional therapist, child developmental specialist, and mom of three, Luba knows what it's like to worry, advocate, and fight for your child when something feels off.

This episode tackles 3 questions parents Google at night:

1. Is my child behind?

• Development is patterns, not single skills
• Speech, feeding, sleep, breathing, behavior are all connected
• Why comparison steals your peace
• Why every child has a different childhood (even in the same home)

2. Why does everyone say "wait and see"?

• Why physicians say it (overloaded systems, milestones are averages)
• When waiting is appropriate vs. when it feels like abandonment
• Why you should NEVER wait if you're feeling dismissed
• The power of early intervention: "What's the worst that can happen? Your child gets ahead."

3. Why do I feel like something is off, but no one is listening?

• Parents see their children in motion not in a 30-minute snapshot
• How to advocate: Bring data, bring videos, bring your heartfelt explanation
• Subtle signs that matter: Mouth breathing, unclear speech, picky eating, poor sleep

Key Insights:

• Speech is never just speech. Behavior is often a communication issue.
• Poor sleep affects everything: learning, articulation, focus, mood.
• Oral posture and breathing affect development. Mouth breathing is NOT normal.
• Your child is not broken. When you support the body, the brain follows.

"You are not dramatic. You are not anxious. You are not imagining things. I'm here to guide you."

This episode is for parents feeling dismissed, noticing patterns, or wondering what to watch and when to act.

📲 Free Resources: Visit lubapatlakh.com for developmental checklists, language to use with providers, and early intervention guidance.

🎙️ Subscribe now!

📲 Follow us: @thegrowthlabpodcast | @kidologyqueen

In this inspiring Season 3 episode, Luba welcomes Hallie Sherman, M.S. CCC-SLP the powerhouse behind Speech Time Fun, the SLP Elevate membership, and The Speech Retreat. With 16 years of school-based experience, Hallie built one of the most recognizable platforms in the SLP community while working full-time, raising kids, and learning business from scratch.

This isn't just a "how I built my business" story. It's a raw, honest conversation about imposter syndrome, taking chances, and realizing that validation from the outside world can spark something bigger than you imagined.

Hallie's Journey:

• Started as an anonymous blogger ("Miss Speechy") worried about being "Google-able"
• Created resources out of necessity—couldn't find materials for older speech students
• Turned a hobby blog into a business in 2016 during fertility struggles
• Built a 2,000-member SLP Elevate membership, 600+ TpT resources, and The Speech Retreat
• Left her school job after 13 years to run Speech Time Fun full-time
• Now impacts thousands of SLPs and millions of students worldwide

In this episode, Hallie shares:

• Why her Amazon account is still "Miss Speechy" (and her husband's Whole Foods pickup embarrassment)
• How Pinterest and early Instagram (before the algorithm!) helped her grow
• Why she hired business coaches for Instagram, Facebook ads, and leadership
• The moment she hit 10K followers: "10,000 people are following me?! That's crazy!"
• Learning to be a leader, build systems, and train a team (not just hire for skills)
• Her 10 worst-case scenarios list before leaving her school job
• Why imposter syndrome shows up every day: "Who am I to tell people how to be an SLP?"
• Her biggest strength: quick action taking ("I'd rather it be messy and fix it later")
• Her dream: getting districts to pay for SLP Elevate so therapists don't pay out of pocket
• What grad school didn't prepare her for: mixed groups, data reality, older students

"If I sat around and waited for it to be perfect, I would have never put it out there. What's the worst that happens? It flops? I've had many ideas flop."

This episode is for school-based SLPs feeling burnt out, therapists wanting to build online businesses, educators creating content, and anyone struggling with imposter syndrome while building something big.

📲 Connect with Hallie Sherman: Website: speechtimefun.com | Instagram: @speechtimefun Podcast: SLP Coffee Talk | Membership: SLP Elevate Conference: The Speech Retreat | Book: The Secondary SLP Roadmap

🎙️ Season 3 is here subscribe now!

📲 Follow us: @thegrowthlabpodcast

In this groundbreaking Season 3 episode, Luba welcomes Erinn Askin, OT and founder of Oteim Pediatrics in California, to discuss one of the most innovative approaches in pediatric therapy today: neuroadaptive therapy using low-level lasers (photobiomodulation).

Erinn's journey is inspiring and unconventional. From nannying and wanting the "cute minivan life," to becoming an OT, to teaching anatomy and physiology, to quitting her job when her boss denied her vacation Erinn ultimately opened her own practice that now serves clients internationally and teaches clinicians worldwide.

What makes Oteim different? Lasers. Class 3B cold lasers that use different wavelengths to energize and oxygenate targeted brain areas accelerating progress in speech, OT, sensory processing, ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more.

In this episode, Erinn shares:

• How she discovered laser therapy through a friend whose child's behavior transformed
• What photobiomodulation is (studied for 60+ years, declassified by the FDA)
• How low-level lasers work: ATP, mitochondria, cellular energy, brain oxygenation
• Why different wavelengths target different brain depths and areas
• How lasers can accelerate therapy progress sometimes cutting treatment time in half
• Real examples: ADHD (frontal lobe), tics , speech delays, motor issues
• Why she left her professorship and started Oteim
• Her international pop-up intensives (Northern Ireland, Scandinavia, Dubai)
• Why she created "Neuroadaptive Therapy in a Box" to teach clinicians globally
• Her advice: "Just do it. Stop looking over your shoulder."

"There's no shortage of people to help on this planet. We will never run out of children to help."

This episode is for therapists who want to innovate, parents seeking cutting-edge solutions, and entrepreneurs building global missions.

📲 Connect with Erinn Askin: Instagram: @oteimpeds | Website: https://www.oteim.com/

🎙️ Season 3 is here subscribe now!

📲 Follow us: @thegrowthlabpodcast

If your child is smart, understands everything, follows directions but still struggles to speak clearly this episode is for you.

Your child isn't lazy or careless. This has nothing to do with intelligence.

In this solo episode, Luba breaks down one of the most misunderstood areas of speech development: why brilliant kids struggle with articulation, motor planning, and speech clarity and what parents can do about it.

Most parents are told to "wait and see" or that their child will "grow out of it." But here's what they're NOT told: Speech clarity issues often stem from myofunctional disorders, airway problems, tongue posture, and motor pathway issues—not lack of effort.

In this episode, Luba explains:

• Articulation vs. Motor Planning (why your child knows the word but can't coordinate the sound)
• Tongue Posture Matters (where the tongue should rest and what happens when it doesn't)
• Mouth Breathing & Airway Issues (how open mouth posture, tongue ties, tonsils, allergies impact speech)
• Weak Lip Seal (what a full lip seal looks like and why it's critical)
• The Myofunction Connection (how breathing, tongue position, and oral strength create the foundation for clear speech)
• Missing Teeth & Tongue Lateralization (how these distort sound production)
• The Deviated Uvula (what it means if your child's uvula swings to one side)
• The "They'll Grow Out of It" Myth (why waiting can hurt your child's development)
• The Whole Child Approach (why global evaluations matter and how everything is connected)

"If your tongue doesn't know where to rest, it's not going to know where to move for sounds. We can't expect precision when the foundation isn't stable."

This episode is for parents who have been told their child will "grow out of" speech issues, notice their child struggles with certain sounds despite being smart, see mouth breathing or weak lip seal, or want to understand the ROOT CAUSE of speech delays.

Luba's approach at Kidology is global: speech isn't isolated; it's connected to breathing, oral posture, motor planning, and more. When the body gets support, clarity follows.

Free Resources from Luba: Visit https://lubapatlakh.com for:

• Articulation vs. Motor Planning Checklist
• Oral Posture and Airway Signs Guide
• What to Watch and When to Act

Season 3 is here, subscribe now!

Follow us: @thegrowthlabpodcast | @kidologyinc | @kidologyqueen

From entering foster care at age 4 with a 20-word vocabulary to becoming a multimillionaire entrepreneur and CEO of the Year Crystal Noell's story is nothing short of extraordinary.

In this transformative episode of The Growth Lab, host Luba Patlakh-Kaplun sits down with Crystal Noell, founder of My CFO and creator of The STOP Method™, to unpack the financial strategies that changed both of their businesses forever.

Crystal shares her journey from being adopted out of foster care to launching her first business at 25, building multiple companies, battling a traumatic brain injury, and now living with early onset Parkinson's all while revolutionizing how entrepreneurs approach their finances.

In this episode, discover:

The STOP Method - Crystal's game-changing 4-account system (Savings, Taxes, Operations, Profit Sharing) that prevents the cash flow disasters that take businesses under

The Revenue Trap - Why focusing on top-line revenue is the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make and what you should focus on instead

The One Report - The single weekly report Crystal checks in her 8-figure business (and the one you should be reviewing too)

From 80 to 15 - How Crystal went from working 80-hour weeks as a "bottleneck boss" to running 3 businesses in just 15 hours per week

STOP vs. Profit First - The crucial difference between these two methods and which one your business needs first (hint: you might be skipping a critical step)

Ready for a CFO? - The clear signs your business is ready for financial clarity and fractional CFO support (plus when you're not)

Budget Mastery - The budget versus actuals report that transforms how you see your business and the non-negotiable numbers every entrepreneur should review weekly

Crystal doesn't hold back in sharing vulnerable insights about apologizing to her kids for prioritizing business over family, redefining success after her diagnosis, and why she believes financial leadership is a learned skill, not a natural talent. She opens up about the moment her daughter said she'd never want to own a business because "I never see you," and how that changed everything.

This episode is for every entrepreneur who has ever looked at their P&L and felt overwhelmed, wondered why profit feels elusive despite growing revenue, or struggled to pay themselves while keeping the business afloat. Crystal provides a roadmap to sustainable, profitable growth that doesn't require sacrificing your health, relationships, or sanity.

About Crystal Noell: Crystal Noell is a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and founder of My CFO, a firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs master their finances with clarity and confidence. After rising from foster care to becoming a multimillionaire through entrepreneurship, Crystal developed The STOP Method™ and EPI Formula to simplify cash flow and budgeting for business owners. Through her proven frameworks, she teaches leaders how to align intuition with financial data to create sustainable, profitable growth—because at the end of the day, cash flow isn't luck, it's strategy.

Connect with Crystal: 📚 Grab Crystal's book: The STOP Method on Amazon 💼 Million Dollar Blueprint Mastermind launched this month!

https://www.amazon.com/STOP-Method-Game-Changing-Budgeting-Approach/dp/B0CY5DKLMG

Instagram: @my_cfo_

My CFO 💼 Upcoming: Million Dollar Blueprint Mastermind

If you found value in this episode, subscribe to The Growth Lab Podcast and follow us on Instagram and TikTok @thegrowthlabpodcast.

In this powerful Season 3 episode, Luba welcomes Erika Sinner Inc. 5000 founder (2x!), Chief Empathy Officer, author of Pets Are Family, and the visionary behind Tiny Superheroes, an organization transforming hospital culture for children facing serious illnesses.

Erika's story is one of resilience, empathy, and purpose. Growing up with food stamps, an absent father, and instability, she learned early what it meant to crave safety—and that drive shaped everything she's built. From 14-hour days and 22 straight weeks of travel to prove her business concept, to building Directorie into a thriving life science marketing agency, Erika has proven you can have high performance AND deep care.

But this conversation goes beyond business. Erika shares the heartbreak of losing her dog Kingston to heart cancer and how that loss sparked her mission to normalize pet bereavement leave. She talks about Tiny Superheroes, an organization giving kids capes and transforming their medical journeys into superhero missions.

In this episode, Erika shares:

• Growing up with instability and how it shaped her core value: safety
• The moment her dad said, "I have a new family now"
• Working her way up from marketing associate to pharmaceutical leader
• Why she calls herself Chief Empathy Officer (empathy is strategic, not soft)
• Losing Kingston and why "it's just a dog" is never okay
• How Tiny Superheroes transforms hospital culture
• Why kids in capes feel powerful instead of broken
• Her advice: "You don't need anyone's permission. You are in the driver's seat."

"I didn't have the parents I needed. So I became the leader I wish I had."

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or navigating loss, this episode will remind you that empathy is your superpower. And you don't need permission to chase your dreams.

📲 Connect with Erika Sinner: Instagram (Personal): @erika_sinner Instagram (Directorie): @directorie_ Instagram (Tiny Superheroes): @tinysuperheroes Instagram (Her Dogs): @crazy4pei LinkedIn: Erika Sinner Website: erikasinner.org Book: Pets Are Family

🎙️ Season 3 is here subscribe now!

📲 Follow us: @thegrowthlabpodcast on Instagram & TikTok

Welcome to Season 3 of The Growth Lab Podcast! In this premiere solo episode, Luba shares the raw, real origin story of Kidology from driving her car to daycares as a solo mobile therapist to building a multi-location, Inc. 5000-recognized pediatric therapy empire.

This episode is about being the heartbeat of your clinic greeting clients, jumping in when someone calls out, noticing what others miss, and leading by example every single day.

In this episode, Luba shares:

• How she went from 6-12 kids a day in her car to opening her first tiny 2-room clinic
• The moment a mom said, "You don't just run this place you ARE this place"
• Why visibility isn't ego it's culture, trust, and growth
• The front desk situation that taught her to model solutions, not just policies
• How noticing a child's gait led to adding another service and deepening trust
• Why being community-facing drives referrals and loyalty
• The transition from founder to CEO without losing what made your brand powerful

"If you want your team to treat clients with warmth, consistency, and excellence they need to see YOU doing that."

Whether you're a solo practitioner, clinic owner, or entrepreneur building a service-based business, this episode will remind you: You are the brand. Your visibility builds trust. And trust builds growth.

Are you the face of your business? What would change if you showed up as the heartbeat, not just another team member?

Follow us: @thegrowthlabpodcast on Instagram & TikTok

Connect with Luba: Instagram: @thekidologyqueen LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lubapatlakh

Season 3 is here, subscribe now!