This episode is for therapists and helpers who feel like their calendar is running their life. If you're constantly chasing productivity but feeling further from peace, this one’s for you.

James Marland unpacks how overwork became the norm—and why your business needs to serve your life, not swallow it. Discover how to scale your wisdom, not your burnout.

Who It's For:

• Therapists stuck in a cycle of service and stress
• Coaches craving more space, not more hustle
• Helpers who want to teach or lead without losing their joy

• You’ll finally name what’s stealing your time—and what to do about it.
• You’ll learn how to build space into your week without sacrificing your mission.
• You’ll walk away with a simple mindset shift to start reclaiming your calendar.

• 00:03 – The cultural trap of overwork and why we mistake stress for success
• 02:00 – That sinking feeling: When you realize your calendar owns you
• 04:12 – The invisible shift: How your mission got replaced by fear
• 05:12 – Are you headed toward success… or resentment?
• 06:36 – Why a full calendar can be quiet damage
• 08:09 – The Fisherman story: A simple parable about chasing the wrong success
• 10:30 – From striving to sustainable: Why rhythm matters more than hustle
• 11:25 – The campfire metaphor: How your business needs space to breathe
• 12:09 – Ways to scale your wisdom without one-on-one burnout
• 13:09 – Reclaim your “why” and stop letting your business steal your joy
• 14:18 – “Your business should fund your life, not feed on it.”
• 15:34 – Protecting margin: How to calendar what really matters
• 16:29 – Join the waitlist for the Beyond Fully Booked workshop

Resources & Mentions

• Beyond Fully Booked Workshop – Small steps to reclaim your business → Reserve Your Seat
• Email James: James@coursecreationstudio.com (use the word “next” to get workshop info)
• Book Mentioned: The Science of Scaling by Dr. Benjamin Hardy → Find it here
• Book Mentioned: 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dr. Benjamin Hardy → Find it here

Closing Invitation

If this helped you breathe a little deeper, share it with someone who’s been stuck in overdrive. Your course—and your calendar—shouldn’t cost you your joy.

Let’s build something sustainable, together.

You’ve got income stream ideas—maybe too many. But instead of building momentum, you feel stuck in research, adding features, or waiting until it’s perfect.

In this episode, I share a personal story about my basement remodel that spiraled out of control. More importantly, I connect that story to what happens when we try to build without a clear finish line. If you’ve been spinning your wheels or afraid to start your course or offer, this episode is a gentle nudge to stop planning and start defining.

You’ll learn how to pick a “minimum viable product” version of your idea, set boundaries around it, and move forward with clarity. Progress doesn’t come from having all the ideas—it comes from choosing one and finishing it.

• 00:01 – Welcome & Rebrand
• 01:30 – Basement Story Begins
• 03:00 – How Ideas Expand
• 04:45 – The Stuck Loop
• 06:15 – Research vs. Action
• 07:00 – Define Your MVP
• 08:10 – Choose a Finish Line
• 09:30 – You’re Halfway There
• 10:10 – Take Imperfect Action

Guest: Susan Schramm | Author of Fast Track Your Big Idea

Host: James Marland | Scaling Therapy Practice Podcast
Episode Overview

Why do great ideas fail before they ever get off the ground? In this episode of Scaling Therapy Practice, James Marland talks with author and strategist Susan Schramm about the surprising root cause of stalled projects: fear of risk. But it’s not just financial or legal risks—it’s the people side of risk that’s often overlooked.

If you’re a therapist, coach, or solopreneur with a course, program, or big idea sitting in a notebook or buried under client work, this conversation is for you. Susan shares how to reframe risk as a leadership tool, not a barrier—and how to use her 6-step De-Risk System to build momentum and finally launch your idea with confidence.

3 Reasons to Listen

• Discover what’s really stopping your launch — It’s not your idea. It’s unspoken risk.
• Learn the “De-Risk” system — Six clear, practical steps to help you move forward, even if you’re afraid.
• Hear how clarity beats confidence — When you know the “why” and “who,” your strategy becomes easier to execute.

Timestamped Highlights

• [00:00] Not talking about risk
• [01:45] Launching ideas since childhood
• [03:30] Why good ideas stall
• [04:50] People side of risk
• [05:45] Fear vs. clarity
• [07:15] Group hesitation explained
• [08:40] Risk = uncertainty
• [10:15] Fight, flight, or freeze
• [11:50] Therapist solopreneurs & teams
• [13:20] Silence isn’t safety
• [14:15] Culture of risk conversation
• [16:00] 6-step De-Risk system
• [19:00] Why now? Why you?
• [21:45] Who needs to act?
• [23:15] How strategies adapt
• [24:30] Pre-mortems & planning ahead
• [26:30] Overplanning kills momentum
• [28:10] MVP mindset matters
• [30:00] Book & launch team info
• [32:00] Final thoughts on risk

• Susan’s website: FastTrackYourBigIdea.com
• Email for the De-Risk Checklist: susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com
• Book (Coming Oct 2025): Fast Track Your Big Idea: Navigate Risk, Move People to Action, and Avoid Your Strategy Going Off Course
• Course Creation Support: https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/

Are people leaving your webinars before you even make your offer? In this episode of Scaling Therapy Practice, host James Marlin sits down with Johnny Byrne, known as The Webinar Wizard, to talk about how to create engaging webinars that keep people watching—and buying.

Whether you're a therapist, coach, or course creator, Johnny explains how to upgrade your presentation style using free tools, simple tech (like Stream Deck + OBS), and easy visual techniques that make a BIG difference. Learn why most webinars fail to convert—and what to do instead.

If you run webinars, workshops, or online courses, this episode will help you turn more viewers into buyers.

00:00 – Why Most Webinars Lose Viewers Before the Offer
01:05 – Meet Johnny Byrne, the Webinar Wizard
02:40 – From Live Trainer to Online Engagement Expert
04:00 – How the Pandemic Changed Presentation Skills
05:20 – “You’re Not Too Techy”—Why Anyone Can Do This
07:00 – Free Tools: Stream Deck & OBS for Better Engagement
08:45 – No More “Can You See My Slides?”
10:10 – The Power of Pattern Interrupts
11:30 – Why Looking & Sounding Good Builds Trust
13:00 – Making Your Webinar Feel Like a Show
14:45 – Live Drawing with iPad or Paper for Real-Time Connection
16:30 – Record & Edit at the Same Time (Big Time Saver!)
18:00 – Shocking Stats: 60% Leave Before Your Sales Pitch
19:20 – You’re Losing Sales If They Don’t Stay Till the End
21:15 – How to Use Timers, Music & Visuals for Better Flow
22:30 – Deliver an Experience, Not Just an Event
24:00 – Where to Find Johnny + Free Setup Review Offer

• Johnny Byrne’s Website: https://johnnybeirne.com/
• Free Setup Review with Johnny: https://johnnybeirne.com/
• Free Live Training with Johnny: https://luma.com/webinarwizard?k=c&period=past

Scaling Therapist Podcast
Episode 132: The High Cost of Playing It Safe (Why Avoiding Risk Holds You Back)
Host: James Marland

Episode Summary:
In this episode, I talk about how fear and imposter syndrome can stop therapists and private practice owners from growing their businesses. I share a few personal stories about times when I let hesitation hold me back, and how I learned that courage comes before confidence. If you’ve been waiting to feel “ready” before trying something new, this episode is your reminder that taking action (even small, imperfect steps) is the real way forward.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why imposter syndrome is so common in helping professions
• How fear disguises itself as wisdom
• What hesitation has cost me (and maybe you too)
• Why you should act before you feel confident
• How to take one small step forward this week

Timestamps and Topics:

(00:00) A story about hiding after a small mistake in a school play
(01:00) The cost of fear and hesitation in business and life
(02:30) Imposter syndrome and why it shows up for therapists
(04:00) The leadership role I turned down because I didn’t feel ready
(06:00) Surprising statistics on imposter syndrome
(08:00) How your brain makes small mistakes feel huge
(10:30) Why your audience doesn’t notice what you think they do
(11:30) Leading a group without confidence (courage came first)
(13:00) You don’t need to wait for perfection to move forward
(14:00) A new course to help you overcome self-doubt
(15:30) Final encouragement and call to action

Resources Mentioned

• Store Page: https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/store
• Special offer - Pay what you want for confident course creator https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/offers/EoAzZpsG

If you're a therapist, coach, or mission-minded helper who feels like you're supposed to do it all on your own—this one’s for you.

I share a deeply personal story about what pretending to be “fine” cost me in marriage, and what it revealed about how I was building my business. This episode isn’t about hustle. It’s about getting honest.

What if community is the thing that gets you unstuck?

As a course creation coach for therapists, I’ve seen over and over again that support—not solo hustle—is the real catalyst for growth. Let’s talk about how to find it and why it matters.

• You’ll hear what “fake peace” really looks like in a marriage—and a business.
• You’ll learn why being stuck isn’t a capacity issue—it’s often a community issue.
• You’ll walk away with one practical step to stop building your online offer alone.

• 00:00 – I open with this truth: Support is not a crutch. It’s a catalyst.
• 02:10 – The story of me and my wife walking into a group while silently falling apart.
• 06:45 – Why we say “we’re fine” in business—and why that’s keeping us stuck.
• 08:40 – Naming the Solo Myth: The lie that you have to do this alone.
• 10:00 – Donald Miller's advice: Why coaches need community too.
• 11:20 – My basement remodel: a story of drywall, fear of power tools, and how 10 friends did what would’ve taken me years.
• 14:00 – LinkedIn accountability: how a weekly group helped me start showing up consistently.
• 16:45 – Fun Financial Fridays: how community made money tasks less overwhelming.
• 19:30 – Being authentic: why showing the cracks builds trust with your ideal client.
• 21:00 – A reflection: What about your real life would help your audience connect?
• 22:30 – Final invitation: You’re not stuck because you can’t. You’re stuck because you’re doing it alone.

• Book: Coach Builder by Donald Miller → https://businessmadesimple.com
• Want help planning your next 90 days? Book a free call with me → https://tidycal.com/360z043/custom-goal-setting-interview-m829oov
• Ready to grow without burnout? I'm a therapist online course business coach—learn more here → https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/

You don’t need more grit. You need more people who believe in what you’re building.

If someone came to mind while you listened, text them. Ask for 15 minutes. Swap ideas. Or reach out to me and let’s plan your next 90 days together.

If this helped you see things differently, share it with a friend.
We go further faster when we don’t go alone.

When you’re running a practice, change is constant, but staying focused during the hard parts is where most therapists get stuck. In this episode, James talks with Michael Dettrich-Chastain, therapist and CEO of Arc Integrated, about why we revert to old habits and what to do instead. From real-life struggles with tools like ClickUp to Michael’s 7 Influencers of Change, this episode is packed with insights for practice owners who want to grow without burning out.

• How to stay focused when making changes in your practice, even when things get uncomfortable
• A breakdown of Michael Dettrich-Chastain’s 7 Influencers of Change framework
• Real examples of why we revert to old habits and how to build support systems that keep you moving forward

[00:00:01] Michael opens with the idea that success is self-defined because we are always in flux and always changing.

[00:01:00] James introduces Michael and shares how they met at the Wise Practice Summit.

[00:02:00] Michael shares about the flood in North Carolina and the community’s response during crisis.

[00:04:15] Michael’s journey from therapist to CEO and the leap from comfort to entrepreneurship.

[00:07:00] How becoming a father changed Michael’s perspective on work, travel, and balance.

[00:08:00] Why change in practice often shows up as symptoms, not signs—frustration, delay, complaints.

[00:10:00] Michael introduces his 7 Influencers of Change: cognition, heart, action, nourishment, guts, environment, spirit.

[00:12:00] How environment keeps us stuck—and how to shift it to support change.

[00:13:45] James shares his ClickUp struggle as a real example of falling back on old habits when change gets hard.

[00:15:00] Michael applies his framework to James’s situation, focusing on cognition and environment.

[00:17:30] Why clearly defining success is the key to staying focused when things get tough.

[00:20:00] Entrepreneurship as personal development—how change forces us to grow in unexpected ways.

[00:20:30] Where to find Michael’s free change management resources and tools.

• Free toolkit from Michael: arcintegrated.com/free
• Michael’s website: arcintegrated.com
• Project management tool discussed: ClickUp
• Book: Changes by Michael Dettrich-Chastain