Tune in for our very last episode of this season's "How I Made My Speech Path Business" with hosts Mary Brezik and Kim Dillon. This episode shines a spotlight on Mary's personal journey in starting her own private practice. With a background rich in healthcare and creative arts, Mary recognized the need for a more balanced approach between her professional ambitions and family life after a decade in a clinical setting. Her business philosophy is a more personalized, concierge-style practice that focuses on practical, everyday therapy integrated into the children's routines, specifically in the areas of feeding and swallowing.

Mary's main focus in the beginning was placing a significant emphasis on balancing her mental health and personal time to ensure she was prepared for the demands of a growing business. Recognizing the importance of self-care, she sought therapy and regularly engaged in tennis, a personal passion. This commitment to her well-being allowed her to maintain a clear focus and energy for her entrepreneurial pursuits. This approach not only sustained her mental health but also highlighted the essential role that personal fulfillment plays in professional success.

Mary's approach to business is deeply intertwined with community and networking. She was a main part of establishing the Pediatric Resource Network, which promotes collaboration among pediatric healthcare professionals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Her innovative therapy methods emphasize real-world application, moving from clinic-based to in-home therapy to directly address children’s needs in their living environments. Mary’s focuses on favoring quality over quantity and leveraging word-of-mouth and professional referrals over traditional marketing.

Throughout the episode, we are able to see how Mary has prioritized personal values with professional expertise, ultimately leading to a fulfilling career in speech therapy.

For information on resources designed by Mary specifically in the areas of feeding, swallowing and OMT, make sure you sign up for our email list so you don't miss them as soon as they come out!
Sign up here!

Also, if you haven't done so already, follow our podcast! You will be the first to know when new episodes release. We would also love for you to leave a review and rate our show. The Speech Source appreciates your feedback and support! Follow here!

Follow Kim and Mary on IG here! - https://www.instagram.com/thespeechsource/
For more information on speech, language, feeding and play - visit The Speech Source Website - https://www.thespeechsource.com/

This has been such a fun season of The Speech Source Podcast! As we wrap up our season of How I Made My Speech Path Business, Kim and Mary each take a turn in the interviewee seat and talk about how they themselves have built their own private practices.

First up was Kim Dillon talking about her private speech practice. Kim shares about the beginnings of her career, which started from what she thought was a babysitting job but led her to the field of speech pathology. Over the years, she transitioned from traditional employment to establish a flexible and successful private practice that aligns with her role as a mother of four and an active community member. Throughout the episode, Kim emphasizes the strategic use of preschool screenings to build her client base and the importance of cultivating strong, respectful relationships with preschool directors and teachers. This approach not only solidified her business in the community but also minimized travel time and maximized efficiency. Kim also highlights the flexibility of the SLP field, which has allowed her to adapt her career to her family’s evolving needs. The episode wraps up with Kim reflecting on the need for a balance between her desire to serve and adopting a more structured business mindset. This episode not only sheds light on the professional paths available within speech pathology but also serves as an example for integrating personal passions with professional aspirations.

Click here for more info about resources both Kim and Mary use in the their private practices.

If you're interested in signing up for The Speech Source Newsletter, click here. We will be sending future resources specific to what we have created for each of our practices (speech and language screenings, resources for parents and teachers, feeding, swallowing and OMT resources and much more!).

Also, if you haven't done so already, follow our podcast! You will be the first to know when new episodes release. We would also love for you to leave a review and rate our show. The Speech Source appreciates your feedback and support! Follow here!

Follow Kim and Mary on IG here! - https://www.instagram.com/thespeechsource/
For more information on speech, language, feeding and play - visit The Speech Source Website - https://www.thespeechsource.com/

In this epside, hosts Kim and Mary welcom Jena Castro-Casbon, a speech therapist with her own private practice and creator of the Start Your Private Practice and Grow Your Private Practice programs. Jena shares her journey into the field of speech therapy, initially inspired by her father's experiences with stuttering and his positive feedback about speech therapy. Despite her early aspirations to become an FBI agent, this personal connection led her to pursue speech pathology, and eventually creating The Independent Clinician.

Jena credits her father's business mind for sparking her entrepreneurial spirit, leading her to start her own practice shortly after becoming certified. She developed educational programs to fill the gap in resources available for speech therapists looking to start and grow their private practices. Her initiatives, which began as an ebook, have evolved into comprehensive online courses assisting thousands of students across the country.

Jena also discusses how her programs have expanded to include occupational therapists (OTs), ensuring the content is inclusive for various disciplines. She emphasizes the importance of staying current with industry changes and integrating these lessons into her teachings.

Jena highlights the challenges of insurance and reimbursements in healthcare, advocating for creative financing options like school contracts and state-funded grants. Her programs provide structured mentorship, offering real-world advice from experienced practitioners to those new to private practice.

She stresses the importance of robust legal and financial structures to protect and sustain private practices and strongly advocates for business education as essential to professional development in speech therapy.

We end this info-packed conversation with Jena sharing inspiring stories of the people she's mentored, underscoring the transformative impact of proper guidance in building successful private practices.

This episode is a must listen if you are ready to dip your toe into private practice or if you are ready to grow and multiply your practice!

Important Links:

Jena's Website - The Independent Clinician

Follow Jena on Instagram - Independentclinician

Start Your Private Practice Program

Grow Your Private Practice Program

Also, if you haven't done so already, follow our podcast! You will be the first to know when new episodes release. We would also love for you to leave a review and rate our show. The Speech Source appreciates your feedback and support! Follow here!

Follow Kim and Mary on IG here! - https://www.instagram.com/thespeechsource/
For more information on speech, language, feeding and play - visit The Speech Source Website - https://www.thespeechsource.com/