S2E2: Branding and Marketing Your Private Practice with SLP Marcia Church

In the first episode of our new series "How I Built My Speech Path Business," we talk to pediatric speech pathologist Marcia Church.  Over the last few years, Marcia has built her private practice in the Dallas, Texas area called Pediatric Speech Stars.  Not only has she grown her pediatric private speech practice into a thriving business, but she has also created resources for other speech pathologists to successfully market and brand their own business, as well as an online retail shop with cute apparel for speech therapists! 

Pediatric Speech Stars provides families with direct speech therapy services, consultations and parent coaching.  Marcia discusses how she developed her business geared towards the "modern mom" from website creation and branding photo shoots to a streamlined process in direct patient care that runs off of automations and systems she has put into place.  Throughout the process she realized she could offer other speech pathologists wanting to build their own business something that was missing - a beautiful way to  brand their business, and stock photos specific to speech therapy and speech pathologists. From website template kits to stock photo sets, she has created a way for speech pathologists to have digital and print marketing a strong point in their business venture. 

During  our discussion, Marcia talks to us about the importance of creating clear boundaries in her business, and how she has managed to be successful at this for the purpose of being able to focus on her family.   She teaches other speech pathologists how to organically market and grow their own business while teaching this value of setting boundaries.  She explains that in doing this, it leads to fulfillment.  Marcia's insight on networking, mentorship, and cultivating a supportive community are foundational in her business. She also talks to us about incorporating  passive income and  setting up a business that can eventually be sold.

Marcia's vision and techniques for marketing and branding a business have proven to be successful not only in her own business but in countless other speech pathologist's businesses who have used her services.  Outside of what she can provide through resources and coaching though, one of Marcia's most incredible attributes is her authentic desire to build up and cheer along other entrepreneurs in our field.  This might just be her greatest superpower! 

Enjoy this episode with Marcia Church that is fun, engaging, encouraging and packed with information on how to strategically market and brand your own speech pathology business! 

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

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!

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For more information on speech, language, feeding and play - visit The Speech Source Website - https://www.thespeechsource.com/

Transcript

Kim : 0:00

So today we have Marsha Church. She is a speech pathologist and we're gonna learn just a little bit about her and her family and how she got started starting her business. So welcome Marsha.

Marcia : 0:11

Thanks, ladies for having me. I'm so excited to be here. Yeah, hi, I'm Marsha Church. I am a mom of two. I have a husband and a dog that is almost 10 years old. I'm not a dog person, so we just happy she's still here.

Marcia : 0:23

But I started out as an SLP. I'm originally from Cleveland, ohio, so I got my master's and undergraduate from Kent State University and then my first job as a CF was in Arizona. So one of the major big contracting companies wink wink that is who I took my first job with, and because they really got me at, I could go anywhere in the country. They would relocate me, pay my rent, and I was young, wild and free and I said let's do it. So I left Ohio at 22 years old and I did not look back. I moved to Scottsdale, arizona, then I did to Los Angeles and I went to San Diego and then I moved to Dallas, texas, and so I was working with schools for seven years total. I met my husband. He was also from Pittsburgh, but he had played for the Dallas Cowboys, so I knew that Dallas might be the final spot where I stayed and then I was working up through the schools until I started Home Health with a local company here and I loved it.

Marcia : 1:19

I was doing management. That was when I finally stopped working two jobs. I always had two jobs. It was when I was working the schools. I always did PRN after school either Home Health or SNF and then when I got to my Home Health job, I was like this is it. This is gonna be my only job, because they allowed me a position to manage as well, and that's really sparked my management. This is great. I love to lead. This is the perfect thing for me. Still hadn't thought about private practice or being a business owner. I thought I was just meant to be a manager.

Marcia : 1:45

Life changes and my husband got a job in Jacksonville for the Jaguars, so we packed our stuff up and we moved to Florida. My son was 10 months old and at that time that's when I quit. So I quit from being a full-time SLP to being a full-time mom, and that was a luxury that I had. That I'm very grateful for, and I learned a lot about myself too and what I required as a mom. A stay-at-home mom is a whole different type of mindset. So I was a stay-at-home mom for those two years. We lived in Florida and we were going back and forth and then we came to Dallas and we decided that we were gonna build a home in Dallas, fort Worth area. I had my daughter and it was two days before the pandemic and then the world shut down and I was like, okay, somebody's gonna have to get out of this house one day, right, like when everybody's home. It's a different vibe. I don't know if you've been at home with all of your children and family.

Marcia : 2:33

And so then, a year later, a previous coworker of mine had reached out and she asked me to evaluate her son. And I had started to listen to Jenna Krastrow-Casbon's independent clinician podcast, when I was cruising around from Pilates to preschool pickup, just living my best stay-at-home mom life, and I was like you know what she's onto something, private practice. This sounds so cool. So I'm like listening to all her podcasts, writing all my notes down. And then the moment came when someone had asked me can you come see my child? And I was like I need to get all my ducks in a row because, type A, I need to make sure that I'm doing this right. And so that was in 2021.

Marcia : 3:07

My daughter was one and I was like I am only gonna go see this one client right. Like in my mindset, I'm not going back to work. I'm not going back to work, not yet, cause my plan wasn't to go back to work until my daughter was in kindergarten and our house was done being built, all the projects were done, until I was ready to focus on my own business. God had other plans. So here I am as I sit today on this podcast and jokes on me. So that is like long story short of how I am, where I am today.

Kim : 3:35

I think that's what's so amazing about our field, because you can be in so many different settings school, home, health, private practice, hospital. You can be full-time, part-time, have periods of not working at all and coming back, and then you decide to start your own business. I don't know many other fields that you can do all of those things, and sometimes I think that leads you to figuring out exactly what you wanna do, even if it was earlier than you planned. Okay, so how many more years until she starts kindergarten? She'll be four in March.

Marcia : 4:06

So we'll have another year of pre-K four where she'll own it, cause I do when they're two. They're gonna go two days a week at the mother's day out, and then three, three days, and then four, four days, and then kindergarten is five. So I do like a progression. Then I never want to feel like I'm forcing them out of house so I have to work again. That is a boundary that I set and then I'm going to stick to.

Mary: 4:23

So I'm really curious, Marsha, because I know one of the things that you are really good at is setting boundaries. What are the boundaries that you have put in place that are your non-negotiable? This is what works for your family and you feel really strongly about.

Marcia : 4:39

I'm a passionate person and I am very good at setting boundaries. I can tell anybody and everybody know that has been a gift given to me. I think that's what sets me apart, because a lot of people have a hard time saying no. But if anything is not serving me in life, if it's a negative energy, if it's a person, if it's a relationship, they are immediately removed. A parent too, like I have fired client before because we were not the right fit.

Marcia : 5:03

I think what happens is when you allow your boundaries to get wiggly and unclear, then that's when things seep in. That then affects yourself. You have to set them and keep them maintained and strong. My unnegotiable is when I started out so the fall of 2021, I finally hired a babysitter and so I said on Mondays and Wednesdays, from eight to three, I'm leaving this house Period. So that is the time that I can see a client.

Marcia : 5:31

And if a parent comes to me and say, oh, I work or this or that, ma'am, you could go to work late, you can get out of work early, but you cannot have me, because those are my boundaries, that I'm picking my son off from the bus he gets off at 302, period. That is a non-negotiable and because I've sent that boundary, it organically has allowed me to grow and provide other moms that want those boundaries and want like a hybrid model of work but still be homing with their babies, because now I have more clients than I can see in those hours. So I've onboarded other therapists that are like I only want to see seven visits on a Tuesday. We'll come on down, we will organically market and grow and I will help you establish that boundary. So that is something that I feel very passionate about and for any therapist that's listening to this podcast, think about you have to envision what you want, what would make you happy, what would fill your cup without emptying it.

Marcia : 6:25

So if the school is completely where you out and that's not for you, then don't do the schools. But if you're willing to work in the schools, contract yourself in there. If it's only for child find evaluations. Think about what really fills your cup. Because if you start a private practice and then you lose your boundaries, then you're setting yourself up in a hamster wheel of unsuccessful fulfillment, because then you're going to be emptied and not fulfilled.

Mary: 6:48

So boundaries, totally great. I feel like I've learned it the hard way because I am not as strong as you. Saying no it kills me inside. But I'm learning to do it because I've learned that anytime I say yes when I know that's pushing a boundary, I have never thought back to it and thought, oh gosh, I'm so glad that I did that. I've always been really frustrated at myself in the end and it doesn't end up serving me. So I think you're right that the boundaries are so important.

Marcia : 7:18

Yes, and just like your time is valuable, I've been a therapist for 15 years. Yes, I took four years off, but I was doing literal therapy to my children, as, hey, you're typically developing. Let me see how this works. Let me see if these language strategies implement. But it's just to make sure that you're doing what you wanna do and nobody else. Do not fall for that.

Kim : 7:39

We take our kids out of school for a doctor's visit or a dentist visit or counseling.

Marcia : 7:44

If it's something that's important and we feel is a need, we're gonna figure out how to make it work, and I think it's really important because we are not taught anything about business. Some people are more absent. I didn't know that I was going to love business as much as I do. Obviously, I've liked bossing people around my entire life. I have two brothers you ask them. I have twin brother. Like I bossed in him around my whole life. That brought me joy. It has to my husband, but I do not boss him around. But yes and so that is something that was a fit personality for me.

Marcia : 8:09

One thing that I want therapists to think about before they come into business is if they're able to switch their mindset. They need to have a therapist mindset and a business mindset, and so if you can switch, like even during your intake or during your customer service, like you are going to pay me for my services, I'm running your card at the end of this visit period, that's not negotiable, there's no monthly, there's no, nada, nada, there's no negotiation. And so I think just that boldness of knowing that you're a business and you're functioning as a business, once you get into that mindset, it will be very helpful to help you enforce those boundaries.

Mary: 8:44

How long did it take you from the time that you had that first patient until you filled up those eight to three hours, and did you do any kind of marketing or how'd you grow?

Marcia : 8:57

Okay, so I love all things marketing and branding now. So that is why I have established a new LLC to help private practitioners, because at first I was. I guess. When I came back into the world of speech therapy, I didn't know that the whole Instagram community existed, because I was just, I might say, oh mom, I'm like I'm trying to figure out how we're going to make some quick meals, right, what yoga studio to go to? I was not thinking about speech therapy. I had clocked out right, and that's why I do understand burnout from a therapist's perspective. But when I started, I really resonated with good branding. That's why I invested in my branding photography. That's why I invested in an expensive website. That's why I did everything upfront, because I know some people are like it's better done than perfect. I'm sorry that I'm not that person. It is better perfect.

Mary: 9:43

I'm gonna, I'm not like-. No it's just that-. No, Kim and I are those people too.

Kim : 9:47

We it is better perfectly done.

Marcia : 9:50

Then I will attract my ideal clients that prioritize my time, the ideal clients that will move around their work schedule. To come to speech therapists, that is who I was trying to market to was a modern mom, and I think that there was a little hole in the market as far as speech therapy marketing went, because they were marketing to children and everything looked childish, like we have to switch on who our target audience was, and it was the modern mom, and so I think I took what I learned from being a stay at home mom into the world of marketing and branding, bested up front right in February of 2022. I launched my website and then I was full within by the end of that summer. So like within six months, and full is my again. My boundary is my capacity. 14 visits is my capacity.

Marcia : 10:30

That is what I wanna do, that is what fills my cup and it does not drain me Like. It doesn't make me wanna be like, oh my gosh, I have to go see these kids on Monday. I feel great about it. And so then I started onboarding a feeding therapist, because I do not do feeding, I don't wanna do it, I was forced to do that, you know. I mean like we were forced to treat other disciplines that I just wasn't fulfilled with in the schools K through eight, like you're seeing everything. Or then, when I got to home health, I was forced to learn feeding therapy, and I'm a picky eater. It was literal pain for me to try.

Marcia : 10:59

I'm like I wouldn't eat it either I don't feel like I'm a picky eater and now I'm uncomfortable. So again, I established my niche, with who I was targeting my target audience, and they all came. My marketing techniques. I tell everybody a Google business profile with accurate reviews and meaningful reviews is one of the best things you can do for your practice starting out, because now parents call me and that is what they're reading. They might not even get to my beautiful website. They're going to read every single review from parents advocating for why our therapy is so much better than X, y and Z or why they should call us. There's the selling points, and then, obviously, my marketing and my brand as a whole was something that I invested in and it worked.

Kim : 11:43

So you invested in your marketing and branding, saw that it worked. And then how long did it take you to be like, oh, hey, I could teach other therapists, I could provide something for other therapists to make this easier. In that business mindset, were you like, okay, I'm going to do this. Or were people asking you?

Marcia : 12:00

So, yeah, people are intrigued by my branding photos, right Like that. I had included my kids in the branding photos and then what I was observing was what other therapist's websites look like with these stock photos and I was like whoa, these aren't even accurate, they're not diverse, they're not modernized Like why don't I do that? So I launched in February, in December. What was my idea? I was like I'm just going to ask my branding photographer if she'll work with me and I will stage mock SLPs Like all of my friends are very diverse and their children and do a shoot and see if I can solve a problem for a therapist to modernize their efforts to then attract their ideal clients. So that was December. I had done the shoot in January and then I was able to figure out how to do e-commerce and sales funnel strategist by May, launched the shop of May of last year, and then I also decided that I wanted to do something else and so I'll be publishing action photo cards for Bjorn's publications. So they're going to publish updated, diverse, modernized, inclusive cards.

Mary: 13:07

That's awesome, Wow. And this just shows to your entrepreneurial mind that once you got that taste, it sounds like four management. And then I know it just keeps coming and coming. How did you find all of these different opportunities? You've done speaking gigs, you've done multiple podcasts. Like you said, you're making action cards, stock photos. Are these all incepted from your own mind or are people finding you somehow? What does this all start?

Marcia : 13:37

So the power of branding and the power of networking One thing that I'm the master of is networking, so I had established relationships prior to going to Asha in 2022. I hadn't been in 10 years and I was going to make the most of my networking in person, because you go with what your strengths are. Again, I don't like social media either. If I was forced to talk to my phone, I still don't like talking to my phone. I would rather sit out on the corner and just meet strangers than talk to my phone, but that's something that I had to get over because it's the modern day. In order to spread the awareness of what I'm trying to do and uplift women and coach them and help them, I have to talk to my phone. But yeah, it's all in the power of branding that I've never had to post a job because people have come to me wanting to work for me because they believe in what I stand for, because of my personal brand and my practice brand. That's why I'm attracting my target items with the practice brand. I'm attracting SLPs with my personal brand, and then the power of networking and supporting other women in person is very powerful.

Marcia : 14:38

That's something that I recommend everyone do that are all like-minded. Whoever gets your business bestie gets your entrepreneurial spirit friends. Not everyone has to also be a business owner. If you don't like to tell what people want to do, if you're a void confrontation, then that's probably challenging your personality. To do that, then go find someone that will protect you. I'm a protector. My job is to protect my therapist, make sure that they're happy as well, but it's also to help protect SLPs from learning from my mistakes. That I've learned along the way and just in life in general.

Mary: 15:11

You said it took about six months, after you did all of your branding, to be full yourself. How much longer did it take for you to hire someone on? And then, how many people do you have working for you today?

Marcia : 15:22

Okay. So then again, I never posted a job. People were just sent to me. Then I met them and realized what capable, wonderful therapist they would be. They met my brand and my company culture. Sure, come on, I will find you a job, I'll create a job for you. And so that's what's been happening.

Marcia : 15:38

I actually have five therapists on staff right now and I asked them from the jump what do you want, how many visits do you want and who do you want to see? Because this is not a therapy factory. We've all been there, we've all done that. This is not what this is about. This is a boutique practice. You are important. I don't want you to burn out, because then that's turnover and it's fast and we all know what that's like. And so to be given an opportunity to be a stay at home mom and have your passion fulfilled, your degree fulfilled, is something that is a dream that obviously I didn't know that I saw coming, because, as those doors open, I just pivot, and that is an entrepreneurial move you must make, like, when people are coming and they're a right fit, pivot and then I increase my marketing. So, yes, so one came on 2022 and then five came on in 2023, organically.

Mary: 16:27

Wow. So then when you say increase your marketing, what do you mean by that? How are you marketing and networking the most effectively?

Marcia : 16:34

Okay, so private practice. So now, stepping aside from my speech charts branding, which is my LLC, my PLC, because you do need to hold, if you're holding, a professional license in the state of Texas. The Texas Secretary of State require that we do a PLLC. So my Pediatrics Peace Shards PLLC is marketing through preschool screenings, daycare screenings. I market to doctors. I establish referral networks. I tell every single person that I own a private practice. I invest in SEO, which is again my Google business profile. We have 46 five star reviews right now, after the, I believe, the year and a half on the internet however many years that is.

Marcia : 17:10

And then just continuing to outreach in the community to a done paid marketing. I've done moms presentations and you're coaching too.

Kim : 17:19

You coach other therapists. I would book a coaching call, because there's all these questions. Yes, you can probably figure it out on your own, but to have someone sit down and tell you this is the easiest way to do it. This is the order to do it. You're a huge resource for so many therapists, whether they're wanting to start their own business or starting e-cars.

Marcia : 17:37

Yeah, exactly yeah, and I love it. So the coaching calls happened organically. Somebody slid in my DM she's a valid coaching call client and she was just like. I asked somebody to be my mentor and they told me I was too young to start my practice. I said you tell them to kick rocks and I guess I'll be your mentor. I don't even know what we're doing, but we're going to do this and then that was it. That's why I don't promote my coaching calls, because I really feel strongly that I will attract my ideal clients, naturally Like an SLP that feels drawn to me or likes what I said on a podcast or something.

Marcia : 18:06

They will come to me and say I'm interested, can you help me? And I invested thousands of dollars in business education. I invested in general cash or cash bonds, grow your private practice course. I've done Anisha Frazier's billing and coding SLP because I also accept Blue Cross, blue Shield, and I do all of my own billing and social media courses, like I've literally taken every single course, because I again want to be the best at what I do and I'm confident once I have that knowledge. But I also don't know everything. So that's why I don't go and shop from the rooftops I'm offering coaching calls. I know everything, no, but I can help you and I love helping people, especially SLP because of where, just like a great bunch of women, and we're all pretty much Taipei and we are all very much perfectionist.

Mary: 18:48

We like our things, we like them pretty, and let's just help the world while we do it. Yeah, do that, but say no, yes, yeah, exactly Okay. But, marcia, this all sounds phenomenal, but I've got to say I'm picturing your schedule. How do you put all of this within your boundaries? Are you working at night? Are you getting up in the morning? How are you doing all the things you do?

Marcia : 19:13

So automation and systems, so there's nothing left to do. In my private practice I have systems down from intake to discharge. I make it very clear for all of the therapists like we don't have problems, it's all systematized for my practice and then for my coaching calls. My daughter goes to preschool Tuesdays and Thursdays from that nine to one, so this is my time for me, and then I don't do anything, like my son always has OT on Tuesdays from 3, 34, 30. So I volunteer to be the one to go taken so that I can dedicate about report writing because it's uninterrupted time.

Marcia : 19:46

But my husband's love language is travel and that is something that we've traveled six trips. Last year we were in Italy. We go all over. That is like what he needs, and so I need to have a job that is flexible, that I can work from anywhere, which is the social media part about it. That's easy, that I can do that at night. I can make some graphics or whatever and then schedule it out or batch content, and so that's why I always say quality over quantity, because I don't stress about it.

Marcia : 20:11

If you see, I posted 104 posts or 170 posts in two and a half years. Maybe one post you get from me a week and it's just because I wanted to show women do not listen to what society tells you. This, like huffle culture, is where it's at, it's not it's boundaries, and then you get done what you get done. There's always going to be something to do, but I am not doing it past dinner, like absolutely not. Am I working past dinner time? That's just not negotiable. I really function well if I wake up like 30 minutes before I get the kids ready.

Mary: 20:41

Wow, okay, so what impact do you feel like this has had on you as a wife and a mother, and personally so?

Marcia : 20:49

powerful because I get to teach my children the importance of hard work and what you can do, like the power of what you could build, and so one thing about my balance is that I explain to my kids what I'm doing on my phone. I think that's very important. I am sending an email right now of a potential client that will make me money. Or mommy is selling something online that I'm going to make money from. So my computer is inside my phone that I'm working on. I am not just scrolling around looking for a game to play, but I also just don't have it, or like I'm in. Whatever we're doing, I'm tuned in.

Kim : 21:23

I know for both Mary and me both of our husbands were huge and do this, and it's scary, I think, because you're also the mom. But for me, I think, when I am fulfilled and when I feel like I have something of my own, it does make me feel like I'm being a better mom and a better wife and I'm fulfilled. And so do you feel like you had that encouragement and that, even though you weren't ready to work before your daughter started kindergarten, do you feel like it's helped in a way with balance in your whole house?

Marcia : 21:54

It does, because my whole purpose has shifted. Because it was just the kids and it was just my husband, and then this house project was a huge just so I always had that project right. We were back and forth and then finally, when I found that stillness, I realized something was missing inside me. So now I'm happy, I am fulfilled and purposeful, and I don't know at your faith or whoever's listening, but when you're walking in God's purpose, it's easy. There's no branches that are falling in your way. When you're on the wrong path, trust me, I've had some like trees fall, like some wrong path there, and so I had to redirect. So I think that when it becomes easy to walk in your purpose and doors are opening, that is where you should be and you should continue to be on that path. But again, I'm almost 39 guys, so, like therapists that are listening, when you're 22, I cannot feel bad for you guys. I was working 12 hours with 80 kids on my caseload, like I put in the grind. This is like the glamorous side of private practice.

Mary: 22:50

You have to understand that you got to put in the work if you want it to work out Very true, and the reason it's all worked out for you is because you put in the time to become very good at what you do, and so if you didn't have that kind of quality in your therapy, none of this would have even happened If you were just put clocking in your time.

Marcia : 23:10

Yes, like the families wouldn't be like, oh my gosh, this was so one Like I put in the work I established those clinical skills. I still pay lots of money for CEUs because I'm continuously learning, because I continuously want to hone in on my craft and my niche Ownership. I think it's more work and it is harder, but you have that desire to work harder because it's yours, yes, and so that's why, if those therapists are out there, like, like okay, the schools aren't for me, but okay, but let's start there.

Marcia : 23:36

Let's let you figure out how to contract yourself into the school district. Cut out that middle-end. I lost I don't even want to know how much money after seven years of contracting for a ginormous company I was very underpaid Like now that I know how much they were actually making. So my best advice for these young girls that are like this is exciting. I want to do something like that Contract yourself into the schools. Cut that middle man out now.

Mary: 23:58

One of the things about being an entrepreneur and specifically pediatric speech path, where you have patient care, is that you have really both established active and passive income streams. So can you tell us a little bit more about that, because that's the dream. How do you feel like you've established both and have they always have the same priority, or how is that balanced for you?

Marcia : 24:25

Again, it's so easy to do a side hustle when you have a set boundary with your practice. Like that doesn't take any time and I just allotted the time that I do write a report. Is that Tuesday? Like I allot that time and I'm a skilled clinician. I did 200 evals in the schools one year. Like I am very skilled at the crafts.

Marcia : 24:44

I don't then with an EMR in today's society. I do my notes in the car and then I, like everything's done. I never allow paperwork to roll over to the next day as far as daily notes. And so that's just taking accountability for your income and not playing around with your money and realizing that as a business, I did the service you're going to pay me and then I'm going to move on.

Marcia : 25:03

I have a lot of projects in my mind to continue to build my passive streams of income, but they have to be quarterly. That is where people, I think, get overwhelmed by trying to like hustle and bustle and be this boss babe. No, thank you. I want to be the best mom, I want to be the best wife and I want to be the best therapist, and so how can I be a boss babe, doing my passive streams of income Planning accordingly, planning one project each quarter, like literally there's four quarters. In a year, everybody can do four projects and that's how I did and I would again say no. People are like oh, can you do this? Nope, no more. I'm not doing any projects till the end of the year. I'm taking two and a half weeks off for Christmas break. Nope, those are my boundaries.

Mary: 25:44

That's what I say, there are so many amazing moms that are speech therapists out there who have been forced out of the field because they are not working for people who are flexible enough and who understand that no one can be working at 530 who wants a family as well. It's just, it's not conducive at all to family life, and so you've really figured out how to find these amazing people and give them their career and their job and that's purpose, which is amazing. My question to you is, as a business owner, how does that work when you have your therapist who maybe don't want to work in the summer or when their kids are off or if their kids are sick? How does that work when you're also having to make sure that their clients are also being served? That is up to them.

Marcia : 26:42

That is their job as a professional. To build the rapport. Enough, I take a whole summer off. That is something I offered my clients. Do you want me to find you a makeup therapist, because I always offer makeup therapists. We have enough to go around that we can share Case load share, right. Do you want to make up therapists or do you want to take a break? If your therapist are happy with you, they will do whatever, and when it's private pay, they financially need a break and I think the idea of what insurance looks like people don't understand. So the majority of people have a hot like. Their co-pay is still they're paying for your services, so can they take off four weeks in the summer and not have to pay that? Yeah, sure, your child will be okay. This is not like a one on one nursing situation, and so, yes, they are responsible to deal with that between each individual family and we have never had an issue they can take. Oh my gosh.

Mary: 27:36

I love it. I love it. And there's so many people who would love to do that, and then that puts the ownership on them, as they care. They care because it's their income and it's do I want to work in the summer or not, and it's totally up to them to find the childcare or to decide nope. This is the news.

Marcia : 27:53

Or just switch to virtual, like switch to virtual See from, if you don't, if your kids are there, whatever. That is up to every individual client. That is why, with all of my families, I tell them up front and they've all stayed. So give me a five star review.

Kim : 28:09

That's what makes you such an incredible boss is because you're recognizing that the people who are working for you are extremely skilled therapists and they have a master's degree or more. You have really set these people who are working for you up to learn that this is their business, yeah, and I educate them on business.

Marcia : 28:35

If you I'm not gonna have you sign a non-compete, I don't care. Okay, listen, that is a scarcity mindset. Anybody that has you sign a non-compete means that they're scared that they won't get their clients back. I live in an abundance mindset. You miss that bus, another one is coming. If you want to go away and go start your own private practice and take those clients, I wish you well. It's not easy. Okay, it is going to be hard. There's a lot of expenses, but you'll learn, or I'm not gonna risk my reputation, my personal brand on chasing some clients and losing the therapist's respect.

Mary: 29:10

That's one of the things that I was surprised about when I came out of a therapy company and I just thought I'm here in the world, I'm gonna do this great therapy and I'm here to connect and I'm here to network and I'm here to do my best work. And I got out and I was surprised that your mindset is not everyone's and there are a lot of people who are threatened, very threatened, and that's crazy because there are more than enough children. I don't want to see all these children. We have our boundaries right. I'm not working. After three you can go see them for all I care. I've said no to non-compete two times now and both times it has been the best decision and I'm so glad I never signed one because, as an entrepreneur, your job is to network and your job is to not have any doors closed to you. I'm so very proud of you.

Marcia : 30:08

Whoever's listening to this take something away from that and says, huh, I'm gonna look through the contract before I sign it and make sure that there's not one in the future, because I think a lot of therapists are like, ooh, let me go dip my toes in a private practice and then see. So that's not always the best route, and that's what Jen Kasher-Kasvan at the Independent Clinician always says too. If you're starting to itch for private practice, go find your own private client, starting with one right, and that's why I had made all these resources, because you can start a website for $247. I have a website kit, right. You get your private practice starter kit for $99, right. So now you are up and running, you can get on Google Business Profile and then you can start only by seeing one client right. That's an investment, it's not an expense.

Mary: 30:52

With your whole practice? Have you done all of this without any overhead of a private practice space?

Marcia : 30:59

Yes, I invest every single month in a virtual office so at any time I can go to the office. They get my mail, I can rent rooms. One time we had an AAC presentation for me and my therapist. So that is something that I tell all therapists to think about, to use as an investment, because you look professional, you can accept some insurance plans you just have to see how they work. But it is worth it to look like a reputable business because when people are calling they think we're a full clinic but then they realize that we're mobile.

Mary: 31:29

Oh, I see, Okay, what does that mean?

Marcia : 31:31

exactly Because we don't have this, I'm curious Because I do not want, for safety reasons, my home address on any business documents. I don't want people to come find us anyways, so that's just a security reason. But a virtual address, they're all over the country. After COVID they blew up. I'm an affiliate now for the brand that I contract with. But you just type in your zip code and look for virtual offices. It's different than a virtual mailbox Because a lot of insurance companies will go in because they want to see that it's an actual place, and so a virtual address gives you the whole. You get your mail, you get your address and you're ready to go. You just pay a flat rate like $70 a month.

Mary: 32:07

So how would that be different than hang for, say, a PO box? That would be somehow.

Marcia : 32:13

Exactly, and they blocked my business Google Business Profile.

Mary: 32:18

Oh, okay, so they did not like this.

Marcia : 32:20

Some states there. I believe the one girl that I coached in Utah was able to do it because she didn't include her box number or some stipulation, but now Google's asking for a video of the place. I don't recommend a PO box ever because of that lesson that I learned.

Mary: 32:35

And. Google has been so instrumental for your business and reviews so it is an. Appease Google yes.

Kim : 32:42

Okay, Real quick. What's your favorite thing to do for self-care?

Marcia : 32:46

I would love to just float around the pool reading a book alone, anywhere alone, like binging a book with nobody.

Mary: 32:54

So then you can get your cup filled on vacation Because your husband is wanting to travel, yes, and so he goes skiing.

Marcia : 33:01

or because I tore my ACL skiing last year too, but when he goes skiing I can just be alone and read and just relax.

Kim : 33:08

Because, again.

Marcia : 33:08

Our personality is like I'm constantly going and so vacation or self-care to me is stopping. But I had to teach myself how to relax, probably about 10 years ago when my husband. He was like, whoa, I'm gonna need you to take a chill pill, you're gonna have to stop relax. And I'm like relax. Don't tell me to relax, I don't know how, but I had to learn how to relax and that's how I do it and I love business books. Now it's just amazing.

Mary: 33:32

Okay, what's the top book that you read about business that you would recommend to your therapist?

Marcia : 33:38

Financial Feminists for Every Single 22-Year-Old Girl that I wish I would have read this like how old am I now? That's 18 years ago, whatever.

Kim : 33:47

Oh, my gosh, mary and I are both taking notes right now.

Mary: 33:49

Yep, yep, we're both writing it down. Add to cart. Yes, please.

Marcia : 33:53

It's on the number one bestseller right now too, but all of us, as women, as entrepreneurs, as even therapists, we need to have a better idea. We were never taught finance and we're uncomfortable talking about money, and we shouldn't be. We should be strategic with our money.

Kim : 34:07

As we wrap up, with you owning multiple businesses and being a mom, what is one thing that you outsource at home?

Marcia : 34:15

So that babysitter. She's amazing. Her name is Ms Ellie, but she comes Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 to 3. But now my daughter goes to school from 9 to 1 on Wednesday, so I kept her and she does house management. So she does all the kids' laundry, she's folding it, she's cleaning, she's helping me with some organization projects that I hadn't finished from the move, and so that is the best thing that I've. I don't ever and want her to leave now, so I might honestly just, even after the kids go to school, just keep her for one day for pure house management to help me. That was a very strategic delegation that I made that I'm going to stick with.

Kim : 34:50

And that gives you back and anytime you feel overwhelmed, like delegate.

Mary: 34:54

Do you cook for your family, or what is your eating?

Marcia : 34:57

plan. I'm a picky eater, I do If I could delegate. I tell my husband like when I grow up and I'm rich and famous, I want to chef like from sun up to sundown. But he still is laughing at me. I do cook like four out of the seven nights a week and then I just don't like food. So it's hard but I try my very best. I could really go without food for the rest of my life. People can't understand. I try for easy and something that I know everyone's going to eat, and then my husband grills so that works, that he does the meat and then I'll do the sides.

Mary: 35:28

We have the same kind of balance in my family and I feel like that really works very well the whole grilling. It just sets a night off when they grill.

Marcia : 35:35

Yes, I will even do all the cleaning, because my husband will do the dishes if I cook. So we have a very even share. But if he's grilling, I'm doing the dishes.

Kim : 35:45

If you were not a speech pathologist, what would your?

Marcia : 35:48

dream job be Apparently marketing and branding and coaching. Basically I created my dream job because it's really filling my cup and I really like to make things look good. I realize that I'm not necessarily the person that creates. I remember thinking of all these wonderful women making TPP products and I'm like wow, Thank you. Because.

Marcia : 36:07

I don't even know how you even start that right. This is overwhelming for me to think of, to make a therapy material. But now I'm like, oh, I'll take action photo cards and make that a therapy material. You know what I mean. So I know how to direct Like I'm a branding director. I can't necessarily make it myself, but yeah, fills my cup. And so here I am. This is my dream job, so hopefully long term I can work from anywhere. Is that like long term goal when we sell this house? And he wants to go all over once the kids graduate? My goal is that I'm never going to stop working, because I have already done that, guys, and so I once. I can't wait until I retire early and I'm like try to be retired, you're going to need to figure out something, a paid hobby Like this best life advice I have.

Mary: 36:47

That's my last question for you is what is one of your pipeline goals? What's a big one To sell your practice?

Marcia : 36:56

I always tell therapists this is why branding and marketing is so important. So at first it was just about me, but now I'm slowly trying to remove myself from the practice, like over time, because the goal is to sell your practice. That's always should be the end goals. That's why I also advise don't put your name as your practice name if you want to sell it. Right, that's not a strategic business move. You can always change your name, but that's something to think about. You always want to see your long term goal. My long term goal is that I'll be able to sell it once we finally move away and I can work from anywhere doing my coaching and the branding and marketing.

Mary: 37:30

Kim and I have broken about five to 10 of these rules.

Marcia : 37:35

No, you said I'm coaching I would have given it to you straight. That's one thing about me is I'm very honest and direct, and so that is why I offer coaching calls, because I think one thing I don't want anyone to do is go find advice on Facebook. That is just not a safe place.

Kim : 37:52

You're honest and you're direct and you have boundaries, but on the flip side, you are one of the most encouraging people, even from afar, in social media. You are a hype girl, encouraging, inclusive, and I think when you can put those things together, you're unstoppable. Thank you for having me.

Marcia : 38:08

I can't wait to meet you guys in real life and, hopefully, future adventures.

Kim : 38:13

Thank you,