Mind Your OT Business: Recent Episodes
Laura Park Figueroa
The Mind Your OT Business podcast empowers and equips occupational therapy practitioners to be savvy and successful entrepreneurs. Learn along with the always-honest Laura Park Figueroa as she shares valuable knowledge and resources you need to start, run, and grow a profitable business. We discuss start-up, systems, organization tools, product development, passive income, marketing, finances, staffing, leadership, preventing burnout, and more. We'll be learning by DOING...because we're OTs! Ready to take action? Let's jump in!
Hi Dear Listeners,
I want to say a HUGE thank you for listening to this podcast for the past 3 years.
YOU have helped get the message out into the world about how awesome OT entrepreneurs are!
In this episode, I share from my heart about why I've decided to end the podcast with this 75th episode, on the 3rd birthday of the Mind Your OT Business Podcast.
I share:
- The lessons I learned from my podcasting journey
- My main goal when starting the Mind Your OT Business podcast
- How I'm learning to focus & niche to simplify my business (why it is OK to do less...or just enough in your business!)
- Why I decided to give up moderation of the OT Entrepreneurs Facebook group and end the Mind Your OT Business Podcast
- Encouragement for you if you're thinking about making big changes or a pivot in your business
- The total number of downloads as of the date I recorded this last episode! :) (Hint: it is MORE than 6-figures!!) THANKS TO YOU FOR LISTENING!!!
I can't express how much sharing my entrepreneurial journey in this public forum has helped me...and I hope that it has helped YOU.
The 75 episodes of this podcast will stay up for the indefinite future so you can continue to leave reviews and share with friends who may need any of the information here. You'll continue to find Mind Your OT Business listed wherever you listen to podcasts.
Always remember: take a small step, because small steps make great gains over time.
So until next time, mind your OT business!
xoxo
Laura
Resources from this episode:
OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
If you're a pediatric practitioner who loves nature, you might want my free e-book: The Nature-Based Practice Roadmap: A Guide to Help You Focus (& Avoid Costly Mistakes) as You Start or Grow Your Nature-Based Practice. Go to: bit.ly/natureroadmap to get your free copy.
Figuring out how to scale your business is something that entrepreneurs have to constantly consider. What are your business goals? What do you want to share with your audience? What do you love about what you do, and what can you outsource?
One great way to grow an intentional and sustainable business is by launching a membership site. Today, I’m chatting with Katie Caspero of OT Graphically about what to keep in mind when starting a membership site, as well as tips and tools for growing and maintaining both the content and community. Everything in entrepreneurship is a learning experience, and you’re sure to learn a lot of valuable information in this episode.
We discuss:
- The difference between membership sites and other online offerings
- How being self-aware can help you become a better business owner
- The importance of keeping the future in mind when making business decisions
- The value that exists in a space where discussion and implementation can happen
- Software options
- Understanding fair pricing that also compensates you for your expertise
- Why it’s a good idea to offer different levels (from pricing and engagement perspectives)
- Focusing on a good user experience
- Why the community piece of a membership site is critical to its success
- Why you can’t “set it and forget it” with a membership site
- Using data to inform how you market your business
- Knowing your end goal and business topic before launching your membership site
- How to deliver value to your members without overwhelming them
- Katie’s biggest fail-learn
- How an advisory board can be helpful
- Making sure your audience is broad enough for growth
Resources from this episode:
Follow Katie on Instagram
Visit the OT Graphically website
Listen to Katie’s previous episode
Membership Geeks podcast
Katie’s Bio:
Katie Caspero is an occupational therapist and owner of OT Graphically. She supports occupational therapists using evidence in their clinical practice through an online membership site where she provides infographics of research summaries, hosts journal clubs, and facilitates an online community space.
Get my free Nature-Based Practice Roadmap: bit.ly/natureroadmap
My Contigo Approach online course, which is the nature-based approach to pediatric therapy that I developed, is now open for enrollment. I’m also offering a free 1-hour masterclass for anyone interested in nature-based pediatric therapy, called The 5-Step Framework To Be An Effective and Confident Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist. It includes tons of resources, whether you’re just getting started or you want to deepen your work. In that masterclass, you have the opportunity to enroll in the Contigo Approach online course if you want to dive deeper. Visit naturemasterclass.com to register for the free masterclass.
Whether you already have a team or you’re hiring for the very first time, interviewing can be just as nerve-wracking for the interviewer as it is for the interviewee. With the right processes in place, though, you can set up your interviews to reflect your business values and help you find the hidden gems among your application pile.
In this episode, I’m explaining how to interview in a way that makes it easier to identify and hire stellar employees. I’m sharing my process for creating and using an interview guide. I’m also sharing how I develop my interview questions, conduct working interviews, and make my post-interview decisions.
We’ll discuss:
- Why it’s vital to get clear on your values before hiring a team
- How to identify problems you had with previous hires
- How to create an interview guide based on your values and brand
- What kinds of questions to ask in an interview to get to know the interviewee
- The benefit of asking interviewees to perform job-related tasks or working interviews
- How your processes can help you sort through interviewees to find the hidden gems
Resources from this episode:
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Traction by Gino Wickman
Are you a pediatric therapist interested in taking your work with children out into nature? The ConTiGO Approach Online Course will open for registration soon: visit www.contigoapproach.com to join the waitlist.
Go cash-pay or accept insurance? It’s one of the toughest questions any therapy business owner has to ask themselves, and the answer isn’t always simple.
In this episode, I’m chatting with Brandon Seigel about the complexities of accepting payment in your therapy business. We’re digging into your options for accepting or not accepting insurance, explaining how to best advocate for your patients, and discussing how to balance acting as a therapist and a business owner.
Brandon Seigel is the owner of Wellness Works Management Partners, and provides coaching, consulting, & management solutions for therapy entrepreneurs in the areas of operations, digital marketing, revenue cycle management, and workforce analytics and empowerment. WWMP is a results-oriented team that brings a unique subset of expertise to Human Resources, Technology Innovation, Medical Billing, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, & So Much More! Their website is wellnessworksmp.com.
[Disclaimer: The information in this episode is primarily applicable to therapy practices within the United States. It may not be applicable in your country of practice.]
We discuss:
- Why Brandon developed his own medical billing company
- How to get paid faster for your services while still advocating for your patients
- Why should you learn to work with insurance, not against it
- How to serve both in-network and out-of-network patients well
- Why some patients are more willing to pay in cash than others
- How licensure is changing to allow for more telehealth opportunities
- The benefits of charging more for your services, even when working with insurance
- How to create documentation to benefit your patients, their families, and the payers
- Understanding the mindset of both your patients and insurance companies
- How to balance working as a therapist and a business owner
Resources from this episode:
Listen to my first episode with Brandon
Explore Brandon's company: Wellness Work Management Partners
Check out Brandon’s book, The Private Practice Survival Guide
My favorite Electronic Medical Record: Therabyte
P. S. Are you a pediatric therapist interested in taking your work with children out into nature? The ConTiGO Approach Online Course will open for registration soon: visit www.contigoapproach.com to join the waitlist.
Should you get a doctorate degree? It’s a difficult question, and it’s one that looms over plenty of entrepreneurs in the OT world. Before you make the decision, it’s important to understand why you might (or might not) want to pursue a doctorate degree and which type would benefit your business most.
In this listener request episode, I’m explaining the benefits of doctorate degrees for entrepreneurs in the OT space. I’m breaking down the differences between a PhD and an OTD, and I’m explaining how each can help you grow your business. Plus, I’m also sharing my personal reasons for pursuing a doctorate degree and my plans to implement what I’ve learned in my entrepreneurship journey.
Thanks to @bpesh on Instagram for suggesting the topic for this episode!
We’ll discuss:
- Why an OT school’s main purpose shouldn’t be teaching you about business
- The difference between a PhD and an OTD, and which is more widely recognized
- How doctorate degrees can significantly improve your entrepreneurship journey
- Understanding the purpose of a doctorate degree as an OT
- Why some OTs will never need doctorate degrees to run successful businesses
- How doctorate programs can help you learn to think critically and analyze research
Resources from this episode:
Are you a pediatric therapist interested in taking your work with children out into nature? The ConTiGO Approach Online Course will open for registration soon: visit www.contigoapproach.com to join the waitlist.
Do you struggle selling your services? I hear time and time again from business owners that they feel slimy asking for money, that they feel a sense of guilt when they use traditional sales tactics. But the key to selling with confidence is to combine the best strategies while doing what feels authentic to you.
In this episode, I'm sharing my thoughts about selling- why it’s so important to understand your offer and your audience and why so many people undervalue their own services. Plus: the mindset shift that has helped me sell from a place of authenticity.
We’ll discuss:
- How to understand and believe in the value of your product or service
- Why most business owners start off undervaluing and underpricing their work
- How to market your offers while staying true to yourself
- How showing up as yourself online can help you attract the right audience
- Understanding your motives and your vision for your business
- How to address your customers’ most common objections and concerns
Resources from this episode:
Are you a pediatric therapist interested in taking your work with children out into nature? The ConTiGO Approach Online Course will open for registration soon: visit www.contigoapproach.com to join the waitlist.
It’s that time of year that, frankly, many business owners have come to dread: tax season. It can be overwhelming, but know that you’re not alone. You don’t need to have stress around taxes. It is in your best interest to outsource tasks that are not in your wheelhouse so you can run your business effectively and focus on your expertise.
Enter, Sandi York, my wonderful CPA. She’s on the podcast today to talk about all the things taxes, and to remind us that it doesn’t have to be a stressful situation. We’re breaking down common tax concepts and situations as well as tips for staying financially savvy as a business owner. You’re going to want to take notes.
We discuss:
- Sandi’s experience as a tax professional
- Breakdown of basic categories of types of taxes
- Sole proprietor vs. LLC vs. S-Corp (which is best for you depends on many factors)
- The importance of hiring finance professionals (bookkeepers, accountants, payroll companies)
- Making sure you hire someone that you trust who is attentive to your needs
- The ins and outs of self-employment taxes
- Getting familiar with your state’s website for taxes and employers
- Independent contractor vs. employee (rules vary by state)
- Keeping a positive mindset around finances
- How even a base financial understanding helps you sustain and grow your business
- Getting your systems in place while you’re still small
Resources from this episode:
Sandi’s Instagram
OnPay
Gusto
Avalara
Robert Kiyosakai - Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Tom Wheelright - Tax-Free Wealth Podcast
Laura’s Instagram
My Contigo Approach online course, which is the nature-based approach to pediatric therapy that I developed, is now open for enrollment. I’m also offering a free 1-hour masterclass for anyone interested in nature-based pediatric therapy, called The 5-Step Framework To Be An Effective and Confident Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist. It includes tons of resources, whether you’re just getting started or you want to deepen your work. In that masterclass, you have the opportunity to enroll in the Contigo Approach online course if you want to dive deeper. Visit naturemasterclass.com to register for the free masterclass.
With 2021 behind us and the new year in full swing, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how far we’ve come and create a plan for even more growth. Whether you run a multi-million dollar business or you’re just starting out, goal setting is a vital part of scaling your business and increasing your personal income.
In this episode, I’m sharing my 2022 business goals and looking back on the past year. I’m opening up about the real numbers in my business: how much I made in 2021, how much I spent, and how I reached my financial goals. Plus, I’ll explain how I set my upcoming goals and worked backwards to create my plan for reaching them.
We’ll discuss:
- Why I think it’s valuable to share my goals and numbers
- The types of goals I’m setting in my business and personal life
- Why it’s important to simplify and streamline your business
- My business’s numbers from 2021, including revenue, expenses, and my payroll
- Learning to align your pay with your skill level and work ethic
- How to set financial goals and work backwards to achieve them
Are you a pediatric therapist interested in taking your work with children out into nature? The ConTiGO Approach Online Course will open for registration soon: visit www.contigoapproach.com to join the waitlist.
Every failure is a learning opportunity. No matter how bad it feels in the moment, you’ll someday be able to reflect on the experience and identify the lifelong lessons it gave you. It might take a month, it might take a year, but eventually you’ll be grateful you survived it.
In this episode, I’m opening up about my biggest fail-learn since embarking on my entrepreneurial journey. I’m sharing my experience with this year’s OT Entrepreneur Summit Live: what the plan was, what went wrong, and how I’m moving forward. Tune in for an honest conversation about this big fail-learn and the lessons we can all take from it.
We’ll discuss:
- My biggest fail-learn since embarking on my entrepreneurial journey
- Our plan going into the OT Entrepreneur Summit Live and what went wrong
- Why it’s not always wise to place all your trust in the “experts”
- Trusting your gut in your business, even when others disagree
- Why it’s vital to advocate for your customers in your marketing
- Why I’m treating this experience like a learning opportunity
- How I’m moving forward in my business and what’s in the works for 2022
Resources from this episode:
Are you a pediatric therapist interested in taking your work with children out into nature? The ConTiGO Approach Online Course will open for registration soon: visit www.contigoapproach.com to join the waitlist.
Many business books and courses recommend offering a money-back guarantee. That might seem straightforward for a product-based business, but as a service-based business, how can you offer a guarantee while still protecting yourself from unnecessary refunds?
In this episode, I’m sharing how I crafted a guarantee in my OT business that actually makes my clients more invested in their experience and encourages them to do their end of the work. You’ll learn how to structure your own guarantee, what your guarantee should not cover, and how to communicate your policies to your clients. Plus, I’m breaking down the differences between offering these guarantees as a service-based business or a product-based business.
We’ll discuss:
- Why it feels harder for service-based businesses to offer guarantees
- Anxieties around offering these guarantees (and how to work through them)
- How a guarantee builds trust with your clients
- How to write a money-back guarantee that protects your business
- What your guarantee shouldn’t cover
- How I created my business’s Good Fit Guarantee
- Offering a guarantee as an online or product-based business
- Ways to structure and communicate your own money-back guarantee
- Using your guarantee to encourage clients to do the work
Did you hear the OT Entrepreneur Summit is going LIVE in 2022? Join the waitlist here: https://laura-park-figueroa.mykajabi.com/summit
Instagram is such a powerful tool for building community and creating connections, but are you using it to help grow your business and reach new clients as well? In this episode, I’m talking with Amirra Condolee about all things Instagram and how to make sure it is working for your business.
Amirra shares her journey on Instagram, how she grew her account and even gives an audit of my Instagram account. She discusses why connections on Instagram are so important to grow your account and how to create content that is going to be impactful and attract followers. From creating systems, knowing what and when to post and how to monetize your Instagram account, we cover it all. This episode has so much information on growing your Instagram account and connecting with potential customers, you will want to take notes!
We discuss:
- Amirra’s OT and early intervention business journey
- Why it’s important to niche down your content on Instagram
- How to balance business and personal content on your account
- The importance of connection authentically with people on Instagram
- How to find connections without mindlessly scrolling
- Why you should create posts based on your followers pain points
- How to create a system and schedule for Instagram posts
- Why your posts need a “hook” to grab people’s attention
- Partnerships on Instagram and what they can look like
- How to know when your followers are the most active
- Relationship building and engagement and why it’s so key to Instagram growth
Join us for the OT Entrepreneur Summit Live! November 12 - 14, 2021 in Florida. Click here to get your ticket today!
Resources from this episode:
Marvelous Mirracles
Marvelous Mirracles on Instagram
Tyler J. McCall
Social Media Marketing World
What is the future of OT entrepreneurship? How do you retire wealthy as an OT entrepreneur? What do you need to know about building a team? Listen in as I break down questions from my listeners about all things OT entrepreneurship. You’ll hear insight into my own investing strategy and plans. I also share my experience with my first hire, how to create systems to replace yourself within your business and the two things you need to build a successful OT practice.
But FIRST you MUST go register for the OT Entrepreneur Summit LIVE happening November 12-14, 2021 in Boca Raton, Florida! Tickets are only $97 for the full 3-day event only until October 1. REGISTER NOW!
I discuss:
- Why you need focus and time to build a successful business
- How the “traditional” way of thinking around retirement isn’t great
- Why you need to create systems so your business can run without you
- How I knew there was a niche for my non-traditional therapy service
- My first hire within my business
- How to know when it’s time to hire another OT
- What I think is the future of OT entrepreneurship
- How the pandemic affected the future of OT businesses
Resources from this episode:
OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
Episode 37: How to Make Good Decisions While Living in the In-Between
The OT Entrepreneur Summit LIVE! Nov. 12-14, 2021 in Boca Raton, FL
Want to learn how 2 occupational therapists partnered together to create an online business? Tune into this episode of Mind Your OT Business with co-founders of The Lactation OT, Dairian Roberts & Marissa Yahill. Dairian is the founder of Humbled By Motherhood and Marissa is the founder of Lactation & Development Resources. Together, the duo joined forces to form this online learning community in the niche market of lactation and breastfeeding. You’ll hear all about their experience launching their online platform. We talk about everything from marketing strategy to tools used to how they formed this partnership. Plus, you’ll learn how to focus on your own zone of genius to fuel the growth and success of a joint venture.
We discuss:
- How Dairian and Marissa started their own businesses
- What the IBCLC certification is
- Specialty areas that lactation professionals can have
- How they started this partnership together after identifying a gap in the market
- Why they launched a free summit to kick off their Lactation OT business
- The progression of their online platform and failing to plan for growth
- How they use Kajabi’s tools
- How they created a revenue split program to reward course creators
- Their marketing strategy for bringing in new clients
- How they’ve created their revenue streams for this online learning business
- How Dairian and Marissa hone in on their specific zones of genius
- The complexity of hiring employees and growth
- How to charge based on the value of your services
- Why you need to take energetic rests to enhance your vision for the future
Resources from this episode:The Lactation OT
The Lactation OT Facebook
The Lactation OT Instagram
The Lactation OT Community
Lactation & Development Resources
Lactation & Development Facebook
Lactation & Development Instagram
Humbled By Motherhood
Humbled By Motherhood Instagram
IBCLE
Kajabi
Fiverr
The OT Entrepreneur Summit LIVE is happening in-person at the Renaissance Boca Raton Hotel in Boca Raton, Florida from Nov. 12-14, 2021. JOIN THE WAITLIST now to be notified when early-bird tickets go on sale!
Have you ever considered package pricing for your OT practice? In this episode, I’m chatting with someone who did exactly that, Marika Austin, founder of Bearfoot Occupational Therapy.
Marika breaks down what brought her to the conclusion that package pricing might be a better-fit business model for her. She talks about how she faced burnout from not raising her prices and the challenges that led her to this package pricing breakthrough. She uncovers the tiered package pricing model she now uses and offers her advice for other OT entrepreneurs who want to break away from traditional pricing models to maximize profits and business growth.
We discuss:
- What led to her realization that there was something missing from her offering
- The drawbacks of not raising your prices when you need to
- Setbacks that led to her package breakthrough
- Her strategy behind the tiered package pricing
- The moment where she realized this could help other people
- What helped her get her course done in a short turnaround
- Why she wanted to have a simple delivery
- Her tips for launching and selling without an audience
- The reasons why you have to give up control to grow your business
- What she included in her Ultimate Guide to Package Pricing
Resources from this episode:
Bearfoot Occupational Therapy
OTs Get Paid Podcast
Alexis Joelle’s Instagram
Marika Austin's Instagram
Ultimate Guide to Package Pricing (For special pricing, use promo code: LAURA)
If you find that you’re driven to create internal and external peace for yourself and others, you may be an Enneagram 9, also referred to as The Peacemaker. In this episode, I had a conversation with Liz Downing of Limitless Kids OT to talk about her experience as a Peacemaker and entrepreneur.
Liz shares how being driven by empathy is one of the driving forces behind her practice. We talk about the challenges that can arise for Peacemakers when they are forced to navigate and address conflicts and issues in the workplace. She also uncovers her dreams for where she plans to take her business and why she’s so drawn to creating a nature-based practice.
We discuss:
- How Liz identifies as a Peacemaker and Enneagram 9
- How your empathetic nature can influence how you run your practice
- Challenges you may face as a Peacemaker in addressing conflict and issues
- The experience she’s had as a Peacemaker working in occupational therapy
- Liz’s dreams for her company and bringing nature into her business
- How understanding people’s Enneagram types can help you interact with others
Resources from this episode:
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro Episode
Enneagram Institute
Limitless Kids OT
Entrepreneurial Leap: Do You Have What it Takes to Become an Entrepreneur?
The Enneagram 8 is known as the Challenger. You’re probably familiar with this Enneagram type if you’ve been listening to the show for a while because it happens to be my type too! In this episode, I am joined by Lisa Westhorpe of Nurture Occupational Therapy to chat all about being a Challenger.
Lisa shares how we can benefit from doing the difficult thing of leaning into our emotions. You’ll hear how she uses her strengths of confidently going against the grain to lead her team and run her practice. We also talk about her big dreams for her business and how her weakness of being very independent can come into play as an OT entrepreneur.
We discuss:
- How Lisa identifies as a Challenger / Enneagram 8
- The magic that happens when a Challenger leans into their emotions
- How you can use your strength of going against the grain in leadership
- Why she is happy to be a Challenger who questions processes and ideas
- Her independence as an Enneagram 8 (and how this can be a weakness in business)
- Lisa’s bigger than life dreams of helping more moms
Resources from this episode:
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro EpisodeEnneagram Institute
Nurture Occupational Therapy
The Enneagram 7 is called the Enthusiast. Known for being spontaneous, versatile, distractable and scattered. In this episode, I am joined by Aja Roley of Centerpointe for Children to discuss her experience of running her OT practice as an Enthusiast.
Aja talks about how she navigates the strengths she has as an Enthusiast and what challenges come up for her as someone who doesn’t love managing detailed work tasks. She uncovers the big dreams she has for diversifying her income and growing her practice as someone who has many big goals and aspirations.
We discuss:
- What the Enneagram 7 / Enthusiast looks like for Aja
- Her experience of running her business as an Enthusiast
- Your biggest strength as an Enthusiast practice owner
- The challenges an Enneagram 7 may have around managing detail work
- Aja’s dreams for her business of diversifying income streams
- What she wishes people new about Enthusiasts
Resources from this episode:
Aja's business: Centerpointe for Children
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro Episode
Enneagram Institute
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business
Want your business to run on auto-pilot as much as possible...so you can GROW your business while working less and making more money? Join us in the Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program! The fall 2021 Bedrocks cohort starts TODAY- Aug 6, 2021 and the doors close for registration at 9pm CST! JOIN NOW.
The Enneagram 6, also known as the loyalist, is known for being committed and security-oriented. In this episode, loyalist Jenny Gill and I discuss how her personality has shaped the way she runs her copywriting business and her goals for her company.
Tune in for her perspective on how being a loyalist has impacted her as an OT entrepreneur. You’ll hear our own lived experiences of how we interact with different Enneagram types and how she was able to take the leap of faith into starting her business.
Have you been WAITING for my Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program to open again? The fall 2021 Bedrocks cohort will start Aug 6, 2021! JOIN THE WAITLIST now!
We discuss:
- How Jenny helps OT entrepreneurs with copywriting
- The fears, desires and wings of the loyalist
- Interactions of different Enneagram types between each other
- How being a loyalist benefits can benefit you as an OT entrepreneur
- What enabled her to take the leap into starting her own business
- How being a loyalist can influence your dreams of creating systems and processes for your business
Resources from this episode:
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro EpisodeEnneagram Institute
Jenny Gill Copywriting
Enneagram 5’s are known for being alert, curious and insightful. They are referred to as the Investigator and in this episode, we’re going to be breaking down this personality type with Investigator, Hana Eichele, founder of Roots Pediatric Therapy.
Hana and I explore the desires, fears and wings that are common among Investigators. You will learn about the strengths she has as an Investigator along with her biggest kryptonite. We also discuss how you can support the Investigator in your business and what dreams she has for her practice.
We discuss:
- Who the Investigator is
- Desires, wings and fears that Hana has as an Investigator
- An Investigator’s biggest strength
- Examples of when she was unhealthy as an Investigator
- How overthinking and catastrophizing can be kryptonite
- Her dreams for her business as influenced by being an Investigator
- How you can support someone who is an Investigator
Resources from this episode:
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro EpisodeEnneagram Institute
Roots Pediatric Therapy
Hana's Instagram
BIG NEWS! The OT Entrepreneur Summit LIVE is happening November 12-14, 2021! That’s right: THIS YEAR! Join the waitlist here.
In this episode, I talk with Kylie Jeffrey, founder of Play Spark. We talk about her enneagram type, how it affects her business, and how she and her old co-worker became business partners after a conversation about the Enneagram.
Kylie shares how they decided to start their business during COVID and how being an Individualist has played out in her role as a business owner and OT entrepreneur. She shares the superpowers she has as an Individualist and her biggest challenge. Kylie also tells us about upcoming plans for growth in her practice.
We discuss:
- What being an Individualist / Enneagram 4 looks like
- Fears, desires and wings of an Individualist
- What her superpowers are in business as an Individualist
- How she copes with not feeling like creating but needing to
- Her kryptonite (biggest challenge) as an Individualist
- Her dreams for her business growth
- Kylie’s advice for interacting with an Individualist
Resources from this episode:
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro EpisodeEnneagram Institute
Shelter in Place
Kylie’s business, Play Spark
BIG NEWS! The OT Entrepreneur Summit LIVE is happening November 12-14, 2021! That’s right: THIS YEAR! Join the waitlist here.
In this episode, I chat with Sydney Moore, founder of Iowa-based Happy at Home Consulting, an in-home outpatient therapy service for adults in the areas of physical, occupational and speech therapy in addition to health and wellness consultative services. She identifies as an enneagram 3!
Sydney shares her experience as an Achiever including how this has been a hurdle to her and the strengths and weaknesses of her Enneagram type that have come up in her practice. She details what it was like to start her business during a pandemic with this achievement-based mentality and her big goals for access and inclusion across rural parts of her state.
We discuss:
- What being an Achiever / Enneagram 3 looks like
- Fears, desires and wings of an Achiever
- What introduced Sydney to the Enneagram
- How being an Achiever has come up as a hurdle for her in business
- Her struggle to avoid overworking as an Achiever
- Sydney’s strengths and challenges as an Achiever
- Her dream of expansion and access across the rural areas of her state
- Her advice on growing relationships with referral partners
Resources from this episode:
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro EpisodeEnneagram Institute
Free Webinar Series
In this episode of the Enneagram series, I talk with Rachel Edgerly Germanovich, nature-based occupational therapist and founder of Learn Play Live OT.
Rachel shares her lived experience as an Enneagram 2 including how the traits of that personality type have influenced and shaped her as a business owner. She talks about the challenges she faces as an Enneagram 2 including the difficulty of saying “no” and standing firm in her client avatar. You’ll hear her advice on eliciting feedback as an Enneagram 2 and her dreams for the future of her practice.
We discuss:
- What an Enneagram 2 entrepreneur looks like
- The fears, desires, and wings of an Enneagram 2
- How her strengths as an Enneagram 2 has influenced how she runs her practice
- Examples of her strengths as an Enneagram 2 business owner
- The challenges she runs into as an Enneagram 2 in business
- Her tips for eliciting feedback for other Enneagram 2s
- The difficulty to say “no” and stick to her client avatar
- Her dreams for her business as an Enneagram 2
- What she wishes people knew about interacting with an Enneagram 2
Resources from this episode:
Episode 52: Enneagram Series: Intro EpisodeLearn Play Live OT
Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life Enneagram Institute
In this conversation of the Enneagram series, I interview Krista Frahm, a copywriter, OT, and founder of Krista Frahm Agency.
Krista talks about how being an Enneagram 1 resonates with her and the biggest strengths she has as an Enneagram 1. She also shares some of her challenges and what dreams she has for her business. You’ll hear her tips specific for her fellow Enneagram type 1’s on how to find the courage to take risks for business growth and success.
We discuss:
- What being an Enneagram 1 would look like as a business owner
- The fears, desires and wings of an Enneagram 1
- Being an Enneagram 1 as an employee vs. entrepreneur
- Krista’s biggest strengths running a business as an Enneagram 1
- Challenges she faces as an Enneagram 1 in business
- Her tips for entrepreneurs on what gave her the courage to take risks
- The dreams she has as an Enneagram 1 for her business
- How you can best interact with Enneagram 1s in your own life
Resources from this episode:
Krista Frahm Agency
Krista’s Instagram
Enneagram Institute
Do you know your enneagram? The enneagram has been such a profound tool for my business that has helped me learn so much about not only myself but my team members too. In this episode, I share what the enneagram is, how it’s helped me become a better leader and what you can look forward to hearing in this series as we interview guests with different enneagram types to get a deeper look and insight into their world.
I discuss:
- What the enneagram is
- Why I decided to do this enneagram series
- What I’ve learned from using the enneagram in the workplace
- An overview of what we’ll be covering in this series
Resources from this episode:
Enneagram Institute
Do you have your hiring ducks in a row? Whether it’s hiring, determining compensation, recruitment techniques, onboarding or cultivating company culture - as an OT entrepreneur, this is one area you’ll want to focus on.
My guest in this episode was Brandon Seigel, CEO of Wellness Works Management Partners and host of the Private Practice Survival Guide.
In this episode, Brandon breaks down all of the biggest questions that come up around employees and finding the right team to support your business.
Brandon and I discuss:
- Why Brandon loves working with OTs
- His reasoning for launching his business
- Hiring for growth vs. hiring for need
- What you need to know about hiring contractors vs. employees
- Creative compensation and your employee culture
- How he separates performance and financial analysis
- His tips for recruitment of high-quality therapists
- What to look out for when interviewing
- Mistakes business owners make when onboarding
Resources from this episode:
Wellness Works Management Partners
Private Practice Survival GuideCrafting Your Compensation Strategy: Understanding The Variables That Impact Your Employee Reimbursement Decisions
Over the last year, a lot of people have been able to take a look at life from a more objective lens and decide, “I want something different.” In this episode, I talk about my husband and I’s decision to move cross country, why we decided to do this and all of the great life lessons I’ve learned recently. You’ll get insight into doing the hard work of growing a business, my ideas for niching my business and other plans I have for the future.
I discuss:
- What brought my husband and I to Wisconsin
- How there’s no way out of doing the hard work of running a business
- When you do hard work consistently, you can take a step back and take a break
- My ideas around niching down
- Big goals that I have for my future and business
Resources from this episode:
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
The Mind Your OT Business podcast empowers and equips occupational therapy practitioners to be savvy and successful entrepreneurs. Learn along with the always-honest Laura Park Figueroa as she shares valuable knowledge and resources you need to start, run, and grow a profitable business. We discuss start-up, systems, organization tools, product development, passive income, marketing, finances, staffing, leadership, preventing burnout, and more. We'll be learning by DOING...because we're OTs! Ready to take action? Let's jump in!
You might ask yourself, who do I need to become in order to be a successful OT entrepreneur? In this episode, I break down the 5 common threads that I notice from thriving OT entrepreneurs. I also chat about the upcoming OT Entrepreneur Summit including what you can expect if you join us and a few of the most commonly asked questions about it.
I discuss:
- 5 common threads I notice in OT entrepreneurs who are successful
- What you can expect from OT Entrepreneur Summit
Resources from this episode:
OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
OT Entrepreneur Summit
Are you still stewing on how you can raise your prices? In this episode, I am walking you through three simple strategies that you can use to raise your prices and start making more money in your practice. I share quick, actionable takeaways that you can use to start implementing these pricing strategies in your business right away.
I discuss:
- 3 easy ways to raise your prices
- How to incorporate these models in your business
Resources from this episode:
Episode 46: The Mindset Shift You Need to Raise Your Prices
Episode 47: The Psychology of Pricing
OT Entrepreneur Summit
The brain works in mysterious ways and can influence our perception of pricing. Using the psychology of pricing principles taught by Nick Kolenda, there are a few practical ways you can help ease customers in the buying process. In this episode, I talk about pricing psychology and share a few tips that you can implement in your business to use this as a part of your pricing strategy.
I discuss:
- Where I learned about pricing psychology and what it is
- Practical pricing psychology examples
- Tips for using the psychology of pricing
Resources from this episode:
Episode 46: The Mindset Shift You Need to Raise Your Prices
NickKolenda.com
When it comes to raising your prices, remember this: it’s not about the dollar amount, it’s about the service that you’re offering people. In this episode, we’re exploring how to get more comfortable talking about money with your clients and how to shift your mindset about raising your prices.
I discuss:
- My 3 tips for changing your mindset about raising your prices
- A practical idea for how you can get comfortable increasing prices
Resources from this episode:
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
Transparency as a leader and entrepreneur is something that’s very important to me. In this episode, I reveal some of the lessons I’ve learned this year as I’ve faced some personal upheaval in my business and personal life. As you know, I am a big believer in holistic entrepreneurship so I also share some of the wins I am proud to have accomplished within my business.
I discuss:
- My take on holistic entrepreneurship
- What I am learning from the upheaval happening in my life and business
- Why I believe in transparency
- How doing the right thing isn’t always easy
- Lessons I’ve learned around delegating to my team
- What I’m owning and the wins I’m celebrating as a leader
Resources from this episode:Episode 43: Accept Challenges & Commit to Action with Carlyn Neek
Enneagram
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
OT Entrepreneur Summit Waitlist
Episode 44: Release Limiting Beliefs & Follow Your Intuition with Landy Peek
All of us have limiting beliefs about ourselves, businesses and our lives. Limiting beliefs are part of being human. However, if we can tap into our intuition and shift our mindset, we can embrace the role of CEO in our businesses.
My guest on this episode, Landy Peek of Best Birth Healing. Landy is a women’s health practitioner and also specializes in mindset coaching for health professionals and birth workers.
In this episode, we talk about how you can tap into your intuition, releasing limiting beliefs and how it can help guide your business and life.
Landy and I discuss:
- How Landy’s business progressed when she tapped into her intuition
- Why the skill of asking good questions is so important
- The limiting belief most entrepreneurs have
- What imposter syndrome is
- Where limiting beliefs originate
- External factors that shape our limiting beliefs
- A visualization exercise to help release limiting beliefs
- How intuition is related to our limiting beliefs
- The concept of light vs. heavy
- Why you should be curious about your feelings
- The shift that took Landy’s business forward
- Stepping into your authentic self
Resources from this episode:
OT Entrepreneurs Summit
Landy’s Website
Landy’s Favorite Meditation
Landy’s Instagram
OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
My Instagram
Do you struggle with negative thoughts about yourself? With anxiety, fear or insecurity about your work as an OT entrepreneur? My guess is that you probably answered yes to those questions because the truth is: we all face this.
My guest on this episode, Carlyn Neek brought so many helpful tips. Carlyn is an OT and personal development coach who was trained in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
In this episode, we talk about the 6 principles of ACT to help you accept the challenging thoughts and emotions that come up as you're building your business and help you take action in a way that’s aligned with your values.
Carlyn and I discuss:
- What Carlyn does in her practice as an OT who does personal development coaching
- How she got her first coaching clients
- Why you want to have a niche market
- The 6 core processes of ACT
- How you have the power to change your thinking by changing your doing
- Why you have to be clear about your why and your direction
- How values can be different in different roles
- How to own the challenges you face and build resilience
Resources from this episode:
Self TherapyStart with WhyActivate Vitality: Rise and Live Fully
Carlyn’s Website
Carlyn’s Instagram
Carlyn’s Facebook
OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
My Instagram
Do fears ever hold you back in your business? If so, you HAVE to listen to this episode where I am sharing my 5 tips for overcoming your fears as an OT entrepreneur. You’ll also hear a personal story about a time when I got stuck by fear and why you shouldn’t let fear hold you back.
I discuss:
- A story about when I was afraid to put myself out there
- My 5 tips for overcoming your fears
- Why you shouldn’t let fear get in your way
Resources from this episode:
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
Do you know one of the best-kept secrets for scaling businesses? Systems! If you’ve been struggling with systematizing your OT business then you’ll want to hear the tips shared in this episode. I talk about the 3 things you need to systematize in your business and the benefits of creating systems.
I discuss:
- Why I love creating systems
- The 3 things you need to systematize as an OT entrepreneur
- How systems free you up to enjoy your business and life
Resources from this episode:
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
Have you been hesitant to begin delegating tasks in your business?
Courtney Smith is a dual PT/OT, turned copywriter who is passionate about helping private practices thrive with effective direct marketing to clients, in a referral-dominant healthcare system. She is also somewhat of a matchmaker in that she matches up healthcare entrepreneurs with virtual assistants (VA).
In this episode, we talk about how delegating can help you, what you need to know about hiring the right VA and advice for people just getting started with outsourcing.
Courtney and I discuss:
- How she got started in doing non-clinical work
- The services her business offers and her vision for her business
- What email marketing and copywriting is (and how it can help your business)
- How she’s building a network of virtual assistants for healthcare entrepreneurs
- Why a lot of VAs don’t post their prices
- How you can find the right person when hiring a VA
- Advice for people who are hesitant to outsource
- The best ways to communicate with VAs
- Her biggest fail learns in her own business
- What’s going really well for in her business
Resources from this episode:
The Office On Call
Courtney’s Instagram
Courtney’s LinkedIn
Courtney’s Facebook
courtney@theofficeoncall.com
Trello
Voxer
ClickUp
Systems Saved Me
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
lauraparkfig@gmail.com
Have you found yourself wondering what YOU can do to take your business to the next level this year? Most of the accomplished entrepreneurs I know have coaches. Someone who helps them improve their chances of success in business. Listen as I break down the ins and outs of what a business coach does and how to know if you need one. You’ll also get my best advice on what to look for when finding the right coach for you!
I discuss:
- What business coaching is (and how it improves chances for success)
- How coaching and consulting differs
- The 4 things you need to look for in a coach
- Why you need to be clear on what you need help on
Resources from this episode:
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
We can all collectively agree that 2020 was not quite what we thought it’d be. In this episode, I am breaking down the goals I set for 2020 and how they panned out in my business. I also talk about some of the pivots and online product launches I made last year. You’ll get a look at what I hope to learn in 2021 and an honest and transparent outlook on my business finances for 2020.
I discuss:
- My initial goals for 2020
- The online products I’ve launched in my business in 2020
- Lessons learned from times of crisis
- What I want to learn this coming year
- My financial numbers for 2020 compared to 2019
- My word of the year for 2021
Resources from this episode:
My Instagram
Nature-Based Therapy Treatment Plans Pack & Camp Kit
ConTiGO Approach Online Course
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine
Making good decisions while you’re stuck in an in-between part of life can be downright challenging. But it’s not impossible, in fact I believe a lot of us are struggling with this right now. In this episode, I am sharing my own struggle of being stuck in the in-between and a little encouragement from what I’ve learned about living in an in-between moment.
I discuss:
- Why I want to talk about this topic
- How I have been struggling in the in-between
- What I am learning about living in the in-between
- How not all decisions can be boiled down to pros vs. cons
- Why you shouldn’t make huge life decisions during a pandemic
Resources from this episode:
Enneagram Institute
Rainbow OT’s Instagram Post
If you’ve recently started your business and you’re struggling to get your message out there to the world you have to listen to this episode with Katie Caspero.
In this episode, you’ll hear the live coaching call I had over in my Facebook group, Occupational Therapy Entrepreneurs with Katie. She is the founder of OT Graphically, where she creates infographics for OTs and other research professionals and we explored how she can bring more clients to her business through marketing.
You’ll hear how Katie finds her customers, what she’s working on to clarify her marketing messages, my ideas for helping Katie establish herself as an expert and what takeaways she had from our conversation!
Katie and I discuss:
- What Katie does within her business
- How she’s pursuing a certificate in implementation science
- Who her ideal clients are (and who she works with)
- Where she finds her audience online
- Her approach to finding her customers online
- How Katie shares her message with potential customers
- The two problems her business solves
- What she’s doing to clarifying her messaging
- Issues that have come up within her marketing
- Ideas for establishing Katie as an expert in her field
- Katie’s takeaways for leveraging her marketing
Resources from this episode:
Occupational Therapy Entrepreneurs FB Group
OT Graphically
Katie’s Twitter
Linktree
Having a framework for your business will give you the ability to say “no” to the things that don’t align with your growth plan. In this episode, I am talking about the many benefits of creating a framework to help you grow and scale your business. You’ll hear about how this sets you apart from other businesses, how it helps you to simplify your marketing strategy and so much more!
I discuss:
- What I mean by a framework or model
- Examples of frameworks I’ve created for my businesses
- The 5 benefits of using your own framework
Resources from this episode:
Outdoor Kids OT
OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
My Instagram
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
Email marketing is imperative for your business. If you want to get more sales, you need to be utilizing emails to build the know, like and trust with your audience. In this episode, I talk about the ins and outs of building an email list. You’ll hear the reasons why you need one plus tips on how to make the emails you send out to your audience more successful!
I discuss:
- Why you need to be doing email marketing
- What a lead magnet is and how you use that to get emails
- How email marketing systems
- Reasons why building your email list is essential for your business
- Why you should get rid of the newsletter
- How you can judge the success of your email campaigns
- Why you should learn copywriting
- How often you should be sending emails to your list
- What you should know about HIPPA and email marketing
Resources from this episode:
Strategic Planning Party
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
This Book Will Teach You How To Write Better: Learn How To Get What You Want, Increase Your Conversion Rates, and Make It Easier To Write Anything (Using Formulas and Mind-Hacks)
Considering using video to market your business but have no idea how to get started?
Cheryl is the founder of Arthritis Life and a registered Occupational Therapist. She started her business, Arthritis Life to educate, empower and inspire people living with arthritis. She is the creator of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Roadmap, an online educational and support program that helps patients navigate through living with RA.
In this episode, Cheryl gives insight into the best practices, tools and strategies for using video to market your practice.
Cheryl and I discuss:
- Cheryl’s reasoning behind starting Arthritis Life
- Her strategy for picking out which social platforms to be on
- Cheryl’s experience on various social platforms
- An overview of what TikTok is and how people use it
- Why you have to know your goal on social media
- How to repurpose your content across platforms
- The importance of getting started (it’s the hardest step but you have to just put yourself out there)
- Tools you need to get started making videos
- How to listen to your audience to find out what they want
- Our tips on building your know, like, trust and expertise
- How to deal with constructive feedback
- The lack of honesty in the healing space
I’m sharing my top ten tips for a successful online launch based on my lessons learned from launching 3 online products this year: my Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program, The OT Entrepreneur Summit, and my Nature-Based Therapy Treatment Plans & Camp Kit -- which combined grossed $53,781 in total revenue, all during a global pandemic. I hope what I’ve learned in the process can help you.
While these tips are focused on online launches, much of what I share here applies to ANY new product or service in your business.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
· Why “launching” is important versus having an evergreen product or service.
· Marketing strategies to set your business up for a successful launch LONG before the actual launch.
· Pre-launch preparation tips to make launching as simple as possible.
· Specific tips for structuring the launch so that you can ENJOY selling your awesome service or product!
Resources from this episode:
· Now LAUNCHING: The ConTiGO Approach Online Course! The long-awaited online course to give pediatric therapists the therapeutic framework and practical skills for effective and evidence-based therapy with children in nature. Registration will be open Nov. 15-20, 2021 (yep- just 5 days!…listen to the episode to find out WHY) for our January 1-30, 2021 cohort…so check out the details and register today if you’re a peds therapist who is ready to adventure into nature-based therapy! 🌿
In our digital age, it is so important that you know how to effectively market your business on social media. But most business owners have a love/hate relationship with social media. We know we need to be there to promote our businesses, but we struggle to post in an authentic way that is not exhausting and life-sucking. 😣
I hope this episode will help you see social media as a way to CONNECT and make it feel less of a burden! Here I share 6 different types of social media posts so that you’ll never have to struggle with “What should I post?!” again as a business owner.
They are:
- Inspiration - Inspire your followers to live a better life or have hope for the future.
- Education - Teach your followers something. (Keep it simple! Better to do more posts with less information than one HUGE post that no one will read in full.)
- Community building - Invite your followers to be part of a community that is bigger than themselves and has a higher purpose in the world.
- Behind-the-scenes - Show behind the scenes of your business or your life (if you are comfortable doing so).
- Recommendations - Make a recommendation for a product or service you know and love. Not your own product, but something that will make life easier for your followers!
- Entertainment - Make your followers smile or laugh. (Even better if you can COMBINE this one with #2 and educate them at the same time! Reels and TikTok are great for this.)
Today’s episode was originally published as a Facebook Live video in the OT Entrepreneurs Facebook group. Come join us if you’re not already there!
Shout out to Sarah Putt, host of the OT4Lyfe Podcast, the genius who suggested I also re-purpose the FB live content as a podcast episode! 💚
Episode 30: Building a Profitable Insurance-Based Practice with JoAnn Keller
Ever wondered if you should join insurance panels in your private practice?
JoAnn Keller, OTD, OTR/L, CHT is the owner of Hands for Living in Lynnwood Washington. She is a certified hand therapist and a successful clinic owner with a profitable insurance-based practice. She also provides professional coaching for therapists to begin their careers in hand therapy and start their own businesses.
In this episode, JoAnn shares insider tips on how to scale and grow your business in an insurance-based model.
JoAnn and I discuss:
- How JoAnn started her clinic
- Why you MUST generate referrals to be profitable in an insurance-based model, and how to do it.
- Things to consider when deciding between cash-based or insurance-based practice models.
- The administrative duties behind taking insurance.
- The primary reason for insurance is the pool of potential clients is larger which may increase referrals, but the downside of insurance is capped income from the visit (which is set by the insurance company and varies by company).
- Things to consider when hiring a medical biller to help with some of the administrative tasks of insurance-based practice.
- The process of becoming a network provider with Medicare vs Medicaid varies per state.
- How to be more profitable with proper documentation.
- JoAnn’s biggest lesson from starting her clinic was thinking marketing wouldn’t work. She waited for people to call her, instead of reaching out to potential clients directly. The LESSON: don’t be afraid to talk about your business!
- Also, make sure CONTRACTS are in writing …... lesson learned!
Resources from this episode:
Join 7000+ other OT Entrepreneurs in the OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
JoAnn’s private hand therapy practice- Hands for Living.
JoAnn’s free Facebook group for hand therapist entrepreneurs.
Sheela Ivlev is an occupational therapist and owner of OT Bay Area, a wellness-based OT practice in California. Her passion is serving others to improve their mental health and wellness.
In this episode, you’ll learn a variety of ways to serve ALLLL the possible people in your niche market. Sheela shares a variety of ways to increase equity and access to services in your business, while also keeping your focus on your specific niche clientele.
Sheela and I discuss:
- How Sheela runs her mental health and wellness OT practice.
- How OTs can help destigmatize mental health challenges.
- The significance of July being Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
- How we as OTs should consider disparities in health care access when creating our business models, and what we can do about it as business owners.
- Sheela describes how it is OK to have a niche in business! No business can serve everyone. But she shares ways you can think about equity while still maintaining your niche focus in your business.
- I share some ways I struggle with my own fears of perceptions around reaching out specifically to communities of color as a white OT business owner. Sheela’s responses surprised me and you’ll hear me process in the episode what this may mean for my own practice! I hope her ideas will inspire you to take steps in your business to increase equity to services.
- Why we have to get over our FEAR and discomfort and put ourselves out there to increase equity and access to our services.
- How we perpetuate inequities by staying silent and not taking action.
- How it is possible within a cash-based model to take steps to increase access to services.
- Why we should think about marketing to a wide-range of people within our specific niche market.
- The differences between “mental health” OT and “regular” OT...there aren’t many! :)
- Mentoring pre-OT students as a way to increase diversity in our profession.
- Why diversifying our social media feeds may help us understand the perspectives of those who are different than us and educate us and equip us with resources to help us serve a diverse range of clients in our ideal niche in our businesses.
Resources from this episode:
OT Entrepreneurs Facebook Group
Peggy McIntosh’s article: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Instagram hashtag: #blacktherapistsrock
Sheela’s business website with loads of resources!: www.OTbayarea.com
Sheela’s business on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/otbayareasf/
Follow Sheela on Instagram @otbayarea
This is a new kind of episode where we hear from brand new OT-practitioner-owned businesses in non-traditional niches. For our first Brand New Business Highlight episode, Anita Martin, owner of Sex Assist, joined me to talk about her coaching business where she helps female clients become more sexually satisfied. You'll hear how she got started in this important work, and the important lessons she's already learned. *Warning- this episode contains adult topics and may not be suitable for children. Wear headphones! :)
Anita and I discuss:
● Identifying her ideal client and meeting their needs.
● Marketing her services and getting her first clients.
● Diversifying revenue streams by offering webinars or online courses.
● How she defines her work as an “independent coaching clinician” using her occupational therapy assistant background to inform her work.
● How she connects with other OT practitioners as referral sources.
● What her sessions with clients look like.
● Supporting clients with a history of trauma.
● And as always: her biggest “fail-learn” and biggest success as an entrepreneur and what you can learn from her experiences.
Connect with Anita on her Facebook page here! (I purposefully scheduled this several months in advance to post ON her birthday so if you’re listening on August 13, go wish her a very happy birthday!) 🎉
Anita Martin's Sex Assist Business on Facebook
This is a solo episode where I answer frequently asked questions about starting and managing a nature-based pediatric practice, PLUS share some super-honest insights (as usual! haha!) from the prep for launching my practice’s online products. (Wanna go straight to the nature-based resources? Click here!)
[NOTE: If you just want to listen in for the “*Honest Talk about Mindset Issues While Launching & Pricing Online Products!” it starts at 32:40!]***
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How I started Outdoor Kids OT (OKOT), my nature-based pediatric practice, and how it grew.
- How the ConTiGO (Connection & Transformation in the Great Outdoors) Approach was developed. 😁
- Start-up logistics: finding a location, getting liability insurance, and grouping children for services.
- Structure of our nature-based OT groups at OKOT: length of sessions and the different activities we include in each group. You can get a bunch of treatment activities to try in my book.
- Systems needed for nature-based therapy: Nature-based therapy is not just nature play. There is a therapy process behind nature-based therapy in which you individualize the support for children based on their needs as you carry out your therapy services as a co-facilitator with nature. (Learn more about the differences between nature-based learning/enrichment/schools versus nature-based therapy by checking out my FB live on the topic in the free Therapy in the Great Outdoors ~ Nature-Based Pediatric Therapists Facebook group.)
Click HERE to check out ALL the resources Outdoor Kids OT has created to support nature-based therapists in their work outdoors with children: the Nature-Based Treatment Plans Pack, the Ultimate Nature-Based Therapy Camp Kit, and the BUNDLE of both the Plans Pack and the Camp Kit that includes TONS of bonus content.
I want to share some honest insights about mindset issues I encountered while pricing and preparing to launch these online resources. [This talk starts at 32:40 in the episode…]
- Having a cart open/close is SO MUCH more sane then having “evergreen” resources. It allows me to “sell” only while the cart is open and then just be “me” on social media and focus on connection and relationships when I’m NOT selling. Also, it helps people make the actual decision to buy because they can’t get the resources at all times. (FYI- a 7 day cart open is plenty long! You have to be promoting while it’s open and that begins to feel heavy after about a week.)
- We need to price for VALUE, rather than asking “What might people pay for this?” to set our prices. Shifting mindset to thinking about WHAT exactly are you offering people in any offer you make! To use my products as an example: they are NOT impulse purchases. I WANT people to only purchase these if they are right for them and can help them. If they are the right customer for us, I am 100% confident these products will save them HOURS of time, prevent LOADS of stress, and allow them to feel confident and clear-minded as a nature-based therapist. What is that worth? WAY more than we’re charging, I’m positive. This way of pricing allows you to truly value your products, your customers, and your time as a business owner.
- BUT I still have fears of being judged by our OT community. And I need to sit with that and be OK that some people will not agree with my business decisions. Here’s what helps: I give away a TON of content for absolutely FREE and have been doing so for many years now. When you have a track record of serving people for free, you can feel much more comfortable as a business owner pricing your products for the true value they offer to your customers.
- Finally, I truly believe if it is the right product for a customer, they will pay for something they value because they know its worth is far greater than what they’re paying.
That’s it for this week! I hope I got some wheels turning in your head about either taking your work outdoors OR pricing and valuing your services!
Take a small step because small steps make great gains over time…so until next time, mind your OT business…outside maybe? 🌿
Moise Hermantin is owner of Affluent Profit Advisers, a bookkeeping and accounting service primarily focusing on occupational therapy and physical therapy entrepreneurs. He’s on a mission to make working on business finances fun and personalized for OT and PT business owners.
Moise and I discuss:
- Why a bookkeeper is one of the first people you should put on your business team!
- Moise recommends Mike Michalowicz’ book Profit First (and I DO TOO!)
- Ways to get capital to start your business
- Setting up a business bank account
- Why interviewing a bookkeeper or accountant is important
- Things to know about Quickbooks Online (Moise doesn’t like the online version of quickbooks) vs. purchasing a licence for your own Quickbooks.
- Reports that you should know how to read as a business owner:
- Revenue statement- how much your business made and where the money came from, plus fees you paid to get the money.
- Profit/Loss statement
- Balance sheet- shows everything you have in your company vs. how much you actually own in equity vs. how much you have in liabilities (loans, credit card debt, etc.)
- Your BUDGET!
- Tips for managing billing insurance and getting paid a long time after services are provided
- The difference between cash vs. accrual accounting (and why you must use accrual-based rather than cash-based accounting if you are an insurance based practice.)
- The difference between “receivables” (you’re “able” to receive payment; what you’re DUE to get) and “payables” (you have to be able to pay these!; what you’re mandated to pay in the future).
- How you can save money by giving your bookkeeper or accountant what they need on a monthly basis (rather than letting things pile up for a year and paying a premium)!
- Tips for ways to manage business receipts.
Connect with Moise on Instagram @affluentprofitadvisers or on Facebook or LinkedIn.
My action step from this episode was to ASK QUESTIONS of my bookkeeper and accountant, to stop being afraid to make them explain things to me. What was your main takeaway?
I am so excited to bring Janice McCullough on the podcast today for an on-air coaching call with me. Janice owns a practice in Alberta, Canada called Rest is Best which focuses on the niche of sleep. We discuss marketing, conducting discovery calls, finding ideal clients, making improvements, finding opportunities, and how to be brave and take charge as an OT entrepreneur. I really admire Janice for having the courage to do this coaching call on-air… because it isn’t easy to share our entrepreneurial journeys with the whole world! I hope you’ll learn a lot from our conversation and be inspired by her!
Janice and I discuss:
- The story of how she started her business, Rest is Best, and what it’s all about.
- Identifying her ideal clients.
- Doing internal work to think like an entrepreneur.
- How taglines can work for your marketing.
- How to take charge of a discovery call to protect your time and establish your expertise with potential clients.
- Tips on making online marketing easier for your business.
- Looking for opportunities to connect with her ideal clients.
- Designing products around her niche and thinking about creative ways to deliver value to her ideal customers to make her business even more profitable.
I think Janice had some real breakthroughs on this call and I can’t wait to see where she goes with her business in the coming months and years!
Connect with Janice and follow along with the growth of her business at:
Rest is Best Website
Rest is Best: Wellness Through Sleep Facebook
Wellness Through Sleep Instagram
It’s been a very hard week…months…decades for black OT practitioners and people of color in our nation here in the United States. I’ve been personally challenged in how I can be anti-racist as a person, but also as an OT entrepreneur. I’m sharing my heart in this solo episode. I hope you will listen, especially if you are in the 86.2% of United States occupational therapy practitioners who are white. A short list, perhaps not in the order I say it on the podcast episode:
- White people need to self-reflect deeply on our own biases, our discomfort, our defensiveness. Consider why you might be feeling these things. (Usually it is because we’re uncomfortable with our privilege being checked…but we’re unaware of it.)
- Reflect deeply on teaching from black people and people of color…even when it makes you really uncomfortable. This is how we “do the work” to become more anti-racist in our work.
- Don’t ask black people to explain things to you or to teach you or to speak for their entire race. Our job as white colleagues in our profession is to do the work to educate ourselves with the TONS of books, podcasts, social media posts, and content that exists already. A list is below if you want to get started.
- Whatever you do: DON’T BE SILENT. Speak out against racism. It is not enough for us to claim we’re not racist as individuals (which is not true no matter what because we ALL have biases). The key is to check your bias, examine your privilege, and to be actively ANTI-RACIST in our interactions in the world and in our work. And among our colleagues in our profession…as the story I share in the podcast so unfortunately illustrates. We have WORK to do. (Shout out to @marvelousmirracles.ot and @doctorconners on Instagram. Their posts moved me to action and for that I am grateful. I can’t wait to meet you both in person one day and am so glad you are part of our profession.)
Here’s a short list of resources. There are MANY more, but when you read/consume these, you will find many other voices to help inform your work in becoming more anti-racist in your work in our world. I have mainly focused on female activists and authors because those are the voices I want to learn from.
On Instagram (warning white people: content WILL make you uncomfortable. That’s the point. Being uncomfortable is a good thing. It helps you consider other perspectives and your own biases and privileges.)
@laylafsaad Visit her website here: http://laylafsaad.com/
@thegreatunlearn (also @rachel.cargle) Visit her website here: https://www.rachelcargle.com/
@ijeomaoluo Visit her website here: http://www.ijeomaoluo.com/
@ckyourprivilege Website: https://checkyourprivilege.co/
@nowhitesaviors Website: https://nowhitesaviors.org/
@wastefreemarie (Thought-provoking discussions within her instagram feed.)
Reading:
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack- Peggy McIntosh
Anti-Racist book list recommended by @laylafsaad
Anti-Racist Reading list
And here’s a FABULOUS Anti-Racist Resource Guide compiled by Dr. Victoria Alexander.
What else you can do in our profession:
Support the efforts of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD)
This is the work of all of us white OT practitioners. As OT entrepreneurs, we are leaders in our profession. We must make it our mission to become anti-racist in our profession and in our work in the world. Being anti-racist has everything to do with our OT entrepreneurship. We must stand up for justice with our black colleagues and with people of color in our nation. We’ve gotta do the work.
This is the MOST nervous I have ever been about publishing an episode! 😳
Laura Joyce Davis is a dear friend, a talented author, and the creator and host of Shelter in Place- a podcast about “finding daily sanity in a world that feels increasingly insane.” (Great tagline, right?)
A few weeks ago, she interviewed ME for her podcast. Then she surprised me by suggesting I share it with all of YOU here on the MYOTBiz podcast. I was rather resistant to this idea but in the end, decided to lean into the discomfort and share it. You’ll hear why in my super-nervous intro…
We discuss occupational therapy, entrepreneurship, parenting, and lessons learned during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic. I hope you feel encouraged after listening to our conversation.
What were your takeaways? I would love to hear! Comment below or join us in the Mind Your OT Business Facebook group to discuss your thoughts. 💚
For more thought-provoking content about finding sanity in a world that feels increasingly insane, go to laurajoycedavis.com or listen to Shelter in Place wherever you get your podcast fix
In this value-packed episode, the fabulous OT serial-entrepreneur Tomeico Faison shares how she’s strategically built community mental health OT services into her business model at Therapeutic Solutions of NC in North Carolina. She also runs Faison Consulting where she helps therapy entrepreneurs create fun, profitable, and service-oriented lifestyle businesses, particularly for under-served populations. (Such important work…all of it!)
We discuss:
- What community mental health OT actually means.
- Identifying a gap in the market.
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Different ways to get paid to provide community mental health OT services
- Contracting directly with Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) in your state.
- Pricing services when submitting proposals (A GREAT STORY HERE! You gotta listen!)
- Responding to government Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
- Billing insurance.
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Tips for Billing Insurance
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Know which ICD codes and CPT codes can be billed together.
- Know your Local Coverage Determination (LCD) codes.
- Look at the Medicare, Medicaid, or insurance companies billing codes to see what they will reimburse for.
- Find your “Fiscal Intermediary” (FI) who manages billing and regulations for your geographical area for Medicare.
- Why you need to be looking at the numbers in your business.
- Considerations to make when conducting occupational therapy groups.
- How you CAN advocate the value of OT to insurance companies!
- Ways to ensure your business is profitable even when you serve underserved populations: multiple streams of income OR scaling your business.
- How you need to have tenacity as an entrepreneur to keep you going when things are hard.
- What are Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and why you need to consider them in your business.
- How to gather an advisory board to help keep you honest about all the numbers in your business.
- Recommended book: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- Why we MUST remember “It is NOT about us; it is about the people we’re serving.” Tomeico says: “If service is at the center, it attracts money. If you truly understand the ‘why’, you can get to the ‘how’.”
Want to hear Tomeico talk more, specifically about government contracting? (Seriously can’t get enough of her. I could have talked to her forever!) She’s speaking at the OT Entrepreneur Summit (May 11-20) and registration just opened ! Click HERE to check out all the details and register TODAY with early-bird pricing only through May 4, 2020! See you at the Summit! ⛰
Until next time, Mind Your OT Business!
In this episode, I have a conversation with my Outdoor Kids OT Practice Manager, Nicole Storms. Nicole is a certified OT assistant and an online business manager. She is an admin nerd who is productivity-obsessed. She is also a pediatric Occupational Therapy provider with over 15 years of experience. Nicole’s goal is to make your life in business as easy as possible. We talk about the top 3 mistakes she sees that business owners make. There are so many key takeaways from this episode and I’m so excited to share this with you.
Nicole and I discuss:
- Nicole’s work as a Practice Manager of Outdoor Kids OT.
- The story of how she started Your Admin Solution and where it is today.
- Top things business owners should look for when hiring for an admin role.
- Three biggest mistakes business owners make:
- Not having SOPs.
- Giving bad customer experience.
- Not hiring people to fill the other holes in your business.
- Planning for your business’ future.
- How success doesn’t look the same for everyone.
- Takeaways from the episode
Links:
- Your Admin Solution
- Nicole Storms LinkedIn
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Email Nicole
-
Business Bedrocks Group Coaching Program
- Laura Park Figueroa Instagram
The fabulous Sarah Lyon is an occupational therapist and founder of the OT Potential Club, an online membership site dedicated to helping all occupational therapists implement evidence-based practice.
Since Sarah and I recorded this episode only 2 short weeks ago, so much has changed. The COVID-19 virus pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the AOTA conference, followed by a “shelter in place” mandate in my area. At this time, we are only allowed to leave our homes for essentials (like groceries or medicine) or to recreate outdoors while practicing social distancing. There is just so much uncertainty, in our families and communities and especially in our businesses. If you are a business owner feeling uncertain and anxious - we are all in this together. Don’t do it alone! Reach out and find community- it is so important during this time!
I believe this episode is the positive boost you need right now. Sarah is such an optimistic person and it’s so interesting how serendipitous it is that this is the episode I had previously scheduled to release in the midst of all this. Sarah has so much optimism for our profession and for the potential of our profession to do such great things in the world. The world needs what we have to offer as occupational therapists. We will survive this and we will emerge stronger than ever!
Sarah and I discuss:
● Sarah shares how OT Potential started and how it looks today.
● Starting her blog and monetizing it.
● The resources that are available in the OT Potential Club.
● Surprises she has found out in her research.
● How OTs will be more valued in the future.
● Sarah shares the critical things she did to replace her clinical income with her website in a span of 5 years.
● Why affiliate marketing is not passive income.
● Why it’s important to use evidence-based practice.
○ Recommended Video: OT Potential Club
● Why being a business owner is not for everyone
● The importance of being members of our state and national (AOTA) professional organizations.
● The biggest failure she has had in her business and her advice about working with contractors.
● Things that are going well in her business and what she recommends for others to have the same success.
Connect with Sarah and all her resources at:
● OT Potential Website
● OT Potential Club
● OT Potential Podcast
Want to discuss this episode? Join us on the new Mind Your OT Business Group on Facebook for discussion on topics from this episode! Let’s support one another through these unprecedented times.
In this solo episode, I share some BIG announcements + 10 surefire ways to get new clients…and you’ll get 2 more here in the show notes. :)
First for the announcements!
- We now have a FREE Facebook group now for Mind Your OT Business listeners to interact and discuss content from episodes! I would love to meet you there and welcome you to this community. JOIN HERE!
- The OT Entrepreneur Summit is coming May 11-20! Trish Williams and I have curated a highly-qualified list of speakers who have agreed to take you “behind the scenes” of their success as OT entrepreneurs! Interviews will be sent via email to attendees (so you can watch on your own schedule) and we will have a FB group open till the end of May for us to discuss topics.
- Finally, I just opened registration for the 2020 dates for Therapy in the Great Outdoors- A Training Retreat for Pediatric Practitioners. Early bird rates till April 1!
OK- Now for your list of 12 sure-fire ways to get more clients!!! We talked about 10 on the podcast and there are 2 more for you here in the show notes… 1. Make a list of everyone you know and send a personal email letting them know about your services. Make sure to make it EASY for them to send referrals your way by including relevant content in the email to allow them to simply forward to a friend. 2. Give a discount or other incentive to get people to sign up for new services by a specific deadline, and advertise this heavily in social media and in paper flyers/postcards locally. 3. Do a brainstorm about where your ideal clients hang out locally and then leave postcards in all of those locations. 4. Offer 15-minute inquiry calls or consultation calls to interested clients (then OVER-deliver and spend 30 minutes talking to them). During the call, simply aim to HELP in some way...not necessarily get them to pay you for services...but really it will be people who are a bit interested. This builds “know, like and trust” value with people in your community. Even if the person doesn’t become your client, they have had a good experience with you being helpful...which means they may mention it to others in your community. 5. Offer free or low-cost one-time sessions for interested people, and then have a specific offer for them if they sign up by a certain date for an assessment or services. 6. Share relevant and helpful content (NOT just info about your services) on social media. Aim to HELP people...NOT sell your services. Every now and then, have a special offer for people who take advantage of the offer by a specific deadline. 7. Do research on Facebook and other social media about where your ideal clients hang out online, and offer meaningful and relevant comments in these forums. (Again, aim to be helpful, not sell your services. You are building your expertise in these communities, and by helping, you will get people to know, like & trust you as a provider.) 8. Face-to-face networking and personal connections are the BEST way to find new clients….this also takes the most time. Put yourself out there! Offer free in-services for people in your target market, or attend networking events that are NOT just for therapists. 9. Ask your current or past clients to refer their friends, or leave online reviews of your business. Send a very specific email asking them to send new referrals your way. Make sure to make THEM the HERO! Emphasize how they will be helping others by leaving a review, as it will help people find the services they need. Provide links directly in the email so they can easily click and write a quick review. 10. Build an email list! Most of the people who visit your website are NOT going to purchase services right at that second! You MUST have a way to capture their email to stay in touch with them because they are potential future clients! Make a short list of valuable tips or advice for your clients’ problems and give it away for free to people who sign up for your email list. (Do some research on how to make a great “lead magnet” online. Also make sure to be GDPR compliant with your emails...I’ll let you research that piece online.) 11. After you have an email list, start a drip email marketing campaign to help potential clients and stay top-of-mind in your clients’ and interested parties’ minds. This is NOT to just bombard your audience with a request to purchase your services; it IS a series of helpful emails you send to your list on a regular basis to give them FREE helpful tips or advice to serve and care for them and their needs. Mine are set up once-a-month and I simply add an email every 30 days. When someone joins the email list, they get the first email, then the 2nd 30 days later, and so on. I have about 6 in the “bank” now that auto-send to new subscribers… this automatically allows my business to provide value to people every month for 6 months after they subscribe. (I’m aiming to get at least 2 years of emails in the bank...adding one a month right now.) 12. Learn copywriting. Honestly, this is my one best tip for therapy practice owners. Most therapy websites are SO BAD at communicating our value to clients. Learning basic copywriting will COMPLETELY change how you write your marketing materials. My favorite resources online are Neville Medhora’s Kopywriting Kourse and (Sign up for Neville’s emails. They are HILARIOUS and you’ll love reading them every month, all while learning how to write your own advertising / marketing / website content in an engaging way that your clients will resonate with and understand!) Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller is the BEST book resource I have found related to this topic. A must-read for all business owners.
Until next time….Mind Your OT Business! :)
This episode is unlike any of my past episodes because it’s the first time I’ve done an on-air coaching call! Abilgail Wool-Biringer is the owner of Kids Empowered for Life. She had some questions on focusing, growing, and scaling her business. This is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what business coaching looks like. I love Abigail’s vulnerability to talk publicly about her business and the way she is already thinking like a boss! I hope this episode shows how working with a business coach can not only be a fun conversation, but can help you gain clarity, solve problems, and forge a path forward to grow your business on your own terms!
Abigail and I discuss:
- Abigail’s work and business background.
- Identifying the top 3 issues that Abigail has in her business.
- The good things Abigail is doing on her website: parent Facebook group and email marketing to capture and nurture her potential clients.
- Why no one can help everyone! (Remember: “The riches are in the niches.” Focus on your specializations- start small and grow from there.)
- How to make your website effectively speak to your potential clients: make it clear how you can solve their problems!
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- Podcast Recommendation: Building a Storybrand with Donald Miller
- How to take control of inquiry calls from the beginning by using a clear system (This is also discussed in previous MYOTBiz episodes here:)
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- Podcast Episode Recommendation: How to Create the Ultimate Customer Experience with Rafael Salazar
- Podcast Episode Recommendation: Building Multiple Streams of Income with Kelly Beins
- Systems and structures to put in place to ensure your business has a strong foundation to scale and grow.
- Abigail’s main takeaways from our coaching session and changes she plans to make.
Connect with Abigail at:
- Kids Empowered 4 Life
- Abigail’s free Facebook group for parents: Facebook Group for ADHD Parent Support
It was such an honor to interview Melissa LaPointe on this episode! Melissa is an occupational therapist-turned-consultant who is an expert in online business and entrepreneurial leadership. After running a brick-and-mortar practice, she transitioned to full-time online business ownership and is now location independent. She helps occupational therapists market and sell their digital products and coaching programs with confidence. There is SO much in this conversation for all entrepreneurs- even if your business in not online! Truly, the main theme throughout was how to think and act and BE an intentional and wise CEO of your own business. You will learn so much from Melissa’s thoughtful and intentional approach to entrepreneurship in this episode!
Melissa and I discuss:
- How she transitioned from brick-and-mortar practice owner to online business owner
-
Systems she uses to organize her online work and her team
- Recommended book: Traction- Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
- How we can develop online course modules using a brain-based approach to learning
- Why occupational therapy school sets us up to FAIL as business owners. (This starts at 28:30!)
- Why we need to explore our mindset around time and money to be healthy entrepreneurs
- Being a CEO…what does it mean? How to think like and embody the actions of good leadership as a CEO of your company. (36:27)
- What Melissa’s experience has been getting business coaching for herself to build her business.
- Why business coaching does NOT mean you’re admitting “weakness” or failure. (It actually means the opposite…that you’re thinking like an entrepreneur and wanting to thoughtfully grow your business.)
- Podcast recommendation: Screw the Nine to Five
- How to SELL your service or product and feel great about it!
- Minimalism and organization as a business owner.
- How to attract your ideal clients.
Connect with Melissa and all her resources at:
www.melissalapointe.com
Free Facebook group: The Virtual Therapist - OTs + Online Revenue Streams
Remember: small steps make great gains over time. So until next time, Mind Your OT Business! ♥️
In this solo episode, I review my 2019 goals achieved, share my audacious goals for 2020, and go inside-the-books of my business finances for 2018 versus 2019. (Yep- my real numbers in my business bank account!)
Holistic entrepreneurship means that we bring our WHOLE selves to our businesses. Physical, spiritual, personal, relational, professional, educational goals are ALL relevant to our entrepreneurship. So I’m talking about them all in this episode. :)
2019 GOALS REVIEW: Physical Goals Met:
Moved everyday! (minus 2 days when I was sick) Back squatted 106#!! :)
Spiritual Goals Met:
Journeying with my faith community, learning from the faiths of others.
Nature Connection Goals Met:
I really made a point of getting outdoors every single week into wild nature. At least once a week I went on a hike for exercise. I feel my body telling me when I need nature now!
Also went on TWO epic backpacking trips to beautiful places:
In April, I went to Havasupai Falls with my daughter for a mother-daughter backpacking trip. It was a highlight of my year. And yes, the water really is that blue! No filter!
The harrowing chains to get down the LOOONG and slippery descent to Mooney Falls. My smile is hiding my terror…or can you tell I’m nervous?!
Then in September: 55 miles in 5 days on the North Lake South Lake loop in the high sierras (John Muir Trail country) with my dear friend, Laura Joyce Davis. I had to control myself to only post 2 photos- seriously the most beautiful backpacking trip ever…and the best company. :)
Ok, back to my goals…
Relational/Family Goals Met:
Finally (after 2 years saving!) went on a “real” family vacation to the Caribbean with my sister and her family. SO fun.
Realized I need to prioritize daily time with family in 2020! (see below)
Business Goals Met:
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Wrote & published Therapy in the Great Outdoors- A Start-Up Guide to Nature-Based Pediatric Practice with 44 Kid-Tested Activities.
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Grew Outdoor Kids OT to one more employee (our first COTA!) and added one group per week for a total of 6 weekly groups going now.
- Held the first Therapy in the Great Outdoors Training Retreat in November; filled to capacity with a LOOONNG waitlist now for future trainings!
- Wrote the 100-page ConTiGO (Connection & Transformation in the Great Outdoors) Approach Training Manual for retreat attendees to implement the approach in their own practices.
- Became more active showing up personally on Instagram and Facebook (but still struggle!)
- Started the Mind Your OT Business Podcast in March and did 17 episodes this year. Will be outsourcing some editing and publishing in the coming year to save time!
- Grew my business coaching practice to 5 monthly clients and plan to add 1-2 more in the coming year.
Educational Goals Met:
- Took 25 PhD credits. (8 courses…this was too much!)
- Read A LOT of research about nature and children and OT!
- Continuing to see the PhD as a process of personal transformation and challenging my brain to think critically.
NOW…MY(SOMEWHAT AUDACIOUS) GOALS FOR 2020: Physical:
- Move everyday!
- Back squat my body weight (~150#)
Spiritual:
- Read literature from other world religions to inform my own faith and learn from others.
Nature Connection:
- Solo backpacking trip. (Scared of this!)
- Backpacking trip to Trinity Alps in Northern CA.
- Wilderness Awareness course in Washington in April.
Relational:
- Continue weekly breakfast date with Jose.
- Make 1:1 time for family; BE AWARE OF WHEN WORK IS TAKING OVER! (this is very important for me cause I love my work)
Business:
- Promote Therapy in the Great Outdoors book more!
- Hold 2 more Therapy in the Great Outdoors Retreat Trainings in May and September 2020.
- Take on 1-2 more business coaching clients per month.
- Do at least 1 MYOTBiz podcast episode per month.
- Be more active on Instagram for OKOT, LinkedIn for promotion of business coaching for OTs and the podcast, be more present as a moderator for my FB group Therapy in the Great Outdoors- Nature-Based Therapy.
- OT Entrepreneurs Summit in May with Trish Williams!
- Create online course for Therapy in the Great Outdoors by August of 2020.
Educational
- Pass my qualifying exams in October of 2020.
- Start pilot research in spring 2020 with OTD students.
- Write article on nature-based therapy for publication.
- Present posters at AOTA. Come find me there and introduce yourself!
AND NOW THE PART YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR……BUSINESS FINANCES 2018 VS. 2019…AND MY 2020 INCOME GOALS! Be aware of the accrual vs. the cash-based method of accounting in your business books! I use cash-based. (listen to the longer story in the podcast)
All amounts have been averaged for ease of reporting.
2018: Gross revenue $82,000 - NET revenue $5,000 (6% of gross revenue)
My income 2018 (working very part-time while doing my PhD + teaching): $17,000 pay + $2000 profit first bonus = $19,000
Started using Profit First and You Need a Budget (ynab.com) in mid-2018, which made my income double in 2019…see numbers below!
2019: Gross revenue $161,000 - NET revenue $32,000 (20% of gross revenue)
THIS IS WHAT LOOKING AT YOUR NUMBERS CAN DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS! Almost double your income and increase profit by OVER 200% (12% profit would have been double- a 100% increase, 18% triple- a 200% increase…but we made it to 20%)!
My income 2019 (working part-time still doing PhD and teaching): $24,000 pay + $8000 profit first bonus = $32,000
My audacious income goal next year: $75,000 working part-time 20 hours per week and $200,000 gross revenue for the business.
Here’s how we’ll do it:
- Keep doing groups at current rates.
- More business coaching.
- 2 more retreats (maybe 3!)
- Income from the online course.
[I’m trying a new thing this episode and produced a full transcript. It is NOT perfectly edited but I am hoping to make the podcast accessible to more people through this format. Please tell me if you use it!]
**FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE**
Online business ownership is rapidly expanding opportunities for OTs to share our expertise with the world. Meg Proctor, MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist and autism specialist who has taken her passions and formed a successful online business: Learn Play Thrive. The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism helps occupational therapy practitioners (and others!) understand the unique learning styles of autistic people. (Listen to the podcast to learn why we say “autistic people” and not “people with autism” now! This is new language widely preferred by the autistic community to illustrate that being autistic is NOT a negative thing.)
Besides that, Meg and I discuss:
- How she got started and tested her ideas.
- The set-up and platform for offering online courses.
- Potential ways to structure your online course.
- Why freebies may be realistic to offer at first launch of a course.
- Why working with a business coach is essential (even at significant cost!).
- How she decides how to price her consultative services for therapists
- Social media management
- Working as a mother of 2 young children
- How becoming an expert in a specific niche will give you the ability to meet other practitioners’ needs in your online course.
- How you can start small without breaking the bank or wasting a lot of time.
I loved this conversation with Meg and am so thankful for all she is doing for our profession!
You can find her business on Facebook
Or her FREE Facebook group.
Or follow her on Instagram: @learnplaythrive
She also has a special gift for you MYOTB listeners! Use code MYOTB35 to get $35 off her online course The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism during open enrollment in January 2020!
Trish Williams, BA, BHScOT(c) is the super-savvy CEO of Spring OT in Calgary in the province of Alberta, Canada. Spring OT is a multi-disciplinary practice in which OT is the lead service provider. In this LOOONNGG and value-packed conversation with Trish, we discuss and learn:
- How she got started with small steps and quickly grew her business.
- How we as OTs struggle with being the “lead” in a multi-disciplinary practice.
- Business systems she had to put in place as the business grew. (Spoiler alert: TRELLO!)
- What Trish did when someone wanted to buy her business
- Why your business shouldn’t rely solely on YOU as the business owner.
- Why you need to focus on the numbers and understand your business finances.
- Why it is OK to charge a fair price for your services or products!
- Having a strategic plan as a business owner.
- How we can be strategic with our time in learning content to run our businesses and in our social media management as entrepreneurs.
- How to get over your insecurity to put your face on your social media accounts (HINT: focus on serving others!)
- How and why she started building online content.
- How you can structure your business to impact the most people using an ascension model of service delivery, and why this helps you think differently about pricing and packaging services.
- Is OT licensure limiting our profession’s reach in online service delivery?
RESOURCES from this episode:
- The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber*
- Trello project management tool*
- BizChix podcast episode on Strategic Planning
- Katie Read’s blog
- Melissa LaPointe’s business consulting and courses
- Building a Story Brand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller*
- Meet Edgar social media scheduler*
- MemberVault for online course delivery
*These are affiliate links- at no extra cost to you.
Here’s how to connect with Trish:
Website- www.springot.com
Spring OT on Instagram- @springot
Trish Williams, OT entrepreneur on Instagram- @willever
Follow Spring OT on Facebook
In this episode, I pull back the curtain on how we respond to constructive criticism as business owners, using my own honest reflections on the anonymous feedback I gathered after the Therapy in the Great Outdoors Training Retreat. You’ll hear REAL feedback from attendees at the retreat…both the positive AND the negative, cause that’s how I roll on this podcast (and in life and business in general). :)
This was my VERY FIRST time planning, hosting, and teaching an in-person retreat for therapists. Overall, the feedback was OVERWHELMINGLY positive. But in this podcast, I’m sharing a lot of the constructive criticism comments so you can hear my thought processes as I reflect on what to do differently next time!
GROWTH MINDSET, PEOPLE!!!!!! It is easy to talk about, HARD to practice. But is the only way forward as a business owner. We NEED to ask our customers for their anonymous feedback, to tell us what they really feel, so we can respond and better serve them.
If you want to check out a great book about growth mindset, Carol Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Success is the best resource. It is one of my top 10 recommended books for business owners.
And if you’re interested in attending a future Therapy in the Great Outdoors Training Retreat, you can fill out the interest form here to be notified when we open registration for 2020 dates in May and September.
Outdoor Swing Activities
Happy fort builders. :)
Reflection time on the beach.
In this action-step filled episode of MYOTBiz, we learn SO MUCH from Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L about his consulting work and his business Rehab U Practice Solutions. Rafael is a true OT, a fount of wisdom about entrepreneurship, and an expert on how to make your business truly serve and KEEP your customers. Plus how your business should serve YOU!
“For any business owner...just be clear what you want your business to do for you, rather than what you are going to do for your business. Because that’s what it’s all about. That’s why we go into entrepreneurship: to build the life we want.” — Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L
We talk about:
- How he saw a need in the market to start his current business, then listened to the market to adjust as he went.
- How being open to new opportunities and networking on LinkedIn created a whole new side of his consulting work…and introduced him to his current business partners on a new endeavor.
- Creating a self-hosted learning platform for online courses that his business is developing. (I ask a bunch of questions about specifics of this…)
- How to make decisions about spending early in your business.
- How to KEEP customers (patients/clients/whoever you serve in your business!) and why that is EASIER than finding NEW ones!
- Why relationships are central to our lives as business owners.
- Process of care…what happens when a person enters your practice (or a customer engages with your business)?
- How to create conversations during your customer inquiry calls that actually transfer to paying customers)
- The 4 conversations happening on an inquiry call: probitive, qualifying, value, closing.
- Why you should have conversations with customers about their “desired future state.”
- Working with a team of people when starting a business…start-up funding, collaboration, etc.
- Why ALL business owners should be considering online revenue streams!!!
- How you can create your business to serve YOU and the life you want as an entrepreneur. (Rather than the opposite: being a slave to your business.)
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Ready, Fire, Aim by Michael Masterson
The Business of Expertise by David C. Baker
Win Without Pitching by Blair Enns
(Amazon affiliate links…I’ll get like 50 cents or something if you buy through that link, at no extra cost to you.) 😂
Want to connect with Rafael? He has created special resources just for MYOTBiz listeners! Click here to get free resources & downloads plus Rafael’s best articles about patient relationships and engagement. Best of all, there's also a link to a free 30-minute consult call with Rafael! These offers are only available through December 31, 2019!
Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us Rafael, for your generosity to our MYOTBiz listeners, and for all you are doing for our occupational therapy profession!
Here’s how to connect with Rafi.
Business website: https://rehabupracticesolutions.com
Twitter handle: @RafaelSalazarII
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RehabUSolutions/
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafaelsalazarii/
Check out Rafi’s company’s PODCAST launching mid-October! The Brighter Futures Podcast will be all about how to build brighter futures for people with developmental disabilities.
Erica Schuppe is the owner of Wild Roots Therapy in Billings, Montana. Her multi-disciplinary practice includes occupational therapists and a counselor who use a team-based approach to support families with children who have experienced trauma. In this episode, we learn how Wild Roots stays sustainable even with a clientele consisting of 80-90% Medicaid clients! Erica shares all about growing her practice and how she feeds her own soul as an OT entrepreneur. In this episode, Erica shares:
- How her experience as a foster and adoptive parent influenced her work as an occupational therapist
- Her training in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics by Dr. Bruce Perry of the Child Trauma Academy
- How she manages a practice taking 80-90% Medicaid clients.
- How you should research what Medicaid will reimburse in your state before you start a private practice.
- How Erica supplements her clinic-based income with presentations, assessments, and consulting.
- How she re-branded her business after many years in private practice as a solopreneur to a whole team under the new name: Wild Roots Therapy in 2018.
- How she chose the name for her business (always a fun story to hear from an entrepreneur!).
- How she doubled her space and her staff within 18 months of re-branding!!
- Communication in a multi-disciplinary office.
- How business coaching has played a role in her development as an entrepreneur.
- Keeping a growth mindset as a business owner.
- Erica’s number one tip for getting un-stuck as an entrepreneur.
- How Kate Northrup’s book “Do Less” inspired her work.
- Time being your most valuable commodity…and why you should hire people to help you!
- How the intake process works at her practice.
- The benefits and caveats of electronic medical records (EMRs)
- Why you should get your finances in place the second you start your business.
- Why hiring the right people is key in managing a business.
- How to have good boundaries and open-hearted communication with your staff.
- Why being a fieldwork supervisor can generate some of the best employees for your business.
- How you can use the Enneagram to build and balance your team in your business.
You can check out Erica’s practice at www.wildrootstherapy.org, follow Wild Roots Therapy on Facebook, or connect with her on Instagram @wildrootstherapy
Thanks for coming on the show Erica and sharing all your wisdom with the MYOTBiz listeners!
This rock-star occupational therapy business owner is building an empire! :)
Kelly Beins is an occupational therapist and owner of Occupational Therapy Consulting, LLC in Frederick, Maryland, and the author of the Ovis the Sheep books that make learning about sensory processing FUN for children and families. She’s also working on designing telehealth opportunities for clients and developing online courses in the future too! Kelly shares so much wisdom in this episode about starting and growing her business. Grab your pen and paper, or be prepared to take notes on your phone! We cover the following topics:
- Starting small and being fiscally responsible as you get started
- The importance of personal connections and relationships in business…how Kelly found a publisher for her first book.
- How her idea for her book grew out of her practice and how it solves a problem for parents.
- How her practice always includes parents in their child’s treatment sessions in a “parent partnership” model.
- Kelly’s expert tips for managing a treatment session with the parent present along with the child and how to manage parent expectations about therapy.
- Kelly’s succinct and clear approach to conducting a client intake call that is efficient and effective in booking clients…and how to regain control of an intake call when it is going way too long. :)
- How she rents clinic space for additional revenue.
- What other business ideas she’s working on…
- Kelly’s wisdom on how to grow your business sustainably (this is around the 50 min mark)
- What Kelly’s work week looks like as a successful clinic owner (hint: she block schedules!!! and has structured her schedule to have very minimal direct service responsibilities)
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Kelly’s favorite business podcasts and books:
- The Life Coach School Podcast (love/hate relationship with this one) :)
- Small Business Boss Podcast
- Biz Chicks Podcast
- Anything by John Maxwell for mindset
- Book: Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Book: Good to Great by Jim Collins
- Book: This I Know by Terry O’Reilly
- Book: You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
- Anything by Brene Brown
- The biggest fail-learn Kelly’s experienced in her business and how it caused cash flow to suffer and caused stress and what she learned from it.
- Kelly’s advice about hiring a good team. Surround yourself with good people!
Thanks for coming on the show and sharing your wisdom with OT business owners, Kelly!
Kelly’s clinic website, Occupational Therapy Consulting, LLC: https://www.kellybeins.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OTCfrederick/
Kelly’s Instagram: @kbeinsOT
Ovis' webpage: https://www.otc-frederick.com/ovis-the-sheep/
Ovis’ facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OvisHasTrouble/
This was my first impromptu solo episode where I share an epiphany I had in a random conversation with my sister about sacrificing as an entrepreneur in order to grow your business.
Delaying immediate gratification does NOT have to feel like a sacrifice if you keep the end goal in mind! Mindset matters.
Cheers to your growth and success as an entrepreneur!
BRADLEY WILLIAMS: ADVENTURING INTO NATURE-BASED THERAPY
Bradley Williams is an occupational therapist in Adelaide, Australia. His fabulous business, Naturally Gathered, offers pop-up nature playgroups for children and families. Brad is also venturing into offering nature-based occupational therapy services for children, and he had some questions he wanted to ask me about business start-up of a nature-based OT practice. So OF COURSE I asked him to come on the podcast! And he graciously agreed. You’ll hear about Brad’s nature-based practice, and then we turned the tables and he asked me a bunch of questions. I hope our conversation may help all of YOU who are interested in nature-based therapy!
Here’s the rundown of some of what we covered!
- The three goals of Brad’s nature-based business, Naturally Gathered
- How to slowly start your business on the side of your current work
- How to focus in your nature-based therapy work
- Why you need a theoretical framework for nature-based therapy
- Tips for screening kids for group placement in nature-based therapy groups
- Why a mix of kids with different needs in a group is best. (Look up Pamela Wolfberg’s research on Integrated Playgroups for children with autism.)
- I again mention Occupational Adaptation theory...my favorite OT theory because it applies to all of LIFE!
- The assessment and intake process at Outdoor Kids OT
- Why you need to focus on 1-2 goals for children who are in nature-based OT small-groups
- Goal-attainment scaling- why it helps you focus on the ONE most important thing you’re addressing in therapy
- Liability insurance for nature-based therapy (it’s a “community setting” everyone!)
- How to help parents understand healthy risk-taking in nature play
- Why training is valuable when starting out in nature-based therapy
- How to get awesome, engaged volunteers to help you with your nature-based therapy groups
- Brad recommends Seth Godin’s books on marketing- focusing on the customer and offering VALUE to them. (Why it isn’t bad to make money while serving people!)
- Last tip: I highly recommend Meet Edgar for social media management. It frees up SO much time as a business owner, especially in the early days of managing it all on your own! Use this referral link to get $10 off of Meet Edgar.
Go learn about Naturally Gathered and read Brad’s blog- good stuff there! www.naturallygathered.com.au
You can also connect with Brad on Facebook and Instagram @naturallygathered
🌿P.S. IF YOU WANT SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO BEGIN OFFERING NATURE-BASED THERAPY IN YOUR PRACTICE WITH CHILDREN, JOIN US AT THE INAUGURAL THERAPY IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS TRAINING RETREAT, NOV. 2-5, 2019 IN SOQUEL, CA. $100 OFF EARLY REGISTRATION UNTIL JULY 15 WITH CODE EARLYBIRD. 🐦
OT Entrepreneurs! This was the BEST interview. Sooooo many great business tips from Mandy Chamberlain of Seniors Flourish and the Learning Lab! I simply can’t list how much I learned from this rock-star online OT business owner.
Here’s a run-down of what we discussed:
5:00 The start-up story of Seniors Flourish
6:20 Mandy dispels the online business myth of “if you build it, they will come!”
7:10 How building a relationship online and supporting others can boost your business…and possibly make you start podcasting. Don’t be afraid to just try! Everyone has doubt in new endeavors!
10:45 Why you must figure out who your audience is, speak to them, and know where they hang out on social media.
13:40 Amy Porterfield’s trainings were helpful.
16:50 How Mandy started the membership site by focusing on connections, building an email list, and SERVING OTHERS. LISTEN to the questions your customers are asking when you are first starting out! Be open to feedback, growth, and change.
23:40 Pricing- why she decided to price her membership site at a low rate for the extremely high value it offers her customers. [Laura oohs and aahs over the site at this point and encourages everyone to go check it out. Crazy deal for the value she offers. Unbelievable!]
29:00 She built her own website!!!!!!! Mapped it out on paper first and then taught herself to code and used Wordpress plug-ins to design what she wanted.
31:09 “The Membership Guys” podcast was helpful.
32:20 How you can build your business by thinking about who you’re serving and what THEY want.
35:00 Why doing online business is STILL WORK (ie, not “passive” income).
36:15 How Mandy organizes her time and tasks each week.
37:14 Why entrepreneurs truly love working and have a tendency to over-work.
39:00 Mandy spills the beans that she hates marketing. [Laura’s comment: What?? But she’s SO good at it!]
40:00 Mandy’s marketing: email lists, free webinar with an offer at the end, FB lives, “challenges”, Instagram. (Focus on connection!)
42:15 The webinar that didn’t go as planned…and what Mandy learned from it.
45:06 Discussion about email funnels
48:15 Mandy gives tips for doing Facebook Live.
50:25 Why you should let people see behind the scenes of your business on social media. Get outside of your comfort zone!
51:45 Tips for scheduling Facebook Live [Laura’s comment: I gotta start doing these!]
53:45 Why you may not need a super pretty logo and website…
56:40 Why you should take one small step and just do it!
57:45 Why you should listen to your customer and hold your own ideas loosely.
59:45 The one thing that most improved Mandy’s effectiveness as a business owner.
My favorite quote from the interview: “It’s those connections with people that get lost sometimes because we’re in business mode…it really comes down to serving from the heart…really trying to be a good businesswoman…serving my clients…and being true to myself.”
I love Mandy. I was a fan of hers before this interview but now I just feel connected to the heart behind her business. Don’t you?! After the interview I found out she has like 13,000 followers on Instagram. So now I feel like I need to have her back on to do another episode JUST about Instagram and OT business!
Connect with Mandy at www.seniorsflourish.com and check out the Learning Lab! You can also find her on Instagram @seniorsflourish and Facebook.
Pick an action item from this episode! I’m going to try a FB Live (am terrified but I’m going to do it!)…what small step are you going to take? Comment below in one sentence or less!
P.S. If you’re looking for information about the Therapy in the Great Outdoors retreat that I announced at the end of this episode, click here.
You know that old show “What NOT To Wear”? Well this episode of MYOTBiz is the OT business podcast version of that show. Here’s my list of what NOT to do when starting your business. A few of these I learned from experience (you’ll hear about my 10K mistake…I’m SO embarrassed to admit this one…and honestly, thought about editing it out of the recorded podcast more than once. But I kept it in to stick by my promise to always be honest with you all, even if it makes me not look good.)
(Links are Amazon affiliate links- MYOTBiz is not monetized right now- it is a labor of love, so if you purchase any of these books, please go through the link! Gives me a tiny bit of income at no additional cost to you. Thanks!)
Drum roll please…..the 9 Things NOT To Do When Starting Your Business:
- Don’t offer too many types of services. The riches are in the niches, folks...and so is your sanity. Start by offering ONE really good service and DON’T start another until that one is successful (or totally bombs).
- Don’t hire quickly. Sometimes we are growing (a good thing!) and get desperate for help. Hiring quickly just to fill the opening will usually be twice as much work in the long run. Slow growth is not bad.
- Don’t think you can do your books on your own. YOU CAN’T. Run, do not walk, to hire the nearest bookkeeper or accountant who can help manage your finances.
- Don’t price your services too low. People value what they pay for. We are all helpers by nature and want to help people. If you want to give away services, offer scholarships...but keep your prices high so people will value your services.
- Don’t pay for an expensive website or logo. I spent way too much on mine and almost immediately regretted it, even though I love it. There is no way to tell if it was helpful to my business, but in retrospect, I think learning good copywriting is MUCH more beneficial than a pretty website or logo. Read “Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller and “This Book Will Teach You How to Write Better” by Neville Medhora. DIY website builders work great. I recommend Squarespace for aesthetics and for ease of use.
- Don’t wait to manage your cash flow. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: read Profit First by Mike Michalowicz. WISH I had done this when starting out!!
- Don’t buy expensive equipment you don’t truly need. Constraints make us more creative. Ask yourself: “Do I really NEED this?” before every business purchase. (Which, you might notice, I SHOULD have done before paying designers for a fancy website and logo.) :)
- Don’t be afraid to consult a lawyer. You must ask a lawyer if you’re in doubt about any legal issue. Get a good referral to an honest lawyer, ask your question(s), cough up the $300/hour, and move on with confidence that you’re legally in the clear. Here’s the NOLO Press book I used to set up my California corporation.
- Don’t be afraid to spend money on a business coach when you are just starting out. This was extremely helpful to me in the early years (and NOW…just did a session last week with a business consultant to advise me about scaling and expanding my business to multiple locations in different states.)
In this episode, I share quick tips for creating a business logo that I learned from the (very expensive) graphic designers who did my logo and website. Hopefully this will help you NOT have to spend a ton of money! :)
Notes from this episode:
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Make a list of adjectives/words that express how you want people to feel about your business.
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Think in color theory. Search google for which colors express the emotions you want people to feel about your business.
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Think about the problem you are solving for people, and incorporate aspects of this into your logo design.
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Get the hex codes for the colors you have chosen. And use these EXACT same colors in ALL of your branding. This will help customers recognize your brand.
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Use Canva (free online design platform) to play with colors/design/etc.
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Decide if you want to use a serif or sans serif font. Serif are generally considered easier to read (but my logo uses a sans serif font and I love it…it is really about what message you want to communicate to your customers.)
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Consider hiring a freelancer to design your logo after you’ve done some of the above things to get clear on what you want. (Fiverr, 99designs, Upwork)
ONE LAST THING I forgot to mention on the episode! Think about how people interact on social media nowadays- on their PHONES for the most part. Your logo will appear VERY SMALL on mobile devices and you should consider how your logo will look when people are viewing it as a TINY icon on Instagram or other social media platforms! One thing I HATE about my own logo is that it doesn’t look good small. :(
AFTER I had recorded the podcast I found this awesome business some of you may want to know about: https://www.logolaliadesign.com/ (No affiliation or experience with their services but seems to be beautiful work for website and logo design at a great price point for start-up entrepreneurs.)
Make sure to listen to episodes 3 and 4 for the first two parts of this series on Time Management Tips for the Entrepreneur. Today we have our final installment in the series with 4 more tips, so let’s jump right in!
7. Don’t try to be an expert in things that you aren’t or that you don’t enjoy doing. Delegate!*
*None of these are affiliate links- just services I use and enjoy.
Canva- free graphic design site to make your own logos, social media posts, flyers…IF you’re good at it and enjoy it!
Here are some online places you can outsource almost any design, editing, or administrative work:
o Fiverr
o Upwork
o 99designs
· Don’t try to do your own bookkeeping (unless you were a bookkeeper before you were a therapist!).
o Affordable bookkeeping, accounting, & tax preparation: Mazuma
8. Know when to hire help.
Here’s a photo of the list my business coach helped me make when I was feeling completely overwhelmed as a business owner!
AHHH!! How was I even doing all this? (Probably not very well…ha ha!)
One thing you can try (that I didn’t mention in the podcast) if you are at this point of business ownership, is to do what Christina had me do on this poster: Make a BIG list of everything that you could outsource. This will help you get started to actually finding someone to do the work, because you’ll be able to tell them what exactly you need help doing.
The genius admin brain and business manager behind Outdoor Kids OT is Nicole Storms of Your Admin Solution. Call her if you are drowning and need help! She is so much more than gifted at administrative business tasks— she has the brain of a business owner, is relentlessly positive, and really partners with you in growing your business.
9. Work smarter, not harder.
I know this is kind of a catch phrase, but there are definitely ways we can do this…and Occupational Adaptation theory explains how!
Occupational Adaptation (OA) theory proposes the primary aim of occupational therapy is to increase a client’s relative mastery and adaptive capacity.
Relative mastery = effectiveness, efficiency (which we’ve been talking about in this series!), and level of satisfaction to self and others in completion of occupational tasks/challenges.
Adaptive capacity =
- Noticing the need to change.
- Sufficient psychosocial, cognitive, and sensorimotor skills and resources to meet occupational challenges.
- Ability to problem solve to meet future occupational challenges.
A summary table of Schkade & Schultz’ Occupational Adaptation Theoretical Constructs of Primary & Secondary Energy (We NEED to know when to use each to be efficient business owners!)
Schkade, S. & Schultz, S. (1992). Occupational adaptation: Toward a holistic approach for contemporary practice, part 1. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46(9), 829-837.
I LOVE that OA theory applies to our work as business owners and as occupational therapists. I could go on and on…but the main takeaway from this review of OA is that our efficiency affects our relative mastery as business owners! Putting one or more of these tips into action can make you a better entrepreneur…and improve your ability to adapt in the face of future challenges as a business owner!
And finally:
10. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Do not…I repeat, do NOT….let your work take over your life so much that you lose your health or happiness. That is NOT why we became business owners. This is an efficiency tip because if we take care of ourselves, we will be more effective in our work. So decide what healthy habit you want to start doing and get started. Personally, for me it is exercise. I must move my body every single day and I do this consistently (even though I’m not an athlete by any means). I could be better at 1.) eating less sweets and 2.) giving my husband and children the love and attention they deserve for supporting my crazy endeavors. Prioritizing those changes would likely make me more efficient as a business owner because I’d be happier and more balanced.
So here is the final list in all its glory. What are YOU going to take action on today?
Time Management Tips to Empower & Equip YOU as a Savvy & Successful OT Entrepreneur 1. GET IT ALL OUT OF YOUR HEAD! HAVE A SYSTEM FOR MANAGING TO-DO’S. 2. ESTABLISH YOUR TOP 3 MUST-DO’S EACH DAY. 3. TIME BLOCK YOUR SCHEDULE. 4. DO THE RIGHT TASK AT THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY. 5. USE A TIMER TO TRACK HOW LONG TASKS ACTUALLY TAKE. 6. SHUT OFF NOTIFICATIONS ON YOUR PHONE AND COMPUTER WHILE YOU ARE WORKING. 7. DON’T TRY TO BE AN EXPERT IN THINGS THAT YOU AREN’T OR THAT YOU DON’T ENJOY DOING. DELEGATE! 8. KNOW WHEN TO HIRE HELP. 9. WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER. (OA THEORY TELLS US HOW TO DO THIS!) 10. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
Make sure to listen to episode 3 for Time Management Tips #1-3. We’re diving right into #4-6 on our Time Management Tips list this episode!
- Do the right task at the right time of day.
· When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Dan Pink
- Use a timer to track your time so that you stay honest about how long tasks are taking you.
· Toggl Time Tracker app
- Shut off notifications on your phone and computer while you are working.
· Brain hack: Shut off notifications, then do focused work, and reward yourself with the dopamine hit of checking Facebook, Instagram, or your own preferred social media or technology reward. J
I’ll be back in 2 weeks with the final episode in our Time Management Tips series…in which I may or may not have applied an OT theory to time management as a business owner. If the word “theory” scares you…DON’T let it! I promise it is NOT boring! ANNNDDD….I’ve scheduled the first interview for the MYOTBiz podcast! But it’s a surprise who it is…so stay tuned!
This week's episode starts a 3 part series on how to manage and MAXIMIZE your TIME as an entrepreneur. Learn tips and tricks to become more efficient in managing all the to-do's as you run and grow your business.
Here are the resources discussed in this episode! (Some are affiliate links at no additional cost to you):
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Get it ALL out of your head!
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Getting Things Done, by David Allen. This book was life-changing in my productivity as an OT and business owner.
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TRELLO Project Management App. I seriously don’t know how I ran my business before I had Trello. There are SO MANY applications for this useful tool in our businesses. I use it to organize everything in my life.
Here’s an example of some of my monthly lists for managing my business. Each card can be moved, edited, have attachments, checklists, notes, etc. Check out the short video below for how I use a weekly calendar in Trello.
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Establish your top 3 must-do’s each day. For me during the start of my business, one thing was SELF-REFLECTION. Here are the questions I used:
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What went well? (POSITIVES)
- What went wrong? (PROBLEMS)
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What will I do differently next time? (PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS)
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Time block your schedule. Here’s a link to a calendar-creation site that I use to create a color-coded time-blocked schedule each fall and spring semester.
And here’s an example of what my fall semester looked like:
This was an example of an IDEAL week. I almost never hit the mark perfectly, but it served as a compass to guide me back to what I needed to do when I got off track! (And reminded me of priorities.)
That’s it for this week! Jump in and take action on one of these things to help you manage your time better! Comment below if you’ve used any of these strategies or have other tips to share!
In episode 2 of Mind Your OT Business, we discuss 3 ways you can make your business stand out in a crowded and busy market. You'll learn how to establish your unique SERVICE proposition to customers and how to ignite your passion for what your business is uniquely gifted to offer customers.
Please leave an honest review wherever you listen to podcasts so we can reach more OTs and get this OT entrepreneur party started!
Welcome to the Mind Your OT Business podcast! In this first episode, I tell the story of my path to business ownership and share why I’m starting this podcast FOR and BY occupational therapy entrepreneurs. We talk all about what it means to be empowered and equipped to be a savvy and successful entrepreneur as an occupational therapy business owner…and what exactly this podcast will be all about. Please subscribe & let me know what YOU want to hear on the podcast when you leave a review for the podcast! This is all about getting you the info you want and need as an OT business owner!
Here are the links for you to take ACTION on any of the content from this first episode:
March 2011 American Journal of Occupational Therapy article- Wanted: Entrepreneurs in Occupational Therapy by Anderson & Nelson
April 2017 Australian Occupational Therapy Journal article- Learning Management by Self-Employed Occupational Therapists in Private Practice by Milsteed, Redmond, & Walker
*UPDATE 6/6/22: I no longer maintain an active email list for OT Entrepreneurs as I've niched my business to nature-based practice owners and offer all my free resources at www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com *** SO, the resources mentioned in this very old first episode of Mind Your OT Business are here (& you don't even have to give me your email!):
Get the FREE Superbill template here. Access the "Are You Ready To Be An Entrepreneur?" Checklist here.