Hey Therapist Entrepreneurs,
Here are three episodes that stood out to me this week. I think they're worth it. 😉
My 3 Favorite Episodes This Week
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For why AIO matters…
Sometimes the importance of our systems doesn't really hit home until we experience them from a client's perspective.
That's what made this episode of The Entrepreneurial Therapist Podcast so powerful.
Danielle shares her experience of trying to find an EMDR intensive, both how she searched for it and the difference between the clinic she ultimately chose and another clinic that immediately lost her as a customer.
I think we can learn so much from paying attention to experiences like this. It is now my mission to emulate everything that first clinic did because it's exactly the kind of client experience I want people to have when they contact my practice.
If you want to see what great client processes actually look like, especially for a discerning client like Danielle Swimm, this episode is a must-listen.
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For creating calls to action that work…
I have listened to what feels like a million podcast episodes about creating a great website for a therapy practice.
What stood out to me about this one was that it focused almost entirely on calls to action. In other words, how do you create a website that actually helps clients know what to do next?
Personally, I think calls to action are one of the hardest parts of marketing.
Whether I'm asking someone to listen to my podcast, book a matching call, inquire about consulting, or even click on an Instagram post, it always feels like the most salesy part of the process. I think that's why so many therapists either avoid calls to action altogether or end up overwhelming people with too many.
I was especially interested in the discussion about group practices, since that's obviously the lens I'm always thinking through.
If you're trying to get more people to actually schedule, I think this episode is absolutely worth a listen.
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For when you run out of energy…
One of the false assumptions people make about me is that I must have endless energy.
I get why.
I run a seven-figure group practice. I have a consulting business. I record two podcasts every week. I have two little kids.
From the outside, it probably looks like I wake up every morning excited to tackle an endless to-do list.
I don't.
The truth is that I probably do have a higher capacity for work than a lot of people, and I've always been that way. It also helps that I genuinely enjoy most of what I do. I love building businesses. I love consulting. I love recording podcasts.
But I still have days where I don't want to open my computer. Days where every email feels annoying. Days where I look at my to-do list and think, "Absolutely not."
In fact, I recorded this week's podcast on one of those days.
Over the years, I've developed a simple framework that I use whenever I have one of those low-capacity days. It helps me figure out what's actually going on, what truly needs my attention, and whether I should push through or do something completely different instead.
The funny thing is that this podcast episode only exists because I followed that framework.
If you've ever had one of those days where you know you should be working, but you just can't seem to get yourself moving, I think this episode will resonate with you. I recorded it in real time while I was living exactly what I was talking about.
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Leah's Personal Story Time:
The best thing I do for my business is go on vacation
I know. That sounds crazy.
Whenever I go on vacation, or in this case a planned business retreat, I feel some amount of guilt. I have this thought that I should "be working on the business," and I still struggle a little bit with being away from my employees while they're back home working without me.
But I have to tell you something: every time I go out of town, I learn something about my business that is so crucial I never would have learned if I had stayed. It may actually be the highest return-on-investment strategy I use.
Here's the craziest part: the less work I do on the trip, the less I check in, the more impactful it is.
Here's why. If I'm constantly answering questions and jumping in to solve problems, I never actually find out how the business functions without me. The only way to see what is really working is to get out of the way.
When I went on this trip to El Salvador, I told my team that I was basically inaccessible. I wasn't sure what kind of internet reception I'd have, and I wasn't sure how much time I'd have to do anything. Honestly, I built a team so that I wouldn't have to be involved in the day-to-day all the time. My message to them was simple: don't expect me to be checking email. I may be somewhat available at times, but unless something is actually burning down, run it yourselves.
And that's where the magic happens.
I get to learn what works and what doesn't. Who is stepping up? What systems are actually functioning? Where am I being called in? Are the things I'm being called in to do actually my job anymore? Or are they tasks that should be delegated? Or are they already delegated, but the person responsible isn't actually doing them?
So here's what I learned in a nutshell.
The good news is that the most important goal in the practice, getting clients in to see the Right Fit Therapist, is happening really well. In fact, my team even discovered a small problem and solved it themselves without any intervention from me. It feels great, and honestly really comforting, to see that the core work of the business continues even when I'm not there. I already believed that, but it's different seeing it happen in real life.
The things that did become problems had much less to do with the clinical work and much more to do with ownership. There were several operational systems that I believed had an owner. While I was gone, I realized they weren't actually being owned. The work was simply being passed along to someone else.
Honestly, it was frustrating. It was a little disappointing.
But it was also incredibly useful. I uncovered a core issue in the business that I didn't even realize was happening. If I'd been sitting at my desk, I probably would have just jumped in, solved the problem myself, and never realized the system itself was broken.
Now I know exactly what we need to fix.
Isn't it ironic that lying by the pool in El Salvador and talking with awesome entrepreneurs also made me a better business owner?
Maybe I should go on vacation more often.
If it's Worth It, pass it along!
Got a fellow therapist or practice owner who would love this info? Send them this email! They can also join the list by clicking on this link. Let's help more people thrive in their businesses.
Hope these resources help you grow your practice this week! Here's to your continued growth and success!
Warmly,
Leah
CEO of Thriving Child Center and PCIT Experts
Host of Educated Parent Podcast
Host of The Worth It Practice Podcast
CEO of Worth It Practice Consulting
