Scaling Therapist Podcast: More Income, More Independence, More Impact (Not More Hours)

James Marland
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Entrepreneurship

The Scaling Therapist Podcast exists to inspire therapists to scale their business with systems, people, community, or opportunity so they can have more income, impact, and independance without giving up more of their life.

  1. 2d ago

    From Doing Everything to Leading the Business with Amanda Landry | STP 185

    You can build a growing practice and still become the person holding it back. In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Landry, co-owner of Caring Therapists, to talk about her journey from agency burnout to leading a multi-location group practice in Florida. Amanda didn’t start with a plan for a large business. She wanted to leave a job that had her crying outside a locked door. She started seeing private practice clients on nights and weekends, brought trusted colleagues alongside her, and grew from there. We talk about what she got right, the practice names she wishes she could take back, and why growth eventually required her to stop doing everything herself. One of my favorite parts of this conversation is Amanda’s story about becoming a mom. Having her son changed what she could carry. Building a team wasn’t just about growing the business anymore. It helped her be present at home without becoming the roadblock at work. If your practice depends on you wearing every hat, there’s a lot here worth hearing. Before the interview, I share that I’m closing Course Creation Studio and will be archiving The Scaling Therapist Podcast. I’m planning a final episode to talk about the journey, the lessons, and some things I would do differently. Thank you for being part of it. 00:00 A personal update: closing Course Creation Studio and archiving the podcast 01:00 Staying connected and introducing Amanda Landry 03:00 Leaving agency work and carrying the lessons forward 05:00 The moment Amanda knew something needed to change 07:00 How agency experience can prepare clinicians for private practice 09:00 Starting on nights and weekends instead of jumping in all at once 10:00 Building a practice with trusted friends and colleagues 11:00 Practice naming mistakes that are hard to undo 17:00 Opening a second location after the commute became too much 20:00 Wearing every hat, then learning to hand them off 23:00 Planning for growth before signing a bigger lease 26:00 Using EOS, scorecards, and a leadership team 28:00 Building consistent systems without treating every client the same 30:00 How motherhood changed Amanda’s priorities and leadership 34:00 Building a village at work instead of becoming the roadblock 35:00 Where to connect with Amanda Your next stage of growth may require you to do less, not carry more. Amanda didn’t hand things off because she stopped caring. She built support so the business could keep serving people without every decision, clinical note, and payroll run coming back to her. That’s a useful question for any practice owner: What still depends on you that someone else could own? Email: amanda@caringtherapists.com Facebook group: My Private Practice Collective Live Q&A: Live with Amanda, twice a week Connect with James on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdmarland/  Traction by Gino Wickman, a book about the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). A Personal UpdateTimestamped HighlightsMy TakeawayConnect with AmandaResource Mentioned

    From Doing Everything to Leading the Business with Amanda Landry | STP 185

  2. Oct 26

    Stop Being the Bottleneck: Getting Projects Done

    Stop Being the Bottleneck: Getting Projects Done with Brook Borup You hired help to take work off your plate. So why is everyone still waiting on you? Your web designer needs copy. Your video editor needs recordings. Your social media manager needs direction. Now you have a second job: managing everyone you hired. In this episode, James Marland talks with returning guest Brook Borup of My Clone Solution about getting projects finished without becoming the person holding everything together. Whether you’re building an online course, creating a handout, or launching a new website, Brook explains how clear checklists, steady communication, and small weekly steps help move the work forward. As Brook puts it, “Duct tape is not a business strategy.” Know what you’re building. Understand the difference between a project and the ongoing work needed after launch. Plan beyond the content. A course needs more than videos. Think through registration, delivery, follow-up, and the learner’s experience. Avoid the hiring trap. Hiring several specialists can create more work when nobody coordinates their efforts. Give AI something worth working with. Use your own knowledge, examples, and voice to help it produce useful drafts. Keep moving in small steps. Weekly tasks and accountability help keep your project from becoming another “someday” idea. Consider the cost of doing everything yourself. Look at the time you’re spending and what that time could make possible elsewhere. Brook helps business owners organize projects, connect their systems, and coordinate the people doing the work. Through My Clone Solution, she supports projects including websites, courses, lead magnets, podcasts, and business operations. Website: My Clone Solution Free guide: Beware of the Easy Button, seven red flags to watch for when “done-for-you” leaves you doing the work. Free 22-minute “Ask Anything” call: Visit My Clone Solution and select “Book a FREE 22-Minute Call.” If you’re tired of carrying every detail, Brook’s free call is one place to talk through what’s stuck and where help could make a difference. Episode Highlights 00:00 | Is your practice waiting on you? James introduces Brook and the value of getting help with business bottlenecks. 02:00 | Projects versus ongoing tasks. Building a course and maintaining it require different kinds of support. 03:00 | A handout needs more than good design. Plan the content, next step, and follow-up behind your lead magnet. 06:00 | Do it yourself or bring in help? Explore options for managing your project with support. 10:00 | The hiring mistake that creates more work. When your specialists don’t communicate, you become everyone’s point of contact. 13:00 | Help AI sound like you. Give it your own knowledge, examples, and voice to create more useful drafts. 16:00 | Keep projects moving with weekly tasks. Clear communication and accountability help you make steady progress. 18:00 | Small steps and the value of support. Brook explains why expertise, accountability, and follow-through matter. 20:00 | Connect with Brook. Learn about My Clone Solution and her free 22-minute “Ask Anything” call. 22:00 | What is doing it yourself costing you? Consider how getting help now could free your time later.

    Stop Being the Bottleneck: Getting Projects Done

  3. Oct 5

    The Foundations of Ethical Marketing for Therapists, Part 2: Build an Offer, Find Your People, and Share Your Work | STP 183

    The Foundations of Ethical Marketing for Therapists, Part 2: Build an Offer, Find Your People, and Share Your Work | STP 183 You want people to find your work. But you do not want to push them into buying. I get it. In Part 2, Tad Hargrave and I talk about how to explain what you do, build an offer people need, and meet people through groups they already trust. We also talk about sharing your work in a way that feels like you. Missed Part 1? Listen to STP 182. We cover trust, making time for marketing, and getting clear about who you help. Three Reasons to Listen Learn how to explain your approach so people can decide if you are a good fit. Find people who already know and serve the clients you want to help. Choose a way to market that you enjoy and can keep doing. Episode Highlights 00:00 Explain how you help before asking people to buy. 03:00 Why a clear approach makes it easier to share your offer. 04:00 Help people see a way forward when they feel stuck. 06:00 Choose how you will help, through sessions, workshops, groups, or other offers. 07:00 Build your offer around who you help and what they need. 08:00 Why an offer that tries to serve everyone can be hard to sell. 10:00 Find your “hubs,” the people and places where your future clients gather. 12:00 How someone people trust can introduce your work. 13:00 What you can offer a group, even when you are just starting. 15:00 Make a partnership helpful for you, the host, and their people. 16:00 How this changed the way I reach out to people. 17:00 Share what you offer and let people decide. 18:00 Pick a way to market that you can keep doing. 19:00 Why more ads or posts will not fix an unclear message. 22:00 Make room for people to say yes or no. 23:00 How trying too hard to help can get in the way. 24:00 Where to find Tad’s starter kit and hear about his open office hours. 25:00 Why good marketing helps people find the help they need. Links From the Show Marketing for Hippies, Tad’s website, newsletter, and Ethical Marketing Starter Kit Part 1 blog: The Foundations of Ethical Marketing for Therapists One step this week: Think of one person or group your future clients already trust. What could you share that would help their people?

    The Foundations of Ethical Marketing for Therapists, Part 2: Build an Offer, Find Your People, and Share Your Work | STP 183

  4. Sep 22

    The Foundations of Ethical Marketing for Therapists, Part 1 | STP 182

    The Foundations of Ethical Marketing for Therapists, Part 1: Ethics, Space, and Finding Your Niche Marketing can feel like the icky side of running a therapy practice. Hype. Pressure. Self-promotion. Trying to convince someone to work with you. But what if good marketing did the opposite? In this episode, I talk with Tad Hargrave, founder of Marketing for Hippies, about a different foundation for marketing. Instead of trying to get the sale, Tad believes marketing should help you and the other person discover the truth: Are we actually a good fit? In Part 1 of our conversation, we work through the first three foundations of Tad’s ethical marketing approach: ethics, space, and niche. Three Things You’ll Discover Why ethics comes before marketing tactics. Tad explains how trust, reputation, and word of mouth grow when helping the right person matters more than getting the sale. Why you may not have a marketing problem. You may have a space problem. If your calendar, inbox, and commitments are already full, another marketing strategy will not help much. You need room to actually do the work. Why finding your niche is about fit, not excluding people. Tad shares two questions that can help you get clearer about who you want to serve and why your own story may point toward the people you are best equipped to help. Highlights 00:00 – Ethical marketing starts with a different question: Is this actually a good fit? 01:15 – Why marketing feels so icky to therapists and helpers 02:20 – Why self-promotion feels uncomfortable for most of us 05:00 – Tad’s alternative to self-promotion: make it easier for other people to spread the word about your work 07:00 – Why hype, pressure, and urgency often show up when the marketing foundations are missing 08:30 – Foundation #1: Ethics and why it belongs at the bottom of the pyramid 11:00 – The honest mechanic story and why trust creates word of mouth 13:30 – Foundation #2: Space. You cannot implement good ideas when your life is already full 16:00 – Every yes also means saying no to something else 17:20 – Foundation #3: Niche and accepting that you cannot be everything to everybody 18:45 – Two questions to ask when deciding who you really want to help 19:45 – Stop going for the sale and start looking for the truth about whether you are a fit 20:15 – Why Tad believes your deepest wound can sometimes point toward your truest niche Connect With Tad Hargrave and Marketing for Hippies Marketing for Hippies Website: marketingforhippies.com Instagram: @marketingforhippies YouTube: Marketing for Hippies YouTube Channel In Part 2, Tad and I continue through the foundations and talk about point of view, your business model, hubs, and how to share your work without hype or pressure.

    The Foundations of Ethical Marketing for Therapists, Part 1 | STP 182

  5. Sep 14

    The 4 Elements of a Great Virtual Assistant Job Description | STP 181

    The 4 Elements of a Great Virtual Assistant Job Description You know you need help. The harder question is, what exactly should you hand off? In this episode, Alyssa Avant joins me to talk about how to get clear before you hire a virtual assistant. We walk through the four parts of a good VA job description: what you want done, what success looks like, what skills or tools they need, and how you will work together. If you have been putting off hiring help because you are not sure what to delegate, this episode gives you a place to start. The 4 Elements of a Great Virtual Assistant Job Description 1. Define What Success Looks Like Start with the outcome. What do you want to be different because you hired a VA? You do not have to map out every click and every step. In fact, your VA may have a better way to get there. What matters is making sure both of you know what a finished job should look like. 2. List the Tasks and Responsibilities Look at what is eating your time. What do you keep putting off? What do you dread doing? What takes you twice as long as it should? Alyssa puts it simply: just because you can do something does not mean you should keep doing it. Delegating the right work gives you more time for the things only you can do. 3. Name the Skills and Tools They Need Not every VA does the same kind of work. Some are generalists. Others focus on bookkeeping, websites, podcasts, social media, email marketing, or other specific work. If you use WordPress, ActiveCampaign, Kit, or another tool, put that in the job description. You do not want to hire someone and then find out they have never worked in the programs you depend on. 4. Decide How You Will Work Together Good delegation still needs good communication. Pick one main place where work and questions live. That might be email, Trello, Slack, or another system. Then decide how often you will check in. Alyssa recommends regular updates so you know what was finished, what is still waiting, and what your VA needs from you. Also decide whether you need help with one project or ongoing support. Timestamped Highlights 02:00 – You know you need help, but what should you actually delegate? 03:00 – A simple question to help you find tasks to hand off 03:45 – The 80/20 principle and where your time is really going 04:45 – Why a VA job description can save you frustration later 05:00 – What belongs in a virtual assistant job description 06:40 – General VA or specialist? How to know which one you need 08:00 – Why the outcome matters more than documenting every step 10:45 – Start with the work that takes too long or that you dread doing 11:45 – Communication preferences can make or break the relationship 13:00 – Why one main communication channel makes life easier 14:00 – The weekly update Alyssa’s team sends to clients 17:00 – One-time project or ongoing support? 18:20 – Alyssa’s free training on writing a VA job description Resources Mentioned Virtual Assistant Job Description Training from Alyssa Avant: https://alyssaavant.ac-page.com/job  Alyssa Avant and Company: https://alyssaavantandcompany.com/  Christian Business Advantage Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-business-advantage/id1525088804  STP 38: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring a Virtual Assistant, with Alyssa Avant: Listen to STP 38 on Apple Podcasts STP 109: How to Improve Your Virtual Assistant Results with Effective Communication: Listen to STP 109 on Apple Podcasts One More Thing You Do Not Have to Figure Out Alone Delegation is really about knowing when someone else can help carry the load. That includes HIPAA. If HIPAA compliance is one of those things sitting on your list because you are not sure what to do next, the HIPAA Compliance Workshop can help you work through it. HIPAA Compliance Workshop: https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/hipaatoolkitworkshop

    The 4 Elements of a Great Virtual Assistant Job Description | STP 181

  6. Sep 7

    How to Sell What You Know When AI Knows It Too | STP 180

    How to Sell What You Know When AI Knows It Too AI can already answer a lot of the questions people used to pay for in online courses. So what does that mean if you are a therapist trying to sell a course or teach online? In this episode, I talk with Brent Stutzman, founder of TheraSaaS CRM, about the hard truth of building courses in the age of AI. We talk about why information alone is getting harder to sell, what people still need from you that AI cannot give them, and how tools, support, community, and real experience can help your students actually get the result they came for. 3 Things You Will Discover in This Episode Why AI does not have to be better than your course. It only has to be good enough to change what people are willing to pay for. How Brent and Dr. Deb Legge changed the Private Pay Practice Program from a $3,000 coaching offer to a $300 course with custom ChatGPT tools. Why your course may need to do more than give people information. It needs to help them do the work, get a result faster, or stop wondering if they are doing it right. Highlights 03:00 – Why AI is changing marketing, content creation, and the way therapists run their businesses. 04:15 – How practice owners are already using AI for hiring, interviews, operations, and decision-making. 06:30 – The hard question for course creators: Why should someone pay for information when AI can give them a good-enough answer in minutes? 07:20 – Why AI is making frameworks and information easier to copy, and what that means if you sell what you know. 08:20 – Why the future may belong to courses that help people do the work instead of just collecting more information. 09:00 – Brent explains the Alex Hormozi value equation and how to help people get what they want faster, with less work and less guessing. 11:30 – The Private Pay Practice Program case study and why Brent and Dr. Deb Legge changed the way they sell the program. 12:30 – How they built separate custom ChatGPT tools for brand messaging, websites, SEO, and referral letters. 14:00 – Using AI to help students get the work done faster instead of simply giving them more information. 15:45 – Why James and Brent both separate custom GPTs by task instead of trying to make one GPT do everything. 16:30 – Where community still matters and why learning alongside other people can help you stop wondering if you are doing it right. 19:30 – Why some students want community while others just want the answer as fast as possible. 20:30 – How Brent’s wife used Claude to help think through a new Director of Operations role. 23:15 – The Play Therapy Toolbox case study: 21 courses, more than 1,700 students, and over $35,000 in revenue across eight years. 24:30 – How AI may answer the question before people ever click on your website. 26:00 – Why watching someone actually do the work, hearing good questions, and seeing how they respond is harder for AI to replace. 28:00 – How TheraSaaS helps therapy practices keep leads from getting lost and helps teams know what happened next. 29:15 – Using a course platform for internal staff training, onboarding, case notes, and practice procedures. HIPAA Toolkit Workshop https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/hipaatoolkitworkshop A live workshop built around The Guesswork Ends Here™ Toolkit: A 30-Day HIPAA Compliance Foundation Workbook. It is designed to help practice owners work through the foundation of HIPAA compliance with a practical toolkit and guided training. The workshop is Friday, September 18, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Resources From Brent TheraSaaS CRM for Therapists and Practice Ownershttps://therasaas.com/?utm_source=scaling_therapist_podcast&utm_medium=scaling_therapist_podcast&utm_campaign=scaling_therapist_podcast TheraSaaS helps therapy practices keep leads organized, follow up with people, and give the intake team a clearer picture of what is happening. TheraSaaS on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@therasaas/videos Find videos and marketing tips for therapists and practice owners. Connect with Brent on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brentstutzman/ Group Practice Scaling Summit Waitlisthttps://practicescalingsummit.com/waitlist AI is going to keep changing how people learn. That is the trap if your course is only information. A simple question to ask is this: What can I give my students that AI cannot? Maybe it is support. Maybe it is a tool. Maybe it is someone helping them take the next step.

    How to Sell What You Know When AI Knows It Too | STP 180

  7. Aug 31

    STP 179 | Make Hard Conversations Easier: Games for Grief, Feelings, and Connection

    Make Hard Conversations Easier: Games for Grief, Feelings, and Connection What do you do when a child, teen, or client answers every question with “fine” or “okay”? In this episode of the Scaling Therapist Podcast, James talks with Krista Smith-Larson, founder of Winning Communications, about using games to make difficult conversations feel safer. Krista shares how her own family experiences with divorce, blended families, grief, anxiety, depression, and trauma led her to create games that help people talk about feelings without making the conversation feel forced. If you work with kids, families, or clients who have a hard time finding the words for what they are feeling, this episode will give you some new ideas to try. 3 Reasons to Listen Help kids get past “fine.” Learn why games can lower the pressure and help kids start talking without feeling like they are being questioned. Make hard topics easier to approach. Hear how Krista uses games to talk about grief, divorce, anxiety, trauma, relationships, and other big feelings. Add something practical to your sessions. Discover simple game ideas therapists, parents, churches, and family ministries can use to build trust and start better conversations. Timestamps 00:00 Why games can help people open up00:23 HIPAA Compliance Toolkit Workshop with Dr. Natasha Guess01:15 Meet Krista Smith-Larson of Winning Communications02:00 Why Krista and James both love games04:00 How games take some of the pressure out of conversation05:15 Using games with kids, adults, grief groups, and DivorceCare06:00 Krista’s story of divorce, blended family life, and helping her kids communicate08:00 How her first communication game was born09:15 Turning grief and loss into a way to help others10:30 Getting past “fine” and “okay” with kids11:20 The Slippery Slope game and why Grace Cards matter14:00 Adapting games for children, teens, and adults16:00 Why parents do not always need to have the right answer17:00 Who can use these communication games?18:00 Why games can help therapists build trust faster18:45 Krista walks through several of her games20:30 Connect Blocks for divorce, grief, anxiety, trauma, and more22:45 Helping kids connect words with feelings24:00 Krista’s favorite go-to game24:40 Where to find Winning Communications25:40 Scaling Therapist Services sponsors and resources26:30 Final HIPAA workshop reminder HIPAA Compliance Toolkit Workshop If a HIPAA issue happened tomorrow, would your practice know what to do? Join Dr. Natasha Guess for The HIPAA Compliance Toolkit Workshop on Friday, September 18 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. This is a virtual workshop designed to help you apply the toolkit to your practice, work through your questions, and turn scattered policies into a system you can actually use. Go to CourseCreationStudio.com for workshop information and registration. Resources Winning CommunicationsLearn more about Krista Smith-Larson’s communication and play therapy games at:WinningCommunicationsMN.com Scaling Therapist ServicesLooking for businesses that can help you work through a therapy practice bottleneck?ScalingTherapistServices.com Course Creation StudioCourseCreationStudio.com

    STP 179 | Make Hard Conversations Easier: Games for Grief, Feelings, and Connection

  8. Aug 27

    STP 178 | Big Dreams Need Small Steps

    The Small-Step Strategy for Achieving Big Dreams Maybe you have been thinking about a workshop, a course, or paid speaking. Then you start trying to figure out the whole thing before you even take the first step. I learned this lesson the hard way. The expensive way. I spent months building an online course before I really knew if people wanted it. The better question would have been much smaller: Can I get 10 people interested in a workshop? That is what this episode is about. Your dream can be big without your first step being big. Small steps give you evidence. You learn something. Then you know what to try next. In This Episode Why being an expert can make it hard to become a beginner again What I learned after spending six months building a course that sold only a few seats Why I needed a faster way to learn, not a bigger course How Leo Debrock and I tested an idea with one live workshop Why evidence builds confidence Small ways therapists can test workshops, speaking, and courses Timestamps 00:00 - Your first step does not need to match the size of your dream00:44 - The Friday afternoon HIPAA breach phone call01:22 - How to prepare before a HIPAA problem happens03:00 - Why becoming a beginner again feels uncomfortable05:08 - Trying to figure out all ten steps07:07 - Why I went all-in on an online course08:17 - Six months of work and about four sales10:20 - What I really needed was a faster way to learn11:03 - Make the experiment smaller, not the dream11:17 - How Leo Debrock and I tested an idea with one workshop12:49 - Why 20 registrations gave us more than sales14:21 - Evidence builds confidence16:16 - You do not need certainty before you begin18:20 - One small step you can take this week HIPAA Compliance Toolkit Workshop Friday at 3:30, you do not need a binder. You need to know what to do next. You bring the toolkit, and Dr. Natasha Guess walks you through putting it to work in your practice. Learn more here:https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/HIPAATOOLKITWORKSHOP Resources Scaling Therapist Services:https://scalingtherapistservices.com Workshop creation and paid public speaking resources:https://www.coursecreationstudio.com/workshops Your Next Step What is one small step you can take this week? Make the step smaller. See what happens. Then take the next right step. Your dream does not need to get smaller. Your next step does. Put your mission in motion.

    STP 178 | Big Dreams Need Small Steps
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The Scaling Therapist Podcast exists to inspire therapists to scale their business with systems, people, community, or opportunity so they can have more income, impact, and independance without giving up more of their life.

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