Mind Your OT Business Laura Park Figueroa

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.