Episode #629: What Do New Practice Owners Struggle With

Summary

Abundant Practice Podcast: Episode #629 Summary Title: What Do New Practice Owners Struggle With
Host: Allison Puryear
Release Date: March 15, 2025

---

Introduction

In Episode #629 of the Abundant Practice Podcast, host Allison Puryear delves into the unexpected challenges that new private practice owners often face. This episode, titled "What Do New Practice Owners Struggle With," provides invaluable insights for therapists transitioning from agency roles to their own practices. Allison not only identifies common hurdles but also offers practical strategies to overcome them, ensuring a smooth and sustainable growth trajectory for budding practitioners.

---

Key Challenges for New Practice Owners

1. Unrealistic Expectations for Practice Growth

Allison begins by addressing one of the most prevalent issues among new practice owners: unrealistic expectations about the pace of growth. Many therapists anticipate rapid client acquisition and substantial income shortly after launching their private practices. However, as Allison emphasizes:

"Building a full private practice takes time. Even if you're doing all the right things, the seeds that you plant today, like networking or optimizing your SEO, might not sprout for months."
— Allison Puryear [02:45]

She underscores the importance of patience and consistent marketing efforts, likening the process to a home renovation where results are seen gradually over time. Allison advises therapists to incorporate contingency plans, such as maintaining additional savings or juggling a part-time job, to mitigate the financial strain during the initial growth phases.

2. Starting with an Overloaded Client Base

Another unexpected struggle arises when therapists transition from group practices to private settings with an already full or nearly full caseload. While this might seem advantageous initially, it presents unique challenges:

"If you are starting full, I want you to carve out time, just one to two hours a week to work on your business instead of in your business as a clinician."
— Allison Puryear [04:10]

Managing a substantial client base from the onset can hinder the establishment of efficient systems and a targeted marketing strategy. Additionally, relying heavily on existing clients may lead to a mismatch between their needs and the therapist's ideal niche, complicating future client acquisition and retention.

3. Navigating Seasonal Dips

Allison also highlights the inevitability of seasonal fluctuations in a private practice. Whether it's summer, winter, or holiday seasons, periods of reduced client intake are natural, especially in the early years:

"Dips don't mean you're failing. They're just a part of the rhythm of running a business."
— Allison Puryear [05:15]

Such downturns can trigger fear and panic, potentially leading to overcorrections like excessive marketing spend or compromising service quality. Allison recommends saving extra funds during busier months to cushion the impact of slow periods and maintaining a stable mindset to view these dips as temporary setbacks rather than indicators of failure.

---

Practical Strategies and Advice

1. Adopt a Strategic and Patient Mindset

Allison emphasizes that building a successful private practice is as much about mindset as it is about strategy. Therapists should approach their practice with the end goals clearly defined, allowing them to make decisions aligned with their desired work-life balance and professional aspirations. For instance:

"If you don't want to work till 8pm, then don't work till 8pm. If you don't want to take insurance, don't take insurance."
— Allison Puryear [04:45]

Starting with the end in mind helps avoid unnecessary transitions and struggles, paving the way for sustainable success.

2. Allocate Time for Business Development

For those inheriting a full practice, Allison advises dedicating specific hours each week to focus on business development rather than solely on clinical work. This time can be used to:

• Enhance marketing efforts
• Refine administrative paperwork
• Clarify the vision and direction of the practice

By systematically addressing these areas, therapists can ensure their practice operates efficiently and remains aligned with their professional goals.

3. Financial Planning for Stability

Preparing for financial variability is crucial. Allison recommends:

• Maintaining a contingency budget
• Saving diligently during peak periods
• Avoiding measures driven by panic during slow months

This proactive approach ensures that therapists can navigate financial uncertainties without compromising the quality of their services or their well-being.

---

Resources and Support

To assist therapists in overcoming these challenges, Allison offers several resources:

• Free Worksheets and Checklists: Available at AbundancePracticeBuilding.com, these tools help therapists implement the strategies discussed in the episode.

• Abundance Party Membership Program: A step-by-step guide through building a private practice, helping therapists work fewer hours while tripling their income and attracting ideal clients. More information can be found at AbundanceParty.com.

• Six Tools to Shift Scarcity Mindset: A free guide aimed at transforming the often limiting mindset that new practice owners may experience. Interested listeners can DM Allison the word "sheets" to access this resource.

---

Conclusion

Episode #629 of the Abundant Practice Podcast offers a comprehensive exploration of the unexpected struggles faced by new private practice owners. Allison Puryear provides a balanced blend of identifying common pitfalls and offering actionable solutions, all reinforced by a supportive and strategic mindset. By leveraging the resources and advice shared in this episode, therapists can navigate the complexities of establishing a thriving private practice with greater confidence and clarity.

---

Notable Quotes:

1. "Building a full private practice takes time. Even if you're doing all the right things, the seeds that you plant today, like networking or optimizing your SEO, might not sprout for months."
   — Allison Puryear [02:45]

2. "If you are starting full, I want you to carve out time, just one to two hours a week to work on your business instead of in your business as a clinician."
   — Allison Puryear [04:10]

3. "Dips don't mean you're failing. They're just a part of the rhythm of running a business."
   — Allison Puryear [05:15]

4. "If you don't want to work till 8pm, then don't work till 8pm. If you don't want to take insurance, don't take insurance."
   — Allison Puryear [04:45]

---

This episode serves as an essential guide for therapists embarking on the journey of private practice ownership, equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to build a sustainable and fulfilling professional life.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign welcome to Ask Allison.

[B]

Y'all ask the questions about having a.

[A]

Fun and thriving practice and I answer them.

[B]

We have a worksheet for you today so you can bring this answer into your life. You can Access [e-mail] links where you'll also be able to ask any questions you have for Ask Allison. If you want more support, we've got some free trainings in there too. If you can't get enough Ask Allison, check out our YouTube channel for our entire Ask Allison library.

[A]

Welcome back to Ask Allison. Here's today's question. What do you see new practice owners struggle with that they don't expect to struggle with? I love this question. I feel like this person is a planner. Before I get into it, I would like to thank Therapy Notes for sponsoring Ask Allison. I've talked about them for years. I know their features by heart and you probably do too if you've been listening. But here's what really sets them apart. First, they genuinely care about your experience. It is not just about troubleshooting. They actively implement user suggested features like therapy search, secure messaging, clinical outcome tracking, real time insurance checks, and a smooth super build process. Everybody at Theravinos believes in the product and wants you to love it too. Plus, they're independently owned, which means no venture capital and no pressure to prioritize investors over customers. This independence allows them to keep prices fair, focus on innovation, and prioritize customer experience. With over 100,000 therapists already on board, they've proven that you don't need to compromise success for quality. If you're ready to see for yourself, try TherapyNotes free for two months with the code abundantherapynotes.com all right, one of the biggest pitfalls is in new practice ownership is having unrealistic expectations about how quickly your practice will grow. So I want to set the record straight. Building a full private practice takes time. Even if you're doing all the right things, the seeds that you plan today, like networking or optimizing your SEO, they might not sprout for months. So thinking about it like a home renovation, always build in a contingency budget. This could mean having more savings than you think you'll need or taking on a part time job while you grow your practice. That does not mean you're failing. It means that you are smart and you are strategic. The key is to stay patient and consistent with your marketing. Growth takes time. You might want to quit your marketing if you think you're supposed to have an automatic response to it. But in order to get where you need to go, you need to be consistent without the response that you want over a period of time. Another thing that happens is if you are starting out with a full or nearly full practice from a previous job, you might feel like you've hit the jackpot. So maybe you have left a group practice and you've brought a good number of your clients with you. And while that's an amazing start, it can come with a lot of challenges. For example, you might not have time to set up the systems that are efficient and that are optimized and have a solid marketing plan in the way that people who start without a bunch of clients have the opportunity to create. You may realize later that the clients you started with are not your ideal niche and you might end up getting more of those clients because you're now building a reputation in a different niche. Graduating clients can create a really steep drop off in your caseload. If you don't have a marketing plan that you've been working, filling those spots becomes really stressful. So if you're starting full, I want you to carve out time, just one to two hours a week to work on your business instead of in your business as a clinician. Use that time to learn about marketing, to refine your paperwork, or to clarify what you really want your practice to look like. Every private practice has natural dips. Summer, December, you name it. These are normal, especially in the first few years. It's easy to let a dip trigger fear and panic which can lead to overcorrecting or even creating a self fulfilling prophecy. So instead of spiraling when you have a dip, I want you to save a little extra during the busier months to cover the slower months. I want you to remind yourself that dips are temporary. They do not reflect the quality of your work. I want you to adjust your mindset. Dips don't mean you're failing. They're just a part of the rhythm of running a business. Start with the end in mind. You can have what you want. If you don't want to work till 8pm, then don't work till 8pm if you don't want to take insurance, don't take insurance. If you start with the end in mind and you build the practice you really want to be in, then you'll avoid a lot of transition and struggle. Later you'll get full. I promise. If you are following marketing best practices and you are being consistent, it might not be on your timeline. Let's be real. It's never on our timeline, we always want to be full last week, but it will happen if you keep going. Building a practice is not just about strategies, it's about mindset. So whether you're dealing with slow growth, a full start, or seasonal dips, staying calm and staying focused is going to help you navigate whatever challenges you face. And you will face challenges in business ownership. If any of this resonates with you and you want to dig deeper, I have a free worksheet for you in this guide. It's called six Tools to Shift Scarcity Mindset because it happens to all of us. DM me the word sheets to get this week's worksheet and you'll also have access to all the other free worksheets. If you need help building your practice. If you are in these early stages or you're plateaued and you don't know how to get more clients in the door, I want you to DM me the word party. I'm going to send you a link and a coupon to the Abundance Party, which has gotten thousands of therapists full. At this point, it is not hard. You just need to learn how to do it. All right, I hope you have a really great day and I'll talk to you later.

[B]

If you're ready for a much easier practice, Therapy Notes is the way to go. Go to therapynotes.com and use the promo code abundant for two months free. I hope that helped. If you have questions for Ask Allison.

[A]

Or you want to get your hands.

[B]

On the worksheet for this episode, go to abundancepracticebuilding.com Links.

[A]

If you're listening, you.

[B]

Probably need some support building your practice. If you're a super newbie, grab our free checklist using the link in the show Notes. I'd love for you to follow rate and review, but I really want you to share this episode with a therapist friend. Let's help all our colleagues build what they want.