Podcast Summary: Abundant Practice Podcast

Episode: #709 – How To Make More Without Starting A Group Practice
Host: Allison Puryear
Date: November 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Abundant Practice Podcast, host Allison Puryear addresses a frequently asked question from therapists: “How can I grow my income in private practice without starting a group practice?” She unpacks the reality behind “passive income” narratives popular online, offers honest insights about building additional income streams, and highlights the most straightforward path to earning more as a solo practitioner. Allison provides actionable advice, clear math, and an empowering approach for therapists who want to optimize their practice without overwhelming themselves with new ventures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth of Passive Income (03:53–07:27)

• Allison opens with an impassioned “rant” about the misleading idea of passive income in the therapy space.
• Key Takeaways:
  • The promise of effortless income while you sleep is widely overstated.
  • Even leveraging products like courses or memberships demands ongoing work, skill acquisition, and (usually) a supporting team.
  • True passive income, as marketed, “is an absolute myth.” (05:10)
• Quote:
  • “There is absolutely no such thing as passive income... There is leveraged income, there’s scalable income, there’s asynchronous income. But passive income and the way that it’s marketed online is an absolute myth.” — Allison Puryear [05:10]

2. The Effort Behind Creating Additional Revenue Streams (07:28–12:30)

• Allison shares her own experience making “money while I sleep,” and why that only works with a well-structured business and a committed team.
• She warns of the steep learning curve and marketing demands involved.
  • You need genuine excitement for any new product (like a course), not just the money it could bring; otherwise, you’ll likely burn out.
• Quote:
  • “If you don’t like marketing, do not launch a course or membership because marketing will be your full-time job if you want that thing to actually sell.” — Allison Puryear [10:41]
• She cautions against being seduced by influencers promising easy financial wins.

3. The Simplest, Most Direct Path: Raise Your Rates (12:31–20:01)

• Allison redirects to the listener’s core question and explains that “raising your rates to premium rates” is the most effective way to increase income—without managing a group or launching new products.
• Practical Math (13:40–15:54):
  • Example scenario:
    • 25 clients/week, 6 weeks off/year, insurance reimbursement at $100/session → ~$115,000/year.
    • Private pay at $200/session → $230,000/year.
    • At $250/session → $287,500/year.
    • At $300/session → $345,000/year.
• Same client load, same time off—no extra hours, staff, or products required.
• Quote:
  • “Charging premium fees in a solo practice lets you stay in your zone of genius... And frankly, if your dream is to make millions, solo private practice is not going to get you there. But if you want multiple six figures with strong boundaries and a life outside of work, you absolutely can do it.” — Allison Puryear [17:00]

4. Comparing the Alternatives (15:55–18:59)

• Courses/memberships:
  • Hundreds of hours to create, plus often thousands of dollars spent on learning how to launch effectively.
  • No guarantee of financial return.
• Group practice:
  • Requires management, HR, and leadership skills; changes your role from clinician to business leader.
  • Not a fit for everyone.
• Solo private practice with premium rates:
  • No need to scale, hire, or market additional products.
  • Enables a focused, sustainable work life.

5. How to Set a Premium Fee (19:00–20:30)

• Allison mentions a worksheet available to listeners, walking them through the process of calculating and setting a fee that accounts for taxes, time off, retirement, and business overhead.
• Actionable Advice:
  • DM “sheets” to get Allison’s worksheet, or find it linked in show notes.
  • “You don’t have to hustle harder... Sometimes the smartest way to grow is to optimize what you already have.” [20:20]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There is absolutely no such thing as passive income... it’s an absolute myth.” — Allison Puryear [05:10]
• “If you don’t like marketing, do not launch a course or membership because marketing will be your full-time job if you want that thing to actually sell.” — Allison Puryear [10:41]
• “You deserve to know what you’re getting into before you spend months building something that drains you instead of filling you up.” — Allison Puryear [09:10]
• “Charging premium fees in a solo practice lets you stay in your zone of genius... And frankly, if your dream is to make millions, solo private practice is not going to get you there.” — Allison Puryear [17:00]
• “You don’t have to hustle harder. You don’t need to build something brand new from scratch. Sometimes the smartest way to grow is to optimize what you already have.” — Allison Puryear [20:20]

Key Timestamps

• 03:53 – Allison’s “rant” against passive income myths
• 05:10 – “There is absolutely no such thing as passive income...”
• 10:41 – The reality of marketing: “If you don’t like marketing, do not launch a course...”
• 13:40 – The math: comparing insurance and private pay rates
• 17:00 – Is solo practice enough for your income goals?
• 19:00 – Introduction of the premium fee setting worksheet
• 20:20 – “Optimize what you already have.”

Conclusion

Allison Puryear offers a candid, motivational, and practical session for therapists feeling pressured to chase “passive income” or expand into group practice. She debunks online myths about effortless revenue, stresses the workload behind supposedly easy side income, and lays out a clear, empowering case for simply raising session fees. Therapists are encouraged to optimize their existing practice, prioritize sustainability, and design work that fuels their life—not drains it.

Resource Mentioned:

• Fee-setting worksheet – DM “sheets” or check show notes
• More at AbundancePracticeBuilding.com

This summary was designed for practitioners who want direct, actionable strategies to improve their private practice income—without overwhelming themselves by chasing entrepreneurial fads or burning out on unsustainable workloads.