Episode 172: Tara's Success Story- 3 Things I Learned About Money and Business

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: Private Practice Startup Podcast
Episode: 172 – Tara's Success Story: 3 Things I Learned About Money and Business
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Guest: Tara Arjakos
Date: February 8, 2020

This episode features Tara Arjakos, a therapist and former coachee of the Private Practice Startup team, who shares her journey from community mental health to her thriving private practice. Tara candidly discusses the three most important lessons she learned about money and business, including how she overcame fears around leaving insurance panels, transformed her money mindset, and discovered the power of authenticity in practice and marketing. The conversation is packed with actionable wisdom and inspiration for therapists at any stage in their private practice journey.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Authenticity & Personal Flair (03:17–04:36)

• Tara talks about her punk rock background and love for concerts and mosh pits, connecting it to her authentic and fun approach to therapy.
• “My counseling practice is built on authenticity. We can totally vouch for that and just plain old fun.” – Katie Lemieux (02:30)

2. Origin Story – Why Tara Became a Therapist (04:36–05:51)

• A formative story from kindergarten, where Tara, annoyed by her teacher’s yelling, motivated a classmate’s behavior change with hand-drawn pictures.
  Quote: “The teacher told [my mom], your daughter’s doing behavior modification with one of the students.” – Tara Arjakos (05:16)
• This early experience set her on the path to therapy: “Apparently it just kind of gets told to you sometimes this is what you’re gonna end up doing. And lo and behold, here I am. And I can’t imagine doing anything else.” (05:32)

3. Private Practice Journey (05:53–08:26)

• Raised in an entrepreneurial family (her family once owned a video store), Tara always aspired to private practice.
• She started part-time before eventually leaving agency work to go full time, overcoming skepticism from supervisors who doubted her commitment to private practice.
• Key challenge: Navigating the transition from insurance panels to a self-pay practice, facing fears of financial instability.

4. Leaving Insurance Panels & Money Mindset Struggles (08:26–13:51)

• Tara describes the “false comfort zone” of being on insurance panels and the challenge of marketing and business skills for clinicians.
• She shares practical steps for transitioning: building referral networks outside insurance, partnering with local providers, and understanding the logistics of leaving panels.
• Quote: “It was the scary point, which kind of takes us right into the money mindset stuff, because that’s when I started getting scared.” – Tara Arjakos (07:49)

5. The Role of Coaching & Shifting Beliefs (13:51–18:03)

• Tara joined Kate & Katie’s coaching after noticing her private practice had “dried up” and struggling to sell therapy due to ethical conflicts about charging for care.
• She reframed therapy as self-care and began confidently communicating her value to clients: Quote: “If I’m willing to go get a manicure and a pedicure, or… a massage every month, self-care—why can’t sitting and talking with somebody that’s not going to judge and just let me talk be another self-care option?” – Tara Arjakos (15:27)
• Clients received this messaging with relief.

6. Owning Your Niche & Value (18:27–21:35)

• Tara realized she didn’t need extra credentials to charge more—she needed confidence in her value and the unique experience she offers.
• Authentic marketing helped attract ideal clients who resonated with her website and messaging.
• Quote: “Finding that and owning it is huge.” – Tara Arjakos (19:25)
• Her “Expose Me” sections on her website (“the authentic me, the personal me, and the professional me”) are a direct result of her work with Kate & Katie.

7. Marketing Transformation: Making It Fun and Effective (20:50–23:30)

• Through course work, Tara rediscovered creativity in marketing, likening writing her website’s specialty pages to “writing her client’s story.”
• Feedback from clients demonstrated the power: “I have clients come in and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I read that page, and I was like, that’s me.’” – Tara Arjakos (21:35)
• She extended this refreshed approach to social media, speaking events, and even postcard campaigns.

8. Results & Practice Growth: Living the Dream Practice (23:30–29:09)

• Tara’s practice now consists almost entirely of her target demographic (professional women), and she’s close to breaking her own income record.
• Comparison: She previously saw 24–28 clients a week (insurance-based), worked 40+ hours, earned little more than her post-grad salary, versus now seeing 18/week at higher rates with full financial security and more freedom.
• Celebration of success: buying a new car, spontaneous trip to Paris. Quote from Tara’s client’s wife: “I’d honestly rather find a new husband than a new therapist. We talk about you all the time.” (24:30)

9. Living into Dream Lifestyle and Practice (29:09–31:28)

• Tara’s move to the beach and newfound ability to prioritize fun and spontaneity are highlighted as rewards for her willingness to take business risks.
• “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been because I just follow what I want.” – Tara Arjakos (29:40)

10. Advice for Therapists Considering Private Practice or Stuck in a Rut (31:28–33:13)

• Put fear aside and trust that you’re good enough.
• Define what you want from your practice; ride out inevitable ebbs and flows.
• Quote: “If you really want it, you’re going to make it happen…ride out the ebb and flow of business. That’s probably the key to surviving and not freaking out every moment that it’s a little bit slower.” – Tara Arjakos (32:01)

11. Special Giveaway & Final Thoughts (33:13–35:42)

• Tara offers her “Food Mood” curriculum for free for five days post-episode, designed to help clients and clinicians explore emotional eating patterns.
• The episode closes with gratitude and encouragement for listeners to pursue their dream practice and lifestyle.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On authenticity and business: “Owning what it is that you do, own it and be proud of it.” – Tara Arjakos (19:32)
• On reconciling helping and charging: “I think this is a self-care activity… if I’m willing to go get a manicure and a pedicure … why can’t sitting and talking with somebody that’s not going to judge and just let me talk be another self-care option?” – Tara Arjakos (15:27)
• On client loyalty: “‘I’d honestly rather find a new husband than a new therapist. We talk about you all the time.’ This is the greatest thing I’ve ever heard.” – Tara Arjakos (24:30)
• On celebrating success: “I am celebrating by giving myself the permission to live and just let myself do what I want to do.” – Tara Arjakos (27:57)
• On marketing transformation: “I had to change it from ‘I have to do it’ to ‘this is like an outlet now.’” – Tara Arjakos (23:10)
• On encouragement: “If you want it, find yourself a couple good people to talk to and just take it all with a grain of salt because you’re gonna have to make it your own anyways.” – Tara Arjakos (33:03)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• 03:17 – Tara’s punk rock background, mosh pit stories, and commitment to authenticity
• 04:36 – Early evidence of therapist-in-the-making: behavior modification in kindergarten
• 05:53 – Growing up entrepreneurial; vision for private practice
• 08:26 – The insurance panel “comfort zone” and early steps to transition
• 13:51 – Hitting a practice lull and reaching out for coaching support
• 15:27 – Money mindset shift: seeing therapy as self-care, not just medicine
• 19:25–20:12 – Website authenticity and niche development (“Expose Me” pages)
• 21:35 – Marketing becomes creative outlet, clients ‘see themselves’ in Tara’s content
• 24:30–29:09 – Practice statistics, income growth, and living the dream lifestyle
• 31:28 – Tara’s advice to therapists: overcoming fear, accepting business fluctuations
• 33:13 – “Food Mood” emotional eating curriculum giveaway

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Tone and Style

The conversation is casual, humorous (“I just realized I skipped over [your last name] because I’m like, I don’t remember how to say it now”), encouraging, and candid. Tara’s storytelling is relatable and unpretentious, matched by the supportive and enthusiastic tone of Kate and Katie.

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For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

In this episode, Tara Arjakos tells the full arc of her journey from self-doubt and insurance panel dependence to entrepreneurial confidence, marketing authenticity, and living – truly – the dream private practice. Her story will not only inspire but also equip therapists looking to step into the next phase of business growth. Her actionable advice, vulnerability about money and mindset, and practical marketing tips (including her signature website concept) are a must for therapists and other helping professionals ready to make business—and life—fun again.

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Transcript

[Podcast Host (Intro)]

Welcome to the Private Practice Startup Podcast where we help ambitious private practitioners across the globe to brand themselves and grow their dream practices. We chat with successful private practitioners, business coaches and marketing experts, bringing you tons of practice building Ninja tips. Visit privatepracticestartup.com for awesome resources, attorney approved private practice paperwork, and our signature marketing E course. Here are your co hosts, Dr. Kate Campbell and Katie Lemieux.

[Katie Lemieux]

Hey, hey, startup nation. And welcome back to another episode of the Private Practice Startup Podcast. I hope you guys are having an awesome day. You know, Kate and I, when we first started podcasting, we would record on Fridays and then we really don't want to record on Fridays, but we're actually stockpiling our podcast, getting ready for Kate's maternity leave. So it kind of feels like this comfortable Friday thing going on here. So I'm enjoying it. It's a nice way to really end the week is it's podcasting and it's fun. So anyways, I digress. So I hope you guys joined us last week as we spoke with Damian Adler, who is as passionate as we are, really talking how to work, how to get unstuck, working when you're working too much in your business, and how to get unstuck and work on your business to really live that dream lifestyle. The cool thing about Damian, he's actually joined us at 3:30am in Australia to make this podcast. So he's really passionate about what he speaks about. So you definitely want to join us on that podcast last week. Today's podcast is with Tara. Tara was a coachee of ours and we're going to be talking about Tara's success story and three things that she learned about money and business. And it was really funny. Before we hit record, I was like, tara, tell me your last name again. Because I mess it up all the time. And I just realized I skipped over because I'm like, I don't remember how to say it now. So, Tara, say your last name for us.

[Tara Arjakos]

Arjakos.

[Katie Lemieux]

Arjakos. I always want to say Arjekos. I don't know why. And I was like, I'm going to botch it if I say it. So welcome, Tara.

[Tara Arjakos]

Thank you.

[Katie Lemieux]

Before we dive into your podcast though, today I just wanted to say if you are new to our podcast, we wanted to say thank you so much for choosing us. We really thank you from the bottom of our hearts that you would take your time and spend with us and we really hope that you find this podcast and not just this podcast valuable, but other podcasts we Also would really love to gift you something. We don't want anything from you. We just want to give to you. And that is our A to Z cheat sheet, the essentials for building and growing your dream practice. Head over to privatepracticestartup.com check out the resources tab. Just one, and there you'll see the A Z cheat sheet, the essentials for building and growing your dream practice. And that comes with five days of practice building emails to really support you and for our lawyer list. Hey, listeners. What's up, everybody? What's going on? Startup Nation? Welcome back. A little bit about Tara. So Tara's been in private practice longer now than she's been working in the field. Outside of the office, you'll find her lifting weights, doing yoga, hanging on the beach, or lost in a mosh pit. We're going to be talking about that for sure. Her counseling practice is built on authenticity. We can totally vouch for that and just plain old fun. So officially welcome Tara.

[Tara Arjakos]

Thanks. Thanks for having me, guys. I'm really excited.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

It's great to have you here. Yeah, it's good to see your face. It's been a little while since we had you in our coaching, so it's great to hear your story of where you are now and how far you've come and all that good stuff.

[Katie Lemieux]

Let's first talk about the mosh pit. Let's go there.

[Tara Arjakos]

I think it ties into the authenticity part. So I grew up as like a little punk rock kid and I still am a concert junkie. Like, my summers are full of concerts. I. I actually joked that this past August was like, see all the old men before they die.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Because I saw.

[Tara Arjakos]

The Stones, Aerosmith and Billy Idol. That's awesome. Other bands for the whole summer, but yeah, my friends laugh like, I've gone to concerts by myself that my mom actually has texted me and been like, you're by yourself. Don't go in a mosh pit. I'm like, I think I can handle myself at this point.

[Katie Lemieux]

That is funny.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

I was in a mosh pit once and that stuff gets crazy, man. It gets really crazy. I crowd surfed and I was in a mosh pit. I think I was like a teenager or something and I was a little wild and it was like a one and done for me.

[Tara Arjakos]

There's certain bands I won't do. I'm like, nope, not going in there.

[Katie Lemieux]

Funny. I'm just too afraid about elbows flying and hard heads and. Oh, that freaks me out because I'm always the cautious one. I'm always the protector, watching out for everyone else. So, yeah, I don't think I'd be in the mosh pit. But thanks for sharing that.

[Tara Arjakos]

That was awesome.

[Katie Lemieux]

Sarah, what actually got you into therapy? Like, why did you decide to become a therapist?

[Tara Arjakos]

Oh, gosh. This is like, a very corny story. But it's fitting because I am corny. Long story short, I was in kindergarten and there was this little boy that acted out who nowadays would totally be diagnosed with adhd. The teacher used to yell at him all the time, and I didn't like yelling. So I. Apparently, the story goes, I told him for every day that he didn't get in trouble, I would draw him a picture. Joke's on him. I'm a really bad artist. When my mom went for parent teacher conferences, my teacher told her, your daughter's doing behavior modification with one of the students.

[Katie Lemieux]

That is amazing.

[Tara Arjakos]

And so, you know, this is a good conversation in terms of how you end up where you are, because apparently it just kind of gets told to you sometimes this is what you're gonna end up doing. And lo and behold, here I am. And I can't imagine doing anything else.

[Katie Lemieux]

I love that story. I don't think I've ever heard anyone talk about, like, how their career started in kindergarten.

[Tara Arjakos]

And really just because I didn't want to hear the teacher yell.

[Katie Lemieux]

Very interesting.

[Tara Arjakos]

That's pretty much how that all started.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Tell us a little bit about your journey into private practice.

[Tara Arjakos]

So I come from a family of entrepreneurs. I grew up. We owned a video store when I was a kid. So I was working, probably not ethical, a cash register, and maybe a lottery machine at the age of eight, possibly six. But, you know, everybody has always had their own business. So even when I went to grad school, like, I just knew I wanted to be in private practice. Eventually. I was extremely bummed out when I found out how many hours I needed to do in order to get a license and that that would most likely have to be done in a community setting. I was like, ugh, I gotta work for somebody else. Okay. My first supervisor was funny because he had the whole, where do you see yourself in five years? And I was like, private practice. And he's like, well, like, what else? I'm like, private practice.

[Katie Lemieux]

Good for you.

[Tara Arjakos]

So, sure enough, five years went by. I had started practice. It was just part time, and I ended up leaving that job to take another job. That seems promising. It's gonna be four days a week. So I was like, oh, I can focus on the practice and do this. And within two months of doing that, my practice was up to. I was seeing 15 people a week. I was like, I can't do both. So I let go of that job. But I actually went out with coworkers from my previous job and saw that supervisor, and he was like, oh, how's the new job? Blah, blah, blah. And I was like, oh, I quit. He's like, what? And I was like, my practice is full. I can't, like, do both. And he's like, you made it. I'm like, look at her out. Wow, am I getting punked? Like, that's just rude. I was like, yes. Yeah, I did it and I'm doing it, and I'm gonna keep doing it. And he was like, oh. He's like, well, I started part time. Can I ask you questions? I was like, oh, that was a very satisfying moment. And then I made that plun. The scariest plunge was going from. I was paneled with, like, all these insurance companies. And then I. I had reached the cap. I was. There was no way I was going to make any more money than what I was making. And I was actually making less when I did the math than what I was making when I was actually in a community setting. So I started coming off the panels, and that was probably. That was the scary point, which kind of takes us right into the money mindset stuff, because that's when I started getting scared.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Yeah, tell us about that experience for you. Because a lot people get in the false comfort zone of being on insurance panels and they end up making a lot less. They are ready in terms of financially in their caseload to transition, but they're so afraid to let go of that that oftentimes they get stuck there and won't transition full time, or it takes them longer than expected. Tell us about your experience and the fears there.

[Tara Arjakos]

So I think a lot what I find happens because I have a lot of friends that are in the field and they stay, you know, they stay on the panels. And it's because there's that lack of business mind to running your practice. Like, we all know how to be a therapist. We don't all know how to run a business or be an entrepreneur. Marketing. Right. So, yeah, it's so different. And I think what happens a lot is that we become reliant if we're on the panel for that to be your referral source. So I was told when I went to go start my private practice, I went to go see a therapist. And that was pretty much our goal. Working together she was like, well, the goal is you're gonna have a practice by the time we're done working together. I'm like, okay. And she kind of gave me a little bit of the knowledge of, like, you need to go out there. You need to go meet people and get your name out. Don't just rely on the insurance panel. She's like, it's a good way to start, but eventually you're going to tap out. So I already knew that was going to be a thing. So when the time came, I reminded myself that because I had already started creating relationships outside of, you know, the insurance panels, I would have some referral sources. But I started to bulk it up more when I started to make that transition. So I started speaking at, like, a bariatric support group and made a really good relationship with a nutritionist that worked there. So that helped a lot. There was a couple doctors I got to know really well. I had friends that were in the field. So that's really like, just setting that up for yourself and first researching how to come off the panels, because there's a lot that goes into it. You know, I remember when I came off of one of them, I had no idea that they were gonna keep me with the people I was working with from six months to a year. So I was like, oh, so I have to, like, it was kind of nice. It helped create a cushion, But I was like, oh, I still need to, like, see these people, but get new people in. I'm like, and now these people aren't gonna want to leave because they know they can stay with me for this long.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Gotcha.

[Tara Arjakos]

Okay.

[Katie Lemieux]

Is that, like, to reduce client abandonment or something like that? And constant care, I assume.

[Tara Arjakos]

Yeah. And so, like, in my mind, I had already started thinking, like, okay, I need to start working with them on what's going to happen. You're welcome to stay, or I'll help you find somebody. And then I was like, oh, I guess we can work this out longer. So. Yeah.

[Katie Lemieux]

Gotcha. So I'm just curious, at what point.

[Tara Arjakos]

So how.

[Katie Lemieux]

What year did you start private practice?

[Tara Arjakos]

2,000. And, oh, 2011, I want to say. 2011. Yeah.

[Katie Lemieux]

Gotcha. So when you decide what year did you decide to get off the insurance panels or start that process?

[Tara Arjakos]

2013. Well, I started the process. I started it probably around somewhere in 2012. By the time it really came into fruition, it was 2013. Yeah.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

And. And let's go ahead and take a quick break from our sponsor, and then we'll continue to dive into Tara's story if you're in private practice, you wear a lot of hats and some of those hats are totally great. But some like filing taxes and running payroll for example, not so great. That's where Gusto comes in. They make payroll taxes and HR actually easy for small businesses like your private practice. Fast, simple payroll processing and benefits and expert HR support all in one place. Gusto automatically pays and files your federal, state and local taxes so you don't have to worry about it. Plus they make it easy for you to add on health benefits and even 401ks for you and your team. Let them wear one of your many hats. You have so many better things to do with your time. Listeners get three months free when they run their first payroll. Try a demo and see for [e-mail] PPS that's gusto.com PPS There are so many ways to keep your practice organized, but TherapyNotes is by far the best. Their easy to use secure platform lets you not only do billing, scheduling and progress notes, but also create a client portal to share documents and request signatures. Plus they offer amazing unlimited phone support. So when you have a question, they're there so you can get help fast. Get started with TherapyNotes today, trusted by over 60,000 professionals. Go to therapynotes.com and enter promo code PPS as in Private Practice Startup and you'll get two months for free. Also, you can listen to episode 54 where we interviewed Brad Pliner and took an in depth view into their ehr. Tara, where in the continuum in terms of your timeline did you decide to join our private practice marketing coaching program?

[Tara Arjakos]

So that definitely was when all of a sudden things started to dry up and I was like what am I doing wrong? And it was the point where I was like okay, you have I have a sales background. So I was like I know how to be a salesperson. But I started to struggle with that idea of selling therapy. I think I started to get really conflicted in all those ethics that we get told at some point in time in school.

[Katie Lemieux]

And so what was the conflicting part for you there?

[Tara Arjakos]

I think it was that whole idea that missing out on understanding I'm still providing a service but this is a health thing and so I should be helping everybody that I can help regardless of the money aspect.

[Katie Lemieux]

Gotcha.

[Tara Arjakos]

And so you know, pretty much you could give me anything, I could sell it as long as I'm enthusiastic about it. I think I started to lose my enthusiasm about therapy because I was like I feel stuck. And so when I felt Stuck. I stopped putting the effort into meeting new people, marketing, things like that. So I was like, I need a new approach. When I came across you guys, I was like, okay, let me try this and see what happens.

[Katie Lemieux]

So it sounds like there was a huge money mindset belief of, you know, well, I'm supposed to help and then how can I ask for money and run a business? And it was just completely conflicting.

[Tara Arjakos]

Mm, gotcha.

[Katie Lemieux]

And how did, how did that kind of absolve for you or what new belief did you create?

[Tara Arjakos]

So I have realized now because I say this often when people call in, I give them such a Cornish feel when they call in about having a session with me, but I kind of tell them upfront, I'm like, listen, I take counseling as a different view. I think this is a self care activity. So you're going to come and you have something to work on. But the truth is that there's no harm if you want to pop in every couple months and just do a tune up. If I'm willing to go get a manicure and a pedicure, or we call getting a massage every month self care. Why can't sitting and talking with somebody that's not going to judge and just let me talk be another self care option? So that definitely helped. I was like, okay, it's not so much like, I gotta go to the doctor. Sure.

[Katie Lemieux]

And is that sometimes, like, have you created that somewhat for you? Like, you need to say it and put it out there for yourself to hear it and then also kind of quote, unquote, sell them on it. Sure. That's awesome. And what do they say when you say that?

[Tara Arjakos]

There's a lot of relief in their, like, response. It's like, oh, okay. You know, because it's funny, like I did, I started to realize I'm like, my clients, like, working with me for a reason.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Because I hit a point where I.

[Tara Arjakos]

Look at them and I go, you're good. You could go. And they're like, yeah, no, I just like coming in. And I'm like, okay, so why don't we try like six weeks? Do you want to come in three months? So I'm like, all right, you find value in this. I'm not going to kick you out the door. Because there's that old mindset of, well, therapy is supposed to have an end. It can have an end, or it could just be here when you need it. Right.

[Katie Lemieux]

And then the reality is when we really look at insurance, insurance is really looking for medical necessity. And if people are coming in because they're doing well technically, ethically, that's not really an insurance billable service. So. Yeah, and I love positioning that how you, how you have. And I really love that because the other thing too is we wouldn't, if we're deciding to whatever, get a life coach, a business coach, we don't bat an eye thinking about, oh, can I just pay you $25 copay, like, you know, insurance. Yes, it obviously helps many of us because we all have medical insurance and things like that. But at the same time, I know and I've had to do my own money work around paying for different types of services and stuff like that, because the reality is I pay holistically for everything. I rarely go to the doctor, I have been to the chiropractor for the last 20 years at least every other week. And everything else I do is holistic and I pay for it. Therapy is very much the same. It's really helping you get well.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

We should be paid well for the.

[Katie Lemieux]

Service we provide because it's transformative work. It is not switching your nail color from red to pink next week that does look transformative sometimes, for sure. It's hugely impactful and I love that you share that. So for therapists who are struggling with some of that mindset belief, what do you want to tell them?

[Tara Arjakos]

So definitely there was a couple things that I know I kind of learned through the journey of changing my mind. And I think it was a matter of really figuring out what you provide. You know, we all talk about the niche work and I know that, like, I got caught up in doing a bunch of things like going back and getting a doctorate, which I decided not to do. But it was because I had that idea that in order to get paid a certain amount, I needed to prove that I was good enough. And that's when I really started to go, alright, clearly the people that I have that don't want to leave think I'm good enough. So what is it that you provide? Finding that and owning it is huge. Like, I do, I joke all the time. I'm like, I'm corny. I'm like, but I had a client the other day say to me, she's like, sometimes I feel like I'm coming here and I'm just sitting with my friend. She's like, but my friend that I don't have to hear about your stuff. I just get to talk about me.

[Katie Lemieux]

That's so awesome.

[Tara Arjakos]

I was like, well, then my job here is done. So I'm like, if I can Give you that. Awesome. Because that's what I like to hear is you're that comfortable, so just knowing what it is you want to provide, and then once you know what it is that you do, own it and be proud of it.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Yeah.

[Katie Lemieux]

And it is so nice to see you, like a year plus later. You know, you look different. You are yourself. Like, I love it. One of the things that Kate and I really love that you created from the course.

[Tara Arjakos]

Number one.

[Katie Lemieux]

We loved your website. It's in our e course. There's samples of it there, and we talk about it.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Specialty pages are awesome.

[Tara Arjakos]

Thank you.

[Katie Lemieux]

With your about me pages, you did I forget exactly how you called it. I wasn't sure if it was the authentic me, and then the. The personal me and the professional me.

[Tara Arjakos]

Expose me.

[Katie Lemieux]

Yep. Yes. And then that was just really cool. And, you know, as you guys are listening to Tara talk, I mean, obviously she's just cool. She's relaxed, she's chill, she's casual. And really just putting that on your page and the exposed you, it just. It is. It's.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

It's fun.

[Katie Lemieux]

It's you. You're sharing about you, and I just love that. And, you know, you really role model that authenticity.

[Tara Arjakos]

Right.

[Katie Lemieux]

And having fun in life and in practice.

[Tara Arjakos]

Mm, yeah, I try.

[Katie Lemieux]

So you found us when kind of things were drying up and you needed some help and support. What things were really helpful to you throughout the course that you do now that you implemented?

[Tara Arjakos]

I mean, overall, it reminded me that it was okay to be me. And, you know, going to those specialty pages, learning your guys formula helped tremendously. It also allowed me to tap back into the fact that I used to do a lot of creative writing when I was a kid. It's probably more of why I ended up in this field, but so it made marketing fun again for me because I took it as that idea that I'm like, oh, I can write my client's story. And I think the greatest feedback for me and hopefully for you guys is I have clients come in and they're like, oh, my gosh, I read that page, and I was like, that's me.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Yay.

[Katie Lemieux]

We're proud mamas over here.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Yes. That's so awesome. And whenever I read your specialty pages or even your about me pages and the two different versions that you have, you are such a good writer, and you're able to really tap into the perspective of your client and walk through that story, and it's awesome to hear that you get that experience all the time or that feedback from clients. So validating and exciting for us to hear.

[Tara Arjakos]

Yeah, thanks. And it was just, I think that was truly the biggest part is because I took that idea of marketing and I ran with it like, it's on my Instagram post. It's, you know, on my Facebook post. It's throughout the website. I do it every time I'm doing a speaking engagement. I made little postcards to go drop around town. I went a little old school, but I put on there about like learning, like selfless self care because that's. Women are my target audience, professional women, a lot. And so that's where most of us struggle is I don't have the time to take care of me.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

And I love to hear that you were able to transform your relationship with the marketing because you got to that place where you're just stuck and things weren't working and you needed some fresh, new ideas and you were able to get to that place where marketing became fun again. And I think that was such a transformative shift for you because once you were able to have fun with it again on all of these different outlets and platforms, it's just you've been in the zone and it's been. You've been able to express yourself in this authentic way and that's where people are really connecting with you.

[Tara Arjakos]

Mm, yeah. Yeah, definitely. I had to change it from I have to do it to this is like an outlet now. And I was like, okay. I was like, I can write this stuff. So, like, there was a good couple months there where I just kept banging out different scenarios and I'm like, all right, well, now I've got all of these to work with.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

How has this impacted your practice in terms of marketing becoming fun again? And once you got all your specialty pages up and you had this new, fresh approach to getting the word out about your services, how did that impact your practice growth?

[Tara Arjakos]

I look at my caseload now and I kind of laugh because I'm like, they're all your ideal client minus. I see in my practice out of. I have right now, I think about to 49 or 50 cases. Two of them are men. And I'm just like, how'd you guys sneak in? And like, I even got like a call from like an old male client's now wife, gave me the best feedback ever, asked, can I come see you? And I did ask her, can I use this? Because I love it and can I come see you? It's been a few years, blah, blah, blah, but I really need therapy. And I was like, oh, my God, I'm, you know, I explained whatever. And she goes, I'd honestly rather find a new husband than a new therapist. We talk about you all the time. And I was like, this is the greatest thing I've ever heard.

[Katie Lemieux]

That is so funny. So how did the guys slip in?

[Tara Arjakos]

You know, one was from when I was originally on the insurance panels. He came back, and so that was one. The other one actually was a referral from my office mate. He worked with him for a while, and he's like, I think you need a fresh perspective. You know, would you be interested in seeing Tara? And so it's nice and fresh, but, yeah, it's great. Like, I look at it and it's so exciting because I, you know, I work with these women now that they. I always say, I'm like, it's not about finding yourself, it's redefining yourself. Like, we get this idea that we're lost. I'm like, but, you know, times change, scenarios in our world change, and who we once were may not fit where we are today. So it's really about us redefining and discovering who you are for today.

[Katie Lemieux]

Yeah, that's awesome.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

So can we just kind of talk.

[Katie Lemieux]

About maybe about, like. So when you were on insurance panels, like, how many hours were you working a week? And. And what were you making at that time? And, like, where are you today?

[Tara Arjakos]

So it's funny because I was like, what am I going to talk about? And I just had a crazy week last week. I saw. So last week I saw 25 people. And in my head, I was going insane because I was like, I haven't done this since I was on insurance panels. I would see, like, 24 to 28 people a week back then. And it just so happened this past week. I don't know. Everybody wanted a session, and I had the time. So I was like, all right, that's maybe my own poor boundaries whole nother podcast topic. But now I typically see between 17 to 20 a week, and 18 is, like, my sweet spot. I know, like, an average of 18 a week. I'm good. I'm better than good, money wise. I mean, I was working. So we figure you're seeing 24 to 28, but you're putting in all those extra hours afterwards. You know, I always say I'm the one man show, so I'm making the phone calls, I'm doing my billing, obviously, I'm doing my paperwork, plus just anything else that comes about. And so I was working. I was probably working well over 40 hours a week. And I was taking home probably what I made when I first came out of grad school after I did everything else. Now, as I looked at the numbers the other day, I called my accountant, who happens to be my aunt, and I was like, are you gonna kill me? And she's like, why? I was like, I've made this much money so far. She's like, you better go find some more expenses, girl. I was like, okay. I was like, oh, boy. So I'm about to have. I'm about to have my biggest year yet. I'm really excited. I just realized I'm about $3,000 from breaking what I made last year. And I was like, oh, there's still many weeks left. Yay.

[Katie Lemieux]

That's awesome. And how are you going to celebrate? Because that's really important.

[Tara Arjakos]

Well, apparently. Apparently I already celebrated because I got a new car. But, yes, I am celebrating by giving myself the permission to live and just let myself do what I want to do. And I did that with a random trip to Paris for my birthday in February. All because my friend told me my favorite punk rock band is playing in Paris. How cool.

[Katie Lemieux]

What a great bucket list type thing is to follow the band all the way to Paris. Get in that damn mosh band.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

What band? I've got to know. What band is this?

[Tara Arjakos]

Dropkick Murphy's. Cool.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

So, yeah, that'll be awesome.

[Tara Arjakos]

Yep. And, you know, it started out with just me and my buddy, and now it's me and five of my friends. So I was like, okay. And they're all like, they're so proud of me because they're like, you have to always plan, plan, plan. You literally sat there at a party and said, hey, tickets are 400 bucks. Let's go, ticket. That's awesome. So that freedom to kind of let myself be a little bit more spontaneous, that's probably the best gift of it all.

[Katie Lemieux]

Nice. And had you kind of thought about that stuff during our course? Because Kate and I really talk a lot about the dream lifestyle and dream.

[Tara Arjakos]

Practice and, Yeah, I mean, I was aware of how much I hold myself back. And I have to say, so a few years ago, I moved to. I live in Jersey, so I moved to the shore. And I am a total beach girl. And every week that goes by, I always say, this was the best decision that I made. And this past year, I. It's funny. Like, people are like, oh, you know, how you doing? I was like, I'm the happiest I've ever been because I just follow what I Want, like my girlfriends the other day, we usually. My one friend and I meet at the local coffee shop and do our paperwork together because she's a nurse practitioner in the field. And I text her, I go, hey, we going to do paperwork? She goes, oh, no, blah, blah, blah, and are going here to have lunch or something. And I was like, oh. I was like, okay. And she's like, wanna come? I was like, okay. Like, I could just say yes. I was like, yeah, no, paperwork will be there. No problem. So it's just nice to have that.

[Katie Lemieux]

You know, I so appreciate your story because you're really like, the living proof that you can have your dream practice, work with your dream clients and your dream lifestyle. And, you know, as. As I'm saying that, like, this is what Kate and I tell people is possible and, like, it's true.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Right? Right there you're it. Right.

[Katie Lemieux]

And there's many other coaches that we've worked with that are it. But, you know, I guess it's funny, I think from our end, you know, Kate and I know what we've created in our own life. And it's kind of like when you create something in your own life, you're like, yeah, you're proud of it or whatever. But then you're like, well, I know others can have this. And on some level you're like, I know they can have this, but I'm not so sure yet. And, you know, some of the results that people have produced in our course are just, like, astounding. And then really just to hear, like, in the whole summary of, like, everything we're talking about and, like, what Kate and I say is possible and you just being living proof, it's just really, really cool on this other end to just know that it is truly possible and that you're experiencing that.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

So the chill factor, for sure.

[Katie Lemieux]

I know I was having them. I was having them before. So exciting. So, Tara, what would you want someone, maybe, who, I don't know, either they're getting ready to start private practice or they got stuck like you did. Right. Like, at one time they were full with insurance, and then things dried up. You know, what do you want to say to people about practice? Mindset, Whatever. What do you want to bestow on people?

[Tara Arjakos]

You know, it's funny because I'll have people, like friends ask me often, they're like, I want to go in private practice. Can I pick your brain? And I always say yes. I'm like, absolutely. And so I think the biggest thing is that I remind them I'm like, you just have to put the fear aside, is that if you really want it, you're going to make it happen. And there's just a couple things that you learn to accept as you do it is, you know, the first thing, like I said, is knowing that you are good enough, you're good enough to run a private practice. The harder part is knowing exactly what you want out of it. I think that was the challenge of doing the course with you guys is when you're like, well, what's your ideal practice? I'm like, oh, other than 18 people a week, that's all I knew for a long time. I was like, just 18. I'm like, what are you gonna do with the rest of your time? I have fun, apparently. Travel to Paris and learn to ride out the ebb and flow of business. That's probably the key to surviving and not freaking out every moment that it's a little bit slower. You know, I've. I've learned to really accept that. I might have preached it for years, but I never actually accepted it until probably this past year. Like, I know, I know in September it's slow. That's cool. I go on vacation then because I'm not going to make as much money in the first week of September anyways. So I might as well go enjoy myself and not have to worry about the numbers. Awesome. So take advantage of that. But really, just if you want it, find yourself a couple good people to talk to and just take it all with a grain of salt because you're gonna have to make it your own anyways.

[Katie Lemieux]

Nice. And another really cool thing, and I don't remember if it was like within the course or like right after the course. One of your. I think it was an article got published through haro. I remember you talking about that and I know that you were talking about creating the, this curriculum and I know that you have that as your giveaway. So again, another really awesome result that you've created. Really transforming your relationship with marketing, getting back into the fun of all of it. And so share with our audience what the giveaway is.

[Tara Arjakos]

So I spent many years working with people on emotional eating habits and this is actually just a curriculum for health, you know, pretty much healthcare professionals or counselors that are working with people. And you can do it individually too. I tried to make it so that it was user friendly all around on working to kind of peel away at some of the layers of emotional eating because often it's. The eating is usually a symptom of something bigger and it's meant to give you the little bit of, like, a map in order to go do the bigger work. So the idea is you start to find some of the thought patterns, some of the behaviors, and challenge that. But in the course of it, if there are obviously bigger issues going on, it gives you the opportunity of knowing you need to reach out for more help. Or if you're working with a therapist, they're there for you to do it. Nice.

[Katie Lemieux]

And what's the name of the curriculum?

[Tara Arjakos]

It's called Food Mood. And you'd. So, yeah. Cool.

[Katie Lemieux]

And we're gonna be putting a link to that in our show notes page. And I know you said from the date that this airs, which was what, Kate? February.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

It will be February 9th.

[Katie Lemieux]

So February 9th, 2020. From the date that this airs, Tara is going to open access for the next five days. So the 20th through the 25th of 2020. You guys can grab that and you grab the link over on the show notes page. So, Tara, thanks so much for being here with us. I mean, it's nice to just like sit back and just hear where you progressed to, how you've evolved, where you're at now, and that you're really enjoying life and have an amazing time in Paris.

[Tara Arjakos]

Thank you. I'll think of you guys if I end up in a Paris.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Yes.

[Katie Lemieux]

I want to see pictures. Yeah, I want to see that picture. That's the picture I really want to see.

[Tara Arjakos]

So actually, that's the band. I don't go in the mosh pit because I will get destroyed.

[Katie Lemieux]

I still want to see a mosh pit picture, though.

[Tara Arjakos]

Okay.

[Katie Lemieux]

So, Startup Nation, we really hoped you enjoyed this story of inspiration, encouragement and success. The reason we want to bring these to you so you know that it's possible. We really hope that you guys join us next week as we talk to Luna Medina Wolf. Luna is actually a local here. I've known Luna since she was a registered intern and now she is a group practice owner. So we're going to be talking about her journey from solopreneur to group practice owner. The trials, the tribulations, and really how balancing it all, being a mom, wife, and all that good stuff.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Tara, it was so great to see you again and thanks again for coming on and sharing your story, Startup Nation. Hope you guys found this to be useful and inspiring. Hearing another practitioner's story and the struggles along the way, the triumphs and all of that good stuff. And if you guys are enjoying our content, definitely subscribe, rate and review our show. You can do so on itunes. You can leave us a Google review. Give us some. A little Google Love. We love the Google Love and we love hearing from you guys because we want to know that we're on track with the with the topics that we're talking about on our podcast, making sure that they're really meeting your needs. And if there's a topic you haven't heard yet you want to hear, definitely let us know that too. Send us an email and we will look forward to seeing you in our Facebook group. A place where Startup Nation hangs out.

[Katie Lemieux]

As always, thanks for allowing us to inspire you guys. From startup to mastery. Have an awesome day.

[Dr. Kate Campbell]

Thanks for joining us on the Private Practice Startup. Visit the private practices startup.com for awesome resources, free trainings, attorney approved private practice paperwork, and so much more. It.