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Private Practice Startup Podcast
Episode 194: Up Close and Personal with Maureen Werrbach
00:46:27
Maureen Werrbach
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- [00:02]
A
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.
- [00:31]
B
Hey there Startup Nation.
- [00:32]
C
Welco.
- [00:32]
B
Welcome back to another episode of the Private Practice Startup podcast. And we are in the middle of our up close and personal mini series and this is actually the second time we're doing this. So this is the second round and today you guys voted for Maureen Warbach. And actually before we hit record it was funny. Maureen was sharing with us like how she doesn't usually share and so she didn't share this with her people and yet she still got voted. So you guys really want to hear from her. So this is going to be a little bit fun and she's going to stretch herself a little bit, sharing a little bit about her. So before we get started, if you are joining us for the first time, we want to say welcome to the Startup Nation family. We're giving you a virtual hug, joining you, bringing you guys into our family and if this is your first time, we have a gift for you and that is our paperwork free paperwork course that goes over everything that you guys need to have in your consent. Like it or not, paperwork is here to stay. So with the free paperwork course we give you our customizable attorney approved HIPAA download form and you can grab that at private practices startup.com head on over to the resources tab and there you will see it. So just a little bit about Maureen before we dive in. So Maureen Warbach is lcpc, is a multi business entrepreneur in the mental health field. She owns Urban Wellness, a large counseling group practice in Chicago, the Group Practice Exchange, a business coaching firm and co owns Group Practice Builders Business Focus Conference for group practice owners. Her aim in life is helping the helpers. As a helping professional herself, she knows firsthand the focus healthcare providers put on making a positive impact in the world. She also knows that many healthcare professionals put business second to the boots on the ground. Helping in the community. That's where she comes in. She helps healthcare owners learn how to successfully start and scale their businesses so that they can have a larger impact on their communities. And the cool thing is we haven't connected with Maureen for a while and last time we connected with her and major like blizzard, snowstorm and she was hiding in her closet because her kids were home for the day and now she's sitting outside. It's beautiful. It's the summer, so we're really excited to dive in. So before we do that, let's just take a quick moment for our sponsors.
- [02:41]
C
When it comes to keeping your practice organized, you want software that's not only simple but the best. We recommend TherapyNotes. Their platform lets you manage notes, claims, scheduling, and they have a new awesome telehealth platform for your online counseling sessions. They offer amazing unlimited phone support and email support, so when you have a question, they are there to help. To get started with the practice management software trusted by over 60,000 professionals, go to therapynotes.com and start a free trial today. Enter promo code PPS as in private Practice Startup and they will give you two months to try for free. Go to therapynotes.com tired of never quite.
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D
Feeling comfortable with your private practice financials? I'd like you to meet Green Oak Accounting. Their goal is to empower private practice owners with the financial information they need to make good business decisions. They specialize in working with solo and group private practices in the mental health industry, so they are uniquely positioned to help with figuring out what's normal in your business, finances and what's not. So if you've ever had a conversation with your accountant or bookkeeper that left you wishing that they understood private practice or had some best practices to share, head over to greenoakaccounting.com and Schedule A free consultation to see if they might.
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B
Be a good fit for you.
- [04:00]
D
They can help you with all your accounting needs from bookkeeping to Payroll to Profit first in Budgeting and Forecasting. Head over to GreenOakAccounting.com now.
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B
Hey Maureen, welcome back.
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E
Hi. It's so nice to be here again.
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B
It is nice to have you and we appreciate you getting a little bit uncomfortable as we explore who you are because people want to know.
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E
I'm so uncomfortable you guys.
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C
We'll do our best to be gentle.
- [04:30]
E
Please do so.
- [04:32]
B
We really just love to start with a story of you like where did you grow up? What was your family life like? Siblings, things like that? My favorite is what kind of teen were you?
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E
Oh God, the worst. So I was born in Germany and my dad was in the military and met my mom out there. So. So my half of my family lives in Germany and my dad's half lives here in Chicago and we moved to Chicago when I was, I don't know, 5ish and fun fact my parents because my Mom's German and my dad's American. They were like, when trying to decide my name, had said, you know, if we're planning on living the rest of her life in Germany, we'll give her an American name. And if we. If they were planning on moving to the US they'd give me a German name. So just to, like, you know, have a little bit of my mom here or have a little bit of my dad over there. Obviously I was. Have an American name or an Irish name. I was named after my dad's sister, but obviously the assumption was, was that we were going to be living in Germany. So fun fact, I'm always like, you know, when I was younger and didn't like my name, I'd be like, oh, I should have had the German name. I wasn't supposed to have an American name because we're living in the U.S.
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C
Did they tell you what the German name was?
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E
Yeah, Alexis. It sounds kind of American, too, but it's a German name.
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B
I was gonna say, but Werbach, I assume, is German.
- [06:04]
E
Well, yeah, my husband is partially German, so it's his name.
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B
I was thinking more. More so about, like.
- [06:12]
E
Yeah, I was thinking about a maiden name. I was like, you know, I should. I got a little bit more of a trick as my last. My maiden last name is my dad's, which is American, so it's Herman. So when I married Steve, I was like, well, I got a little bit of German back in me now, so.
- [06:26]
B
Yeah, there you go.
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E
Yeah. But we moved here, and my dad was having a hard time with, like, finding jobs out in Germany. At the time, Germans didn't really love Americans, so he got out of the military, and then, you know, was painting houses and selling flowers outside and that kind of thing. And my mom could tell he was kind of miserable. So we moved here, and my mom started working for the German Airlines, Lufthansa. So she could fly home as often as she wanted to up until like, five years ago, which is when she did early retirement to work for me. And she's a practice manager at my group practice.
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C
Oh, how cool. What is that like, having your mom work for you?
- [07:11]
E
It's. I mean, I couldn't have anyone that I trust more to manage, like, the financial part. So she started, you know, being in charge of billing, doing all the administrative stuff, minus answering the phones, because, you know, a German answering phones, like a real German with a thick accent is kind of stern on the phone, would not be the greatest. But she didn't do. She didn't do the phones, but she did all the billing, managing the money and payroll and all that stuff. And, you know, you can't. I couldn't trust anyone more than I trust her. And now she manages a team of admins that does the billing, and she's the one that does payroll and everything around. You know, when any of my locations have issues and stuff, she's there to fix it. So I love it. I will say that I'm. I get annoyed with her more than normal because I feel like I'm around her a lot. So my mom sometimes is like, you haven't called in a while. And I'm like, I know if I call you, you're gonna say something about work, and I'm just not in the mood to talk about work. So there is that balance, too. But we both love it. I mean, she gets to travel around the world, which is something she likes doing, and she can work and get paid while she's doing that. So she loves that. And, you know, I get to have someone that I couldn't trust more, kind of in charge of the money, which is great.
- [08:28]
B
Nice. And so what's interesting, like, having your mom or a parent work for you, right? Like, all your life, like, there's a hierarchy, like, par. Parent, child. Right. Even if you're an adult. And now it's like, imbalance a little bit. Has there been things that you've had to, like, be like, mom, you can't do that or don't. Yeah. What's that been like?
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E
I don't. It's been fine. I think, you know, my parents, you know, neither of them went to college. I think they are the. I don't know. I've heard this from other, you know, immigrant parents and parents who maybe haven't gone to college. They really just want their kid to do better than them, so they're just always really proud. And so I'm not, you know, if she does something where I'm like, you can't, you know, be saying or doing that. It's usually something about saying something because, you know, her German side will come out. And I'm like, it's not the American way to say that she takes it well. And I. And I'm not, you know, I'm not rough about it. So I'm just like, hey, your. Your German side's coming out little. And she already. She'll know right away what that means. So other than that, I mean, there's never been any, you know, things where I have to reprimand her or anything like that. So, like, yeah, luckily she's like, you know, we kind of fit the German stereotype of being, like, really organized and on top of things. And so she's, you know, always doing 110%, just wanting, you know, the best for my practice. So it's. It's really great.
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B
Gotcha.
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C
What was it like when you moved to the States when you were 5 years old with your family?
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E
I don't remember, like, being super young, what it was like. I don't remember the actual move, just because we've traveled a lot back and forth, so I felt like I was in the middle of both places for a while. But I'm an only child, which I don't love or I didn't love. Now I could care less. But as a, as a kid growing up, I am introverted, so. And I have a military dad and a German mom. So that, you know, combination is very fun to have as a child. And so my mom, who had a hard time, I think, transitioning to American life, I mean, her whole thing is, has always been that she's not American and she feels not American. And Americans are like, hi, how are you? And think, you know, they're like. She always used to say, why does everyone ask, how, how are you? Like, they don't care. They just say, fine, how are you? And she's like, in Germany, you don't ask that. You ask that to people you actually want to. And you don't just say, fine. You talk about what is happening. So she's like, everyone's just like, hi, how are you? Good. How are you? Good. And she's like, this seems so fake. And she had a hard time adjusting, which made it hard for me, who was, you know, an introverted, quiet kid who didn't have, like, the natural. I don't know if I'll never have this experience, but I always saw parents who were friends and then their kids were friends. And I was like, if only you would have had, like, friendships. I think it would have been easier for me as a child growing up. And, like, I moved several schools, so I had a hard time connecting with kids. And, yeah, I always say, like, my mom and dad will both usually say, yeah, that's the one place we messed up. You would have done well having a sibling to, you know, kind of communicate with and have fun with. So that's my childhood.
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C
And how many kids do you have now?
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E
Two, because I'm never effing having one.
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B
How do you really feel about that?
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E
Yes, I literally When I was dating my husband, I was like, so I'm not gonna have one or three. No odds someone will get left out. It's two or four. Four is too many. So it's two. How is that? And he's like, well, I guess that'.
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B
Was that your first date? Like you just laid it on the table as a non emotional.
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E
He knew me because we've been friends since grade school, since first grade. So yeah, he knew that kind of, kind of stuff to begin with. But yeah, that was kind of the joke. He had. No, no say in it.
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C
That's funny. Tell us the story about you and your husband and how you guys ended up getting together, being that you knew each other for so long.
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E
Oh yeah. So I went to a lot of. So I went to one kindergarten. I went to a first, second school in first, second and third grade, which is where he was. And he was like my little boyfriend at the time. And then I moved and went to school for fourth and fifth, went to school for sixth, seventh and eighth. So clearly like introverted person who has a hard time making friends. That all makes it worse when you never get to like stay in one place for a long time. I didn't see him again. Like I saw him maybe in fourth grade at like a carnival. I went back to that school, you know, to see some of my friends that I hadn't been able to see. But after like fourth grade, I didn't see him until college. I think I was 21. Let's just say I was 21 because I was at a bar. We're gonna say.
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B
You'Re 21?
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E
I'm gonna say, let's just say we're. Yeah, yeah. And he was. So I. The neighborhood I'm in, which is this neighborhood, I. We moved to this neighborhood essentially after I left the school that my husband and I were at. So we live in Chicago. Chicago is very big. The neighborhood that I was at, I moved out of to kind of go to fourth grade on in this neighborhood. So you don't like go to different neighborhoods? I don't know. At least our neighborhood didn't. We went to the bars in our neighborhood, we went to the restaurants in our neighborhood, but we never really ventured out. And so there's this one bar that's still there that we would go to every weekend. And I saw him and I looked at him and he looked at me and I walked up to him and I was like, Steve. And he's like, Maureen. Neither of us had seen each other since like third grade. End of third grade or, you know, beginning of fourth grade, and both recognized each other. And he broke up with his girlfriend that. That night. And we started dating and got engaged a year later. Got married a year later, and together almost. Together 15 years. Married together 16 years. Married 14 years.
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B
Wow.
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C
And the rest was history.
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E
The rest was history. So, yeah. Yeah, that's how we. That's how we met. But I was like, what. What are the odds? Because he was still living in the neighborhood that I grew up in, which, like, there's no reason for him to have been at the bar. And he just so happened to be there because his friend. Oh, 21. It was 21. His friend was turning 21. It was his birthday, and he chose that bar, weirdly enough. So I just want to say the introverted self literally went up to a guy, which is not normal for me, because I was the one that went up to him and was like, hi. And he was like, hello.
- [15:33]
B
I love it. What a great story. And, you know, for those of you guys who are listening, you guys might be hearing some birds in the background, maybe some wind. I was hearing some, like, landscaping. So Maureen's outside because we're still recording during the time of COVID so most people are still home with their kids and everything going on. She was just sharing that her husband's downstairs teaching. The kids are in school, so she's outside. So if you guys hear random things happening, that's just what's happening. I just thought I would share that with you.
- [15:58]
E
It would have been way worse than that.
- [15:59]
B
No apologies at all. No apologies at all. It's just sometimes I know that people kind of are wondering, so I just thought I would.
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C
Yeah, it's kind of nice. I heard a bird chirping a minute ago, and I didn't even think anything of it because I'm just enjoying the view of looking at the ivy crawling up the brick wall. I know people on the podcast can't really see it, but. Yeah, you look like you have a nice little spot outside.
- [16:18]
E
Yeah. Thank you.
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B
I love how you say they can't really see it. No, they can't see it at all. Before we continue, let's take our second sponsor break.
- [16:28]
C
If you're looking for a new source of income or wanting to supplement your current work, betterhelp.com is a great option. BetterHelp allows you the flexibility to choose your caseload size and schedule clients at your convenience. Every day, thousands of people seek the help of licensed therapists at BetterHelp. If you're a licensed therapist or psychologist, BetterHelp is the easiest way to apply your clinical expertise online. With BetterHelp, you can focus 100% of your time on counseling. No need to deal with finding referrals, business operations, managing insurance or billing. They handle it all. Visit betterhelp.com pps, as in private practice startup, to complete a brief application and get started today. That's betterhelp.com PPS Maureen, I'm curious.
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B
What is one thing about Steve that drives you bonkers?
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E
One thing, One thing. Okay. He loves scary things. He's into, like, horror stuff, and I am afraid of everything. So, yeah, ever since we, like, met, he has. He's into Halloween. He's a Halloween baby. He was born in October. And our house has a lot of scary things. I mean, now it's all collected into the basement, but he has essentially a museum of scary stuff. And I'm always like, I thought you were gonna grow out of this. And he was like, I don't know what made you think I was gonna grow out of this? But, yeah, I have a husband who loves scary things, which is not very fun when he likes to jump up behind you and scare you and do shit. I hate that. It happened a couple days ago, and I was like, I'm so mad at you right now. And he's like, it's just. I feel so good when I get scared. He's always like, oh, you got me so good. And I'm like, I do not feel that way. I feel like I want to jab you in the eyeball when you do it.
- [18:25]
C
Yeah, my son did that to me the other day. He snuck up to show just to, like, I'm working on the computer, and he snuck up behind my chair, and I didn't know he was there, and I screamed bloody murder. And I felt so bad because I got, like, angry. I was like, why would you do that? It, like, really scared me. And then I was like, oh, I'm so sorry I reacted so strongly, but you scared me. I hate that feeling.
- [18:46]
E
Oh, by the way, that is someone mowing lawns. It's actually the guy that's working on our bathroom.
- [18:52]
B
Oh, okay.
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E
So it's a saw, then it's in my house, so that would be even louder. It's upstairs on the second floor in the bathroom. They're, like, doing plumbing up there, so there's no way I'm getting.
- [19:02]
B
What's something that Steve would say drives him crazy about you?
- [19:07]
E
My cleanliness, I think, or my work. I work a lot. I'LL say it's a tie between both. I am constantly picking up after the kids and after him. So our house doesn't look like anyone lives in it because I'm like, clean house, clean mind kind of person. And so I've gotten in trouble more than a few times for putting things away. Away air quotes I'm doing right now. And then not knowing where I put it and it's their stuff. And then he'll be like, where's my X, Y or Z? And I'm like, shit. I know it was sitting out for a while, so I put it away. What is a good place. I did this once with my. My wedding ring and for three or so years I didn't. I didn't have a wedding ring because I missed. Put it somewhere where I thought I'd remember and I didn't. So you.
- [19:56]
C
Where did you find it?
- [19:57]
E
I don't even know. I mean, randomly, after a couple of years, I found it, I don't know, in my bedroom. I don't even know. We had both thought that I just lost it, but I was like, I know it's in such a. Such a safe place that it's just that hidden. It was. It's definitely not thrown out, but it's that or it's work. Because I do, you know, because I have a couple different businesses, I am always on my phone. Oh, technology. That's probably it because I'm on my phone a lot, answering emails or, you know, Facebook groups, as you guys know, managing that. You know, you're on there a lot.
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C
So tell us a little bit about what a typical work week looks like for you schedule wise and how much time you're spending in each business. Obviously we're in Covid life right now, so everything's a little bit off, but typically, yeah, what is it like?
- [20:52]
E
So in the group practice, I spend the least amount of time because I've done the best delegating in that one. So I probably don't spend more than a few hours a week on the group practice. Non Covid time. I do my other work. So the conference stuff and the group practice exchange stuff from my group practice so that I'm present. So it can sometimes feel like I'm doing my group practice work, but I'm not. I'm just there to do all my businesses stuff. But I'll probably say like a handful of hours for the group practice. And those handful of hours is really just communicating with my leadership team, doing visionary work, you know, making decisions on expansion and that kind of stuff and things that go around there. I'll say I'll do a little bit more work when I'm actually expanding because I like the decorating and all of that, that part. So if I'm expanding, which I'm in the process of right now with one of my locations, I'll be doing a little bit more work just because I'm, you know, buying furniture and doing the fun stuff that I like doing for that with the conference. It's our second year, so I'm not. I think we're getting into a groove with knowing, you know, during what months we should be doing what. So that one kind of ebbs and flows where there's, you know, a few weeks span where I'm not doing anything and then, you know, a few weeks span where I'm doing a lot more. So there's not really much organization around that. I'll probably say on average a couple of hours a week. I'll say that even though closer to the conference time, I'll spend 10 hours or, you know, 12 hours in the week. But like I said, there's some weeks where I spend none. And then the group practice exchange takes up the bulk of my time. And that's the one where I think I'm the most disorganized because there's just so much I can do. And I get into this place of like, do the podcast, do the blog, do the memberships, you know, do stuff in the membership site, make sure I'm checking the Facebook groups, make sure I'm, you know, doing this and that. So, you know, that being said, I probably spend, I don't know, 20 hours on that. But I recently brought on a CMO, a chief marketing Officer who's going to be taking over, like essentially being the shield between all of my VA's and people that do the different parts of that business. She'll be the shield between them and myself. So she can make a lot of those decisions. So I can actually just do parts that are important that need me, which I'm really excited about. So I'm envisioning a handful of hours going down on that. But I am guilty of the random. I don't. You know, I mentioned one thing my husband is annoyed with me by is organization and like cleanliness. And it includes my phone. You know, right now someone came to my front door that's nest giving me a notification. Notifications on my phone bother me. And so I have this impulse to check it and just take away the check boxes or the numbers. By the mailbox, on my phone. So I tend to be guilty of a lot of, like, mindless stuff where I'm just checking the phone to make sure that I can just get rid of things, get rid of emails. That's something I'm working on right now.
- [24:10]
B
Kate and I can so relate. We're both sitting here shaking our head like, yes. It's like, gotta go get it out. Just, I don't want it there anymore.
- [24:19]
E
Yeah.
- [24:20]
B
That's so funny how you talk about that, like, with your husband. Like, I am so guilty as charged of throwing stuff away or donating because.
- [24:27]
E
I was like, I can't have it.
- [24:28]
B
In the house anymore. Just get rid of it.
- [24:30]
E
Yeah. I always say I'm so good at being Marie Kondo, because in my house and with my clothes and with my. I can look at. I'm not. And this is something that him and I have talked about is I'm not emotionally attached to pretty much anything except my kids and my husband. I even gifts that I get from people, if I'm not using it, I'm like, okay, it's done. So he's like, this was the shirt that you wore on our first date. And I was like, really? I don't wear it, though. Like, I'm throwing it out. So I tend to be so, you know, I have exactly the things that I need. And, you know, not that I'm not a person that doesn't buy things, because I do buy things, but that when I buy something, I'm like, what can I get rid of to replace? So I feel like I'm not adding to the clutter.
- [25:15]
C
I so feel you right there.
- [25:17]
B
I like, you know, people do, like, house cleaning maybe once a year or, like, you know, really getting rid of stuff. It's a joy for me. Like, I'm like, you. Like, you know, clear mind, clear house, clear space. Like, it just feels so good. I'm curious, Maureen, what prompted you or was there any experience or situation that had you get into this field?
- [25:37]
E
I mean, really nothing dramatic, but when I. Like I said, I didn't have the greatest time growing up in terms of connecting with peers. And so I just remember thinking, you know, one. My parents never brought me to a therapist, which was probably the worst idea on their end. And I just remember thinking, like, I'm gonna help other. I'm never gonna. I want to be someone that is there for kids so that they have someone to talk to when they're experiencing this, because I thought it was the worst thing in the world. At the time. And so I was just like, I'm gonna be a person that can talk to other kids and help them feel, like, wanted and needed and important. Which, interestingly enough, I don't work with kids. I started that way and then evolved to, like, you know, I like having intellectual conversations. And so it ended with working with adults and entrepreneurs. But that's how. That's how it started was I really wanted to be able to be a safe space for kids and teens that were not feeling like they were connecting with other peers and being bullied or made fun of. Nice.
- [26:47]
B
And when you first started out, did you have a vision of having in group practice or anything like what you have today?
- [26:54]
E
No. No. I mean, again, it doesn't connect with my personality style to have something like this. So it's. It's been something that's pushed me outside of my comfort zones in a lot of ways because I tend to. I was just watching. I don't know if you guys watch Dead to Me with Christina Applegate. Do you know that show?
- [27:19]
C
Yes.
- [27:19]
E
Yeah. I was saying that was the first.
- [27:23]
B
Thing I've ever Netflix binged on. I haven't watched the second season.
- [27:26]
E
Okay, yeah. So the. Not Christina Applegate, but the other one. She. A couple days ago, my husband and I were watching it and she was, you know, she does painting, she's a painter, and then she sells her paintings for, you know, lots of money. And I sat there being like, that is such part like my. I'm not a painter, by the way, but the idea of being by myself, doing my work, getting creative, and then giving it to someone and being like, okay, you deal with the people, you sell it, and then you can give me the money. And I remember thinking like, that is. That fits with my personality is like really just being on my own, doing my own thing, getting to be creative. And so it's funny that I, you know, went into pretty much the opposite, which is being, you know, I have, I think around 40, 40 something employees now. So I'm around a lot of people and managing lots of people and leading. But it's been a great experience to grow, like, the uncomfortable parts of me and I. What's been the hardest?
- [28:25]
C
Oh, sorry, go ahead.
- [28:26]
E
No, no, you go ahead.
- [28:28]
C
I was gonna say, what's been the hardest part about navigating that? With having so many employees and having to navigate some of the uncomfortableness.
- [28:40]
E
The hardest part was really the communication piece. I'm a people pleaser, I think because of my childhood and just wanting people to like Me and being like, why aren't. Why am I not liked? What is it about me that can sometimes not anymore. But for a long time, that was bleeding into just me, you know, bending over backwards and making it the best place in the world to work. And, you know, it took a lot of work to be able to have difficult conversations where I could say, I know that I'm providing something really awesome here, and if it's not the best for you or if you want more, then you need to be able to look elsewhere. That was a hard place to get to as a leader, but also as a person who just doesn't love conflict at all. Yeah, but it's been my husband's like, you're Maureen 2.0, he always says, because he thinks that the group practice really shifted things. Here he comes walking by now, and he made a face at me because he heard me say his name. But I feel like it's. It's definitely made me a better person. Mm.
- [29:48]
C
There's a lot of similarities between what you're talking about and what I experienced in my own journey. Yeah. So it's cool to hear that about you.
- [29:56]
E
Yeah. It's interesting to hear that about you as well, then.
- [30:00]
B
So if you.
- [30:01]
E
Go ahead. Okay.
- [30:02]
B
If you weren't doing this, Maureen, what would you be doing?
- [30:06]
E
I have no idea. I used to. When I was younger, I wanted to be a lawyer. Like, a defense lawyer, because I felt like, oh, funny.
- [30:16]
B
We just had Amanda Patterson on the podcast. She referenced you about, like, coaching and consulting and also her journey. She wanted to be an attorney as well. Defense lawyer.
- [30:26]
E
Oh, that's weird.
- [30:27]
B
Or she say criminal, maybe. I don't remember, but go ahead.
- [30:29]
C
Criminal.
- [30:31]
E
Yeah. So that was it when I was younger. I don't know now, like, if I didn't do this, I think I'd be a book writer. I'm writing a book right now. But not that that's gonna be my. My professional, like, only job, but that probably would be what I do if I didn't do this. Write books, be somewhere nice again. As you guys are getting to know and anyone listening is getting to know, I clearly like to be by myself. So, like, what kind of things where I can experience, you know, the outside and have a nice view and get fresh air and also do something, you know, bigger than me that maybe doesn't require a lot of people to be around.
- [31:14]
C
What is your book about?
- [31:16]
E
Leadership. Yeah, I'm in the beginning, Ish stages. I actually started with a group practice, building one, and then I paused that that one I was writing for years, and then I paused that and was like, I mean, I might get to that at some point, but I feel like I have so much content already on that that I was like, I really want to focus on the leadership part because I feel like that's what's usually missing, you know, is the technical things are there. You know, how to recruit, how to interview, how to make a decision on what space to have, like, those things I've talked so much about. But I feel like leadership is a harder concept to really grasp. There's not like a step by step process. So this one's gonna. Where I'm going with it is it's a journey of merging, you know, successful leaders, like out in the world, real people, to concepts of leadership to kind of give a story behind different leadership concepts that I'll be bringing up. It's my thought. We'll see.
- [32:20]
C
Very cool.
- [32:21]
B
Yeah, I really loved Brene's Brown during.
- [32:25]
E
Great.
- [32:25]
B
Was that her leadership book? Wait a minute.
- [32:27]
E
No. What was her leadership book?
- [32:29]
B
Thank you. I'm like, that's not the right one. I really enjoyed that. I mean, I love Brene Brown anyway.
- [32:33]
E
Yeah, that was a good one.
- [32:36]
B
Yeah. Very cool. It's so interesting, like, how, like, you just kind of share yourself, like, really as an introvert and that this would never be the way that you would go. And here you are, and now you're getting a leadership book, which is really awesome and amazing.
- [32:49]
E
Yeah, it's been an interesting journey, that's for sure.
- [32:53]
B
So when you sometimes put down the work, because I know you're always with your phone and everything else, and you guys maybe venture out or go on vacation. Where do you like to, like, de. Stress get away to?
- [33:07]
E
I like to travel outside the US So each year my husband and I pick one place that we go for, you know, a week or two. So I don't have a favorite place yet because I keep, you know, I keep going to a new. A new place. We were supposed to go to Bali in, like, two weeks from now. Obviously, that's not happening, and I still have to cancel my tickets to that. So I was really looking forward to that because I feel like that was going to be the forced mindfulness. I'm horrible at mindfulness. I'm not a mindful person. I may, like, get stuff done type of person. And so I was like, we're going to zen out and relax and be mindful of our. Of our, you know, where we're at. And then, of course, Covid threw A wrench in that. But, yeah, I have to say, out of all the places I've been so far, Scotland has felt the most like where I could let work go. A lot of places that I. Other places I've gone, you know, being born in a different country, my parents have instilled traveling to different countries since I was young. Yeah. I have to say that Scotland is probably the one place so far where I felt like it was a different world. And I was able to be like, work is gonna survive without me. I don't need to pay attention to it. I'll say that.
- [34:33]
B
What's something, Maureen, that people most probably don't know about you?
- [34:37]
E
Oh, geez. That's a question that you needed to have prepped me with most. Something that most people don't know about me is like, I don't know. I'm not that exciting of a person. I'm pretty boring. So there's nothing like, wow, other than I was born in Germany. Like, that is usually my go to is like, this is the exciting thing about me. Every. Oh, God. Well, how about this?
- [35:02]
B
I'll ask this question because this was asked to Kate and I, and of course, I kept thinking about later on, what's your secret obsession?
- [35:10]
E
Don't judge. It's the Real Housewives. It's so not me. I am a, like, you know, leggings and T shirt and hair braided, like, no makeup person. It does not fit with me that I would like the Real Housewives of any. Any of them. But it's. It's one of those. I can. I can have, like, a mini retreat in my head when I'm watching that. I also am not thinking about work, but I'm also slightly embarrassed to say it.
- [35:41]
C
It's hysterical because. No, it's okay. I binge on watching them, too. I don't have a lot of time to binge on watching them, but it's like an escape from reality for some reason. It's so out there and so ridiculous, and I'm like, majorly conflict avoidant. And there's so much conflict. It's just entertaining. My husband can't be in the room for 10 seconds when I'm watching that. But I'm like, listen, listen. This is my me time. This is my time to decompress with something ridiculous. Don't judge. So, yeah, I get it. But most people are like, you. What? Really?
- [36:13]
E
I know. They're always like, I assumed you'd be watching something a little more educational, that you seem like a person that would do you know, not be watching that? You'd be watching documentaries or something else. I'm like, why watch those as well? But my guilty pleasure is Real Housewives, any of those reality type things.
- [36:30]
C
Trash TV.
- [36:31]
E
Trash TV. It's bad.
- [36:33]
B
Well, mine is 90 Day Fiance, and I was, like, embarrassed to share that because I don't ever watch anything. Every week. I don't watch series. I don't want sitcoms. They bore me. I feel even sometimes, like, stuff like on Netflix, it's like we used to watch Empire and it was like, okay, how much, like, how many people can date each other and have each other's babies and then all this other drama? Like, it's just not possible. So it's like, not even.
- [36:57]
C
But yes.
- [36:57]
B
Like, we were literally out to dinner on Sunday night and I looked at my other app. It's like, babe, 90 Day Fiance's on in, like, you know, 40 minutes. I was like, did I just say that? Like, this is ridiculous.
- [37:08]
E
That's so funny.
- [37:09]
B
I gotta go watch it.
- [37:10]
E
So many people say that about that show. I've never watched an episode of it, but so many people are watching that show. So maybe I have to. I don't know if I'm putting myself into a wormhole by even starting it, but.
- [37:24]
C
I actually saw Secret Reality Binge. I saw it as an. No, I saw it as an option. Last night I had the kids. I got the kids in bed, and I was gonna watch, like one show before I was gonna go to bed. And I saw that as an option, but I had something else that I was gonna watch. It was like Ladies of London. I ran out of Housewives. I'm like, okay, let's travel and watch reality TV in different places. But, yeah, Katie, I'll have to check it out.
- [37:46]
B
Yeah. So why don't we move on to our lightning round where we kind of give you some rapid fire quick questions.
- [37:53]
E
This is. This is making me so nervous. This is the part that I'm not looking forward to. Just for all of you guys listening.
- [37:59]
B
They'Re kind of easy and fun.
- [38:01]
E
Okay. Okay.
- [38:01]
B
Nothing. Yeah, it's not long. Big drawn out one. So it's interesting because as people vote, they usually vote for five people. And there's some specific questions that kind of pop up when we, like, pull the questions for your name. So I'm going to guess this one might be for you. Or maybe this is just like a random question. So someone says bubbles or no bubbles in a bath. Are you a bath person?
- [38:22]
E
No.
- [38:23]
B
No.
- [38:23]
E
Okay, I'll say bubbles If I had to choose, I like to be covered up. That's my fast thinking without paying too much attention is, yes, bubbles, but I'd prefer to just shower.
- [38:37]
C
What is your superpower?
- [38:42]
E
Shoot. I don't know. I guess. I mean, it's something with starting business. I feel like I'm really good at coming up with an idea and getting it to work. However you want to name that. I don't know what kind of superpower that is, but I feel like that's my strong area, is bringing an idea to life.
- [39:04]
B
A favorite adult beverage.
- [39:09]
E
Okay, so I feel like this is a long answer. I've always been a white wine person, and my mom would always joke how, you know, how as a kid, you obviously don't drink coffee. I've never liked coffee. And she always would say, like, when you become an adult, you'll like coffee. And there's. I still. It's. It tastes really gross. I remember, like, my mom and I would joke how I haven't become an adult yet because there's gonna be a point where you go from not liking it to liking it. And same with red wine. My mom would be like, that's just. You graduate to it. There's a point where red wine is. You're now a full adult. And it wasn't until it's been white wine until last, like, not even the past year. I tried, like, a Pinot Noir, like, the lightest red wine, and I like it now. That's the. I don't drink white wine anymore, and I feel like I've graduated and become an adult. That being said, the past, like, since COVID I'll say, I. Moscow Mules, my husband put together, he was like, let's get. Because red, you know, when it's warm is not. I don't know. Red wine doesn't mix with warm weather, I guess. And so he was like, let's get something refreshing with some lime and all that. So I've been having those. And so I'll say that's my new favorite is Moscow Mules.
- [40:22]
C
Cool. Does sound refreshing.
- [40:24]
E
Yeah.
- [40:25]
C
What's one of your most embarrassing professional moments?
- [40:29]
E
Professional. I don't even know. That's a hard one. Embarrassed. I mean, I feel embarrassed all the time. I don't think I'm one of those people that's like, oh, I said too much, and, oh, I did this too much, or, oh, I forgot to say this. So I'm perpetually embarrassed by myself. I don't know. I'll just say everything. Everything. And also, nothing is so I've never done anything so bad where I, like, should be embarrassed, but I probably have a little bit of chronic anxiety slash, you know, what did you do? You know, the vulnerability, hangover, but nothing particular stands out.
- [41:13]
B
What was it like to meet Mike Michalowicz in person?
- [41:19]
E
Good. Obviously, he's funny, he's charismatic. He's like the opposite of me, so. Which is something interesting about me, is if I have someone who is like that, it can bring that out in me a little bit. So, yeah, it was really fun. I think because I had met him on video a bunch of times, it felt less like new and exciting. I mean, it was exciting in its own right, but not. It didn't feel as scary as I thought it was gonna be just because I had met with him a few other times. So, yeah, it was fun. He's a. He's a genius. I really love everything he has to. Has to give, as you guys know. Yeah. Yeah.
- [41:56]
B
And it's funny you say that, too, because it's like in the Practice Builders community, when we finally, like, meet you guys in real person, it's like, oh, that's right, we haven't met yet. And, like, real person, in real life, whatever. Yeah, in person. That's what I meant.
- [42:08]
C
Yeah. It's interesting.
- [42:09]
E
That's right. I was gonna say. I didn't realize. I'm sorry, I keep interrupting you.
- [42:13]
C
Go ahead.
- [42:14]
E
It just made me realize that we haven't met literally in person. But it feels like I probably. I don't know, it just seems like I would have by now because I have seen you guys, you know, this way.
- [42:23]
C
I know. Yeah. It can feel like we've. We've met and you get to know each other virtually, and it's like, you know, that you feel like you know the person and then you see them in person. It's like, wait a minute. We really don't.
- [42:31]
E
It's.
- [42:31]
C
Yeah, it's a weird thing.
- [42:33]
E
Yeah.
- [42:33]
C
Well, I'm gonna ask you one more question, and, Katie, if you want to ask one more, and then we'll start to wrap it up. What inspires you most?
- [42:43]
E
I. What inspires me the most is. I mean, I'm looking. I'm thinking professionally now, but, like, seeing people, I think for me, I always felt like I wasn't going to be much of anything, you know? And so I get really excited and inspired and happy and, like, heartwarmed. When other people feel. Who feel like this is, you know, owning a business or doing. Writing a book or doing something exciting. Now a Plane is passing over that. When they're able to do that, it just makes me feel really good about, I don't know, the fact that it just reminds me of a place that I was at before. So I'll say that. Very cool.
- [43:27]
B
So final question. What's one thing that you guys have done during quarantine that's just not part of your, like, everyday life?
- [43:38]
E
We. So we did this a little bit. We haven't done anything that we don't normally ever do, but it's definitely heightened. I go for a walk twice a day. Once in the morning, and I walk to the local Starbucks and grab my drink. And then once in the afternoon, and the kids either come both times or the afternoon time. Sometimes they wake up late in the morning and they have to get ready for their online school stuff. But taking walks has been. I feel like the thing that I've learned is really helpful for my mental health. And if it wasn't for Covid, I wouldn't be doing it because I'd be getting to work right away and sitting in an office and working till I have to pick up the kids and then, you know, the whole normal runaround. So I feel like walks is the biggest shift that we've had. And literally, we go at least twice a day.
- [44:33]
B
So it's interesting that you referenced Starbucks, because I remember when we first had you on the podcast, you were so snowed in, you were, like, hoping there was a Starbucks fairy. And now you share. You don't drink coffee. So I'm just curious as to what is your drink at Starbucks.
- [44:45]
E
It's a Frappuccino. It's like the heaviest thing that you can get there. I get a mocha Frappuccino with one pump of hazelnut.
- [44:54]
B
Gotcha.
- [44:55]
E
And in the winter, it's just a hot mocha with one peppermint. But it's essentially the same thing. Just summer gets the hazelnut and it's cold, and winter gets so warm and with peppermint.
- [45:09]
B
Awesome. Well, Maureen, thank you so much for being a good sport and really allowing us to get up close and personal with you and even sharing in your own discomfort and just kind of exploring you. We really appreciate it, and we know that our collective communities will appreciate it too, just to kind of, you know, get to know a little bit more about Maureen Warbach. So we hope that you guys enjoyed this episode. Make sure you check out all of the practice builders and coaches we interviewed during this Up Close and Personal and our previous Up Close and Personal as well. Startup Nation. We love you. We hope you're doing well. Stay safe, be well, and most importantly, stay inspired. Take care everybody.
- [45:48]
C
See you next time everybody. Thanks for joining us on the Private practice startup. Visit theprivatepracticestartup.com for awesome resources, free trainings, attorney approved private practice paperwork, and so much more. Sam.