An Interview With Jake Frankel
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Be Prepared for the Haters: Yep, I said it. It doesn’t matter what you do, you will never make everyone happy. I was shocked at how many folks had something to say about my private practice or really didn’t believe in me until I was deemed “successful” and proved them wrong. Stay true to your values and you will succeed. Having thick skin doesn’t hurt either.
Asa part of our interview series with prominent medical professionals called “5 Things You Need To Know To Create a Highly Successful Private Practice” I had the pleasure of interviewing Savannah Burton.
Savannah Burton, Therapist Owner of MyMemphisTherapist Counseling and Consulting, has been in the mental health field since 2008 and started her practice in 2021. In just two years, she’s grown MyMemphisTherapist Counseling and Consulting to five councilors serving dozens of clients across many mental health areas including high stress jobs, women’s wellness, postpartum, self-care improvement, play therapy for children, and more. One-part entrepreneur, one-part mental health therapist, Savannah has a passion for running an authentic and highly individualistic counseling practice where her employees feel valued, and her clients are seen as more than a number.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you ended up where you are?
Iam a 37-year-old mom of two boys and have been in the mental health field since 2008. I opened my practice in January 2021 after working in various acute settings such as inpatient behavioral health hospitals, alcohol and drug rehabs, and Intensive Outpatient Programs. For years, I knew I wanted more, but didn’t quite know how to make the leap. During the pandemic, tele-health therapy was normalized and after having my second child, I thought it would be an opportune time to start my own thing and do 100% tele-health sessions from my home. I bought an outdoor shed and had it converted into a home office in my backyard, facilitating tele-health sessions from there for privacy. Fast forward about 2 years and now I have a brick-and-mortar office along with five clinicians and an assistant. It hasn’t been easy, but I would take the entrepreneur life over the Corporate America life any day.
I’m a huge fan of mentorship throughout one’s career. None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Who has been your biggest mentor? What was the most valuable lesson you learned from them?
Rather than having one person named as a mentor, I’d like to say I’ve taken many different priceless pieces of wisdom from previous colleagues in leadership at many jobs along the way. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned this far is the power of authenticity. In past years, I remember being hesitant to be myself in the professional setting, but after a previous supervisor embraced my innovative ideas and personality, I started to embrace it as well. I have found that if you are truly your authentic self, happiness comes naturally as well as the attraction of the right people in your life.
What made you want to start your own practice? Can you tell us the story of how you started it?
Since graduating with my master’s in counseling in 2010, I always knew I wanted to be a private practice owner. Even though it took me 11 years, that decade plus of experience was invaluable as it taught me so much about the field, clinical skills, and how to deal with people in general. Without those years of experience, I don’t think I would have been ready to start my own practice. The only good thing I like to say about the pandemic was that it provided me the opportunity to take the leap into private practice from the comfort of my home.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
The most interesting and beautiful thing to me about this job is having the privilege of being alongside those in what are sometimes their darkest moments. It is incredible to me to see a client walk away lighter after healing from his or her wounds in the therapy room. It is truly an honor.
Because it is a “helping profession”, some healthcare providers struggle with the idea of “monetization.” How do you address the business aspect of running a medical practice? Can you share a story or example?
I really struggled with this in the beginning of my practice. It took me a while to understand and see the value I bring to the client as their clinician. Someone once told me, “If you have a waitlist, raise your rates.” This got me thinking and eventually I raised my rates and started enforcing my late fee for no shows and rescheduling within 24 hours of an appointment. After doing this I noticed it provided a boundary for my clients and held them accountable. There is also a big misconception that therapists don’t deserve to make a good living because we “help people.” This cannot be further from the truth as therapists are already underpaid and burnt out. Most therapists did not go into this field to get rich. By allowing therapists to make a good living, we can keep the good ones around for a long time and prevent burn out as the emotional toll this field can take on a clinician can be monumental if one is not careful.
Managing being a provider and a business owner is a constant balancing act. How do you manage both roles?
Add wife and mom of two to that list too. The juggling act is honestly the hardest part, but having solid boundaries around my schedule and weekends has allowed me to have some balance. For example, I don’t see clients after my kids get out of school so I can be present with them in the afternoons. I also don’t market or do any posting on Instagram on the weekends. Having a solid structure for myself allows me to get the work done yet know when it’s too much. Otherwise, I would be working 24/7.
From completing your degree to opening a practice and becoming a business owner, your path was most likely challenging. Can you share a story about one of your greatest struggles? Can you share what you did to overcome it?
Unexpectedly, one of my greatest struggles was when I first started my practice. Starting out, I easily found myself not being taken seriously as a female business owner. I had someone laugh at my “little business” once! I knew that to overcome this I had to persevere in whatever the task was at hand; finding a space to rent, negotiating lease terms, dealing with difficult clients and parents of clients, and sticking with my business decisions. Having faith in myself and not needing external validation from others makes that easier. I tend to make moves silently. For example, whether it’s a podcast interview, magazine article, or presenting as a conference speaker, I tend not to let many people know the details before the event. That way, I can prevent any feedback from others swaying me into not going with my gut decisions and I can avoid overthinking. This may not work for everyone, but it has served me well.
Ok, thank you. Here is the main question of our interview. What are the 5 things you need to know to create a thriving practice, and why?
- Grit: This is easily the number one thing that has led me to success. Having the mental strength to problem solve hard issues as they arise has given me a mental an edge that I believe some people don’t come by organically. If you don’t have Grit, don’t open a business. Passion can only get you so far in private practice.
- A Marketing Strategy: It’s no secret that most therapists don’t have a background in marketing. Heck, my graduate program didn’t discuss this at all as it was clinically focused. To overcome this: Find a business mentor, learn how to use social media (my preference), or host regular networking events. Getting referrals is how you stay in business; you need a plan.
- Traditional Non-Working Hours Acceptance: I joke that I traded in my 9–5 job to work 24/7 and it’s 100% true. Owning a private practice is not for the faint of heart. Yes, I get to create my own schedule, but I am always making up for that by working after my kids have gone to sleep or creating marketing content on my non session days. It never stops. You need to eat, sleep, and breathe your brand, especially in the beginning. Once established, you will then have an opportunity to create boundaries for more work-life harmony.
- Be Prepared for the Haters: Yep, I said it. It doesn’t matter what you do, you will never make everyone happy. I was shocked at how many folks had something to say about my private practice or really didn’t believe in me until I was deemed “successful” and proved them wrong. Stay true to your values and you will succeed. Having thick skin doesn’t hurt either.
- A Rockstar Team: Having folks on staff that value your brand, respect your leadership style, and align with your culture is just the glue that holds everything together. Having just one person on staff that doesn’t jive with those things can make your life extremely difficult and ruin work culture faster than ever. When interviewing, listen to that little voice you have inside- If they don’t seem like a good fit, they aren’t.
As a business owner, you spend most of your time working IN your practice, seeing patients. When and how do you shift to working ON your practice? (Marketing, upgrading systems, growing your practice, etc.) How much time do you spend on the business elements?
When I first started, I was seeing clients 5 days a week. I quickly knew that wasn’t feasible when I started adding clinicians to my team. I now see clients 3 days a week and do administrative and marketing work the other two days a week.
I understand that the healthcare industry has unique stresses and hazards that other industries don’t have. What specific practices would you recommend to other healthcare leaders to improve their physical or mental wellness? Can you share a story or example?
I am a firm believer that every healthcare leader, especially mental health therapists, should be seeing a therapist of their own. The healthcare field can be so heartbreaking as well as fast paced, and if we aren’t careful, we can learn not to process those heartaches and eventually become numb to the hard days themselves. Staying on top of our mental health is so important to stay mentally well enough to take care of others. Remembering “my why” also has helped me stay humble and ground myself when needed.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story about how that was relevant in your own life?
“It’s not that I’m so smart, its just that I stay with problems longer.” -Albert Einstein
This is what has set me apart from many clinicians wanting to start their own business. Owning a business is not about having the knowledge that can always be learned, it’s more about persevering when you have issues arise and not giving up. For example, dealing with insurance companies can be a real pain in the butt, but through multiple calls, emails, and even having the client themselves contact their insurance company for clarity around issues can help most problems get cleared up due to the perseverance of being solution focused.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
New Instagram followers are always welcome, @mymemphistherapist. You can also check out my website, www.mymemphistherapist.com
Thank you for these great insights! We wish you continued success and good health!
This story was originally published at “medium.com”
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