Planning for Parental Leave as a Private Practice Owner

For many private practice owners, their clinic is their baby. My business partner—audiologist Melissa Wilson Beer—and I constantly joke about our clinic being our first child with all the highs (and lows) that come with raising a little one! The dedication and attention given to the business helps it improve and grow. This time and attention can also become a challenge when a real baby comes along. As women business owners, we navigate the world of business while carving out time to learn the world of parenting. As I prepare to welcome my first little one into the world—in just a few weeks—I spent time researching state laws, generating plans, and keeping in constant communication with my team and business partner in preparation for taking time away. It’s a lot to wrap my head around … maternity leave for entrepreneurs isn’t typical, as the business-management brain never truly shuts off, but I’m hoping with some major planning, a great team, and advice from others, to nurture both “babies” at once. A million questions about our practice have floated through my mind since finding out a little one was on the way. How much time should I take off? When do I let patients know? How does the business stay viable? What will communication with my team look like to ensure things run smoothly? Should we get additional coverage? Luckily, nature gave me nearly 10 months to put a plan into action. I gathered advice from other mom-entrepreneurs and wanted to share w...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Audiology Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology Practice Management Source Type: blogs