Do you Want to Be an Entrepreneurial Therapist who Builds a Private Practice?
Starting your own therapy practice as an entrepreneur can be both exciting and challenging. Unlike working as an employee or contractor, you have full control over your business decisions, client base, and income. While private practice comes with financial and administrative responsibilities, it also offers a level of freedom and fulfillment that many therapists find rewarding. If you’re considering taking the leap into entrepreneurship, here’s what you need to know.
HR Benefits: Taking Charge of Your Own Security
One of the key differences between being an entrepreneur and working for someone else is that you don’t receive employer-provided benefits. This means you’ll need to arrange your own health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. While this adds an extra layer of financial planning, it also gives you the flexibility to choose the best options for your needs rather than being limited to an employer’s offerings. Many private practice owners invest in self-employed retirement plans and group health insurance options to create long-term financial security.
One major perk of being your own boss is the ability to structure your work-life balance according to your personal and business goals. You’re not bound by someone else’s schedule or policies, meaning you can design a workload that allows you to enjoy time with family, travel, or pursue other interests while maintaining a sustainable income. This flexibility is a key reason many therapists transition to private practice.
As your practice grows, you also have the opportunity to hire employees or subcontractors, allowing you to expand your business beyond solo work. Whether you bring on administrative support, other therapists, or clinical interns, scaling your practice can increase your revenue and reduce your workload in the long run. This entrepreneurial growth potential is something you won’t find in traditional employment or contract work.
Freedom and Fulfillment: The Power to Shape Your Own Success
One of the biggest advantages of running your own practice is having full control over your policies, rates, and therapeutic approach. Unlike employees who must follow workplace guidelines or contractors who abide by agency contracts, you decide how you want to run your practice. From setting session fees to choosing your ideal client base, private practice allows you to align your business with your personal and professional values.
While self-employment comes with financial risks, it also offers higher earning potential in the long term compared to being an employee or contractor. Since you set your rates and don’t have to split fees with an employer, your income is directly tied to your efforts. Once your practice is established, you can maximize your earnings while maintaining a schedule that works for you. With smart business strategies and steady client referrals, many therapists find they can earn significantly more than in traditional employment.
Perhaps the most fulfilling aspect of entrepreneurship is the deep sense of accomplishment that comes from building a business that reflects your vision. When you run your own practice, you’re not just working—you’re creating something meaningful that serves your clients in a way that feels authentic to you. The ability to shape your career, make a direct impact on your clients, and grow professionally on your own terms makes entrepreneurship one of the most rewarding paths in the therapy field.
Is Private Practice Right for You?
Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, but if you value freedom, financial growth, and the ability to build something of your own, private practice can be an incredibly rewarding path. While it requires strong business skills, financial planning, and self-motivation, it also offers unmatched flexibility and control over your career. If you’re ready to take charge of your professional future, starting your own practice could be the best decision you ever make.
Free 30-Minute Workshop for Private Practice Therapists!
- Discover the three biggest website mistakes made by private practice therapists
- Walk away with an understanding of the changes you need to make to your website
- Feel confident about being an entrepreneur, finally having a vision for a strategic website that will help you build your therapy practice
"After this workshop, I finally started thinking about the FUNCTION of my website, not just the look."
More of...
- Referrals
- Confidence
- Ease & Balance
Less of...
- Inefficiency
- Frustration
- Low Income
I Became a Resentful Employee
I'm Anna Krueger from Therapy Biztech. That's a picture of me a few years ago, when I was a private practice speech language pathologist.
Perhaps you are not receptive to private practice. You might be thinking, "Hey Anna, I just want a regular job where I'm respected. More than anything else, I'm just hoping to find a less toxic work environment. I have bills to pay so don't talk to me about spending money foolishly on training that I don't want."
Perhaps you want a small private practice that gives you a professional income.
"I don't want subcontractors. I would love to have a lucrative income stream that is somehow automated. I have ideas but I don't know how to make them a reality."
I am here to tell you how I did it. I spent many years feeling disappointed in my career choice of speech language pathology because of my experiences as an employee in public jobs.
I Wanted a Public Job
When I graduated as a speech language pathologist, I dreamt of having a publicly funded job. I'm talking about a job in a school district, or a hospital, or a health unit. I wanted to be an employee with job security and health insurance benefits.
I knew that publicly funded jobs create the standard of what therapists should earn. It is not just the hourly pay. It's the total yearly salary, the vacation benefits and the retirement package. I wanted a reliable professional salary.
Moving to a small town to get that type of position was out of the question. My husband's job kept us in Vancouver, a large city. We had a toddler who needed my attention. Putting her in full-time daycare didn't appeal to me.
Consequently, I spent many years working as a casual employee. You may be aware that casual employees don't generate seniority. Only permanent positions offer that important advantage.
I covered for therapists who were on maternity leave. I loved reading the confidential case files. I could see the clinical notes as well as the formal reports. These positions taught me all about my scope of practice and how to do assessments and therapy. The jobs had high clinical standards. There was enough time in my day to serve my caseload well. It was fulfilling to be a clinical professional in these settings.
"Obviously, that was a long time ago. The situation in public jobs in Canada is bleak now," you might argue.
Yes, nevertheless the point I want to make is...
Here in Canada, publicly funded jobs provide the standard for the scope of practice for the profession. Employees are paid for all the support activities required for the job, not just for the client-contact hours.
There Were Not Enough Public Jobs
I felt sad when each position came to an end. The regular employee would be back from maternity leave and I would be out of work again. It didn't matter how well-written my assessments were or how effective my therapy programs had been. My relationships with clients, families and colleagues all came to an abrupt halt. I had to shake off my disappointment and apply for the next opening.
As a casual employee working in a union environment, I was not building up seniority. On a few occasions, I did manage to get permanent part-time positions but even these ended suddenly due to budget cuts. I was always the first one to be laid off. During a five year period, I held seven different positions.
After many years of struggle, I felt so frustrated by the limited opportunities for stable employment as a speech language pathologist. There were not enough public jobs in speech language pathology.
Maybe the same is true of your profession.
Has being an employee with a reliable salary been your dream? Does the downside of leaving your community make that less desirable? Have you have tried to break into a union environment as a casual employee? Have you left a public job because of stress or resentment?
"I feel so discouraged," you might be saying to friends and family.
You are not alone. I know your struggle is real. There are major differences between working as an employee, a contractor or an entrepreneur. I have done all three over the course of my career.
Read more about the three career paths for therapists HERE.
Free 30-Minute Workshop for Private Practice Therapists!
- Discover the three biggest website mistakes made by private practice therapists
- Walk away with an understanding of the changes you need to make to your website
- Feel confident about being an entrepreneur, finally having a vision for a strategic website that will help you build your therapy practice
"After this workshop, I finally started thinking about the FUNCTION of my website, not just the look."
More of...
- Referrals
- Confidence
- Ease & Balance
Less of...
- Inefficiency
- Frustration
- Low Income
Therapists can choose to work as employees, contractors or entrepreneurs in private practice. I have done all three. My decisions were guided by what my family needed at that time.
Read more...
