Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aamani Mynampati. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Aamani , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

I had worked as a pediatric speech-language pathologist for several years – in clinics and in schools. I have always been passionate about pediatric therapy and the impact it had on peoples’ lives far beyond their formative years, and I was really looking forward to establishing my own practice and having an impact.

I started my practice “on the side” while working a full-time job. My first clients were the hardest to find – but after that, word of mouth, and an online footprint including a website, a yelp page, and google my business listing really helped me grow. Calls started coming in. Therapy sessions went well, and soon I had a waitlist!

That was the point when I started thinking about how to improve my impact, for the cases that I couldn’t offer personalized therapy. I thought about hiring clinicians. But I felt there was something else I could do first.

As my website says, “words are the foundation for a child’s education.” And I started to think about, in addition to my practice, making a hub for information on children’s speech and language development – for many locations, and for all budgets. I get hundreds of visitors to my website each month. So why not use this for good?

A blog, mailing lists, e-books, worksheets / workbooks, courses, a youtube channel, an app – all the ideas started flowing in. And I’m working on them! Early intervention, and parent education, with speech and language, is something I am passionate about. And I want to continue to contribute to that space.

My advice to young professionals is to think big and broad. Your original vision does not have to be your final vision. Follow where the road takes you!

Aamani , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a certified speech-language pathologist working in the Bay Area, California. My main area of practice is speech therapy for kids – toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school children.

Years ago, I had no idea the field of speech-language pathology existed! Funnily enough, I took the Myers-Briggs personality test, and this showed up as a suggested career. I looked it up, shadowed some professionals, and I fell in love with the profession, its impact and the reward of a kid’s refined speech!

I decided to earn my Master of Science degree in speech-language pathology from Loma Linda University in Southern California, where I did my thesis on child language development, received awards for academic and extracurricular excellence both from ASHA (American Speech Language and Hearing Association) and CSHA (California Speech Language and Hearing Association), and was on my school’s board for NSSLHA (National Student Speech Language Hearing Association).

Afterwards, I worked in pediatric speech, language clinics, and elementary schools. I’ve assessed and treated a variety of speech and language conditions: language delays and disorders, articulation / phonological disorders, issues with reading / writing foundations including phonological awareness, social language deficits, disfluencies, voice disorders, and more.
Some volunteer work I’ve done in the field of speech- language pathology includes a Loma Linda University service trip to collaborate with pediatricians and healthcare professionals in Hangzhou, China, and mentoring educational professionals at Little Hearts School in Mumbai India.

After several years of experience, I started my business – which led to the Smarter Speech website and all its related projects (blog, mailing list, e-books, courses, worksheets / workbooks, Youtube channel, app) – some still works in progress.
My practice is family centric. It involves weekly sessions, and parents and caregivers. I focus on explaining what is happening, and how it can be replicated, in daily routines, even just a few minutes a day, to increase therapeutic outcomes. Parents and caregivers are involved every step of the way.

Even the resources and products I create are meant for a child’s first teachers – their parents and caregivers. Speech and language modeling in early childhood is linked to cognition, to learning, to development – and parents / caregivers are the ones who can maximize their children’s ability the most.

I got into this field because I wanted to use my voice, my communication skills, and my love for teaching and mentoring, together. This profession, and my path so far, has helped me do just that.I feel most proud when I impact – in any way – a child’s speech and language development. Because I know in a way it impacts their future success in every facet of their life.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

It’s important to think on your feet and be creative! Formulaic, cookie-cutter approaches are just not effective when teaching, and when working with young children and their families. I love that this field makes you think outside the box, and make decisions on the spot. This field also teaches you to really observe and listen – to react based on what you see, not based on some preconceived notion. And, this approach carries over into daily life.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Trying to treat people well! I’m always surprised just how much people appreciate someone taking the time to return a call, to reschedule a session, to provide a consultation for free. How you treat people is the real logo of your business. Not only is it crucial for feeling good about yourself at the end of the day. But it’s the best marketing there is.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.smarterspeechslp.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SmarterSpeechSLP (videos will start uploading in Mar 2024)
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/smarter-speech-san-jose