Establishing your own firm or practice is an incredibly daunting task. From myriad of legal and regulatory hurdles to the financial and career related risks, professionals who choose to start their own firm have to overcome so much and so we wanted to reach out to those who’ve done it successfully for advice, insight and stories.

Renae Scott

The idea of starting Bee Collaborative came during a pivotal moment in my career. After more than two decades in marketing, including time at Victoria’s Secret and working in economic development for Ohio, I felt a growing desire to build something personal, impactful, and aligned with my values. I wanted to take the lessons I’d learned about strategy, customer behavior, and brand growth and use them to help small businesses succeed. My entrepreneurial spirit dates back to childhood, when I sold rocks collected from Lake Michigan on a dead-end street in Indiana, and that same mindset guided me as I laid the foundation for Bee Collaborative in June 2022. The first steps were clear: articulate the firm’s vision, identify my ideal clients, and create a simple yet impactful service structure. From there, I focused on establishing my brand identity, building a network, and crafting messaging that reflected my collaborative, creative approach to solving complex marketing challenges. Read more>>

Joanna Consiglio

The story of the early days of my practice starts with a personal experience—an injury to my lower back. I wasn’t getting the results I wanted from the typical quick adjustments, so I began investigating other treatments and adjustment styles. Through this journey, I found a combination of treatments that worked for me, which led to a desire to offer true personalized care. My experience made me realize just how important it is to treat people as individuals, understanding that each body is unique. When I decided to start my own practice, the first step was figuring out my treatment style. I knew I never wanted to be the typical chiropractor. I wanted to spend more time with my patients and combine additional modalities like acupuncture and supplements into my practice. Once I figured out what treatments I wanted to specialize in, I focused on building a brand and creating a sense of community within my practice. This is something I am still always working on. Read more>>

Mi’lisa Idora

When I first envisioned building Soulcial Therapy, I dreamed of a serene brick-and-mortar sanctuary with lots of natural light and gold and white decor. I imagined women walking through the doors and immediately feeling the warmth, intention, and healing energy. Instead of diving straight into a physical location, I started with what I had and where I could—mobile sessions, small gatherings, and collaborations with other wellness spaces. Each step has been a lesson in flexibility, perseverance, and staying rooted in my mission to help mompreneurs harmonize business and family demands with self-care and intentional living. Read more>>

Angel Thomson, Ms, Lmfta

I started my own private practice because of two main reasons: 1) I was tired of being exploited by a group practice and 2) I no longer wanted anyone, outside of Washington law and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Code of Ethics, dictating to me how to do my work. After graduating with a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy, I got a job working as a therapist for a group private practice in the Greater Seattle Area. The pay was very low, but I didn’t know this at the time, and I was eager to do the work I felt purposed for, and borrowed $100,000 in student loans to be able to do. There was some flexibility when it came to my schedule, types of clients, and clinical areas of focus, but for the most part, I had to do what the group owner wanted. I couldn’t choose my rate or cancellation policy, which means I had very little control over my income. Clients would get placed on my schedule and I was expected to work with them, there was no ability for me to have a consultation with them beforehand to see if we were a good fit for each other. Read more>>

Megan Van Noy

I want to take you back 9 years ago when I found myofunctional therapy on a Craigslist Ad and knew without much research that in my gut this was my next path. My parents thought I was crazy that I wanted to switch my career at 25 and when I’d only been a hygienist for 3 years and every single person around me looked at me like I had 3 heads. I had a couple people in my corner who I had worked at a dental office that did bioblocs in 2012, so they had a working knowledge of what I was trying to do. And that’s actually where I got my first exposure to jaw growth and tongue posture and the whole works. I just didn’t know until 3 years later that it was something I could specialize in. Read more>>

Tahleekah Partee-young

I’d often entertain the idea of becoming a private practice therapist, since obtaining my MSW degree in 2010, but I knew that this goal would be reserved for the distant future. Following several years of practicing therapy within an organization, I would witness co-workers depart from their nine-to-fives, and venture off into private practice. I was an awe of their bravery! A turning point for me happened during COVID, when we were all quarantined. I remember just having a little more time to think. I recall having a conversation with God, letting Him know that I’d like to become a private practice therapist. Still, I was comfortable with my current employer of 14 years. Read more>>

Dr. Jane Grant

The journey to starting my practice has been deeply personal and transformative. I always knew I wanted to open my own practice—even back in physical therapy school—but it wasn’t until 2021 that I truly discovered my passion. After years of studying reproductive and holistic health, I began to explore pelvic health more seriously. This exploration created a bridge between my personal healing journey and my professional path, opening my eyes to the power of the pelvic floor, the importance of healing our wombs, and the need for autonomy in how we care for our bodies. That realization was a pivotal turning point for me. Read more>>

Kristen Woodruff

Prior to starting Buttered N Bliss All Natural Body Treats, I had a desire to find a product that truly moisturized and nourished my skin. Store bought products were not helping me at all. My skin remained dry and dull looking, so I was determined to find a solution. I started off researching natural based ingredients and the unique properties associated with them. Once I found a few staple ingredients, I researched formulations and got to work. Initially, I started making body butters which are oil based as opposed to lotions which are water based. Immediately, I started to notice a difference in the texture, look and feel of my skin based on my new found concoction. I was so excited that I created this body butter that I decided to share with close friends and family. They gave raving reviews on how the product helped them, and how it truly made their skin look and feel healthier. Read more>>

Jennifer Murphy

I am a board-certified autonomous Family Nurse Practitioner in Florida. With over 17 years of experience as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and over 25 years of Nursing, I have become increasingly aggravated with the traditional medicine treatment constraints, as well as limitations set by health insurance companies. I do not believe that “the system” is built to allow for ACTUAL helpful and appropriate patient care. I founded this company in an effort to take the knowledge that I have obtained through my extensive training and experience to provide care to my patients the way that they deserve. I believe that our health is the most important investment that we can make in our lives, and I have a true passion for educating and empowering others to make sure their most important investment is protected. I pride myself in being an active listener, a thorough educator, and a genuinely caring provider. Read more>>

Dr. Clara Clark

Starting my own podcast and talk show “Xceptional Talk with Dr. Clark” was an exciting and rewarding endeavor, and I haven’t reached my desired level. My initial decision, of course, was the decision to start. This began with a desire to connect with others, share unique perspectives, or create content that has a lasting impact. The idea of interviewing people from all walks of life was an excellent approach because it brings diverse perspectives and rich conversations to the table, something that listeners crave. For me, the initial decision would be driven by curiosity and a genuine interest in hearing people’s stories. It’s not just about the platform or the reach, but about creating an authentic space for open dialogue. Read more>>

Harley Reid

Becoming your own musician in the digital age is both empowering and quite depressing. What’s empowering is that there are so many tools and recourses available to make art at a high level, and share that work with your community or the world. Take advantage of any tools you come across that can help you learn, watch all the YouTube videos! I have had classical and jazz training as a musician, but thanks to the YouTubers, reddit forums and the likes, I was able to teach myself how to edit video, mix and master, and gain insight on technology that could advance my work. Read more>>

Susan Rich

After graduating medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I moved to the greater Washington, DC metro area for a psychiatry residency at Georgetown University Medical Center and a child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center. The unpredictable, long commute in the metropolitan area led me to seek out mentorship from psychiatrists with home offices to learn how to set up my practice in a residential setting to avoid commuting. While it allowed for a number of benefits, including writing off a portion of my mortgage, utility bills, and office renovations, there were a number of challenges. Fortunately, my husband at the time and I were able to find a modest home with a separate entrance and, with minimal remodeling, we were able to add an extra door to the side porch to allow patient entry and exit through separate doors. Permitting was fairly straightforward, and I operated the practice as a sole proprietorship for the first 9 years while I was paying off my student loans. Running a psychiatric practice out of a home office meant that I needed to be fairly selective with the patients I chose in order to avoid safety concerns for myself or my family. Read more>>