We were lucky to catch up with Crystal Sebring recently and have shared our conversation below.

Crystal, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

As a pediatric, school-based Speech-Language Pathologist, I am always looking for the best therapy materials to use in my sessions with children. I specialize in working with children with speech-sound disorders and frequently use word lists or flashcards for practice words. One day while working with a preschool student, my cards ended up getting bent and torn, even the ones that were laminated. I also realized that flashcards can be…well…boring for children this young as they had a hard time staying engaged with the sessions. I was getting frustrated at having to replace these cards, or reprint and laminate again and again. I was also having to use a separate activity (game, puzzle, toys, etc) to keep my young students engaged and motivated to practice their speech sounds.

I needed a way to have quality practice words that incorporated play skills, fine motor skills, and were durable enough even for the most energetic 5 year old – enter Speech Squares™! I started the process of thinking of a way to combine learning flashcards with a play-based activity so it would be an easy, all-in-one, therapy material. As I began my research, there was very little in the way of play-based flashcards for speech therapy, so all I had was an idea and a little time on my hands to try and make this idea come to life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have been working as a licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) since 2015. I have spent the majority of my time working as a school-based SLP, but I have also worked in private clinics and tele-therapy. There are a lot of SLPs who make their own therapy materials, and for years, those materials helped me become a better SLP for my students/clients. When the idea for Speech Squares™ came to me, I was nervous to add something else to my already busy life, but I just couldn’t let this idea go. So many SLPs helped me through the years, and I thought if even one SLP has a successful therapy session using Speech Squares™, then it will have been worth it.

It is important to note that I didn’t design Speech Squares™ only for SLPs. I wanted them to be an educational resource for parents, teachers, and home-schoolers too! That is why you will see that I have designed sets based themes for vocabulary learning as well as sounds and letters. Because Speech Squares™ are made of real wood (not plywood), they are very durable and can be used in sensory bins and even in water, and they can’t be torn or bent, unlike my former paper flashcards. They also have a puzzle on the opposite side that is specially designed to help carry-over the learning from the front (flashcard) side. Puzzles are known to help children increase their executive functioning and problem solving skills; when combined with vocabulary and letter-sound words, it really becomes an ‘all-in-one’ learning resource!

There isn’t really anything similar available that I have been able to find, so when people first see Speech Squares™ it is hard to understand just how multi-functional, multi-educational they are. Each set includes a support sheet with ideas for how to use them at home or school, extra word targets, and ways to increase overall expressive and receptive language skills while using Speech Squares™. Because I have spent so much time working in the schools, it is important to me to use functional and academic word targets and incorporate multiple ways of learning and play in each design.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

My full business name is, “Sebring Speech: Handcrafted Play for Speech, Language, and Learning.” When I first started I spent a lot of time just figuring out the best method for crafting Speech Squares™. Over the past two years, I have streamlined the crafting process, but I still make each set by hand for every order.

I had to spend personal time and resources to find the right suppliers for my wood, ink, machines, and storage bags. I have a very supportive husband who helped me along the way, as well as some amazing SLP friends who would often give me feedback throughout the process. My family also helped me with some of the more technical aspects like websites and graphics.

Starting a small business can be scary, but I think being in control of my own ‘manufacturing’ by making everything by hand helps me maintain a connection with my customers and my business goals without getting too overwhelmed.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is a hard area for me; I don’t particularly like showing my face or doing dances or other type videos/posts. I knew the only way to get my business out there was going to be through social media. When I first started I did pay for a few ads to get the ball rolling, that only helped a little. Ultimately, the best way I found to build a presence was simply through making a quality product that other people wanted to share and talk about.

I enjoy collaborating with other SLPs on social media, and I get inspired by their content. I am not as consistent as I would like to be on social media as it does get hard to balance being a school-based SLP, military wife, small-business owner, AND content creator. My advice for someone just starting is to simply be yourself, make your social media your own way, post how/what/when you want and the right audience will find you and support you. Also, don’t be afraid to just start, you can always update logos and websites, and make changes along the way!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sebringspeech.com
• Instagram: @sebringspeech
• Facebook: Sebring Speech
• Other: TikTok: @sebringspeech

Image Credits
Sebring Speech, LLC