We recently connected with Peggy Truong and have shared our conversation below.
Peggy, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.
I always thought I wanted to be a mental health therapist. Right out of college, I applied to any and all jobs with the word “therapist” in it and I landed a job as a behavior therapist. I had no idea what it meant, but I did it. I worked with an unforgettable kid for 2 years, supporting him at school and at home, before I started graduate school for Counseling Psychology. A short internship in a mental health setting during my graduate studies solidified that that was not the path for me. I decided to continue working in the field of applied behavior analysis, eventually going back to school (again!) and becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). I admit that it wasn’t my original plan – and it wasn’t love at first sight. It was slow and steady passion that’s grown over time.
Peggy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
The Co-Creative Center is a pediatric behavior therapy practice that serves children and families in the greater Irvine, CA area. Our therapy is grounded in the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). We offer comprehensive, thoughtful, and individualized support for kids with autism (ASD), developmental disabilities, and/or other behavioral needs. I started The Co-Creatives because I believe families deserve better – and we strive to offer better to each child we see. What sets The Co-Creatives apart from others are our 3 grounding values: 1. Client centered, 2. Quality focused, and 3. Collaboration. We are committed to partnering with each family in whatever stage their child is at. We assess skill levels, behavioral needs, and family priorities to come up with a treatment plan that targets short term and long term goals. We carry small caseloads to ensure that every clinician on the team is invested in the child’s care. We collaborate with other providers to establish comprehensive support. I am proud of the work we do and the progress each child makes under our care.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start?
In September 2022, I quit my stable, full time job to dive head first into The Co-Creatives. I spent the first 6 months as a one woman show – working directly with clients myself during the day and managing backend tasks in the evenings. I saved everything during this time to fund my expansion – hiring my first 2 employees in mid 2023. Since then, it’s been a balancing act of generating enough capital to fund the next step of expansion. The demand for our services far outweighs our ability to hire and expand, but as long as we continue to stay grounded in our 3 company values, we’ve been able to grow thoughtfully without compromising quality. We also started as in-home therapy to save on overhead costs. However, it was always a goal of mine to open a clinic space because that’s what our clients need. We were able to open our clinic this past November and it was a dream come true!
Any advice for managing a team?
I use the gold rule when managing the team – treat others the way you want to be treated. I assume competency for each clinician, supporting them to the best of my ability so they can thrive and grow in their respective roles. Respect, open communication, and collaboration are essential for me. Delegating tasks and giving others projects to lead helps people feel like they are contributing as well as keeps people invested in the growth and outcomes of the company. I strive to be the first to acknowledge others’ accomplishments and the first to recognize any of my mistakes or shortcomings. Most importantly, I emphasize a solution focused mindset to problem solving. My goal is to create a safe and open work environment because I know employee work satisfaction has a trickle down affect on the quality of services we offer our families.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecocreatives.com
- Instagram: @thecocreatives
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecocreativecenter
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-co-creative-center?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company
- Twitter: NA
- Youtube: NA
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-co-creative-center-irvine
- Soundcloud: NA
- Other: NA
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