Introducing the Inner Circle Leadership Academy

"According to a new study by the University of Notre Dame and Northwestern University, women who communicate regularly with a female-dominated Inner Circle are more likely to attain high-ranking leadership positions.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study showed that more than 75 percent of high-ranking women maintained a female-dominated Inner Circle, or strong ties to two or three women whom they communicated with frequently within their network.

Women with a high network centrality and a female-dominated Inner Circle have an expected job placement level that is 2.5 times greater than women with low network centrality and a male-dominated inner circle." Written in the "Notre Dame News" on January 22, 2019.

Dear fellow SLP,

Based on what you and your fellow members have been telling me about your careers, I probably know few important things about you…

If you’re currently a staff therapist (earning around $50,000 per year), it’s likely that your major career goal right now is to move up to a lead or supervisory role, administration, or even private practice… earning $100,000 or more.
You’re completely fed up with your work schedule. The productivity requirements to see 16 patients or more in 8 hours barely even leave you time for a bathroom break during the day, let alone all the paperwork you need to fill out.
You’re expected to keep up with all the latest developments, yet you’re not even given a minute in the day to do so. When are you going to do this? In your sleep-deprived weeknights? On your weekends where you’re just trying to catch up with errands and sleep?
You’re getting little buy-in or respect from the other doctors or nurses in the hospital. They basically assume you’re just some minimum-wage “feeding lady,” not much different than the person who delivers the meals from the cafeteria. The doctors and nurses don’t seem to understand or respect the complexity of what you do, and don’t understand the rigorous training you’ve gone through to do it well.
Basically, you have just a year less training than the doctors in your workplace, but the doctors probably think they could train monkeys to do your job--and they give you the respect and pay according to this gross misunderstanding.
Your hospital does not have the proper equipment to deliver the results you need for your patients--yet the hospital still expects you to achieve those results.
Because administrators have such little understanding of the complexity of this work, they are resistant to investing in the proper equipment you need to do your job at the highest performance.

My dear friends in the SLP world… I have a few simple questions for you:

Are you done with all this crap described above?
Are you ready to be accorded the respect your intensive training deserves (and the appropriate pay to go along with that?)
Do you want doctors and nurses to understand the actual value you’re providing to patients… instead of viewing you as some glorified food-deliverer?
Are you ready to get out of this sleepless, stress-filled, underpaid pit of being an underappreciated staff therapist?
Is now the time for you to advance in your career towards a well-respected and well-paid supervisor, administrator, private practitioner, or entrepeneur?
If you already have a private practice, are you ready to start expanding it and developing it through online marketing? Have you been inspired by my podcasts, blog, social media, etc., and you’re ready to create your own version of these?
Do you long to have the power and budget in your organization to purchase the necessary equipment so you can deliver world-class care to your patients? Are you tired of being basically a “backwater” care facility for lack of the latest state-of-the-art equipment?
If you were a world-class facility, you’d have around 20 different pieces of equipment that you currently don’t have--yet you don’t even know how to write a proposal, or whom you would send it to, in order to get even a few of these pieces of equipment, let alone 20+.
Have you started an SLP business and you're currently in marketing tactical hell and looking to scale?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions (or, I imagine, to most of them), then we need to talk.

You see, I’ve created, just for you, the only career-development program in the field of Medical Speech Pathology.

It’s called the…

I know you've been interested in my Inner Circle Leadership Group

The ICLG is a eight-month group coaching program that is designed to give you:

1. A clear path forward to increasing your income

2. An understanding of the steps you’ll need to take to become a leader or private practitioner.

3. The top 5 ways to make doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff understand and respect the value you are bringing to patients and your workplace instantly.

4. How to source all the equipment you need to turn your current facility into a world-class center of medical speech pathology.

5. How to write the proposals, and whom to write them to, in order to gain access to a much higher budget for equipment.

6. Renegotiating your current contract for a liveable 70-80% productivity instead of a hellish 92%. Or no productivity requirements.

7. If renegotiating in your current job is impossible, how to find another job with a liveable productivity (70-80%) or no productivity requirements at all--which will finally allow you to take proper breaks during the day, eat lunch, and leave at an hour that allows you to spend time with your family, and to get the sleep you need.

8. How to ditch the whole health care facility morass (if you want to) and develop a lucrative, easeful private practice based in your own comfortable office, or home.

9. How to explode your SLP business to make the most impact on our field.

Basically, what I’m doing here, friends, is giving you a secret roadmap for an entirely new, better, more lucrative, and vastly more liveable career--in just 8 months of training.

How do I know I can deliver this to you?

Because I did it myself, and I've helped dozens of your collegues do it too.

Five years ago, I was ready to quit my job as a medical speech pathologist in a nursing facility. This was a shame, because I had already invested 3 years and over $100,000 to get my Masters in Speech Pathology, plus another year of clinical fellowship, plus four more years of clawing my way up the career ladder.

Why was I about to throw all this money and training time into the trash?

Because I absolutely hated my career. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my patients and helping them. The problem was, as you’re probably well-aware, everything around me in the skilled nursing facility seemed as if it was designed to prevent me from providing excellent care to my patients.

I’ll give you just one horror story, from a litany of such stories I could provide. I had worked with a patient I’ll call “Frank,” who had been NPO for two years. After just a month working with Frank, he was ready for a repeat swallow study. The study showed he was able to start eating and drinking again. Success!

Nope, not so fast. One of the head nurses simply said, “There’s no way he’s ready.” Even though I had the study to show her, in black and white. But she was on a power trip and--bordering on malpractice, in my opinion--decided that she knew what was best for Frank, because she had been tending to him for 2 years. Even though she had no training in dysphagia, she was calling the shots, not me. And I just had to sit there and “swallow” it--pardon the pun.

I’ll bet you have a ton of stories like this yourself--if not exactly like the one I just shared, then something close to it.

Beyond the disrespect I was getting at work (combined with s%$t pay, for the hours I was putting in), things were a total mess at home as well…

Because of the demanding, underpaid work schedule (50-60 hours a week, plus a 2-hour commute each way), I was getting 4-5 hours of sleep a night, with barely any time to spend with my husband. When we did spend time together, I was a stressed out, exhausted wreck--not exactly the kind of person who is able to nourish and build a healthy marriage with my partner. Our marriage was in dire straits, adding to my desperation and misery.

And then, add to all of that… rolls and rolls of fat!

I put on 30 pounds that year, because I had so little time to exercise, or to prepare or eat proper meals at work. I was eating junk food every day--McDonald’s, and lots and lots of cupcakes--for convenience, and as a sugary stress-release valve.

One day, I talked to my father-in-law about my plans to quit my career and try something new. I had signed up for a nutrition counseling program, even though I would have to start at square one with this new career--I was so desperate for something different.

My father-in-law gave me a classic pep-talk, in the way only fathers can! He told me that I needed to take back my power in my career--and not only that I needed to, but that I could, starting today.

He suggested I reach out to different people in the field, who had jobs they loved, and find out their secrets for career happiness and success. He suggested I invest in myself, and hire a career/business coach to take my career to the next level.

Of course, at first, I had tons of excuses as to why all of this would be a pointless waste. I already hated my career--why should I invest time and money in improving a career I hated? I just wanted out, not marginal improvements.

Nonetheless, one day, mulling my options, something “clicked” for me, and I realized my father-in-law was right. It would be insane to throw away all my training, and instead I needed to invest in upleveling my career.

I became a specialist, and I realized that I was the only practitioner in my state with this speciality.

All of the sudden, I was able to help so many more patients on such a deeper level, and achieve the career satisfaction I was looking for.

I saw the results, so I decided to invest another $50,000 in business coaches, trainings, and consultants.

Within 1 years, this investment paid off. I earned $150,000 as a speech pathologist in 2014, and it’s only grown each year.

Since then:

I’ve grown my own mobile FEES company to a multiple-6 figure company,
I've grown my online education company to a multi million dollar company that employs over 40+ SLPs and tech support.
I’ve become Board Certified in Swallowing Disorders,
I’ve become an ASHA approved CEU provider,
I created the leading podcast in medical speech pathology, with almost 2,000,000 downloads.
I get offers to speak for $3,000+ per talk.
I turned DOWN a fully funded PhD program because it didn’t align with my current goals,
And I helped over 90 other SLPs just like you create and grow their own mobile FEES businesses.
I've helped 70 other Inner Circle members transform their careers
I’ve helped thousands more patients than I would have otherwise--restoring their quality of life so they can eat and drink again.

In terms of my personal lifestyle, here’s what shifted in just a few years since my self-investment and career-upleveling:

I work reasonable hours, always coming home to spend time with my husband and son--and it’s quality time because I’m in a great mood, not in a shitty mood like I used to be. Because of this, my relationship with my family is only deepening.
I have done all of this while raising a child with special needs. (Once you get clear on your vision and goals, it's so very easy to prioritize what's important to you.)
I sleep a refreshing 9-hours every night. (Imagine that!)
I eat healthy home-prepared meals with my family every day, and because of my healthier eating and exercise habits, I was able to complete IVF successfully to have a healthy baby
We purchased and moved into our dream house--5 bedrooms, 2 offices, and a pool.
While I’m earning multiple-six figures in speech pathology, I also have time for my side business, which is training all of you to uplevel your careers as well.

All of this, because I decided to take my career into my own hands, and invest in myself.

Which is what I’m about to ask you to do yourself…

This program is designed to give you a complete roadmap and support system to take your career to the next level.

While not all the career progress you want will occur within the eight months of this program--that could take a year or more--you are going to come away from this program with a complete plan of how to move forward.

Giving you all the inspiration, motivation, guidance, and hand-holding you need to make your dream career and lifestyle a reality.

Specifically, here’s how it works:

The core of the program is three monthly 90-minute group coaching calls on Zoom starting in August in which various experts in the field, myself, and members of my team share with you all the steps you’re going to want to take for your career. This includes a 3-hour kick off call to discuss our next level goals. (Don't worry ALL of the calls are recorded in case you need to catch it later!)

Much more important, I help tailor these steps to your specific goals and circumstances, in the Q+A section of each call.

Which brings me to…

Voxer is like text-messaging, but for voice memos. It’s an easy way for us to exchange ideas and support back-and-forth, because we don’t have to find a time when we’re both free on the phone, we can just trade voice memos in accordance with whatever time we have free ourselves.

I don’t usually make myself available like this to students--but I’m so committed to you succeeding from this program, that during the time of the program, I’m giving you open access to me and my feedback and support. This is unprecedented.

Imagine being in a room full of some of the most devoted and career-minded medical speech pathologists in the country.

But instead of talking about the usual things we all talk about when we get together--continuing education, the latest research articles, etc--we’re going to be going deeper. Perhaps deeper than you’ve ever gone with your colleagues.

You’re going to meet friends of mine who have radically changed and improved their careers in the last few years, increasing their incomes and gaining far greater reach and prestige in the industry.

You'll also hear from an expert in our field ;) (These experts are usually voted on by YOU the members!)

We’re going to break down their success paths step-by-step so that you can apply these steps to your own career, even if you have different goals.

Do you have big goals, but you don’t know which ones you want to pursue? Do want to figure out what the next step is, and what direction that step is heading?

We’re going to get clear on these questions during this workshop.

It’s going to be revolutionary in our field because--to my knowledge--there’s never been an in-depth leadership training and personal development seminar specifically devoted to our field.

Think of it like Tony Robbins for medical speech pathologists! (Except, I won’t have you standing in chairs shouting, or running across coals, I promise ;)

So often in our industry, we’re used to being the passed-over, looked-over adjuncts to the doctors, I want you to get in touch with the luxury and style that will be available to you once you uplevel your career.

This event will be fully-catered so you don’t have to worry about meals at all while you learn, we’ve got you covered! (Travel and lodging not included.)

But wait, why St. Augustine? Because it's been my dream and vision for the last 2 years to buy an AirBnb where I could invite other like minded colleagues to dream big, feel inspired, and plan to make massive moves in their career.

Well I just recently got my beach house, and you will only be the second group that I have invited to come over. It is honestly a dream come true to be able to invite you to this space with me.

Because of COVID we are going to do our first retreat virtually, in hopes of meeting in person for the second. I promise to make it just as beneficial and life changing as doing it in person .

One of the most valuable aspects of this program will be the opportunity to connect with fellow career-minded clinicians from around the country. You will be inspired by their ongoing success, you will feel supported by them. And have ample opportunity to ask questions, get feedback, and get support on whatever challenges you may be facing as you charge ahead.

You will gain friendships and professional connections that could last the entire length of your career. Nothing is more valuable, career-wise, than gaining access to leaders, innovators, and disruptors in your industry--and that’s going to be all of you, connecting together in this group.

Katie Brown, Speech Language Pathologist

Before I joined Theresa’s Inner Circle Leadership Academy, I felt stagnant, frustrated, and burnt-out. Not just professionally, but personally.

Theresa helped me see through the nonsense and get out of my own way. Her mentorship and the monthly calls with professionals have allowed me to gain confidence in my clinical skills, become more business savvy, and gain a positive mindset.

Since joining, I’ve accomplished more in a few months than I even thought possible for my whole career. I started a private practice, began selling products online that help SLPs provide functional therapy, I was hired as an independent contractor for Tactus Therapy, and most importantly, I have aligned myself with success. Not only do I feel happier, but I am earning more income - enough to cover my investment into the ICLA and then some!

Theresa and my fellow ICLA members helped me see my true value as a Speech-Language Pathologist, a business woman and a person. This program has been invaluable to me and I am excited to see where else I go from here.

Hillary Cooper, Owner of North Louisiana Swallowing Solutions

Almost two years ago, I was in a rut. Frustrated. Spinning my wheels. Professionally, I felt super alone. I had just started my little private practice and among my frustrations was a serious lack of quality dysphagia imaging in my area. So I decided to join a few Facebook groups and ask for advice. It was in one of these groups that I ran across Theresa Richard. It quickly became apparent that she was a person who was knowledgeable about FEES, which was an option I was interested in. At the time, I didn’t feel like I was “good” enough or “ready” to bring FEES to my area. Those kinds of things were what “other” SLPs did. Not me. However, I ended up approaching Theresa with my problems and frustrations and found not just a willing ear, but someone who saw beyond my self-imposed limitations and quickly identified the potential that was hiding inside of me. Theresa could easily have just answered my questions and moved on with life, but she took the time to REALLY listen to my issues and call me out on my BS. She gave me the swift kick in the rear end I needed, believed in my ability to grow beyond my self-imposed limitations, and became one of my biggest cheerleaders as I overcame my fears and started my mobile FEES business. Since then, Theresa has continued to encourage me to explore my passion for educating others, taught me to acknowledge to myself that I’m worthy of success, and has shown me how to find the leader that was hiding inside my soul this whole time. Because of Theresa’s guidance, I’m now on the road to a multiple-six-figure income, whereas before I had been stuck at $42,000. I now find myself in a position where, for the first time in my life, I am starting to truly believe that the world is my oyster. I’m beyond excited about my career trajectory and my plans for the future and am so incredibly thankful for Theresa Richard’s mentorship every single day!

We’ll get absolutely clear on your career goals (a clarity you might not have had before,) and then strategize how to apply the teachings of the program to your particular needs, so you can start your path of achieving those goals today.

Whether you want to start a private practice, or advance to a supervisor role in your current organization, or start your PhD or earn your Board certification - I’ve got you covered.

We’ll do this together - and I’ll be holding your hand at every step.

“What if I have lots of different plans and options to pursue and I’m not sure which one is best?”

This program is perfect for you, then, because you’ll get a detailed breakdown of all the different paths. You’ll see the pluses and minuses of each one, and then, with your new support system, we can figure out which one is best for your particular circumstances and goals.

“But what if I don’t know exactly what I want to pursue?”

If you don’t know exactly what you want to do next, I’ll bet I know one thing you’re sure of: you’re sick of being stuck where you are, and you’re ready for some next move.

This program is for clinicians who are absolutely committed to taking their career to the next level. However, you don’t need to know exactly what that will look like for you, going into the program.

That’s exactly what the program is for--to help you figure it out! If you’re not sure what the next move is for you, but you know you want to make some big move, then this is exactly where you need to be.

“But I can’t afford it.”

I know this is a cliche, but it’s true, so I’m going to say it anyway:

You can’t afford to not take this program.

You can’t afford to keep working 10 hour days for crap pay, no recognition, and barely even time to eat meals or see your family.

You can’t afford to feel like you’re ready to throw all your schooling away and go into a different field entirely.

You can’t afford to hate your life, because you hate your career.

Yes, I know this program is not cheap, but would you really want cheap when it comes to your future?

When you compare the cost of this program, to the cost of not doing it…

When you compare the cost of this program to the potential benefits of doubling your income (in fact, even just adding 50% to your income)...

It becomes a no-brainer.

This program is for people who realize that developing their career intensively for four months, for basically the price of one month’s worth of the raise you’re going to get once you develop your career, is a no-brainer. This really shouldn’t be a tough decision.

“But I’m so burnt-out from my career, I’m not sure I even want to continue this career.”

You’ve probably spent 6 years training for the career, and invested hundreds of thousands already. Not to mention the many years you’ve spent in the trenches as a clinician after your education, honing your craft.

Before you throw all this away and start back at square one in some new speciality or industry (with a whole new burden of investments and training to even get off the ground)...

Wouldn’t it make sense to try one last effort, to see if you can make this into a career you love?

Wouldn’t it makes sense to learn from someone who’s been down this path already--moi--and who has seen exactly the way through the maze you think you’re now in?

Wouldn’t it make sense to invest a small amount (relative to what’s at stake) to get access to a system, and personalized insight, that as already worked for hundreds of practitioners?

I’m committed to you having the medical SLP career you always dreamed of.

But in order for me to commit to you, you need to commit to yourself.

And I can’t think of a better way to commit to yourself, than joining a community of 20 peers who will keep you motivated and accountable to your success.

You can lean on their belief in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself. You will be inspired by their success, which will give you all the more drive to create your own success.

Before the Inner Circle, I felt stuck and was truly on "SLP island." I knew other SLPs, but felt like I needed something to help me get to the next level.

I needed something/people to help me discover myself and push myself to achieve more knowledge and experience. I felt isolated and was dissatisfied with where my career was at the time. [Now] I feel much more empowered, focused, driven and satisfied with my career and career goals/path. I have stepped out of my comfort zone to push myself to achieve everything that I want while setting realistic expectations for myself.

My biggest a-ha moment was on a call with [Theresa], when I was talking about how scattered I feel about my career path, not quite knowing where I wanted to take it and you let me know that I need to breathe and make change for myself. Figure out what it is I want and make it happen, with no questions, while understanding that it's okay for that "plan" to change along the way.

[ONE thing I would say to someone now who is looking to join the Inner Circle is to] take the leap of faith, without hesitation, to invest in your career and future because it is an incredible opportunity.

Heather Hamm, OH

Before the Inner Circle I felt like I had good ideas and good intentions but had no clue how to actualize any of my projects and also had a lot of fear/imposter syndrome that prevented me from doing anything.

I [now] feel way more hopeful about my career. I started to look at other venues to direct my passions such as looking into private practice and doing blogs. I also am starting new projects at my full time position too!

My biggest a-ha moment had been that everyone else was experiencing similar problems with self doubt, fear, and difficulty in “going against the grain” in their respective settings.

ONE thing I would say to someone now who is looking to join the Inner Circle is to invest in yourself! The time you take to focus on yourself with guidance is going to make a big difference. Also the people you meet will become indispensable colleagues in the field!

Miki Shibata, Washington D.C

Before the Inner Circle I was convinced that I chose the wrong profession and was looking for a way out.

I felt ashamed and embarrassed for not being able to deal with the stresses of the job that other SLPs seemed to be able to do. By stresses, I mean disrespect from other professions, lack of support from supervisors, my recommendations not being followed, and people chastising me for being too “liberal.” All I wanted to do was help my patients, and I felt I was hitting roadblocks everywhere I turned. I realized that I’m not alone in my struggles, and that there are SLPs out there who aren’t content to put up with disrespect as part of the job. I also felt the support I needed to make change positions and set myself up to be the owner and operator of a mobile FEES company with the opportunity to put my patients first no matter what.

I currently love my new position in acute care [that I got during the Inner Circle!] and have stopped apologizing for when my decisions, supported by EBP, challenge the status quo. I walk the halls confidently and expect to be included in conversations regarding patient care. I’ve also pulled the trigger on establishing my own mobile FEES business. I see an opportunity, so I’m taking it. This was something I considered before the Inner Circle but never considered myself capable until now. It definitely helps that have a group of amazing, intelligent, and accomplished SLPs cheering me on!

The Inner Circle is not a scam. It will provide you with the tools and support you need to accomplish all of your goals and develop a career that is fulfilling and in service to your community. No one can do the work for you, but collaborating with other self-starters will make the work more manageable and your dreams more achievable.”

Meredith Flahan, Illinois

[Before the Inner Circle] I was a complacent SNF SLP with little access to instrumentation (I was told I was ordering "too many MBSS!). I [now know that I] AM WORTHY OF MORE and that success can be MINE and I don't have to rely on anyone else to achieve my goals. I have the drive and resources to become a competent FEES provider and an acute care SLP.

I am now a happy and respected SNF SLP who travels throughout the state providing FEES assessments for all of the facilities in my corporation. I also achieved my goal of landing a per diem acute care position! No more complacency here!

What is the [ONE thing I would say to someone now who is looking to join the Inner Circle is to] jump at the chance! The support, brainstorming with like-minded professionals, networking and culminating passion projects are well worth the cost.

Allie Boyer, NJ

Here’s the psychological profile of someone I know will never succeed in getting out of their career rut in medical SLP. They blame all their problems on the doctors, nurses, and administrators in their field. They feel victimized by the payer system and the insurance companies. They feel certain that the system is “rigged” against them, and they feel helpless in the face of that system. They complain about investing money in continuing education courses they have to take every year to keep their license.

They mock other SLPs that are selling products or courses.

I’m telling you, I’ve got years of experience seeing the career trajectory of medical SLP clinicians, from a bird’s eye view as probably the only major career trainer in the field who helps thousands of practitioners a year. I’ve seen it again and again. If a clinician is mired in these psychological traps, they’re creating their own hell for themselves, which they’ll never get out of unless they change their attitude. Do you want to be one of them? Do you want to remain stuck in this nightmare of helplessness and perceived victimization? Or are you going to be one of the few people in your field who takes control of your own destiny? Are you going to be one of the few who realizes that you actually do have a lot of control and influence over the future of your career… But only if you take action now. You know this is the next step you need. Now there’s only on small step you need to take to get started towards this new future you know is possible for yourself.

Interested in Massively Upleveling Your Medical Speech Pathology Career?

"According to a new study by the University of Notre Dame and Northwestern University, women who communicate regularly with a female-dominated Inner Circle are more likely to attain high-ranking leadership positions.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study showed that more than 75 percent of high-ranking women maintained a female-dominated Inner Circle, or strong ties to two or three women whom they communicated with frequently within their network.

Women with a high network centrality and a female-dominated Inner Circle have an expected job placement level that is 2.5 times greater than women with low network centrality and a male-dominated inner circle." Written in the "Notre Dame News" on January 22, 2019.

Yes, that's a real study and a direct quote!

Inner Circle Leadership Group

How I Went From a Miserable Low-Level $50,000/year Clinician on the “Therapy Hamster Wheel of Death” to a $150,000/year Specialist With Flexible Hours…

In just ONE YEAR…

What You’ll Get in the Inner Circle Leadership Goup

Group Coaching Calls

Private, 1-on-1 Voxer line with me

TWO Retreats Virtually or in St. Augustine, FL ( TBA)

Private Facebook Group for Networking and Connecting With Your Fellow Students

There are Only A Few Spots Left in This Program . . . . Going to Get in Before it’s Full?

Success Stories

Ready to get your own version of Katie and Hillary’s success?

Still Got Questions? I’ve Got Answers!

More Success Stories

Are you done making excuses?