Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Grace Bernales, Founder of Graceful Expression, located in Pasadena, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I'm the owner/founder of a pediatric speech and myofunctional therapy private practice called Graceful Expression, which I started back in 2019. I provide in-person speech/myofunctional therapy/evaluations and via telehealth. My customers are primarily children as young as 17 months old and up to middle school-aged children. These children usually have some sort of speech delay (limited amount of words, difficulty understanding directions, difficulty producing certain sounds, etc.) and/or have an orofacial myofunctional disorder (tongue thrust, thumb sucking, tongue tie, mouth breathing, malocclusions, etc.).

Tell us about yourself

Growing up, I knew I wanted to be in a career where I could help children. At one point, I wanted to become a pediatrician or clinical psychologist, but then I finally came across the field of Speech-Language Pathology, which I immediately loved! For a few years, I worked for other companies, but after 5 years, I knew it was time for me to venture out on my own. I started my own practice so I could choose who I wanted to provide therapy for, choose the specific communication disorders I wanted to treat and choose my own schedule. What motivates me every day is seeing the progress my clients are making, as well as empowering parents to connect with their children and help them be effective communicators!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I believe my biggest accomplishment is being able to network with a variety of people from different professional backgrounds (pediatricians, dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, occupational therapists, chiropractors, physical therapists, and other speech-language pathologists)! As a business owner, especially in my field, it's important to have useful referrals. It's a huge accomplishment for me because, in elementary and high school, I was a huge introvert! I came out of my shell more in college and graduate school. Now, especially owning my business has forced me to connect with more individuals, and I honestly enjoy it!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Coming from a previous job where I was constantly talking to coworkers and having meetings where we discussed cases, what has been difficult at times is just being on my own. Since I don't have any employees yet, it can get pretty lonely! However, it does help that I'm still in touch with other SLPs and have developed friendships with people I've met through networking.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

The first tip is to make sure that when you're starting out that you're of course, okay financially. It can take some time to grow a business and get customers. The second tip is to market yourself in different ways, whether it's through social media (Facebook/Instagram, Google Ads), through word of mouth via friends/family, or by networking with others who may potentially give you referrals. The third tip is to be patient with yourself! I was definitely frustrated when I first started out, as my caseload was not consistent. I wanted so badly to be successful right away. However, rather than staying frustrated, I constantly reminded myself that it was only temporary and that I was doing the best I could to get clients.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://graceful-expression.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracebernales.slp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracefulexpression.slp/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-bernales2019/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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