Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kristin Jones, Owner of Voce Speech Therapy, LLC,  located in Nashville, TN, USA.

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

I am the owner of Voce Speech Therapy, PLLC, a private practice offering speech-language pathology services. We specialize in neurological disorders that impact speech, language, voice, and/or cognition. Additionally, we provide gender-affirming speech training to the transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming communities. We see clients in the state of Tennessee in our office, in their homes, or via telehealth.

Tell us about yourself

I have always been passionate about language, communication, and connection with others. I received my B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences at The Ohio State University. During my time there, I completed an undergraduate thesis on prosody and dialect. That experience ignited my interest in speech science. I proceeded to graduate school at The Ohio State University in the department of Speech and Hearing Science with the intention of obtaining my M.A. and Ph.D. and doing research as my career. Part of my master's program included clinical placements for speech-language pathology. After my very first clinical placement working with adults with traumatic brain injury and stroke in an inpatient rehabilitation setting, I knew I needed to tweak my trajectory and focus on patient care. I revised what I was studying to focus on clinical speech-language pathology, though I continued working in a speech science research lab throughout completing my graduate coursework (I still loved speech science so much!). I graduated with my master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2007. I had a wonderful experience working in multiple university medical centers before starting my private practice in 2022.

In addition to my passion for working with adults with neurological diagnoses, I also have a profound interest in serving the LGBTQ+ community. I became trained in gender-affirming voice care in 2019. I quickly realized it pulls from all of my previous experiences... it is the perfect balance of patient care and speech science! I have immense gratitude that I get to do what I love every single day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Learning new skill sets and pushing myself way outside of my comfort zone. For me, this looks like networking and marketing. Having always worked in direct patient care, this isn't something I needed to do prior to starting my business. It was uncomfortable at first, but now I enjoy talking and networking with others, sharing about my business, and hearing their stories. I have met some absolutely incredible humans!

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

For me personally, it is work-life balance. It can be easy to work on your business around the clock. I also have three small children, so it is really important for me to make sure I am learning how to set boundaries for myself to create a better balance.

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

  1. Do it! I almost started my business multiple times over the course of 3 years and wish I had sooner. There will never be a PERFECT time.
  2. Meet yourself with compassion. You will make mistakes. There will be tough days. Give yourself grace during those times and see them as an opportunity for self-growth.
  3. As you grow, know when to hire and add to your team... you may not be able to balance all of those hats by yourself forever!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.vocespeechtherapy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VoceSpeechTherapy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vocespeechtherapy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-jones-92199a60/

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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