The Power of Perseverance: From Non-Traditional Student to Ambitious Private Practitioner with Vanessa Alcala

Sometimes, you have to overcome a lot of obstacles to make your dreams happen and it takes a lot of perseverance. In this episode, I’m sharing my conversation with Vanessa Alcala to talk about her journey into private practice and the perseverance it took for her to get there.  Vanessa knew that she wanted to start a business and after graduation in January of 2023, she participated in our private practice boot camp and then decided to invest in the Start program to avoid wasting time and money. Now, just eight months into her private practice journey, she’s sharing how it's going. We discuss the clinical populations that she works with, where she sees her clients, what services she offers, and her desire to eventually have a small team of culturally responsive SLPs. Woven through this episode are discussions about the need for more minority and bilingual SLPs in the field and the importance of showcasing diverse role models in private practice, and I am so excited to share it with you today. Vanessa Alcala, M.S. CCC-SLP, CDP is the owner and founder of Vital Therapies, a bilingual Speech Therapy private practice serving adolescents and adults. Vanessa is a Dementia Caregiver consultant and SLP Coach who is passionate about serving the bilingual community. Vanessa is also the co-creator of Sip & Social, which creates opportunities for connection and collaboration for female entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry by hosting social networking events throughout the Tampa Bay area.It is her mission to provide a holistic approach to speech therapy by utilizing evidence-based and culturally sensitive practices with clients, parents, caregivers, and families. In Today's Episode, We Discuss:Vanessa’s journey to become an SLP and eventually a private practitionerThe naysayers Vanessa overcame to get to where she is todayHow Vanessa knew she wanted her own business so early in her careerWhat made Vanessa decide to sign up for the boot camp and Start programVanessa’s mentality as a business ownerThe power of having a network of peers to interact with as a business ownerWhat her private practice looks like nowThe flexibility you get with a private practiceWhat you need to do when you’re feeling imposter syndromeVanessa’s plans for the futureI hope you enjoyed this conversation with Vanessa! She is a perfect example of someone who persevered and had a dream and went for it. I love that she got that LLC right after grad school so that she had it when she was ready. I can't tell you the amount of young clinicians who are pursuing private practice early in their careers. As long as you have something to bring to the table, there is no need to wait to start your private practice.We would love to work with you to get set up, started and seeing clients just like we helped Vanessa in the Start Your Private Practice program! For more information and to enroll, please visit StartYourPrivatePractice.com.Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.Resources Mentioned: Visit Vanessa’s website: https://www.vitaltherapiesfl.com/Follow Vanessa on Instagram: