Leading a Business That Lets You Live Your Life
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the This episode wraps up Season 3 of the podcast. We'll be back for Season 4 this fall! Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Hannah Turnbull, founder of , a group practice specializing in eating disorders, and a business coach at . Hannah shares her journey of building and leading a thriving group practice, the challenges and rewards of managing a team, and her bold decision to step away for an 18-week sabbatical. Together, they dive into leadership, company culture, burnout, and what it really takes to create a sustainable business that supports both...
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Fractional Practice Management for Group Practice Owners
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Charlie Golighlty, founder of Group Practice Partner, a fractional practice management partner for strategic, mission-aligned support. Charlie shares why so many solo clinicians and group-practice owners feel like they’re juggling too many hats and constantly putting out fires, and how bringing in someone who understands both the clinical world and the language of business can transform that chaos into clarity. If you’ve ever felt burnt out in the day-to-day business operations and are ready to step back, see...
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COAST: A Business Strategy When Life Comes First
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the COAST stage of business. Join them to discuss the importance of coasting as a business owner, how it can be a strategic and intentional phase, and the benefits it brings to personal and professional life. When you’re a business owner, the need to COAST can come up at any time, sometimes planned, and sometimes unplanned. Whether you think you’ll be coasting anytime soon or not, this episode will leave you feeling confident when it’s your...
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LEAD: Hire, Manage, and Build Your Private Practice Team
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the LEAD stage of business. This stage is focused on the importance of hiring and leading a team. Hear insights on how dietitians can step into leadership roles, overcome the fear of hiring, and build a sustainable business. Whether you already have a team, are ready to hire, or may want to hire in the future, this episode is for you. Introduction to the LEAD Stage: Learn why hiring is essential for expanding your business without...
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GROW: What It Really Takes to Get Fully Booked on Your Terms
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the GROW stage of business. This is a stage where you'll focus on expanding your reach, refining your marketing strategies, and implementing new systems, all while continuing to serve your clients effectively. This stage of business is all about getting fully booked but on your terms. In this episode, Jennifer walks you through the ups and downs and practical advice for marketing, finances, and much more. Whether you're looking to refine your...
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START: How to Counsel Your First 5 Clients and Keep Them Coming Back
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the START stage of business, the time where you transition from setting up your private practice to seeing your first clients. We'll explore the emotions, challenges, and action steps involved in this stage, focusing on the importance of developing strong counseling skills and effective customer service strategies. Whether you're just starting to see clients in your private practice or looking to refine your counseling approach, this episode...
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SET UP: Open Your Business in 30 Days
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, as she kicks off the brand new Stages of Business Series with the very first stage: SET UP. In this episode, Jennifer dives into what it really takes to get started - from finding the courage to begin, shifting your mindset for success, and the practical steps to open up a business. This is the first of five episodes, each one dedicated to a different stage of business growth! If you’re thinking about starting a nutrition private practice, now or in the future, this episode will give you the insight, advice, and...
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The Highs, Lows, and Lessons of Every Stage of Business
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Courtney Vickery, a valued team member and a multi-passionate entrepreneur in the weight-inclusive space, as they dive deep into the journey of building a successful private practice. In this special series, they explore the five distinct stages of business: SET UP, START, GROW, LEAD, and COAST. Each stage comes with its own set of emotions, challenges, and action steps, and they’re here to guide you through them all. Whether you're just setting up your practice or looking to expand and lead a team, they’ve got...
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Big Risk, Bigger Rewards: Expanding Insurance Services as a CEO
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Amy Plano, Founder of The Reimbursement Dietitian, a successful private practice CEO passionate about helping dietitians create profitable nutrition private practices using insurance. Amy shares her journey of expanding The Reimbursement Dietitian by introducing a new service to help dietitians get credentialed and contracted with insurance companies. Jennifer and Amy chat about the ups and downs of starting something new, why meeting clients where they’re at really matters, and how group practices are shifting...
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Helping Kids Build a Healthy Relationship with Food
Pursuing Private Practice
Welcome to the Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Sumner Brooks, the founder of EDRDPro, co-author of How to Raise an Intuitive Eater, mom of two, and dog-loving RDN. Sumner shares her advice on raising children to become intuitive eaters, drawing from her personal journey in motherhood and her professional expertise. We discuss her three keys framework for fostering a healthy relationship with food and body image in children, and explore the challenges and triumphs of “balancing” motherhood as a business owner. Whether you're a parent, a dietitian, or...
info_outlineWelcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!
Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Courtney Vickery, the owner of Declet Designs to discuss the highs and lows of 2025 and what’s ahead.
Whether you’re just starting your private practice or have been a CEO for years, you'll relate to Jennifer and Courtney’s reflections on the past year.
- Reflection on the Past Year: Courtney and Jennifer discuss the highs and lows of Pursuing Private Practice in 2024. There were significant highs such as the revamp of Business School, and there were plenty of lows like the disappointing outcome of the fall cohort of EXPAND which received 0 applications.
- 2025 Word of the Year: Jennifer shares her word of the year for 2025 - content. For her, it doesn’t mean that she’s settling. It means that she’s settled. In a world where we constantly chase an ever-moving finish line, she’s decided that this year, she’s already arrived.
- Team Dynamics and Changes: Courtney and Jennifer talk about transitions within their teams, which leads to a period of adjustment that takes time.
- The Future of the Pursuing Private Practice Podcast: The podcast will now feature biweekly episodes, focusing primarily on dietitian business owners. Topics will focus on themes in Business School, such as navigating challenges in private practice and implementing effective business strategies.
Timestamps:
- 03:54 Podcast Goals: The goal of the podcast is to inspire business owners to persevere through challenges and take up space.
- 06:30 Word of the Year: Jennifer shares her word of the year, "content," and what it means for 2025.
- 17:00 Revamping Business School: Discussion of the revamping of the business school and the challenges faced in the past year.
- 22:39 New Consulting Options: Introduction of new consulting options for clients, including 1:1 business consulting and VIP days, allowing for more personalized support.
- 26:46 Shift to Bi-Weekly Episodes: Announcement of a shift to bi-weekly podcast episodes to allow for richer conversations and better planning.
- 35:10 Plans for 2025: Jennifer shares plans for 2025, focusing on content creation and potential new offerings, while also emphasizing the importance of boundaries and team effort.
- 38:32 Closing Remarks: Encouraging listeners to rate, review, and provide topic requests for future episodes.
Courtney Vickery, MS, RD, LD is a multi-passionate entrepreneur in the weight-inclusive space. She's an anti-diet dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor with her own private practice, Vickery Wellness. She is also the CEO of Declet Designs, her website and branding studio for weight-inclusive businesses.
She has a double dose of knowledge, with bachelor's degrees in political science and dietetics, plus a Master's degree in Foods & Nutrition from the University of Georgia (and still teaches an undergraduate course there). Her passion for blending her love for weight-inclusive care with her knack for web and branding design makes her your friendly expert in dietetics and web design.
Find Courtney on Instagram at @decletdesigns
Want more from Pursuing Private Practice?
🗓️ Looking to start your private practice in just 30 days? Do it with our Open For Business toolkit: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/open-for-business/
📈 Want to get 3 new clients in just 3 days? Join Marketing Bootcamp: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessplan/
🌟 Looking for the ultimate support system to build the private practice you’ve always dreamed of? Check out Business School: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/
🌍 Are you ready to lead with confidence and expand your impact? EXPAND is your path to stepping into the role of CEO: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/business-coaching/
Find us on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice