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, Kat Durston, the owner of Flourish Virtual Assistants, and Jordyn Springer, lead VA at Flourish and Jennifer’s assistant to discuss the incredible impact the right team can have on business growth, team dynamics, and how Flourish supports dietitians.
Whether you’re just starting your business or looking for ways to grow sustainably, you’ll gain valuable insights from this conversation.
- Flourish’s Story: Kat discusses how she founded Flourish during her undergraduate studies, combining her creative background and nutrition education to support dietitians with social media and content creation.
- Why Jennifer Hired Flourish: Jennifer explains that she hired Flourish because she values that they have both nutrition education and marketing skills, among other attributes.
- The Importance of Delegating: Kat and Jennifer emphasize the power of delegating to a skilled team, which allows them to focus on growth.
- Unconventional Dietetics Journey: Jordyn discusses how working for Flourish and Pursuing Private Practice gave her the courage and confidence to shift gears and pursue a master’s degree in digital marketing rather than dietetics.
- Challenges in Business: Kat reflects on the early struggles of building Flourish, from handling rejections to meeting the evolving needs of clients. Adapting has been key to Flourish’s business growth.
Timestamps:
- 02:17 The Birth of Flourish: Kat shares the origin story of Flourish, a company that provides virtual assistant services specifically for dietitians. Jennifer expresses excitement about the growth of Flourish and the impact it has on the dietitian community.
- 09:49 Why Jennifer Hired Flourish: Discussion on the relationship-focused approach of dietitians versus traditional marketing strategies.
- 14:47 Jordyn's Role and Responsibilities: Jordyn introduces her role at Flourish and expresses her enjoyment in learning and taking on various projects.
- 19:42 An “Unconventional” Dietetics Journey: Jordyn shares her educational background and her decision to pivot from dietetics to a focus on marketing, pursuing her creative strengths.
- 28:52 The Value of Team Support: Kat and Jordyn discuss the value of having a supportive team, especially for those working from home, and how accountability plays a role in their productivity.
- 30:11 Navigating Business Challenges: Kat reflects on the challenges of running a business, including the need to adapt to market demands.
- 35:22 Future Goals and Adaptability: Kat and Jordyn discuss their goals for the future.
Kathryn (Kat) Durston is a registered dietitian based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a unique background and multiple degrees in both Art and Design and Nutrition and Dietetics. She blends her creative passion with clinical expertise to craft engaging content and impactful marketing strategies.
As the founder of Flourish Virtual Assistants, Kat has grown her marketing and media company from a college startup to a thriving 10-member team in just three years. Flourish has supported over 250 healthcare businesses with services ranging from social media management and blog writing to SEO and email marketing. In addition to her marketing work, Kat runs her own virtual private practice, Naturally Good Nutrition, specializing in functional nutrition for autoimmune conditions.
📲 Find Flourish on Instagram @flourishva
📩 Want to work with Flourish? Contact the team here.
Jordyn Springer is the lead virtual assistant at Flourish, where she has been a key team member for over 1.5 years. During her time at Flourish, she has collaborated with more than 30 dietitians and B2B professionals, delivering exceptional support and expertise. Through Flourish, she works with Jennifer on the Pursuing Private Practice team. With a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, Jordyn is now expanding her skills by pursuing a master’s degree in digital marketing, blending her nutrition background with creative marketing strategies to make an even greater impact.
💬 Interested in chatting with Jordyn? Connect with her on LinkedIn!
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