From Solo to Team and Back To Solo to Find the Right Business Model
Release Date: 03/18/2025
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 Maggy Doherty, the dietitian behind Maggy the Dietitian. Together, they explore the theme of "one size does not fit all" in business, discussing the pros and cons of small versus large practices, the complexities of insurance-based versus private pay models, and the unique challenges dietitians face in their careers. Maggy shares her personal journey from starting her own practice to managing a large team and then pivoting to a solo model, highlighting the importance of freedom and the inevitable challenges that come with growth.
Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiration to help you navigate your own path in the world of private practice.
- Embracing Individuality in Business: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to running a business. Every dietitian gets to make decisions based on their unique values and circumstances.
- Balancing Freedom and Responsibility: The podcast dives into the balance of freedom in both small and large practices—how more freedom can bring exciting opportunities but also new responsibilities.
- The Importance of Mental Health: As a business owner, prioritizing mental health and setting boundaries isn’t just important—it’s essential. Self-care is the foundation of sustainable success.
- Navigating Insurance and Self-Pay Models: The podcast breaks down the pros and cons of different business models, helping you navigate the options and choose the best path for your practice.
Timestamps:
- 03:06 Maggy's Entrepreneurial Journey: Maggy shares her background, early ventures in nutrition, and her transition from corporate work to starting her own practice, Doherty Nutrition.
- 05:34 Growth of Doherty Nutrition: Maggy discusses the rapid growth of her practice, the hiring of dietitians, and the challenges of managing a larger team.
- 10:59 Navigating Business Decisions: The importance of recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach in business and making decisions based on personal values.
- 12:07 Maggy's Pivot to a Smaller Practice: Maggy reflects on her decision to pivot to a smaller, self-pay practice after experiencing burnout and the impact of motherhood on her business.
- 19:31 Pros and Cons of Insurance vs. Self-Pay: Discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of accepting insurance versus operating a self-pay model, including marketing and financial implications.
- 35:21 Working with Dietitians: The unique challenges and rewards of coaching dietitians in private practice and the importance of understanding their specific needs.
Maggy Doherty, MS, RD, LD, CEDS-C, started her practice Doherty Nutrition in 2019 as a one-woman show, wearing all the hats- biller, scheduler, marketer, and dietitian- before building it into a 30-person practice.
In 2024, she felt a calling to get back to her entrepreneurial roots and use the lessons learned in business to open her next practice, Maggy the Dietitian, where she focuses on her most rewarding work: mentoring private practice owners, supervising eating disorder dietitians, and helping clients in their eating disorder recovery journey. Maggy’s business coaching style is derived from the tough lessons she learned from her own journey.
Want more from Maggy?
Visit her website: https://www.maggythedietitian.com
Find her on Instagram: https://www.maggythedietitian.com
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