From Going Slow to Getting Creative, Asia McNealey Has Figured Out How to Make Private Practice Work

Jun 11

This episode is part of Community Chats, a special segment of the ScaleSmart Podcast where I sit down with members of our community to share the stories you don't always hear. Because growth doesn't only come from the same few voices... it comes from learning from people who are actually in it with you.

Asia McNealey is a speech therapist specializing in autism, early language, and speech sound production. She is a mom, a veteran, a full-time school contractor, and the owner of McNealey Speech Therapy. She has been building her private practice since 2023, taking her time to build a practice that works for her life while getting really creative with how she's showing up and serving her community.

In this conversation, we get into:

Creative ways Asia runs speech therapy camps - from bringing in fire trucks and mini pigs to having fun with cooking and crafts
The story behind Respite Nights, a parent night-out program she runs with her mentor to give caregivers of kids with complex needs a few real hours off
Why she intentionally started slow with one client, then two, and how that pacing helped her learn the business side without burning out
How word of mouth built her practice and why her mentor, who runs a competing private practice, is one of her biggest supporters

If you're in the building phase of your private practice and wondering if you're doing it right, press play. Asia's story will remind you that being slow and creative is a completely valid way to grow.