So, I am sure you are wondering why on earth my business name is Speech Chick Therapy. It’s probably not keeping you up at night but, it may have crossed your mind. In my mind, it’s an obvious answer-I am a chick who does speech therapy. Like any other speech therapist, I was called the “speech teacher” while I worked in the school system. That was never my favorite name. It made me sound like a public speaking teacher. Let’s be honest “Speech Teacher Therapy” just does not have a cool ring to it. When I started working in the home health industry, I called a “doctor,” “nurse,” “lady,” “speech lady,” and “so and so’s friend.” Obviously, none of those were great choices.
Since this was my practice and I had/have no intention of expanding, I wanted something that reflected me. Something spunky, kind of cutesy, and most of all UNFORGETTABLE! I wanted a name that I would not be tired of in 2 years. All that insurance credentialing was not fun the first time around. Why would I want to complete it again to change my name?! When I started the preliminary brainstorm, I knew I wanted pink as my main color. I knew my name had to look cute in pink. Then it hit me one day on my way to work! SPEECH CHICK THERAPY!! It was like the clouds parted, the sun shone down on me and the angels started singing…ok, maybe not that last part! It was perfect. It was girly, looked cute in pink and reflected me! The word “chick” makes me think of fun, spunky, informal, and friendly. It is not stuffy or pretentious at all!
Seven years later, I still love the name. Parents compliment on the name when I go for the initial evaluations. Insurance companies remember when I call…which is big! People remember the name. When people remember the name, guess what they do? REFER!!!! That’s right, when someone remembers your name, they refer their friends, relatives, people they meet at the grocery store!
As you can tell, I am not super formal. However, my business is portrayed in a very professional manner. I make sure parents and children are at ease but also understand what is expected of them. I want people to comfortable. I am in their house 1x-2x a week. The family needs to get a sense of who I am as a person just like I need to get to know them.
If you are thinking of starting your own private practice, be sure to come with a name that people remember. That reflects you or the feeling you want to convey. Many start a practice and have a staff of therapists. Your staff needs to also convey that same feeling. You are developing a brand (which is a whole different subject that I plan to address later in the months to come!!!) Think of this way-if you had a child, what would the prospective therapy company look like? What feeling would it give you? Whatever you come up, GO WITH IT!! My advice will probably differ greatly from anything you’ve read when it comes to naming your practice. This is what has worked for me, but it may not work for you. Just remember, don’t try too hard, don’t force the “feeling,” and be sure you like the name!
Want to know about Speech Chick Therapy? Maybe you’re curious about my logo. Read this blog post!
speechchicktherapyblog.com 