Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sadia Fuller-Palmer, Owner of Speech Language & More, Inc., located in Sunrise, FL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a speech-language pathologist and owner of Speech Language & More, Inc. (SLM. Inc.). At SLM, Inc., we provide speech/language therapy services, as well as accent modification therapy for children to adults.

Tell us about yourself

I’ve always been driven and a go-getter, even as a little girl growing up in Jamaica. I knew I wanted to own my own business one day. Fast forward a couple of years, and at the age of 13, my family and I migrated to the United States.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to work in a field where I’m able to help others, especially children. During high school, I was introduced to the profession of speech-language pathology and fell in love. Not only will I be able to work with children, but I will also be able to help individuals of all ages. The complexity of the field was also alluring due to the broad range of therapies speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide to treat so many different disorders.

I attended the University of South Florida, where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Communicative Disorders and a Minor in American Sign Language (ASL) in 2002. In 2004, I graduated from the University of South Florida with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and became a Certified and Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in the state of Florida.

After working in a variety of settings, I decided to start my own speech therapy private practice, and in 2012 became the founder and lead SLP of Speech Language & More, Inc. We now have locations in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, as well as provide speech, language, and accent modification therapy worldwide via teletherapy.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My goal as a speech-language pathologist is to provide quality, functional and effective therapy to all our patients. My team and I are able to achieve excellence by customizing specific therapy services to meet the unique needs of each individual patient, as well as responding to the concerns and needs of patients, parents, caregivers, and family members. Our therapists have extensive experience in the evaluation and treatment of a wide variety of diagnoses in children and adults.

My biggest accomplishment and our number one priority are to continue to improve our patient’s ability to effectively communicate and function in their daily living, school, play environments, etc. The unique thing about Speech Language & More, Inc. is the great bond we achieve with our patients. We are like family at SLM, Inc. Our patients achieve such high improvement rates due to the highly effective therapy our therapists provide, but also due to the positive and close relationships that are created. Treating the whole person is what we do at Speech Language & More, Inc.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Trying to accomplish a dream often isn’t a smooth process for anyone, and that is true for me as well. Building my private practice had its share of challenges. I was trying to build something while working a full-time job and being a mom. Trying to juggle everything was sometimes challenging but doable. I wanted to make sure I had time devoted to my children. I was trying my best not to give them mere mediocre time either, but true quality time well spent. So, one of the hardest things for me was balancing growing a business that required so much of my time initially and being present for my family. With the growth of my business, I now have more time to be more devoted to my children.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Initially, you will be the one doing the majority of the work to get your business off the ground. However, as you start growing, it's best to realize where your weakness(es) lies and get help in those areas. It's easy to get overwhelmed and burn out, especially initially, so getting some assistance is beneficial.
  2. Be sure there really is a market for what you want to sell. Often you are only told to do something you're passionate about, but make sure that passion is something others are also interested in. Try doing some research to see if your product or service is something others would pay for.
  3. Don’t fixate on mistakes or lose your motivation because of rejections. Try your best to learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward. Make adjustments where needed and press on. You will encounter rejections. Everyone will not want what you are selling; however, your intended audience is out there, so again, keep pressing forward.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://speechlanguageandmore.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SLMspeech
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slmspeech/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadiapalmer/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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