The Private Practice Success Podcast
Private Practice Specific Business Coaching, Mentoring & Consulting for Allied Health Business Owners.
79. The Static Diary: The Secret Sauce to my Personal Private Practice Success
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In Episode 79, Gerda shares one of her biggest “behind-the-scenes” success tools. A tool she’s relied on since 2012 and credits as a major contributor to her personal and business growth: The Static Diary.
If you've ever finished a day wondering where the time went, constantly feel like you're reacting instead of leading, or can't seem to find time to work on your practice, this episode is your invitation to stop guessing what you should be doing each day and start creating the space to actually work ON your practice, not ju...
78. The HR Advice ChatGPT Can't Give You | Interview with Melissa Langton
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In Episode 78, Gerda explores one of the biggest challenges practice owners face as they grow their teams: navigating HR with confidence.
Let’s be honest… HR can feel overwhelming. From changing legislation and compliance requirements to managing people, expectations, and workplace culture, it’s easy to find yourself tempted to type a HR question into ChatGPT (or ask a Facebook group) hoping for a quick answer, while still lying awake at night wondering, “Am I doing this right?”
So, how do you create a workplace that ACTUALLY supports your team, prot...
77. Build an AI Marketing Assistant that Actually Sounds Like You | Interview with Nina Huchthausen
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In Episode 77, Gerda explores one of the biggest conversations facing private practice owners right now: AI and what it means for your practice.
With so much noise, excitement, and uncertainty around AI, it’s understandable if you’re feeling a little unsure about where to start (and let’s be honest… there’s a LOT of “AI advice” out there right now). And you’re probably thinking….Do you embrace it? Ignore it? Experiment with it? And how do you make sure you’re using it in a way that actually support...
76. The Simple Exercise that could Save your Practice Thousands
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In Episode 76, Gerda kicks off the new financial year with a look at what’s changing for private practice owners from 1 July 2026, and why business finances can’t be something you just “get to later”.
Maybe your practice looks fine on the surface, but the numbers feel messy or unclear. Or maybe you already know things are getting tighter, but avoiding your expenses feels easier than dealing with it.
Either way, Gerda’s message is simple: AVOIDING IT, DOESN’T FIX IT… it just kicks the can down the road.
So...
75. Why '100% Utilisation' Is Actually a Red Flag
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In Episode 75, Gerda unpacks one of the most commonly used (and most commonly misunderstood) terms in private practice, being utilisation rates. If you’ve ever heard this concept mentioned and thought, "hang on… are we actually all talking about the same thing?”, then this episode is for you.
Across allied health, the definition of utilisation rates can vary depending on your discipline, business model, and even how your team uses the term internally (and yes… this is often where confusion starts). In this episode, Gerda breaks down why those differences exist, how they...
74. The 10 Green Flags That Tell Me Your Practice Is Ready for Google Ads
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In Episode 74, Gerda tackles one of the most talked about (and often misunderstood) growth tools in private practice being Google Ads.
More and more practice owners are asking the same question….
“Are Google Ads actually worth it?”
This episode cuts through all of that noise and gets straight to what actually matters, with Gerda sharing her perspective on when exactly Google Ads can be an incredibly EFFECTIVE growth tool and when it can quickly become an EXPENSIVE mistake.
Gerda breaks down the 10 key signs that show when...
73. You Don’t Need More Busyness - You Need a Business Break-Through
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In Episode 73, Gerda speaks directly to the practice owner who knows deep down that ‘business as usual’ isn’t working anymore.
Consider this…. Maybe your practice is ticking along, but it’s not really growing. Your revenue, profit, client numbers and even your personal income just feels like it's stuck. Yes, it might look ‘fine’ from the outside, but (again) it’s not growing.
Or maybe you’re on the other end of the spectrum. Here you are flat out, constantly dropping the ball, feeling like you’re the bottleneck in your bu...
72. Where to Find NEW Clients...?
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In Episode 72, Gerda answers a question that’s on the mind of so many practice owners right now, especially with the cost-of-living pressures affecting client demand and this question is:
Where do I Find NEW Clients…? (Yes, NEW in capital letters.)
This episode was sparked by a brilliant question from a group practice owner inside Gerda’s Facebook community who asked...
“How do companies currently advertise their services, and where do families actually find you?”
Needless to say, if you’ve got open spots in your diary ri...
71. The Difference between 'Contributions to OPEX' and 'Profit' and Why This Matters
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In Episode 71, Gerda breaks down two financial concepts that practice owners often confuse, and how that misunderstanding can quietly sabotage your pricing, team pay decisions, and long-term sustainability.
She unpacks the difference between “Contributions to OPEX” and “Profit” and why knowing the distinction can transform the way you run your business, especially in the current economic climate.
In this Episode, you will learn:
The difference between “Contributions to OPEX” and “Profit”Common misconceptions around what actually happens to practice Revenue.A simple framework for understanding the flow of money wi...70. How Much Should I Pay Myself as the Practice Owner?
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In Episode 70, Gerda tackles a question so many practice owners wonder about but almost nobody talks about out loud: How Much Should I Pay Myself as the Practice Owner…?
This episode was sparked by a brave (and very real) question Gerda was asked recently and while it can feel uncomfortable to talk about, it's a very important conversation to have.
In this insightful conversation, Gerda shares what she’s seen practice owners pay themselves in the real world, why owner pay is often the first thing to disappear when margin...
69. The Q1 Reality Check: Are you where you said you'd be?
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In Episode 69, Gerda invites you to pause, reflect, and take a hard but necessary look at the first quarter of this calendar year. If January started with big intentions but you have since found yourself pulled back into the day-to-day of clients, team challenges, and everything else going on, this episode is for you.
Gerda holds up the mirror and walks you through a powerful Quarter 1 audit to help you get honest about what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change before another quarter slips by. This isn’t a spr...
68. The Hidden Revenue Engine in Your Private Practice
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In this episode 68, Gerda challenges one of the most common assumptions in private practice and reveals the often overlooked driver of sustainable growth, profitability, and client experience, being your admin team.
While most practice owners focus on increasing fees, hiring more clinicians, or ramping up marketing, Gerda unpacks why none of these strategies will deliver consistent results without a high-performing front desk team supporting them. Your admin team isn’t just answering phones - they are the engine room of your business, influencing conversions, protecting revenue, and safeguarding compliance.
...
67. How to Network Effectively, Even if You're an Introvert
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In Episode 67, Gerda dives into the art of networking for allied health practice owners, so if walking into a room full of strangers feels like your worst nightmare, then this is most certainly is the episode for you.
As a self-proclaimed introvert, Gerda shares her own experiences and frameworks for connecting with referral sources in a way that feels authentic, outcome-focused, and completely non-salesy.
In this Episode, you will learn (among others):
Why networking is about building relationships, not just handing out business cards.The three m...66. Credibility VS Authority: The Missing Link in your Marketing
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In Episode 66, Gerda gets straight to the heart of why so many practice owners struggle to fill their books, even when they feel like they are “doing all the right marketing things”.
Unfortunately, many practice owners don’t even realise that there is a missing link in their marketing strategy. Cue… Credibility Marketing VS Authority Marketing.
So, if you’ve ever wondered why being qualified, experienced, and trustworthy isn’t enough to create demand (and why your phone still isn’t ringing), then this episode is for you.
In this Ep...
65. Leading Through Uncertainty
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Irrespective of whether you’re a solo or a group practice owner, uncertainty is part of the allied health business landscape. Cue funding changes, policy shifts, a lingering cost of living crisis and the multitude of unexpected curveballs life throws your way.
This episode isn’t about theory - it’s a practical, real-world guide to leading yourself and your team when the path ahead is foggy and the stakes feel high.
In this Episode, you will learn (among others):
Why uncertainty is a normal part of privat...64. The 5 Most Important People in the Life of a Practice Owner
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In Episode 64, Gerda unpacks a truth every private practice owner needs to hear: It really does take a village to build a sustainable, thriving business. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of your practice on your own shoulders, juggling clinicians, being the CEO, HR, bookkeeper, and everything in between, this episode is your permission (and blueprint) to stop going it alone.
Gerda shares how the right support team can help practice owners move from overwhelmed operator to confident, strategic CEO. Discover how to build your “top of the...
63. More Clients, More Team, But Less Freedom? Here's Why...
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In Episode 63, Gerda gets real about a dilemma so many private practice owners face in that is: More Clients, More Team... But Less Freedom.
If you started your practice for flexibility and freedom, but now find yourself with a bigger team, a fuller diary, and even less time and headspace than before, then this episode is for you.
Gerda unpacks why simply adding more clients and hiring more clinicians doesn’t automatically create the freedom you dreamed of (and why it often does the opposite).
Ger...
62. Marketing & Branding in Private Practice: What to Do & When
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In this episode, Gerda breaks down the difference between marketing and branding (spoiler alert: they’re not the same!), why they both matter and most importantly how to know which one your business needs right now, depending on your stage of growth and your goals for the next 12 months.
Gerda shares why marketing and branding in allied health isn’t about chasing algorithms, being pushy, or doing things that feel misaligned. Instead, she reframes it as a purposeful extension of the care you already provide and shows you how to use it t...
61. Remuneration Roulette: Why Guessing What to Pay Your Team is Costing You More Than You Think
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In Episode 61, Gerda tackles one of the most stressful and high-stakes challenges for group private practice owners being: Remuneration.
If you’ve ever felt a wave of panic when a clinician asks, 'So, what’s the pay?' or found yourself trawling Facebook groups, job ads, or just 'going with your gut' on salaries, then this episode is for you.
Gerda breaks down why most practice owners are playing remuneration roulette where they are making emotional, scattered, and comparison-driven decisions that can quietly wreck the profit, sustainability, and s...
60. Salutogenesis: In Treatment & In Business
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In Episode 60, Gerda explores a powerful concept that can transform both your clinical work and your business: Salutogenesis - the science (and art) of moving from 'dis-ease' to 'health-ease and how understanding and applying Salutogenesis can double your potential client base.
Gerda breaks down what Salutogenesis is, why it matters, and how it applies far beyond the therapy room. You’ll hear why it’s simply not enough to just help clients reach an 'absence of symptoms' and how aiming for true wellbeing creates better outcomes, stronger retention, and a more...
59. Delivering a 10/10 Client Session
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In Episode 59, Gerda dives into something every clinician cares about, being how to deliver a 10/10 client session - every single time.
This is important because although the actual session is only one part of the broader client experience and client journey, it’s the part that the client remembers most saliently.
In a market where competition is increasing and tech and AI are becoming more common, the quality of the human experience that gets delivered in-session is becoming one of the biggest differentiators your practice will have.
<...58. Busting the 10 Biggest Myths about Group Private Practice - PART 2
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In Episode 58, Gerda continues busting the 10 Biggest Myths about group private practice.
If Part 1 in Episode 57 stirred something for you, then get ready because these next five myths go even deeper. This episode is less about spreadsheets and structures, and a lot more about identity, confidence, leadership, and the permission you give yourself (or don’t give yourself) to build a group practice that actually works.
Gerda unpacks the beliefs that keep capable clinicians playing small, choosing “safe” options that quietly cap their growth, and hesitating because of fear, impost...
57. Busting the 10 Biggest Myths about Group Private Practice - PART 1
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In Episode 57, Gerda busts the first 5 of the 10 Biggest Myths about Group Private Practice.
Why? Because right now there is so much misinformation floating around in the allied health industry and it’s keeping incredibly capable clinicians and practice owners stuck, overwhelmed, and on track to burnout.
If you’ve ever considered building a group practice (or you’re already in one and quietly thinking, what the hell have I done?) then this episode will help you separate myth from reality.
Gerda shares what she knows to be true...
56. 3 Reasons Your Team Sucks (and it's not what you think)
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In Episode 56, Gerda tackles one of the most common and probably most frustrating challenges in allied health private practice being: when it feels like your team sucks!
With her trademark honesty (and a little humour), Gerda unpacks why nine times out of ten it’s not your people who are the problem - it’s the way they’re being managed and led.
This episode is an important invitation to look in the mirror, take ownership, and fix the real cause of underperformance, so you can build a team that’s a...
55. Three Reasons Why you will Never have a Self-Running Practice
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In Episode 55, Gerda gets real about what’s holding so many practice owners back from building the self-running business they dream of.
With her signature honesty and a dose of tough love, she unpacks the three big reasons most practice owners never achieve true freedom and why it’s not about working harder, hiring more, or just wishing things were different.
Gerda shares her own journey to a self-running practice and explains what it actually takes to step away from the day-to-day - without everything falling apart.
In...
54. How Smart Practice Owners Plan their Year & Why They do it in January
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In Episode 54, Gerda reveals why January - not December - is the secret weapon for smart, sustainable business planning in private practice. She shares her own experience of ditching frazzled “December brain” for the clarity and creativity that only a well-rested January can bring.
You’ll discover why most practice owners start the year already behind, how reaction mode keeps you stuck, and why planning all by yourself rarely works. Instead, Gerda recommends and unpacks the power of a facilitated, intentional planning process - one that’s realistic, energising, and designed for the...
53. Private Practice for Dummies
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In Episode 53, Gerda strips private practice back to basics and reminds us that simplicity is often the secret to success.
Inspired by the iconic “For Dummies” series, Gerda uses humour and real talk to break down what actually matters in running a thriving group practice (no complicated jargon or overwhelming checklists required).
You’ll discover the three essential elements every private practice needs, how they work together, and what goes wrong when you neglect any one of them.
Plus, she shares the three behaviours that separate sustainable, successf...
52. 3 Reasons Why Your Diary is Still Not Full
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In Episode 52, Gerda unpacks the three core reasons why your diary is still not full and why “just do more marketing” is almost never the whole answer.
Whether you run a solo practice or a growing group practice, empty appointment slots create stress, cash flow pressure, and, over time, burnout. This episode is all about diagnosing the real problems, so you can finally fix them.
More specifically, Gerda walks you through the full client journey - from enquiries, to front desk conversations, to clinical engagement - and shows you exact...
51. Proper Business Planning: The Allied Health Way
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In episode 51, Gerda dives into one of her favourite and most transformative topics, being how proper business planning, done the allied health way, sets thriving practice owners apart from those stuck in constant catch-up mode.
Gerda unpacks why generic planning systems just don’t work for the realities of private practice, and shares a practical, values-driven approach that brings calm, clarity, and momentum to your business.
You’ll hear why planning isn’t just about pretty to-do lists or new diaries, but a true leadership skill that anchors your vision...
50. The 3 Hardest Things I've Ever had to Do in my Private Practice
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In Episode 50, Gerda shares a raw and honest account of the three hardest things she’s ever had to do as a private practice owner.
From firing her accountant and performance managing a ‘trusted’ team member, to letting go of a contractor who was damaging her brand, Gerda shares the behind-the-scenes decisions that shaped her business and herself as a leader. You’ll hear the real stories, the real emotions, and the important lessons learned from navigating these pivotal moments.
Whether you’re facing a tough call in your own business...
49. The REAL Reason your Cash Flow Sucks
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In episode 49, Gerda gets brutally honest about one of the most painful topics for private practice owners: cash flow.
Drawing on her own practice owner experience and countless client stories, Gerda reveals the three biggest reasons why so many allied health businesses are struggling to keep money in the bank and why the usual “quick fixes” just don’t work.
This episode isn’t about surface-level tips or empty motivation. Gerda dives deep into the real mistakes that drain your finances AND your confidence. This episode will have you...
48. 3 Actions to Transform your Practice before Year's End
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In episode 48, Gerda delivers a motivating call to action for private practice owners who want to finish the year strong - no matter how challenging 2025 has felt thus far.
Gerda reminds you that the last stretch of the year is where real transformation happens and shares three practical, high-impact strategies to help you regain momentum, boost your cash flow, and set your business up for a powerful start to the new year.
With her signature blend of empathy and accountability, Gerda encourages you to move beyond ‘waiting for January’ and t...
47. No Time, No Cash Flow: The Excuses Blocking your Success
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In episode 47, Gerda gets real about the most common excuses that hold group practice owners back from the business growth and freedom they truly deserve.
Drawing on years of candid conversations with fellow allied health business owners, she unpacks not only the surface-level reasons like “no time” and “no cash flow” but also digs deeper into the underlying barriers blocking success.
With her trademark blend of empathy and tough love, Gerda challenges you to reflect on what’s really stopping you from investing in your business and yourself.
Whether yo...
46. The Rapid Refill: 3 Simple Strategies to get Booked Out
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In episode 46, Gerda shares three simple, high-impact strategies to quickly fill open appointments - without slipping into '911 marketing'.
You’ll learn how to pair consistent, foundational marketing with smart, rapid-response tactics that protect your margins, support your team’s billables, and get clients the care they need now.
Gerda breaks down exactly how to run an effective client recall, reactivate current but inactive clients, and strategically shift bookings to weekly where appropriate - all with scripts, guardrails, and practical tips drawn from real-world implementation in her group practice.
45. The NDIS Debacle: My Take & Your Next Steps
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In episode 45, Gerda shares a candid, practical take on the current NDIS landscape as well as her take as to the right next steps to future proof your practice.
From inconsistent pricing and slashed travel allowances to the newly announced Thriving Kids Program, Gerda unpacks what’s changing, why so many providers feel exhausted and disillusioned, and how to make grounded decisions that protect your team, clients, and business.
Drawing on years of working with NDIS and non-NDIS practices, Gerda offers a clear-eyed path forward allowing practice owners to re...
44. A Crash Course in THE NEW Contractor Arrangements
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In episode 44, Gerda delivers a timely and practical crash course on the new contractor arrangements every allied health group practice owner needs to understand. With legislative changes and ATO crackdowns reshaping the way practices can engage independent contractors, Gerda breaks down what’s out, what’s in, and how to protect your business from costly compliance mistakes.
Drawing on her own hard-won experience (and months of legal consultation), Gerda shares the five biggest shifts in contractor managements, common pitfalls to avoid, and actionable steps to keep your practice compliant, without losing your...
43. What is a Realistic Profit Margin in Allied Health Private Practice?
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In episode 43, Gerda dives into one of the most misunderstood (and often controversial) topics in allied health private practice: Profit Margins.
With honesty and practical insight, Gerda unpacks why talking about money isn’t just important for your business, but absolutely essential for your ability to help more people, build a sustainable team, and create long-term impact.
From defining what a profit margin actually is, to explaining why percentages matter more than dollar amounts, Gerda walks you through the benchmarks, realities, and mindset shifts every practice owner needs to und...
42. The 2025 Business Intensive Debrief
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In episode 42, Gerda takes you behind the scenes of the Private Practice Success Academy’s Annual Business Intensive - a transformative two-and-a-half-day event designed to empower practice owners to elevate their business, build meaningful connections, and achieve lasting growth.
This episode is packed with practical insights and honest stories about what it really takes to run (and enjoy!) a thriving private practice. Plus, Gerda shares the magic of community, celebration and, yes, a little bit of well-deserved “mucking around.”
In this Episode, you will learn (amongst others):
Why...41. What Makes Your Practice Different?
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In episode 41, Gerda challenges you to dig deep and truly answer one of the most important questions for any private practice owner: What makes your practice different?
With more allied health businesses entering the market than ever before - and competition for clients and talent at an all-time high - having a clear point of differentiation isn’t just a nice to have, it’s essential for survival and growth.
In this Episode, you will learn (among others):
Why the allied health marketplace is more competitive than...40. The Ideal Practice Owner Diary
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In episode 40, Gerda dives into one of the most common questions from private practice owners: What should your practice owner diary (or calendar) look like in order to shift from just surviving to thriving?
Drawing on her own love-hate relationship with scheduling, Gerda unpacks the real-life challenges of balancing productivity, boundaries, and freedom as a business owner.
You’ll learn why the “ideal diary” isn’t about cramming in more, but about building a sustainable rhythm that supports your values, your team, and your wellbeing.
Gerda shares her prac...
