Allied Health Business Brilliance

What happens when the business you’ve built takes you further away from the clinical work you love?

Cathy Love welcomes Lauren Haskins, founder of A Growing Understanding Speech Pathology and Let’s Grow Together, for an honest conversation about business growth, difficult decisions and evolving professional identity.

From scaling an Allied Health business to nearly 50 team members, to deliberately consolidating and rediscovering her purpose, Lauren shares the lessons that have shaped her journey as a clinician, business owner and emerging sector leader.

Together, they explore the changing Allied Health landscape, the opportunities pres...

Are you waiting for someone else to tell you what Thriving Kids means for your business?

There is plenty we still don’t know about Thriving Kids. But not knowing everything is very different from knowing nothing.

In this solo episode, Cathy Love challenges Allied Health Business Owners to take ownership of their strategic thinking. She explores why understanding government policy, economics and the wider business environment is becoming essential to running a sustainable Allied Health business.

From questioning assumptions to recognising opportunities beyond traditional therapy models, Cathy makes the case for informed de...

Summer comes around every year. So why are Allied Health Business Owners still caught off guard by cancellations, empty diaries, staff leave and declining revenue?

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy Love and Layland Webb challenge the belief that a difficult summer is simply part of running an Allied Health business.

They explore why summer often exposes existing weaknesses in business systems, planning and leadership. More importantly, they discuss how proactive seasonal planning can protect profitability, strengthen team accountability and reduce owner dependency.

Summer is predictable. Your business response should...

What does it take to build an Allied Health business where distance, access and workforce challenges are part of everyday life?

In this episode, Cathy speaks with Annie Jump, Speech Pathologist and founder of Gidgee Speech Therapy, about building and leading an Allied Health business in rural New South Wales.

Growing up in remote communities shaped Annie’s belief that people deserve access to healthcare, no matter their location. It is a purpose that continues to influence how she builds her team, designs roles and makes decisions about the future of the business.

An...

A strong culture is not just about how a team feels. It is also about how people work together, communicate, learn and follow through.

In this rerun episode, Cathy Love chats with Regina Jean-Francois about the systems, project management habits and team mindset that help turn ideas into action.

They explore how clear workflows create accountability, why everyone needs to contribute to the system, and how a growth mindset helps teams adapt to new ways of working.

Topics covered on inspiring culture, accountability and systems:

Got a good idea that has been sitting on your mind for months?

This episode is about testing it before you overthink it.

Download The Pilot Project Builder to help shape your idea, challenge assumptions and decide what needs to be tested first.

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy Love and Layland Webb unpack how pilot projects can help business owners test demand, pricing, delivery and commercial viability before making a bigger investment.

Topics covered on pilot projects, commercial viability and smart experimentation:

What happens when you combine physiotherapy, aviation and a very strong entrepreneurial streak?

For Kennedy Lay, it became a completely different way of delivering Allied Health.

As Founder and CEO of Fly2Health Group, Kennedy leads a multidisciplinary team delivering services across regional and remote Australia. It is a business model that brings together aircraft, clinicians, logistics, clinical governance and a very clear purpose: taking healthcare to communities where access can otherwise be incredibly limited.

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy talks with Kennedy about what it takes to grow...

What happens when an Occupational Therapist identifies a problem in daily workflow and creates a solution that has the potential to change how therapy is delivered?

In this rerun episode, Laura Simmons, Occupational Therapist, founder and CEO of Theratrak, explored how technology can help bridge the gap between therapy sessions while supporting clinicians, families and clients.

What began as a simple way to share therapy activities with families has evolved into a platform designed to make therapy more accessible, engaging and connected. Laura shared the journey behind Theratrak, the role of gamification and collaboration in...

When is the right time to let go?

Beth Dermer is an occupational therapist and founder of DOTS Allied Health. She also built and scaled Squish Kids Occupational Therapy, a business she recently sold after pouring into it for 15 years.

In this episode, Cathy and Beth unpack the realities behind that journey. From learning how to delegate and building systems that work without you, to finding the right people and navigating the surprisingly demanding process of selling a business.

But the conversation goes well beyond business mechanics.

Beth shares her deep...

Waiting for certainty is not a business strategy.

In this fireside chat, Cathy Love and Layland Webb unpack why being change ready is becoming non-negotiable for Allied Health business owners.

With NDIS, Thriving Kids and aged care reforms reshaping the sector, change is not limited to the big external shifts. Markets change. Clients change. Teams change. Systems change. And businesses need to keep moving with them.

Cathy and Layland explore how to make intentional change part of business as usual, without exhausting yourself or your team. They discuss assessing downstream impacts, communicating the...

Kate McMahon has built Kids and Co.Lab with intention from day one. As an occupational therapist, clinical supervisor and passionate inclusion advocate, Kate has created a business designed around excellent service, family life and the freedom to keep improving how things are done.

In this episode, Kate joins Cathy to unpack how values show up in position descriptions, team conversations and service delivery, why she prioritised systems early, and how those systems helped the business continue through maternity leave.

They also explore Kate’s approach to diverse revenue streams, from NDIS and private services to...

In this episode, Layland Webb and Cathy Love get candid and unfiltered about revenue diversification for Allied Health businesses. They discuss the looming impact of the Thriving Kids transition and ongoing NDIS pricing pressures, warning that a significant share of Allied Health providers could be out of business within 12–18 months if they don’t start planning now. Rather than sugarcoating the risks, they lay out why “wait and see” isn’t a strategy, and how business owners can start identifying real opportunities hiding in plain sight within their own teams and services.

This episode explores how Allied Health bus...

Growing a business often requires growing into a new version of yourself.

In this episode, Cathy speaks with Occupational Therapist and Owner, Jessie Ellis about the shift from clinician to director, leader and future-focused Allied Health Business Owner. Jessie shares how Skye Therapy evolved from a small experiment into a growing paediatric Allied Health business, including the bold move from a home studio into a clinic designed with room to expand.

They explore the decision to niche around children’s attention, how that clarity now guides the business and why niching began to feel less ri...

Financial governance is not reserved for large organisations. It starts with knowing your numbers, planning for uncertainty and building habits that support better decisions.

In this episode, Cathy Love and Layland Webb unpack the practical difference between a budget and a forecast, and explain why uncertainty is a reason to scenario plan rather than delay it. They also challenge the industry’s narrow focus on billable KPIs and explore how lead indicators can create better performance, accountability and support for employees.

The episode closes with a listener question about turning an informal business relationship into a...

Kate Broderick is the Founding Director of Spot Therapy Hub, founder of Neuroway, and a dual-qualified occupational therapist and speech pathologist.

Kate joins Cathy to discuss growing a three-site Allied Health business while keeping neurodiversity-affirming values and trauma-informed care at its core. She shares why values must be supported by strong operations, commercial awareness and an aligned leadership team.

They also explore accessible parent education, the uncertainty surrounding Thriving Kids and the growing need for Allied Health professionals to advocate for their clients, businesses and profession.

Topics covered on values-led leadership, inclusive services...

In this episode, Cathy Love is joined by Layland Webb, Business Manager at Nacre Consulting, for an insightful conversation about one of the most challenging topics for Allied Health Business Owners: making confident decisions about pay rises. Rather than relying on industry norms or blanket annual increases, Cathy and Layland explore why salary decisions should be guided by business performance, financial capacity, and individual contribution.

Together, they unpack how to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to salary reviews, offering valuable perspectives on balancing fairness, rewarding performance, and protecting the long-term sustainability of your business.

Topics...

In this episode, Cathy Love speaks with Rebecca Lockyer, Occupational Therapist and founder of Little Therapies on the Sunshine Coast. Rebecca shares the story of growing her paediatric OT practice from a mobile start-up launched just three weeks before COVID into a clinic-based, multidisciplinary Allied Health team.

This conversation explores paediatric OT business growth, clinician-to-business-owner identity, team leadership, supervision, professional development, NDIS revenue diversification and the creation of Paediatric OT Conference Australia, also known as POTCA. Rebecca speaks honestly about the lessons learned through fast growth, business partnership, ethical profit, marketing confidence and building learning experiences that...

In this episode, Cathy Love speaks with Karan Anand from Hnry about the financial admin load that sits behind self-employment, sole trading and running an Allied Health business.

Karan explains how Hnry supports sole traders with income flow, tax calculations, GST, expenses, invoicing, BAS and tax returns, while keeping the process simple enough for business owners who would rather spend their time with clients, family or building the business.

The conversation explores why Allied Health has become such a strong part of the self-employed economy, particularly with the rise of NDIS work, contracting and portfolio-style...

This is a timely conversation about what the federal budget is signalling for Allied Health Business Owners.

This episode is a business conversation about what owners need to notice, question and prepare for as NDIS reform, Thriving Kids, tax changes, workforce movement and government decision-making continue to reshape the sector.

Cathy and Layland discuss why this season requires more than clinical quality and a strong reputation. Allied Health businesses now need sharper financial discipline, stronger governance, clearer operations, compliance readiness, workforce strategy and owner-level thinking.

Topics covered on budget signals, NDIS reform and...

In this episode, we welcome back Occupational Therapist, Allied Health Business Owner and Founder of the OT Lifestyle Movement, Rhiannon Crispe.

Lovely Rhiannon shares the story behind the Burn In Model, a contemporary framework created to help clinicians, teams and everyday humans understand what fuels their inner fire, what dims it, and what boundaries are needed to protect it.

This conversation moves through burnout, compassion fatigue, toxic systems, professional identity, creativity, parenting, business ownership and the deep need for occupational alignment in a sector experiencing enormous change.

Topics covered on burnout, the Burn...

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy Love is joined by Layland Webb, Business Manager at Nacre Consulting, for a timely conversation recorded during a significant week of sector change, policy discussion and budget anticipation.

Cathy and Layland unpack the early signals emerging from the New South Wales procurement model, the likely implications for Thriving Kids, and what Allied Health Business Owners need to be thinking about now.

This conversation goes beyond clinical service delivery. It looks at governance, evidence, risk exposure, diversification, subcontracting opportunities, government expectations, and the growing need for Allied...

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy Love speaks with Michelle Oliver from Occupational Therapy Australia about the current pace of reform across the disability sector and what it means for OTs, Allied Health Business Owners, participants, children and families.

Michelle shares OT Australia’s response to the new NDIS bill, the concerns surrounding functional capacity assessments, the impact of capacity building reductions, and the broader campaign behind “No OTs, No NDIS.”

The conversation also explores Thriving Kids, state and territory procurement challenges, the need to include the existing private Allied Health workforce, and wh...

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Layland Webb speaks with Chris Baxter from Aeva about how AI reception technology is starting to reshape the way Allied Health businesses manage phone calls, bookings, cancellations and client communication.

Chris explains how Aeva works as an AI receptionist for clinics, helping reduce missed calls, support after-hours enquiries, manage bookings and reschedules, and reconnect with clients who have not booked follow-up appointments. The conversation also covers practice management software integration, data privacy, client experience, outbound calls, and where AI may support busy Allied Health teams without adding more pressure...

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy Love speaks with Leanne Burgess, Director and co-owner of Professional Bookkeeping Services, affectionately known as PBS. Leanne returns to the podcast for a refreshingly honest conversation about business sustainability, bookkeeping, knowing your numbers, burnout, chronic fatigue, team care and what it really takes to look after the person behind the business.

This conversation moves between the practical and the personal. Leanne shares how PBS has been rebuilt over the past seven to eight years, why sustainability now sits at the centre of the business, and how her own...

In this episode, we feature occupational therapist and Neurolinks founder Nadine Holgate to explore the evolution of a business built from clinical depth, rural context, and deliberate diversification.

Nadine shares her journey from working in brain injury rehabilitation to stepping out on her own in 2011, well before the NDIS, driven by a need for flexibility and a desire to shape work around life. What unfolds is a grounded and practical conversation about building an Allied Health business across multiple service streams, working beyond metro areas, and expanding reach without losing clinical integrity.

This is a...

In this episode, Cathy Love speaks with Kait Cummins about a marketing challenge that many Allied Health Business Owners are experiencing. There is effort, activity, and visibility, yet conversion is not following. This conversation focuses on where that gap can occur. Cathy and Kait explore the reality that many businesses are still speaking to families too late. By the time marketing reaches them, those families may already be in the system, already informed, or already working with another provider.

Instead, the discussion turns to an earlier point in the journey. The stage where parents sense something is...

In this solo episode, Cathy Love speaks directly to Allied Health Business Owners who are feeling the weight of uncertainty around Thriving Kids and the broader reforms reshaping early childhood intervention. Rather than offering predictions or a policy explainer, Cathy focuses on the business mindset and practical leadership required when the system is still forming.

Cathy explores the structural nature of the changes ahead, including revenue exposure, referral concentration, evolving decision-makers, and the danger of slipping into “wait and see” mode. She challenges owners to get clearer on their numbers, assess risk honestly, strengthen key relationships, and make...

In this solo episode, Cathy Love pulls back the curtain on what has been filling her days, her headspace, and her conversations lately. From phone calls with Allied Health Business Owners across the country to discussions with advocates, stakeholders and politicians, this is a grounded reflection on what leadership looks like when the sector feels uncertain, pressured and in transition.

Cathy shares what she has been reading, what she has been listening to, and what has been helping her think more clearly as reforms continue to unfold across the NDIS, Foundational Supports, Thriving Kids and aged care...

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy Love is joined by Nacre Consulting teammate Regina Jean-Francois, who works across project management, podcast coordination, communications and marketing. Together, they unpack what project management really means in a growing business and why it matters far beyond a simple to-do list.

This conversation explores how good project management helps Allied Health Business Owners move ideas out of their heads and into strong actionable steps. Cathy and Regina discuss the systems, tools and team habits that help work get done at Nacre, including Asana, workflows, automation, accountability, and the...

Cathy Love speaks with Jenny Gribbin, Founding Director of Driving Well Occupational Therapy in Brisbane, about building a specialist occupational therapy business in the driving and vehicle modification space. Jenny reflects on her journey from launching a side hustle at her kitchen table in 2016 to leading a small but mighty team, while staying deeply connected to the core purpose of occupational therapy: helping people return to the activities they need and want to do.

Together, Cathy and Jenny explore the clinical depth of driving-related OT, the importance of mentoring, supervision and professional interest groups, and the role...

In this episode, Cathy Love and Layland Webb unpack the growing pressure, uncertainty, and strategic questions surrounding Thriving Kids and Foundational Supports for Allied Health Business Owners.

Cathy shares why she pulled together a Victorian working party of Business Owners to discuss what is known, what is missing, and what action needs to happen next. Together, Cathy and Layland also reflect on the PRECI webinar, the lack of clear communication to the sector, and the frustration many providers are feeling whilst significant reform signals continue to emerge without enough practical guidance. This conversation also explores Nacre’s re...

In this episode, Cathy Love speaks with Chris Smith, CEO of Happy HR, about the rapidly evolving HR and Fair Work landscape and what it means for Allied Health Business Owners. With increasing regulatory pressure, shifting compliance expectations, and new attention on psychosocial safety, keeping up is becoming more complex than ever.

Chris brings a practical perspective from working across industries, unpacking key changes around record keeping, time tracking, worker classification, and pay transparency. Together, they explore why even well-intentioned business owners can fall out of compliance, and what systems, tools, and thinking are required to stay...

In this episode, Cathy Love speaks with Vanita Clark, Director of Freedom Plan Management, about the often-misunderstood role of plan managers in the NDIS. Drawing on her experience across disability services, multidisciplinary Allied Health businesses, and plan management, Vanita shares a practical perspective on compliance, invoicing, collaboration, and participant funding oversight.

Together, Cathy and Vanita unpack what delays provider payments, why accurate invoicing matters, and how quarterly funding periods have increased operational pressure for both providers and plan managers. They also touch on group invoicing, late cancellations, the in-and-out lists, assistive technology recommendations, and the wider reform...

If “systems” makes your palm sweat, this rerun is for you. Layland Webb (Business Manager at Nacre Consulting) with Marcus Jean-Francois (Systems Champion, Client Concierge, and Coach) cut through the noise and make systems feel practical and doable.

You’ll hear what “systems” actually means (hint: Standard Operating Procedures, not software), why you don’t need to document everything to get results, and how to start with one high-impact system that saves time fast. They also unpack the common objections:

Joining Cathy Love this week is Sara Gingold, Editor-in-Chief of the Disability Services Consulting (DSC) Resource Hub, to unpack the fast-moving changes shaping the NDIS through an Allied Health Business lens.

They explore the shift toward I-CAN (Instrument for the Classification and Assessment of Support Needs) as the foundation for new NDIA-led Support Needs Assessments, and the unanswered questions about how assessment data will translate into individual budgets. They also examine the proposed Foundational Supports framework, including the Thriving Kids program, and what these reforms could mean for children currently receiving NDIS-funded therapy.

The episode...

In this episode, Cathy Love and Layland Webb unpack what “smarter marketing” really means for Allied Health Business Owners—and why it’s inseparable from revenue diversification. They explore how many practices become overly reliant on one narrow niche or one primary funding source, then feel blindsided when conditions shift. The solution isn’t a dramatic pivot overnight—it’s knowing where your revenue actually comes from, widening your thinking, and making deliberate small moves that add up over time.

You’ll also hear the marketing principles that matter most right now: understanding what your audience truly needs (not what...

In this episode of Allied Health Business Brilliance, Cathy Love is joined by Angie (Angelina) Saunders, Founding Director of the Online Breathing Academy, for a grounded, science-informed conversation about stress, breathing, and self-regulation.

Angie shares her personal journey from fast-paced production life, postnatal depletion, and emotional reactivity into the field of behavioural breathwork. Together, Cathy and Angie unpack why controlling the breath can keep people functioning while still operating at a physiological deficit — and why reflexive regulation, where the body leads, creates more sustainable calm, clarity, and capacity.

The conversation also explores how breathing patterns in...

If your Allied Health business is busy — yet still feels heavy — this episode is for you.

In this solo conversation, Cathy Love speaks to Allied Health Business Owners who are highly capable, deeply committed, and working incredibly hard — but still feeling stuck.

This episode explores why effort alone isn’t creating clarity, confidence, or momentum. Cathy unpacks what happens when Business Owners are too close to the work, making decisions on the fly, carrying the emotional and financial load, and quietly guessing their way forward in an increasingly complex sector.

This is not about mo...

In this episode, Cathy Love is joined by Emma Leckenby, OT and founder of Little Rockets Children’s Clinic, for a grounded conversation about building a paediatric business that stays values-led as it grows.

Emma shares what it’s been like moving from sole trader life to a small (and growing) clinic team — including the realities of waitlists, a brand-new clinic fit-out, and why the “little things” (like a kettle and a dedicated kitchen) matter more than you’d think. They also unpack Emma’s passion for community building, not just for families, but for clinicians too — and how strong p...

Recruitment hasn’t stopped working, but you can’t treat it the way you used to.

In this solo episode, Cathy Love unpacks why recruitment feels harder, slower, and more unpredictable for Allied Health Business Owners — and why the traditional “post a job ad and wait” approach no longer cuts through. Drawing on recent work inside Nacre Consulting, Cathy introduces the recruitment ecosystem — a systemised, values-led approach to attracting and engaging the right candidates over time.

This episode reframes recruitment as a repeatable business system, not a reactive scramble, and walks through the mindset shifts, foundational...