Risk-Taking in Private Practice and Business Growth

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my entrepreneurial journey, it’s this: growth doesn’t happen without risk.

It’s easy to look at where I am now—running Build Your Private Practice, mentoring hundreds of Canadian therapists, and leading a growing team—and assume I had it all mapped out. But like most of us in this space, my path has been anything but linear.

My first major leap didn’t happen when I became a therapist—it happened years earlier, when I walked away from a successful career in the insurance industry. At the time, I had built and owned three thriving insurance brokerages. On paper, everything looked perfect: consistent income, team leadership, predictable success. But something was missing.

I felt disconnected from the human part of the work. I wanted to build something more meaningful—something that served people at a deeper level.

So, I walked away. I retrained as a psychotherapist and started over.

It was terrifying. And it didn’t become easy overnight. Building a private practice meant learning how to market myself in an entirely different industry, balancing new financial realities, and navigating the emotional intensity of starting again in mid-life. But that risk? It opened the door to the most fulfilling chapter of my career.

Fast forward to today, and I find myself at another crossroads.

After building a successful private practice and supporting dozens of therapists behind the scenes, I stepped into an even bigger opportunity—acquiring Build Your Private Practice and becoming its CEO. And with that came a choice: continue doing what’s familiar and fulfilling… or carve out time, space, and energy to scale BYPP into the national platform I know it can be.

To serve thousands of therapists across Canada.

To train new business coaches.

To create richer, more accessible resources for every stage of private practice.

And to fully own my role—not just as a therapist and mentor—but as a visionary leader in this field.

Recently, I made a decision that both thrilled and unsettled me: I’ve stopped accepting new counselling clients.

Not because I don’t love the work—I do. But because I know I can’t grow BYPP to its full potential while continuing to operate at full capacity as a clinician.

It feels scary to say that out loud. I invested years and tens of thousands of dollars becoming a therapist. I thought I’d be doing one-on-one work for decades. But the truth is, the vision I have for BYPP is bigger than what I can do alone—and bigger than what I can hold if I stay in my comfort zone.

So yes, I’m scared. But I also feel deeply aligned.

I know what it means to stand at a business crossroads.

To wonder if you’re walking away from something secure in order to pursue something bold and unknown.

To hear the quiet whisper that says, This is the leap you’re meant to take.

If you’re a therapist standing at your own crossroads—wondering if you’re ready to scale, shift your model, or finally go all-in on the next phase of your business—I want you to know you’re not alone. The fear is real, but so is the potential.

And sometimes, saying no to what’s comfortable is what creates the space to say yes to what’s truly possible.

If you’re ready to step into that space, our team at Build Your Private Practice is here to walk with you. You can book a free Business Mentorship Consultation to explore your next steps.

You don’t have to do this alone. You just have to be brave enough to say yes to what’s calling you.