1:33 PM
Tasha Lee
who: Richard and Jennifer Speckman
what: Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy
where: Yorkville, IL
website: www.speckmantherapeutics.com
quote: "Before we speak.... we listen."
1) How did you start doing what you are doing today?
Jennifer has been a Physical Therapist since 1993 and Rich has been involved with business partnerships since 1997. Speckman Therapeutics Rehabilitation Center was started as a response to a need for Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapy in the greater Yorkville area. Especially Pediatric needs.
2) Who has been your inspiration throughout the journey of your career?Jennifer's inspiration is Mr. Peters (high school anatomy & biology teacher), Mrs. Mary Peters (no relation to the Mr. Peters previously mentioned. She was an English teacher).
Rich's inspiration is his mother and father first, the late David Schindelbeck (lifelong friend of mom and dad), (Kenny Durland - Scoutmaster), Henry Ford (we know who he is), Lee Iacocca (automaker and father of the mustang), John DeLorean (automaker and father of the Pontiac GTO) and Bob Lutz (automaker)
3) What is your primary role at this point? Where do you hope to be in 5 years?
Jennifer is President and is responsible for all therapists and technical aspects relating to patient care. Rich is CEO and is responsible for the business and sales portion of the company. As the company grows, our roles will not change, however, more people will be added to the team to assist Jennifer and Rich.
4) What types of projects/jobs do you currently take on? What is the goal of your business?
Currently we are focused on Pediatric Therapy and Rehabilitation. Our goal is to expand into Sports Injury Rehab, Work Conditioning and Post Surgery Rehab.
5) Who is your ideal client?
The ideal patient is a child in need of improving their everyday interaction with family, friends, schoolmates by either speech, occupational or physical therapy. Another ideal patient is someone
involved with Sports that wants to prevent injury by conditioning their body. If injury does occur, we will work that person's rehab keeping in mind future injury prevention.6) How do you market yourself and keep your name in the forefront? What do you feel is working or not working?
Radio, Print, internet, Networking, Client visits. All of them are working, some just work better than others.
7) Do you have any life experiences that other business owners may benefit from?
Rich's best life experience is "Do not lie and always keep your promises." A business owner is only as good as his or her word.
8) What are the challenges of owning your own business? What are some strategies in dealing with them?
The biggest challenge to owning your own business is finding the time to take vacations. You need to do it, but when you are a small business it can be difficult to rationalize for fear of lost revenue. Strategy to deal with it: Hire competent people to help you run your business. DO NOT MICRO-MANAGE!
9) Up until this point, what has been your most significant moment in your success?
Setting goal deadlines and sticking to them.
10) How does ones business image {logo, website, print materials, presentation} impact your decision on whether or not to do business with them?Good question, not sure how to answer this because I cannot recall an instance (favorable or non-favorable) where it has impacted my decision.
11) You have most recently updated your print advertisement, why is that?
To keep it fresh so people notice.
