How do you define success in your business? Is offering a variety of services scattered and unfocused or a wise path to multiple income streams? Or maybe success isn't about money at all for you?

I'm pulling back the curtain on my own current business reality, sharing the revenue proportions, time commitments, what energizes me versus what drains me, and the messy truth about having a podcast, online courses, a planner, private practice, and teaching gigs all under one roof.

You'll hear about my ACTivate Vitality program that represents a third of my income but takes twice the marketing effort I wish it did, my Practical ACT for OTs course that sells itself, and how my planner and podcast make up less than 5% of my revenue but remain worthwhile. I'm also talking about the unexpected pathways between my offerings, and how I make data-driven decisions for sustainable growth in my business satisfaction, and why I've chosen flexibility over indiscriminate scaling.

This episode is for any OT who's wondering whether they need to niche down or scale up in their business and those questioning how to define success in their own work and life.

The branches of my business:

• ACTivate Vitality Personal Development Planner
• The BRAVE OT Podcast
• Practical ACT for OTs Course
• ACTivate Vitality Program
• Balance Works OT

Join us in The BRAVE OT Facebook group to keep the conversation going!

Thanks to Jane for supporting the podcast and providing an EMR OTs can trust. Book a Demo and use the code VITALITY at signup for a one month grace period.

Questions OTs are asking: How do I create multiple income streams as an OT? What does a successful OT business really look like? How do I balance multiple projects without burning out? Is it better to niche down or diversify? How much money can you make as an entrepreneur OT?

Ever feel like you're the only OT who doesn't have their career path mapped out? Like you should have it more figured out by now or you thought you were on the right path and something's not right?

Meet Áine and Jen, two multi-passionate OTs who've built thriving practices by embracing the messy, non-linear path of figuring it out as they go. From car crashes that changed everything to setting up businesses because "I don't really know what else to do," these two prove that sustainable, fulfilling OT careers don't require having it all planned out.

What You'll Learn

We explore how clinical supervision works as real professional development (not just another box to tick), practical ways to combat the isolation of solo practice, why starting with one client is enough to begin, and how to work with your ADHD brain instead of against it. Áine and Jen share the honest reality of career pivots, the power of getting help instead of doing everything yourself, and why the smallest therapeutic moments often create the biggest breakthroughs.

This episode is for multi-passionate OTs feeling scattered, anyone considering private practice but overwhelmed by where to start, OTs feeling isolated in their current work, and those ready to stop apologizing for not having a traditional career path.

Connect with Our Guests

• Áine O'Dea Radiance Consulting Website, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Jen Trzeciak Way Ahead Therapy Website, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Listen to the Irish Occupational Therapy Podcast Website and Instagram
• Private Practitioners Networking Summit: September 20th, Dublin
• Emails available on their respective social media profiles

Join the Conversation

Head over to The BRAVE OT Facebook group to continue this conversation about supervision, private practice, and owning our professional worth. We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Explore the ACTivate Vitality Planner

The personal development planner (made by me!) that blends science and soul to guide you towards a vibrant, authentic, values-driven life. Now is a great time for a new start! Check it out here.

Change Your Relationship with Documentation

Not only will you get to explore the tool that we have all been wishing for that magically makes great chart notes while you're busy working directly with your client, you can also use my code VITALITY for a one month grace period on your new Jane account. Book a demo today.

What happens when your business feels out of alignment with who you are and you’re brave enough to admit it?

In this episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Jess Reynolds, a collaborator and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and educator, to talk about what it really looks like to reimagine your life and work from the inside out.

In this discussion we explore some of our lived and learned experiences including:

• How inner work shapes outer success—and why it’s often the part we skip

• The hidden spiritual and identity layers of burnout

• Why teaching can be the best way to learn (especially the stuff you most need yourself)

• Disrupting default ways of practicing to make room for deeper alignment

• The introvert table, mindfulness beyond meditation, and laundry piles as existential mirrors

Whether you're an OT in private practice, an educator, or a healing professional trying to find your footing, this is a real conversation about being human in your work.

I think you'll find AH-HAs in:

• Jess’s experience pivoting from teaching technique to teaching transformation

• The gap between what practitioners need and what they actually seek out in CE

• Why "just be yourself" isn’t always accessible—and how to honor your capacity

• The shift from pre-recorded courses to community-based learning

• Personal stories of burnout, grief, reinvention, and finding flow again

Mentioned:

• Jess's Free Course https://aimonline.com/wellness-practice-essentials-page

• Jess's Business Course is now open! Check out Built to Last here

• Book a demo with the Jane App and be sure to use my code VITALITY at the time of signup for a one month grace period on your new account.

• Carlyn's ACTivate Vitality Group Coaching Program

• Keep the conversation going in The BRAVE OT Podcast Facebook Group

Connect with Jess:

• Instagram: @drjessreynolds

• Website: https://aimonline.com/

Connect with Carlyn:

• Instagram: @balanceworksOT

• Podcast home: https://www.braveot.com

🎧 Subscribe to The BRAVE OT Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, we hear from Jenny Gill and Krista Frahm, both occupational therapists and copywriters, as they discuss the dynamics of their professional relationship and the balance between collaboration and competition. They explore their individual journeys in the field, the importance of finding one's niche, and the challenges they faced when their paths intersected. The conversation delves into dealing with professional insecurities, the role of AI in copywriting, and practical advice for marketing occupational therapy services. You'll will gain insights into the value of collaboration, the nuances of creating effective marketing strategies, and the necessity of being courageous in business.

Join us in conversation about this podcast episode in our new online community.

It's in a Facebook Group called The BRAVE OT Podcast - Let's Discuss!

Jenny and Krista have shared some free resources that will be linked in the group.

• Krista's free training about testimonials
• Jenny's 5 Copywriting Mistakes Made By OTs (and how to fix them)

You can also follow both on Instagram: Jenny Gill Krista Frahm

And check out their websites:

https://www.kristafrahmagency.com/

https://jennygillcopywriting.com/

🩵 And a big shoutout to our podcast sponsor, Jane.app. I'm grateful to be connected to this organization that feels deeply values-aligned. Did you know Jane won a 2025 Bronze Stevie Award for Customer Service Department of the Year – Computer Software! Out of 2,100+ entries from around the world, it's no surprize that Jane’s world-class support stood out.

🩵 If you're ready to check Jane out, head over and book a demo HERE and use my code VITALITY for a one month grace period on a new account.

A Lunchroom Conversation with STEMinist Fiction Author and OT, Jaima Fixsen

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jaima Fixsen, a Canadian occupational therapist and USA Today bestselling author who writes STEMinist fiction novels while balancing roles as a mom and OT. We dive deep into how she uses her OT skills to support her creative work and manage the unstructured nature of writing and the midlife desire to shift into new, more aligned occupations. Spoiler alert: tap dancing and sourdough didn't work out.

Whether you're an OT interested in creative pursuits, managing your own practice, or simply curious about applying OT principles to your own life and work, this conversation offers valuable insights about embracing new occupations while honoring our professional identity.

Key Topics We Discuss:

• How Jaima transitioned from full-time OT to splitting her time between clinical practice and writing as a PAID occupation
• The concept of "middle-essence" - finding new occupations and meaning in midlife transitions
• Using OT strategies to manage executive function demands of creative work
• Creating sensory-rich writing routines to support focus and flow
• Setting boundaries and implementing behavioural strategies for productivity
• The fascinating historical background of her latest novel "The Specimen" set in 1828 Edinburgh
• The evolution of medical ethics and consent in anatomical studies
• Supporting local bookstores

OT Insights to Apply in Your Own Work:

• Strategies for managing unstructured work time
• Creating supportive sensory environments
• Breaking down large projects into manageable chunks
• Setting appropriate goals and rewards
• Managing perfectionism and task initiation
• Techniques to find creative flow and stay healthy

Resources Mentioned:

• The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen - find it at your local bookstore
• Get 2 free audiobooks at Libro.fm while supporting a local bookstore of your choice
• Learn more about Jaima Fixsen
• Instagram: @byjaimafixsen
• ACTivate Vitality, my program and community for OT business owners
• Explore the Jane.app's time-saving writing features, including my fave AI Scribe, with a one month grace period on your new account using the code VITALITY