Sue Conklin
Therapy Relief Inc.
Website: www.therapyrelief.com
Industry: Healthcare
Education: BS, Ed. and MS in Speech Language Pathology
What is your mission? The mission of Therapy Relief is to be the first-choice provider of Speech, OT, PT, Behavior and Music therapies through service, excellence and integrity.
What was your first job? The first job I had was picking up cigarette butts in the parking lot of my dad’s office. I was paid 2 dollars an hour.
What was your worst job? Picking up cigarette butts in the parking lot of my dad’s office. I was lucky! My brothers had to tar it!
What led you to your industry? I have a brother with Down Syndrome and my mother always encouraged us to serve. My sister had a friend who was a speech language pathologist in the schools. My dad had a patient who was a speech language pathologist in a hospital. I shadowed both of them and decided that I liked the idea of helping people one on one. I also liked the idea that I could work in a variety of settings without having to change my profession, i.e. hospitals, schools, skilled nursing facilities, and/or home health. I am eternally grateful to my dad, Dr. Matt Backer, Jr. who taught me the value of hard work.
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year? Therapy Relief celebrated it’s 25-year anniversary with expansion into central Missouri. Therapy Relief serves school districts and families in St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, Warren, Montgomery, Lincoln, Franklin, Boone, Callaway, Clinton and Jackson Counties.
Who is your industry role model? Hope, based out of Springfield, IL. Hope provides services to people with special needs from early education through adulthood. Hope provides educational, vocational and residential services to people with special needs. Hope lead the development of the Autism Program (TAP) of Illinois. The Tap program provides services to families and provides training to providers.
How do you try to differentiate your business from others in your industry? The Therapy Relief speech, OT, PT, behavior and music therapists are outstanding. We receive compliments from families and school districts every day. Our office staff provides exceptional customer service. We change the world one client at a time.
What’s the hottest trend in your industry, and are you going to jump on board? Behavior therapy. We are hiring BCBAs (Board Certified Behavior Analysts) to meet the demands of our community to supply quality behavior therapy to families. Many of the children that we provide behavior therapy to are on the autism spectrum.
What’s the best part of your job? Therapy Relief has a positive impact on every family we serve. Because of our therapists we have children that could not talk that want to become preachers. We have kids that could not walk, that run on the track team. We have young adults with CP that live in a house that was designed and built for them with modifications made with our occupational therapists. A man who had a stroke was able to pass his driving test using a communication device.
What best advice would you share with new entrepreneurs? I started in the basement of my house, managed growth and operated in the black for 25 years. I never borrowed a nickel. Jump in and keep moving.
What do you like to do in your free time? I love riding my bike and skiing. I did the El Tour de Tucson Century Ride benefiting Easter Seals. I will do the TNT ride in memory of my sister who died of lymphoma and in honor of my friend Luca who is receiving treatment for lymphoma. Donations can be made at Team in Training. Rider: Sue Conklin.
Submitted 5 years 121 days ago