We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marissa Joy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marissa below.
Hi Marissa, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Finding my purpose was not the easiest road. You think you’ll pick a career, finish school, get a job, and live happily ever after. That wasn’t the case for me! As a speech-language pathologist I feel lucky that there is such variety in my field. We can truly work across the lifespan in a variety of settings. I was left feeling empty in many of the jobs I had. It felt that try as I might, I was never making a major difference and was at the mercy of the larger corporations in charge, especially in specific settings. It wasn’t until many life changes all at once allowed me to step completely back that I was able to recalibrate and find my true purpose. After a major move, having a baby, stepping away from the field of speech pathology for a time, and then having a second child, I discovered my passion. Once my second baby was born and we had extreme issues with nursing and feeding, I was led down a path of airway, and realized I could help other parents and caregivers avoid the disappointing frustration I experienced on my way to answers. And I could be the one to call the shots! I never really saw myself as a business owner but now I’ve helped many families eat, sleep, breathe, and speak better and I wake up every day feeling grateful for the road that led me here.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a speech-language pathologist and myofunctional therapist. I work with children and adults so they can speak, eat, breathe, and feel better. I love working in this field because I can pull in the various modalities that I’ve learned for each individual patient and no two are the same! I opened my own private practice seeing clients for both speech and language as well as orofacial myofunctional therapy as as way to help my community get quality help they deserve. However the two boys I have at home are always and forever my main priority. Having my own business means I get to be there for them – whether it’s a sick day or school activity. I love the flexibility this provides me and I can’t imagine ever changing.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think that perseverance is extremely important in both the early stages of starting a business as well as throughout the process. In my field, branching out on my own meant that I didn’t have anyone at the office to ask questions to or bounce ideas off of. Networking became and still is huge for me. Sticking it out and keeping focus will pay off!
Empathy has always been a part of my story. From my perspective as a parent, nothing means more than when a provider asks questions, really listens, and makes both my child and myself feel seen, valued, and heard. I strive to be the kind of provider for every person that walks through my office doors, whether it be a child who needs help with their speech sounds or an adult with TMJ pain that is looking for relief.
Resourcefulness is another. I had a wonderful mentor that provided guidance during the setting up of my private practice, but there’s so much you have to work through and figure out on your own. Resourcefulness is also what got me through learning the modality of myofunctional therapy, as even though it’s under my scope of practice as a speech-language pathologist, it wasn’t something we ever learned in grad school. Being resourceful will get you far!
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
12 months ago I opened a physical location for the first time. I had been a mobile private practice before and wasn’t sure if I could make it with rent. The space that opened up for me couldn’t have been more perfect. I feel lucky to be in an office space with wonderful providers, a husband and wife chiropractic business who truly look at the whole person and treat accordingly. In fact they were a big part of my second son’s healing journey. Since opening that space I’ve been able to help many more families. I’ve also been able to collaborate with amazing providers across multiple disciplines that I wouldn’t have dreamed of 12+ months ago! I’ve worked with ENTs, dentists, chiropractors, orthodontists, lactation consultants, dental hygienists, and more to bring clients to be the best version of themselves. Diving in and learning so much about the importance of airway health and my role in that has been invaluable. I feel lucky that I’m surrounded by a team of providers in the Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania that are so willing to work together for best outcomes. I’ve grown so much in collaborations and learning from them. Being so willing to work on myself, both personally and professionally, has paid off in so many ways. I’m looking forward to more!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ripplespeechservices.com
- Instagram: @ripplespeechservices
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ripplespeechservices
