We were lucky to catch up with Tamara Fourth recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tamara , thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
When I think about this question, I think about a quote by Dr. Seuss “why fit in, when you were born to stand out?” Having an identical twin sister has been a blessing, however given that I have someone who is my mirror image I have always felt the need to continuously work on developing my own individuality so that others could see that we have separate identities. This further empowered me to always self-reflect on how to use my skills and knowledge to stand out despite what room I am in.
I have learned that there are prerequisites to become effective at standing out. One way in which I effectively stand out is by doing research. Knowledge is power and when you take the time to stay abreast of current information you add value to any room that you are in. Another important prerequisite is demonstrating a growth mindset. This is coupled with being an active listener and learner. My uncle frequently says that an important part of success is when you spend more time listening and watching than speaking. Despite how much you think you know about a field, you can learn so much more when you are fully present during professional connections.
Another key point that has propelled me to stand out and be successful is that the field of speech pathology only has 8% practicing members who identify in the minority group and only 3% of that group identifies as black. Based on this information, I am sometimes the only one in the room who looks like me. Representation matters to me and in those moments, I think about the influence that I can have on the younger generation who look like me. With each professional opportunity, I stand with confidence knowing that I am a beacon of hope and inspiration to a younger person that they too can achieve success and make a difference even when no one else in the room look like them.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) certified and Florida licensed speech language pathologist (SLP) and I have worked in the public school system as a school based SLP for the past 10 years. I am the owner and clinical director of Fourth Enhanced Speech Therapy where I have provided speech and language services to clients age 3-16 years in the comfort of their homes or via teletherapy for the past 3 years. My private practice was birth during the pandemic when I was introduced with the idea of providing online speech therapy service to a close friend’s child. When I graduated with my masters degree, I made a long term goal to start a private practice in 5 years, however God saw it fit for me to manifest and launch 2 years earlier. It was a daunting task to launch during a time when the world was on lock down but my faith in God ignited me to go forward with my passion despite how many times imposter syndrome presented itself.
Fourth Enhanced screens, evaluates, diagnose and treat a wide range of speech/language disorders. At Fourth Enhanced we provide speech and language therapy, tutoring, executive function training and child/parent advocacy services. While I enjoy working with children of all age groups, I have a particular interest in working with the younger population providing early intervention services. Through volunteer service, I offer screenings to pre-schools/daycares which enables parents to receive valuable information on their child’s developmental strengths and weaknesses. The first 3 years of life are crucial to brain development so providing early intervention allows me to see the benefits of using a child’s natural environment to promote early language skills.
Since launching my practice, I have also developed a niche for advocacy. I am grateful for this gift to be able to advocate for families at individual education plan (IEP) meetings and conferences to ensure that their child is being appropriately served. Parents feel empowered whenever they have someone to support them to find the most effective intervention plan for their child especially in the public school system.
In the near future, I hope to expand my practice by becoming a licensed clinician in other states.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
While there isn’t a unique formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur, three important qualities in being a successful SLP entrepreneur is patience, resilience and visionary. Working with clients in the field of speech pathology requires a lot of patience since they all face varying levels of strengths and weaknesses. I sometimes chuckle at God’s sense of humor in placing me in a field that requires a great deal of patience because I never thought of myself as a patient person. However, this field has helped me to foster this skill since each child develop at different pace. If you’re considering becoming a private practice owner it’s important to not only practice patience when implementing treatment plans but also practice being patient with yourself since things won’t always go as you envisioned.
It can sometimes feel discouraging when a client isn’t progressing or “getting” the activity, when a prospective client cancels their agreement last minute or when budgeting issues arise-but resilience will enable you to celebrate the smaller wins and bounce back from disappointments and discouragements. I am a solo practitioner and owner–so I do it all. This can be exhausting and easily lead to burn out. So whenever I feel discouraged, I take the time to acknowledge my feelings and re-evaluate my next steps which fuels me to be whole in my thinking when I’m faced with challenges.
Being a visionary is vital as an entrepreneur. It allows you to clearly and vividly articulate what you want your business to look like. Developing a business strategy and sticking to it is crucial. Additionally, taking time to revisit the plan, self-reflect and re-evaluate as many times as necessary. It’s also imperative to get a mentor and collaborate with other professionals so that you can elevate your skills.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My family, friends, colleagues and faith in God has been essential in keeping me motivated in my journey as a private practice owner. More importantly, my twin sister Terrian has been my biggest support and cheerleader. When I first mentioned to her that I wanted to launch my private practice she told me “go ahead, I will support you 100%”. These words did not fall between cracks because she has provided unwavering support from that day forward. In fact she was very instrumental in helping me formulate a business name. When I wanted to choose another name she provided insightful feedback on why she thought the current name was more fitting.
My SLP colleagues and fellow private practice owners have also been a pillar of support. Whenever I hit a stumbling block I can always reach out to them for support especially my dear friend Bianca. Iron sharpens iron and I can always count on her to share ideas and brainstorm on challenging cases. Our brainstorm sessions have also been instrumental in helping us develop our character and resilience as clinicians and business owners.
Last but not least, my faith in God has been one of the biggest source of helping me to overcome challenges. Whenever I am having tough days, I get through those days by praying and listening to worship music. This helps me to stay grounded and to keep my mind clear and focused on my goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fourthenhancedspeech.com/
- Instagram: @fourthenhancedspeech
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/fourthenhancedspeech
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/fourthenhancedspeech
- Other: Ph: +1 321-622-2932
Image Credits
Photographer: Kedar Johnson Winter Phresh Photography
