Starting a Music Therapy Business (13 credits)

Presenter: Jona Jeffcoat MT-BC

You know how to be a music therapist. But building a business around those skills requires an entirely different set of tools.

How do you decide what services to offer? How much will it actually cost to run your practice? How do you communicate what makes your work valuable? And how do you find the clients and organizations who need what you provide?

This course walks you through the foundational pieces of creating and growing a music therapy private practice, helping you move from simply wanting your own business to understanding what it takes to build one intentionally.

You’ll begin by exploring the realities of being your own boss, including both the freedom and opportunities of private practice and the responsibilities that come with running a business.

From there, you’ll work through essential elements of establishing your professional presence, including branding, messaging, marketing, mission development, and budgeting. You’ll consider how you want your practice to be known, who you want to serve, and how to communicate your services in ways potential clients and referral sources can easily understand.

You’ll also learn how to approach consultations with greater confidence, ask the right questions, communicate the value of your services, and help prospective clients determine whether working together is the right fit.

Rather than relying on trial and error, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of the foundational decisions and systems that can help turn your music therapy expertise into a professional, sustainable business.

In this workshop, you will learn:

What owning and operating a music therapy private practice actually involves.
How to determine whether private practice and business ownership are right for you.
How to clarify the services you provide and the clients or organizations you want to serve.
The foundational elements of developing a recognizable professional brand.
How to communicate what makes your music therapy services valuable and distinctive.
Ways to develop marketing materials and messaging that help the right people find and understand your services.
How to write a mission statement that reflects the purpose and direction of your practice.
How to create a realistic budget and better understand the financial side of running a business.
How to conduct effective consultations with prospective clients and referral sources.
How to build a stronger foundation for a music therapy practice that supports both your clients and your professional goals.

Build the business skills behind the clinical work, so you can create a music therapy practice designed to last.

Course Description:

In this course, you’ll learn all of the foundational concepts and tasks required to set you up for success. First, you’ll understand the nuances of having your own private practice – what it entails, the joys and the responsibilities – to make sure you’re ready to be your own boss.

Next, you’ll be guided through the steps in developing a strong presence in the market, including your branding, logo, and critical marketing information to get you in front of the clients who need you most. We’ll also cover writing a motivating mission statement, preparing a budget for success, and most importantly, how to hold inspiring consultations that result in getting that YES to working together.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the sequential steps required to establish a powerful brand as a Music Therapist in the market
Create a mission statement, budget, initial contract, and plan of action for client attraction
Develop skill in holding an inspiring consultation with a potential client that conveys the power of this work and the exceptional value it provides

Schedule:

Class #1:

We will explore the essential “need to knows” when starting up a new private practice in order to make sure that you are building something that is by the books. We will explore the pros and cons of running a sole-proprietorship, LLC, S-corp, or c-corp. We will review registering your trade name, searching if you need a license for your practice, exploring whether or not your service is taxable, and obtaining your EIN. We will further explore types of insurance that are useful as a business owner to ensure that you are covered as your practice flourishes. We will also discuss the benefits of a business banking account and thoughts to consider like obtaining a NPI or a PO Box. General considerations for Hipaa compliance will also be explored. We will close with information on writing your mission statement and values and how that will influence your marketing as you obtain A+ clients and build a financially stable practice. Don’t know what some of the acronyms are in this description? Even more reason to join us!

10 minutes- Introduction and outline of the course 25 minutes- Pros and Cons of MTBO 10 minutes- Action step: Sharing why do you want to be a MTBO/ are a MTBO 45 minutes- Basics of getting started 30 minutes- Values and Mission Statement 15- minutes Questions Homework: Approximately 90 minutes worth of assignments

Class #2

During this second class we will be reviewing information about logo design and company names. Logo design can be a powerful tool to attract your ideal clientele and serve as an icebreaker to support your mission, your values, and how to get your clients to have a “buy now” attitude. We will be exploring basic ways to market your service that can be cost-effective AND earn you CMTEs at the same time! Would you like to know how to find clients and how to set your fees? We will discuss general information about initiating conversations and capturing information to get your clients asking where to sign. We will discuss what should be in your contracts. Finally, we will review considerations with billing, collecting, and how to ensure that you will be reimbursed a fair wage for your services.

20 minutes- Assignment review-mission statement 25 minutes- Company Name and logo 30 minutes- Basic Info for Contracts 45 minutes-Billing Information 15 minutes- Questions Homework: Approximatley 90 minutes worth of assignments

Class #3

We will round out this series by talking about the business budget, fixed and variable expenses, and what you need now versus what you can wait on. We will be discussing general information about tax deductions. Do you want to learn how to get CMTEs for free, recycle to earn office supplies, get money back when you buy cleaning supplies, and more so you have more income in your pocket? Our instructor has brought her couponing habit into her private practice and will review general tips and tricks to lower your expenses and create better cash flow. We will be discussing how branding integrates all aspects of your company and will help you create memorable connections as you network so people are referring people to you without you lifting a finger or spending a dime. Finally, we will draw attention to our code of ethics and considerations as you build connections.

45 minutes- Budgets 45 minutes- Branding 20 minutes- Networking 45 minutes- Ethics and Private Practice 15 minutes- Questions Homework: Approximately 2 hrs worth of assignments

BONUS!! As part of this course you will have the opportunity to receive feedback on your mission statement, logo, budget, and more from our instructor AT NO ADDITIONAL COST! Plus you’ll get templates!

CBMT Domain Areas:

V.B.10 Operational responsibilities (e.g., budgeting, scheduling, reimbursements, resource maintenance); Task Statement 68 Manage administrative and/or business tasks related to professional practice as needed (e.g., budgets, schedules, reimbursements, resource maintenance)

V.B.9 Advocacy for the music therapy profession; Task Statement 67 Serve as a representative, spokesperson, ambassador, or advocate for the profession of music therapy

"V.B.Task Statement 63 Maintain professional and effective working relationships with colleagues and community

members"

Starting a Music Therapy Business – is approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) for 13 CMTEs-Continuing Music Therapy Education credits. The Spiegel Academy, CBMT Approved Provider #P-106, maintains responsibility for program quality and adherence to CBMT policies and criteria.

Class Description