Behind the Scenes | OT Potential

Happy March, everyone! You know what March means to me? One more month until OT Month! Today, I'd like to welcome Sarah Lyons, of OT Potential. Not only is Sarah sharing a peek behind the scenes of her website, she's also sharing a cool, new product that she recently launched, just in time for OT Month! Read on to learn more!

Please tell me a little bit about yourself. How long have you been an occupational therapist? What areas have you practiced in?

Married.

Mother of one.

Nebraskan.

New Yorker.

Minnesotan.

Chicagoan.

St. Olaf Alum.

NYU Alum.

OTR/L for 4+ years.

Practice areas: Acute Care, Rural Health, Mental Health

NPR fan.

Attempting to learn piano.

Can you tell me more about your website, OT Potential? Where did get the idea to start OT Potential?

I have always loved connecting people and ideas. I started blogging in 2012, but it has always taken a backseat to my work. I then had a happy convergence of events. We moved to Chicago for my husband’s work and while I was waiting for my Illinois license, I realized how much I love being home with my son and writing on the side. Since then, Potential has become my primary work passion.

You recently launched a new product - occupational therapy shirts! Can you tell me more about that process? How did you go from idea to having an actual product?

Two of my interests collided in these shirts.

The first is OT identity.

In a very practical sense, I always wonder how we can stand out more in our places of work. I know that I got tired of being confused with Social Work, PT. RT, etc. OTs do such great work, and I think individuals doing great work is the best way to market our profession.

I also see OT as a whole grappling with what our distinct value is. I hope, in a small way, this shirt can inject some confidence and gusto in the potential of our profession.

The second is sharing great resources.

I want OTs to be able to focus on helping their patients. In my own practice settings, I felt like I was always creating resources from scratch, from marketing materials to policies. I hope that some offices and individuals will utilize the option of these shirts to save some time and money.  

For readers who are interested, how can they get their hands on one of these shirts?

You can purchase them on my products page. I would also recommend signing up for my newsletter, as I like to give special offers on my own products and on featured products to my readers.

What are your dreams for OT Potential? Where do you see OT Potential in five years?

How about 1 year from now? I would love to generate enough income from my shirts to launch the next product that I have in mind. But if that doesn’t happen, I’m Ok with it. The most important thing to me is providing a platform for occupational therapists to connect.

What advice would you give to an OT who has a product/blog/book idea, but doesn’t know where to start?

Learning about building a website and launching products has felt like getting another degree. I’m on such a steep learning curve that it feels like a precarious place to give advice from, but my best shot would be to take advantage of the resources out there. The options for learning about blogging, marketing, platform development, etc. seem endless. It really just comes down to setting aside some time for learning and then deciding whom you trust. Most of the time I keep up with advice from Michael Hyatt. When I’m feeling a little more saucy, I will check in with Gary Vaynerchuk.

Connect with OT Potential:

Website: www.otpotential.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/otpotential

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/Potential

Instagram: www.instagram.com/otpotential

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/otpotential

P.S. Go behind the scenes with CanDo Kiddo.

Behind the Scenes | CanDo Kiddo

 Today, I am so excited to welcome Rachel Coley, MS, OTR/L, of CanDo Kiddo to share a peek behind the scenes of her new business! As a new mom, Rachel lets her personal passion for parenting and her professional expertise about babies collide in CanDo Kiddo, a family business with a mission to support and inspire new parents to play with their newborns for healthy development.

Please tell me a little bit about yourself. How long have you been an occupational therapist? What is your primary practice area?

I’ve been an OT for nearly 9 years - all of them in pediatrics. I’ve bounced around - working in a pediatric rehab in a children’s hospital, in-home early intervention (under 3), clinics with a sensory integration emphasis, and in a private practice treating Plagiocephaly and Torticollis. For the past four years, I’ve worked in an inclusive day care and preschool. Being able to focus on those first months and years of childhood and working with children with special needs right alongside their typically-developing friends was an ideal setting for me.

Tell me a bit about CanDo Kiddo. Where did the idea come from? How did you take it from idea to reality?

I’ve long been interested in parent education to promote infant wellness but felt that I couldn’t move into that sort of role with any credibility until I had a child of my own. No one wants parenting support from the lady with no kids! Then I had a baby. When I posted photos of activities I was doing with my newborn on my personal Facebook page, I received lots of unsolicited encouragement to start a blog, write a book or create a product to help parents. It felt like my long-standing interest in helping parents help their babies was beckoning me so I answered.

I’ve had an online business since 2012 so I had already tackled some of the learning curves. But I’m a bit on the over-achiever side so the moment I had the idea of an activity quilt I was setting up a website, purchasing fabrics, and working on my first book. I reached out to a friend who had sold on Etsy, spoke with quilters and seamstresses, and joined a blogging and online business group.

I LOVE your play mat quilts! What makes your play mats different from the typical play mats parents will find at Target or on Amazon?

Thanks! The main difference is that the only “bells and whistles” my play mat has is custom fabric with 45 creative play ideas printed directly on the quilt. I wanted the product to be simple to show parents that babies don’t need a lot of stuff, gear or equipment. And I wanted it to be a resource for new parents - to remind them that their baby needs to be down on the floor moving and playing every day and give them ideas of how to do that.

The main reason I thought of a quilt was that I wanted to get the information in the hands of parents right before their babies arrived. I figured that creating a cute baby shower gift might be a good strategy and would be an alternative to giving new parents more baby gear and equipment.

What has been the most surprising thing about starting CanDo Kiddo?

Definitely the most surprising thing has been how much I’ve been able to do while having a baby in the house! I started CanDo Kiddo when Rowan was 8 weeks old and have learned along the way how to maximize my time with him while still getting a lot done for the business and blog. It’s not always been easy but it’s amazing how much doing work that you’re passionate about motivates you to push hard.

What are your dreams for CanDo Kiddo? Where do you see CanDo Kiddo in five years? 

I have dreams for CanDo Kiddo that go in a million directions! I don't particularly care that CanDo Kiddo is a household name, but I care dearly that the information I present becomes household knowledge. I love writing and teaching so I'd love to continue to grow the business in those directions - more books, speaking engagements, maybe even direct consulting or coaching with parents. I'd also hope to push for reform in daycare licensing policy to include variety in infant positioning as a criteria for licensing and rating facilities. Oh, and have a dozen more babies. I'm in the process of convincing my husband that it's good for the business!

What advice would you give to an OT who has a product/blog/book idea, but doesn’t know where to start?

Use the internet. That sounds like such a cliche these days but truly every “how to” that you could possibly want to know is out there. How to start a blog, how to self-publish a book, to sell something on Amazon or through your own site. Find others who have done something similar and reach out - ask for their best tips, resources and if they could recommend any groups to you. And finally, do something badly. I heard that tip recently on a podcast and it really spoke to me. Don’t wait until everything is perfect - just launch it. You can always redesign a website, do a second print run of a book or change a product. I can almost guarantee that where you wind up won’t be where you began but you have to just get started.

You’re a new mom and a pediatric occupational therapist. As someone who is very knowledgeable about child development, what has been the most surprising aspect of becoming a mom?

It doesn’t matter how much I know or understand about infant development, it is still jaw-droppingly miraculous to watch this little being who I love more than anything learn and grow. The human body, brain and spirit have always amazed me but infinitely more so when they belong to my child.

Connect with CanDo Kiddo:

Website: www.candokiddo.com
Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/candokiddo
Instagram: www.instagram.com/candokiddo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/candokiddo
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/rfh6886


P.S. Go behind the scenes with Playapy and Schoodles.

Behind the Scenes | Playapy

Welcome to the second installment of Behind the Scenes. Today I am excited to have Amy Baez, MOT, OTR/L, founder of Playapy, here to share her story. 

Please tell me a little bit about yourself. How long have you been an occupational therapist? What is your primary practice area?

I have been practicing as an occupational therapist in South Florida almost exclusively in pediatrics for 14 years. I have worked in pre-school, private school, outpatient clinic, and home health settings. I have a particular interest in fine motor, handwriting, and coordination skills. 

Tell me a bit about Playapy. Where did the idea come from and how did you take it from idea to reality?

Playapy is a child development resource for parents and educators that I launched in 2013. It provides consultation services on-line as well the creation of publications and the production of workshops in the Miami area. Playapy was created to serve a need to communicate with parents and educators about child development from a therapist perspective without direct therapy services or referrals. With the increased demands on pre-schools and the adverse effects of increased use of technology, many parents are finding that they need additional support for their children without the resources, insurance, time, or understanding of how to get it. Playapy is promoting the concept of Smart Play Made Simple by simplifying the methods used by therapist to promote efficient, fun, and functional play. Since I already had experience being self-employed since graduating from school, I worked on creating a business plan and a team of professionals that could support Playapy and its mission. Making it a reality is still an ongoing process as I learn more and focus on a more specific target market that we can best serve.

You’ve also created your own handwriting workbooks. Again, how did you go from having an idea to creating an actual workbook?

I am a creative person and spend a lot of time around artistic people like poets, designers, photographers, and painters. I like to look at the toys and tools that I use as a therapist and modify or create new ways to improve them. When I started seeing children in a clinic and private school setting, I noticed I was receiving more patients with handwriting concerns. Some of them had been exposed to the same programs for years with little progress, so I began to play around with my own ideas including using simple action words and drawings including a cute monkey. Over the course of a couple years I saw how much this method was helping a variety of my patients. One idea for a book led to another, and I put more and more time into making simple worksheets and putting them together into a book layout. From there, I made the conscious decision to maximize my potential and hired a designer, self-published the books, and created a company that would support and market my ideas and the services I had in mind. It really paid off not only from the progress I see in patients, but also to be receive recognition from Creative Child Magazine with the 2013 Book of the Year award for Educational Activity Books.

There are a lot of handwriting workbooks out there. How are your workbooks unique?

The first two publications are purposely divided into uppercase and lowercase letters to be completed sequentially according to development. This is not how the mass market is teaching children. Both books use specific action words that correspond to strokes used to create the letters. These action words help to promote proper directionality, formation, and alignment particularly for the lowercase letters. The Treasure C.H.E.S.T. and Heads, Tummies,& Tails workbooks are simply designed using a traditional 3-line format with a friendly mascot as the instructor. The letters are introduced in groups instead of alphabetical order so letters are associated by their similar formation or alignment. The child is encouraged to say the action words as he or she is writing to foster a multi-sensory approach. This also allows for the parent, educator, and/or therapist to use the same language as well. The books also do not require more than a one-page instruction due to the simplicity and are easily to use and affordable in addition to being engaging without also being distracting.

What are your dreams for Playapy? Where do you see Playapy in five years?

I would love to see Playapy as a known and trusted resource for parents, educators, and therapists working with young children globally. My dream to see continue publishing more workbooks, conducting workshops nationally and through webinars. I also have a dream to see Playapy workshops conducted in developing countries and meeting the needs of the Spanish language market both in the US and elsewhere.

What has been the most surprising thing about creating Playapy?

Since I am still a practicing therapist and have another company that I own and operate, time is always a factor. What has been most surprising is how much time and effort it takes to make something from nothing even something as simple as a logo. Starting a traditional therapy business seemed so much easier partly because the foundation of occupational therapy has been in existence for 100 years. Playapy has the challenge of competition and educating the public and why you are needed. Overall, there is always a to-do list to be better and improve what you have to offer and how you are offering it. This is also want makes it interesting and fun.

Play seems to be very important to you. How do you fit play into your everyday life?

It’s funny that you mention that because finding time to play is what is most challenging about starting a business. It’s a good thing I get to play for a living! In my everyday life I seek play through playfulness, leisure, and adventure. My version of play is to create, appreciate art, dance, take pictures, write poems and stories, listen to live music, swim in the ocean, travel to different countries, challenge my fear of heights, and spending time with friends.

Connect with Playapy:

Website: www.playapy.com

Blog: www.playplatform.tumblr.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/playapy

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/playapy

Twitter: www.twitter.com/playapy_llc

P.S. Are you an occupational therapist doing something cool? If you'd like to share your story, please send me an email at AbbyPediatricOT {at} gmail {dot} com. I'd love to feature you in an upcoming post!