Conferences
The 2025 Spring Up! Peds-A-Palooza™ Conference: Private Practices Advocating for Growth and Insurance Reform
Close to 200 practice owners, staff and presenters descended on Austin, Texas, in late April to expand and preserve pediatric private practices! The vast majority of attendees were together in the general session while many more joined us virtually. Words can’t adequately convey the excitement and energy that is generated when all these purpose-driven individuals gather to both learn and teach. It’s electric!
Like always, we got together on the eve of the conference for a meet-and-greet. But before the official meet-and-greet, we brought all the first-time attendees together in a pre-meet-and-greet to get them ready for the tidal wave of energy they were about to encounter! Once they knew what to expect from this conference, they joined all the other attendees for the actual meet-and-greet at the Omni Hotel atrium.
Day One: Changing the World Inside and Outside of Your Private Practices
The morning started off with a life-changing look at how each of us can advocate for reimbursement reform. It really is possible to make change in this critically important area. The moderator for this segment was Diane Crecelius, PT and founder of ABC Pediatric Therapy which she grew to over 3,000 visits a week. Diane was joined by six private practice owners who are helping make a difference in this area.
Next up were Dr. Karen Jacobs, former AOTA President and BU researcher, and Dr. Alyson Stover, immediate past president of the AOTA and owner of Capable Kids clinic, speaking on behalf of Korro AI. Korro is a revolutionary AI-powered platform for child development, empowering practitioners to provide high-quality, effective care, both in the clinic and at home. This innovative platform supports children’s motor, emotional, and cognitive development, and can be precisely tailored to each child’s unique needs, with unlimited access via smartphone or tablet. It’s a cost-effective way to expand your practice and support more children, whether they are on your waitlist or are current clients. If you haven’t heard of this platform yet, now is the time to check it out.
Diane then returned and taught practice owners and staff alike how to strike a better work-life balance. Yes, it is possible! The audience really got the message.
Maria Stearns, VP of Raintree Systems, came up next to put a spotlight on revenue cycle management. In this new world of AI, it truly is possible to spend less time on paperwork and more time making kiddos better.
Up Next: Helping Private Practice Owners Prepare for the Future!
After lunch, we had a fabulous Inspiration Station. That’s where we bring up owners who have been through serious challenges but overcame them so they can share the decisions and mindset that enabled them to win. This is something every owner can relate to! This time, it was Sara Pereira, OTR/L and co-founder of Sensational Development in New York, providing us with her experience and inspiration.
Diane then came back to talk about Surviving the Unsurvivable. How do you pick yourself up when an unsurvivable setback occurs? Believe me, in her quarter-century of practice, Diane has seen it all. Her presentation taught our attendees how to get prepared for any challenge as they expand into their communities.
The next presentation was packed with more revelations—each one oriented to greater practice success! First up was Wendi Stanley, the VP Public Relations & Marketing of Rebound Physical Therapy in Topeka, Kansas. She’s all about building a powerful referral network! It’s something she crafts every day, year after year and it keeps Rebound strong and growing.
Day One Wrap-up: Keys to Greater Income and More Effective Marketing
Then I took the stage to pull back the curtain and reveal the simplest of secrets regarding building a community that maximizes resources and increases revenue.
To complete our conference day, we welcomed the always-outstanding Matt Hanses, digital marketing expert and CEO of Uplift Marketing. Matt wowed the crowd by breaking down the subject of digital marketing into understandable parts. By the end, attendees could see exactly what was lacking in their own digital marketing so they could take action.
Then at the end of the day, the group gathered at The White Horse for a night of dancing, laughter and pure Texan vibes.
Day Two: The Essentials of Branding and Financial Security
The day started with owner and staff breakouts. This is a big reason why we encourage owners to bring their staff—they receive brilliant instruction and inspiration designed specifically for them! The staff got their realities adjusted on the subject of creating a true team! The staff breakout was led by Javier and Vanessa Guerrero, Senior Trainers from Survival Strategies, Inc.
In the owner’s breakout, owners received some of the most essential tools they need to keep the practice on the rails (while not making them crazy!). Diane ran this breakout.
This was followed by the return of Matt Hanses who demystified the subject of branding. Every practice—big, small and those in between—learned the basics of distinguishing themselves from other practices in their areas. Matt’s big lesson was on how to make your practice bulletproof—that is, safe from any economic or regulatory change.
After Lunch: Secret Weapons for Practice Growth and Financial Success!
After lunch, attendees were invigorated by the example of Avani Shah, founder of Therapy Smarts in North Carolina. How did she grow her practice 500%? She explained that working closely with Survival Strategies was her secret weapon.
Then more breakouts for owners and staff! For the owners, Eric Miller, Chief Financial Advisor and Co-Owner of Econologics Financial Advisors, was up first. We know that practice owners really want to make kiddos more capable but every owner also has to cope with financial planning, profits, investments and all that. Eric was there to simplify this subject for practice owners.
Meanwhile, the staff learned how to get better results while reducing their stress. Always a welcome lesson!
Day Two Wrap-Up: Getting Ready for Action!
Diane came back to bring everything back to action. It was time to get real with everything the owners and staff had absorbed over the two days. They worked out how they would put what they learned into action. Times, dates, the whole thing! That way, both owners and staff could hit the ground running as soon as they got home.
Vanessa came back to the stage to wrap up the weekend. She skillfully showed everyone how to get others on board in a constructive and positive way. After all, everything depends on cooperation when you are growing a practice.
I really hated for the weekend to end! It was fun and rewarding to bring together owners, staff, presenters and service providers to help practices grow smoothly and increase profitability!
Register Now for Our 7th PALOOZAversary this October!
Make sure to sign up for our 7th PALOOZAversary celebration! The theme is going to be LEAD UP! Come learn how to lead your team to a spectacular future in which your practice is able to help many more kiddos and their families. Three fabulous days in New Orleans, the Big Easy! October 10-12, 2025. Click here now to request your tickets!
