Daily Inspiration: Meet Julie Herndon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Herndon

Hi Julie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I love communication! Everything in our daily lives revolves around being able to communicate; whether it is spoken, gestured or written. I have been a Speech Language Pathologist for over 30 years. It has been so interesting to witness the vast communication changes in our society since I graduated in 1991.

I started my career working in a Colorado Springs hospital treating adults with neurological disorders. For over a decade I worked with people that had strokes, traumatic brain injuries and cancer. These were some of the most rewarding years of my career but I decided I needed a change. This next path led me to my ultimate passion; working with young children who have special needs and supporting the families who care for them. I started my first in home pediatric speech therapy company as a single practitioner in 2001. I worked for several years on my own but realized I needed help. So I hired my first speech therapist. After several months she became busy so I hired another therapist. This pattern has continued over the last 24 years. Today Front Range Pediatric Therapies (FRPT) has 49 employees consisting of speech, occupational and physical therapists. We provide therapy for over 350 children in Colorado Springs, Denver and the surrounding areas.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Looking back at my journey, it has been a constant learning curve. When I decided to start my own
company, I was working full time in the early intervention program in Colorado Springs. I needed
that full time income so I started seeing kids privately after school and on the weekends. This
allowed me to slowly build my practice. Over time I was able to phase out my full time job and
put my full attention towards my business. I hired my mom, who was a retired hospital administrator, to help
me with all the administrative tasks (getting contracts, orders, billing and collections). This
allowed me to see my patients full time. I couldn’t have done it without her. I am forever grateful
and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it hadn’t been for all her hard work.
The challenges that continue to happen are those related to state and federal regulations; these rules are consistently changing and you have to be on top of the changes to stay compliant. Insurance billing and collections are also big hurdles. Right now I have been dealing with an insurance company that
hasn’t paid claims for five months. The other challenge for me has been the need to educate myself about running a business. I have a
masters degree in Speech Language Pathology. I never took courses in finance,
business administration or marketing. Everything I have learned over the last 25 years has been
self taught. Along the way I have made some risky decisions which have paid off but I have also
made decisions that have kept me up at night (and probably caused some gray hair).
People always ask me if I had to do it all over again would I start my own business. My answer sometimes depends on the day. Don’t get me
wrong, there are days that are hard and stressful but my answer has to be yes. My company helps
so many children become more functional in their world. We help them say their first word, put
on their shoes for the first time or take their first step. We touch so many lives. THAT is worth
everything!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Front Range Pediatric Therapies is a locally owned and operated home health company in Colorado. We provide in home speech, occupational and physical therapy for children with special needs. Although we all work on different skills that a child needs, our joint goal is to help children become as independent as they can. Providing these therapies in a child’s home enables us to work on activities in their natural environment. It also allows parents and siblings to be involved in therapy sessions where they can learn the strategies we are using to provide carryover throughout the week.

FRPT has been around for a long time. We are well know in Colorado Springs (and beginning to be known well in Denver). We have a great reputation for our customer service, our kind and knowledgeable staff and how we treat our clients and their families. Many of the kids we see have been with the company for more than ten years; I think that speaks volumes.

I am privileged to be able to work with such an amazing group of people. They are truly the best at what they do. I am proud that as a team, we affect so many children’s lives. Knowing that we make a difference each and every day fills my heart with pride and joy.

There are many pediatric home health companies in Colorado. What sets us apart? FRPT is locally owned and operated by therapists. Over the last 24 years I have built a company where employees are my main focus. As a therapist, I know how important it is to feel respected and heard within an organization. I also know that if I take good care of my employees, they will in turn take great care of the children and families that we serve. My mission has brought an amazing team of therapists and support staff together. I am very proud of everyone in this company. They work hard and are dedicated to each and every child we see.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up in a military family. My dad was an air force pilot and we moved ALOT. By the time I was in middle school we had lived in seven different states. I think moving around so much made me a very resilient person. When we finally settled in Arkansas, I decided to get into tennis. I loved the sound of tennis balls being hit as well as the smell of a freshly opened can of balls. After a few years of lessons and leagues, I started playing competitively. At one point I was ranked in the state.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://frontrangepeds.com/
• Instagram: @frontrangepediatrictherapies
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrontRangePediatricTherapies