Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Peramo.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Before I was a Speech=Language Pathologist, I was an early childhood teacher with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) for 9 years. The year I co-taught an inclusion classroom with 11 out of 19 children with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) was the year that I thought there had to be a better way. I’m all about inclusion, but when the word “inclusion” gets thrown around and it ends up looking almost like a self-contained classroom, it feels like a disservice to all. That’s the year that my advocacy journey began and I decided I wanted to help an underserved population MORE, so I went back to school for another Masters degree and changed career paths.
Over the last 12 or so years, I’ve worked in so many settings, from non-profits and PPECs with children, to inpatient rehab and acute care at 2 major hospitals with adults, focusing on stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The diversity of settings and sub-specialties gave me the opportunity to really dive into learning that has gone FAR beyond my degree. My last job at Jackson Main was actually my favorite, but ended during COVID when they volunteered my entire department to go into the COVID positive units. My daughter who was 2 years old at the time and had been hospitalized for respiratory distress multiple times in the 6 months prior to the pandemic. It wasn’t an easy choice to leave, but it’s what led me here. Two months after I left the hospital, I started Step Up Learning, seeing patients/clients virtually, and by my 3rd year, I had a waiting list.
Last summer, Step Up Learning celebrated it’s 5th birthday and I hired my first full-time team member. With our sixth year approaching, I’m proud to have had the opportunity to do exactly what I set out to do when I first decided to became an SLP; help MORE. In almost 6 years, we’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with schools and other therapy professionals, created and presented countless workshops on sensory strategies for the classroom setting and Gestalt Language Processing, and have recently been asked to conduct a workshop for parents on sensory strategies at home. We’ve also been able to launch Sensory Language Lab, a small group after school program that aims to help children regulate their nervous systems after a day full of demands so that the transition home goes more smoothly. It’s all about proactive sensory regulation and open-ended play experiences in a language-rich environment. We’re hoping to expand that program starting this summer and there are infinite possibilities on the horizon. I honestly couldn’t be more thrilled. We don’t just provide therapy; we transform lives.
Step Up Learning has grown organically and intentionally, via word of mouth and the support of other professionals like myself who set out to start something of their own. We all work hard to achieve our goals, but we truly are better together. I cannot thank my family, our Step Up Learning families and partner schools, or my therapy community enough for their endless support. We wouldn’t be able to make this kind of impact without them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning a business is never a smooth road, but I can’t imagine my life any differently at this point. At first the mere thought of incorporating was daunting. The fear or HOW to start was real, even though the desire was there. I didn’t know where the clients were going to come from, how to set pricing, or anything about intake paperwork. As the business grew, the struggles morphed into what EMR system to choose, how to hire and run payroll, and when to switch from an LLC to an S-Corp. Owning a business is incredibly challenging; more so than anyone would imagine and I think that’s one of the reasons many aren’t successful. This life is definitely not for everyone, and although this is not at all what I imagined, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I didn’t go to business school, but I have a passion for helping others and have worked hard to develop a skills set than allows me to support groups of people in ways that many can’t. Take Gestalt Language Processing (GLP), for example. I’m really great with kids but after 20+ years working with them, I came across a client I didn’t feel I was doing enough for. I went down a rabbit hole and researched everything under the sun, which is where I came across Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) and thought, “this it it. This describes their language perfectly.” Launching myself head first into understanding the role of sensory regulation in language acquisition and the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) framework for Gestalt Language processors changed my life and my practice. I’m blessed to have been able to invest both time and money in myself to become who I felt this field needed me to become; who my clients needed me to become. I didn’t have the liberty to do that working for someone else, but when you bet on yourself every day, failure’s not an option. You may not know exactly what the path to success will look like, but it always comes because passion combined with skill never loses.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Step Up Learning is a mobile therapy practice offering speech and language therapy in homes, schools, and daycares around Miami. We’re currently a team of two seasoned Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) who are passionate about what we do and the families we serve. We pride ourself in not only the quality of our play-based, child-led, and sensory-informed sessions, but in the above-and-beyond care we offer our families. Each family that walks through our door has the support of a team that advocates and collaborates for their benefit.
We support mostly pediatric patients with language delays and disorders, phonological disorders, articulation disorders, fluency/stuttering, social skills, childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), and Gestalt Language Processing through the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) framework. The latter is what we’re likely most known for, especially because there are very few SLPs internationally that understand how to support GLPs, even less so in Miami. However, I’d like to think that our name is synonymous with therapy that produces results with children that don’t realize they’re doing anything more than playing. Play is how children learn best and we’re connection-based therapists as opposed to compliance-based. We lean heavy on neurodiversity-affirming care and play-based methods, which informs every decision we make.
Within the community, I feel other companies and schools see us as true collaborators with a passion for what we do, as well as a wealth of knowledge. We didn’t get here alone, and the support we receive from the therapy community and beyond is humbling. Part of my job as the founder of Step Up Learning is to foster a sense of importance in continuing education and life-long learning because this field is constantly evolving. I’m happy to share what I know with others and serve as a resource to many in the community. It’s through frequent interaction with businesses and providers in the community that I’m able to make recommendations to families that I think will be a good fit. Recommendations are different when they’re personal, and I put a lot of time and energy into networking to make these tailored recommendations possible.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I always recommend that anyone who is serious about starting their own business seek strong membership through organizations like Private Practice Connection (PPC), which I’ve been with since the beginning, In a world of uncertainty, it’s crucial to lean on others who have been where you are and may have more knowledge and resources available to them. Community is everything.
Aside from that, tell everyone you know about what you’re doing. Shout it from the rooftops, write it in the sky, and work hard to create a brand. Ideas that live in your head require action in order to succeed. You don’t have to have every single detail sorted out to start. You just have to see the big picture and be smart about jumping with a net. Failure is not an option, but neither is financial ruin. Have financial reserves set aside, especially if you have a family who depends on your income. The rest is a ton of grit, time management, and a bit of good fortune.
Pricing:
- We are direct pay providers through the Step Up for Students Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA)
- We do not accept insurance but we do provide superbills upon request
- We accept HSA & FSA
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stepuplearning.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjessicaisback and https://www.instagram.com/step.up.learning
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1K23No1tDy/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-peramo-21a6435a
