After 2 years of dreaming about her own physical therapy practice, Marieke Crawford made the leap.

“If you never take risks, you’ll never get where you want to be,” said Marieke, who is more prone to action than overthinking big decisions in her life.

“I’m proud to have finally taken the plunge of starting my own business,” she said.

Creating her authentic brand

Over the years while working in PT clinics owned by other practitioners, Marieke built a strong reputation and broad network of friends and colleagues.

If you never take risks, you’ll never get where you want to be.

—Marieke

She had enjoyed the work, but she felt she was no longer growing. She was doing insurance paperwork at home, in the evening and on the weekends. She was missing time with her family and knew she needed to make a change in her life.

As part of her exit strategy, Marieke created a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) and began to transition from full-time to part-time employment as she started her new life as an independent practitioner.

With more than 2 decades of experience and a natural talent for winning people over, Marieke had all the right stuff to do things her way. But she was uncertain about how to create a physical therapy brand that was authentic to her and resonated with the patients she wanted to help.

Determined to set herself up for success, Marieke hired HerNature Founder Carole Dupré to develop a brand identity, logo, web page and LinkedIn profile for her new business.

“Carole helped me think about what was important to me, what I care about,” said Marieke. “She helped me find my why and understand more about where I needed to concentrate my new business.”

Through coaching sessions, strength assessments and survey input from Marieke’s inner circle, the business brand that represented her most authentic natural strengths came to life.

Finding her career niche

A native of the Netherlands and the youngest of five, Marieke was “always big into sports.”

The personality test she took in high school said she was a great fit for the medical field. But it wasn’t until she suffered an injury playing basketball that Marieke found her niche.

“I had injured my upper thigh to the point that I couldn’t walk,” said Marieke. She was especially anxious about her injury because she had planned a ski trip that coming week with one of her friends.

After being treated by a physical therapist every day for that week, Marieke was able to go on her trip.

“Through my injury I found my opportunity,” she said.

Physical Therapy became her focus, and she never looked back.

Carole helped me find my why and understand more about where I needed to concentrate my new business.

—Marieke

Her work, her passion

“My work is my passion. I love what I do,” says Marieke who has motivated and cared for 1,000s of patients.

Visit Marieke’s web page, mariekecrawford.com, to learn more about how she helps patients through her private practice in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She offers a unique set of techniques that relieve muscular pain, improve range of motion, address vertigo and balance, and even enhance your tennis game.

See the steps Marieke took working with HerNature to get confident, energized and prepared as a new business owner through the Authentic Career Roadmap.

Photo: Headshot by Jenn Ocken Photography.