logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
40m 43s

How the Right Team Changes Everything

Jennifer McGurk
About this episode

Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!

Join Jennifer McGurk, the CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, Kat Durston, the owner of Flourish Virtual Assistants, and Jordyn Springer, lead VA at Flourish and Jennifer’s assistant to discuss the incredible impact the right team can have on business growth, team dynamics, and how Flourish supports dietitians. 

Whether you’re just starting your business or looking for ways to grow sustainably, you’ll gain valuable insights from this conversation. 

  1. Flourish’s Story: Kat discusses how she founded Flourish during her undergraduate studies, combining her creative background and nutrition education to support dietitians with social media and content creation. 
  2. Why Jennifer Hired Flourish: Jennifer explains that she hired Flourish because she values that they have both nutrition education and marketing skills, among other attributes. 
  3. The Importance of Delegating: Kat and Jennifer emphasize the power of delegating to a skilled team, which allows them to focus on growth. 
  4. Unconventional Dietetics Journey: Jordyn discusses how working for Flourish and Pursuing Private Practice gave her the courage and confidence to shift gears and pursue a master’s degree in digital marketing rather than dietetics. 
  5. Challenges in Business: Kat reflects on the early struggles of building Flourish, from handling rejections to meeting the evolving needs of clients. Adapting has been key to Flourish’s business growth. 

Timestamps: 

  • 02:17 The Birth of Flourish: Kat shares the origin story of Flourish, a company that provides virtual assistant services specifically for dietitians. Jennifer expresses excitement about the growth of Flourish and the impact it has on the dietitian community.
  • 09:49 Why Jennifer Hired Flourish: Discussion on the relationship-focused approach of dietitians versus traditional marketing strategies.
  • 14:47 Jordyn's Role and Responsibilities: Jordyn introduces her role at Flourish and expresses her enjoyment in learning and taking on various projects.
  • 19:42 An “Unconventional” Dietetics Journey: Jordyn shares her educational background and her decision to pivot from dietetics to a focus on marketing, pursuing her creative strengths.
  • 28:52 The Value of Team Support: Kat and Jordyn discuss the value of having a supportive team, especially for those working from home, and how accountability plays a role in their productivity.
  • 30:11 Navigating Business Challenges: Kat reflects on the challenges of running a business, including the need to adapt to market demands. 
  • 35:22 Future Goals and Adaptability: Kat and Jordyn discuss their goals for the future.

Kathryn (Kat) Durston is a registered dietitian based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a unique background and multiple degrees in both Art and Design and Nutrition and Dietetics. She blends her creative passion with clinical expertise to craft engaging content and impactful marketing strategies.

As the founder of Flourish Virtual Assistants, Kat has grown her marketing and media company from a college startup to a thriving 10-member team in just three years. Flourish has supported over 250 healthcare businesses with services ranging from social media management and blog writing to SEO and email marketing. In addition to her marketing work, Kat runs her own virtual private practice, Naturally Good Nutrition, specializing in functional nutrition for autoimmune conditions.

📲 Find Flourish on Instagram @flourishva

📩 Want to work with Flourish? Contact the team here. 

Jordyn Springer is the lead virtual assistant at Flourish, where she has been a key team member for over 1.5 years. During her time at Flourish, she has collaborated with more than 30 dietitians and B2B professionals, delivering exceptional support and expertise. Through Flourish, she works with Jennifer on the Pursuing Private Practice team. With a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, Jordyn is now expanding her skills by pursuing a master’s degree in digital marketing, blending her nutrition background with creative marketing strategies to make an even greater impact.

💬 Interested in chatting with Jordyn? Connect with her on LinkedIn! 

Want more from Pursuing Private Practice? 

🗓️ Looking to start your private practice in just 30 days? Do it with our Open For Business toolkit: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/open-for-business/

📈 Want to get 3 new clients in just 3 days? Join Marketing Bootcamp: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessplan/

🌟 Looking for the ultimate support system to build the private practice you’ve always dreamed of? Check out Business School: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/

🌍 Are you ready to lead with confidence and expand your impact? EXPAND is your path to stepping into the role of CEO: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/business-coaching/

Find us on Instagram @pursuing.private.practice

Up next
Aug 5
COAST: A Business Strategy When Life Comes First
Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast! Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the COAST stage of business. Join them to discuss the importance of coasting as a business owner, how i ... Show More
22m 58s
Jul 29
LEAD: Hire, Manage, and Build Your Private Practice Team
Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast! Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the LEAD stage of business. This stage is focused on the importance of hiring and leading a team. Hear ... Show More
23m 27s
Jul 22
GROW: What It Really Takes to Get Fully Booked on Your Terms
Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast! Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and team member Courtney Vickery, CEO of Declet Designs, to talk about the GROW stage of business. This is a stage where you'll focus on expanding your reach, refining your m ... Show More
28m 52s
Recommended Episodes
May 8
Quick Tips for Therapists: What to Do When Couples Therapy Clients Come into the Session Escalated in Their Negative Cycle
Jacqueline Wielick, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and owner of her own private practice, Therapy by Jackie. She has a master of science in marriage and family therapy, and degrees in both psychology and sociology. With a focus on couples, relationships, attach ... Show More
4m 9s
May 2024
Quick Tips for Therapists: How to Handle Clients Who Cry Uncontrollably in Session
Emma Lauer, LCSW, author of DBT Skills for Highly Sensitive People, shares advice for how to handle clients who cry uncontrollably in session. Emma is a therapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, self-harming behaviors, and trauma. Emma is an eye movement desens ... Show More
3m 46s
Aug 2024
167. What Makes a Happy and Healthy Couple? w/ Juliana Massey
What makes a relationship truly successful? In this episode, Meg welcomes Juliana, a marriage and family therapist, to explore the dynamics of healthy couples and what inspired her to pursue this field. Juliana discusses the role of a systemic therapist in addressing common chall ... Show More
43m 44s
Jul 2024
Bad Anxiety and Mental Health Advice | Episode 297
Send in a question or comment via text.The Internet is packed with anxiety and mental health advice, but not all of it is useful or helpful.  Some of it can be harmful. This week I'm joined by Emma McAdam, the therapist behind the Therapy in a Nutshell YouTube channel, to di ... Show More
38m 19s
Jul 21
490: GLP-1’s and Eating Disorders with Dr Vanessa Scaringi and Kathryn Garland
Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, we're talking about a subject that many people are curious about lately, GLP-1's the diabetes medications that are being used by non-diabetics for weight loss. Therapists need to know about these medications, because clients are exploring ... Show More
46m 38s
Jun 20
Understanding Mind-Body Pain: A Neuroplastic Approach for Mental Health Providers with Dr. David Clarke | continuing education for mental health counselors and therapists | NBCC approved | Podcourse | trauma
Purchase this Podcourse here! Neuroplastic symptoms - also known as psychophysiologic or mind-body symptoms - represent a significant portion of clinical presentations, yet they are frequently misunderstood or overlooked in both medical and mental health settings. In this informa ... Show More
53m 33s
Mar 2025
The 3 Key Ingredients For A Thriving Relationship, Practical Strategies To Manage Conflict & How To Build Deeper Relationships with Yung Pueblo #531
How much of your relationship tension comes from expectations that were never communicated? And what if changing the way you handle conflict could completely transform them? While we often dedicate countless hours to our careers, many of us never devote time to the basics of emot ... Show More
1h 56m
Jun 16
Simple Relationship Improvement Advice From The Therapy Office
Tired of trying to think your way out of overthinking?Let me show you what actually works—in less than 30 minutes.Get immediate access to a free class now.In this short therapy episode, discover how to reconnect in relationships that feel off—even when the distance feels unfixabl ... Show More
6m 2s
Jun 2024
Are Therapists Becoming Enmeshed?
This week, we talk about therapist enmeshment - what it is, how it happens, and what therapists can do to ensure they have appropriate boundaries with clients. For this conversation, we’re placing the context at the feet of the therapists and exploring how some therapy practices ... Show More
42m 5s
Aug 2024
Your Partner Is Not Your Therapist
Are you relying too much on your partner for emotional support and finding that it strains your relationship? Brendon Burchard, the world’s top high performance coach, is here to guide you on taking responsibility for your own healing journey. Discover how to cultivate self-aware ... Show More
19m 11s