Finding the right balance between business ownership and motherhood

When it comes to physiotherapy, most people think of recovery after a sports injury or possibly a car accident, but Laura Apps, Registered Physiotherapist, wants to help women heal a body part that is a little more…intimate.

She wants to help us stop peeing our pants. #blessher

Laura knew she wanted to work in the healthcare field from a young age. She was inspired by her mother who was a nurse and then got to experience it firsthand when a series of dance injuries sent her to physiotherapy as part of her recovery.

“I saw what a private physio clinic does and it was very interesting,” she said.“It seemed like a good fit.”

Laura left family and her first position as a physiotherapist behind in Manitoba to follow her future husband to Ontario and soon began seeing clients as a staff physiotherapist in a private clinic, yet motherhood changed the course of her career track.

“Motherhood is probably what pushed me a little bit further into the women’s health end of things. I realized the importance of knowing that your body may not return right back to normal afterwards,” she said. “Within that clinic I was treating lots of sports injuries, as well as taking courses for women’s health. I always had an interest in [pelvic floor issues] but I never had a chance to take education for it.”

After the birth of her second daughter, Violet, Laura decided to rent her own space within the private clinic and only focus on women’s health issues. As her client base grew, she knew she had to make a decision. She wasn’t willing to work five days a week but she saw a greater need for her services, so she hired a second physiotherapist to join her.

She wasn’t willing to work five days a week but she saw a greater need for her services, so she hired a second physiotherapist to join her.

“It very quickly became evident that we needed more space,” she said.

The next step was to open her own clinic.

“I wasn’t starting from scratch, so it wasn’t so daunting. I already had a client base. I already had referral sources,” she said. “I think I bought clinic beds first and then I realized, I guess we are doing this. I should probably find the space!”

While Laura works hard to help women treat and prevent injury to their pelvic floors, she’s never been interested in working 90-hour work weeks. Laura said  she has to be conscious of not allowing running her own business to take over her life. Her clinic has limited hours and is not open Friday through Sunday.

“Everybody here is a mother or about to be a mother and we are all in the same boat in terms of other responsibilities and what we want our lives to look like. It’s nice having everybody on the same page in terms of that.”

I think striving for the business I envision and the home life and downtime I desire will continue to be a challenge.

Laura was able to make the transition to business owner successful by picking the brain of many colleagues who had been in her shoes, and learning from their accomplishments and challenges.

“Finding the balance between business owner, physiotherapist, mother and wife has been an ongoing and evolving challenge over the past five years, and even more so now that I have my own clinic,” she said. “I think striving for the business I envision and the home life and downtime I desire will continue to be a challenge. I think it is possible, but there will be give and take from all sides, and I know I could not do it alone.”

Do you know a mama who is making it work? Let us know in the comments and you might just see them in a future blog!