We had the good fortune of connecting with Ruth Maldonado and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ruth, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I feel that the following habits help me be successful:

1. Grit – staying passionate and determined to reach the goals that I have set out for my practice despite the obstacles that have been presented along the way. Being true to my vision and mission and staying positive no matter what happens.

2. Organization – making sure that everything has a place and that I have system set out for each thing that happens on a daily basis. Always making a weekly/daily to do list and color coding things that are most important to get done.

3. Networking – surrounding myself with people that have similar entrepreneurial mindsets. Making sure to mentor to others in the same fashion that others mentored me. Truly believing that giving is better than receiving.

4. Personal Care – taking dedicated times to relax. Actually taking a lunch hour and eating instead of working through lunch while scarfing some food down (as I use to do when working in the public schools).

5. Setting goals – without setting goals, your “goal” is just a dream. When you set a goal within a time frame you are better apt to keep to that goal and do everything in your power to meet it.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Be Brave Speech Therapy is a privately-owned pediatric speech and language therapy practice. I serve children in their families virtually through teletherapy for all children residing in CA as well as in-person in Escondido, CA and surrounding areas. Many caregiver’s struggle with finding the right therapist for their child. At Be Brave Speech Therapy, I help children go from not talking at all or barely saying a few words to talking clearly in complete sentences. I also help Autistic children and children who stutter become more of their authentic selves. I partner with caregivers so they can be their child’s best therapist and advocate. This helps both caregivers and children feel accepted, loved, and empowered to “be brave”. I look forward to helping each child’s communication improve on a daily basis!

I think what sets me apart from other bigger more established practices is the flexibility in the setting in which I can provide therapy in. Currently, I see clients in the comfort of their own home virtually through teletherapy (for all children residing in CA), in person at my home office in Escondido, CA , at their own home, or preschool/daycare setting.

I’m most proud of and excited in providing FREE speech/language screenings to children in need (ages 3 and up). Many times caregivers worry about their child’s speech and language milestones and if they’re on the right track. A quick 15 minute screening is often the solution in alleviating parent’s concerns. Within this screening I can tell parents that yes, their child is on the right track or no a more in depth evaluation is needed.

I want everyone who reads this article to know that Be Brave Speech Therapy is here for everyone who wants to see a positive improvement in their child’s speech and language skills. I work collaboratively with parents to see the whole child and together we set goals for their child’s speech and language skills to improve with time. My areas of specialty are as follows: early intervention, speech, stuttering, and social communication.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hmmm, this is a hard one since I just moved to Escondido and I’m still exploring more things within the area…

1. San Diego Safari Park – to visit the animals and just walk around the whole area; it doubles as an animal park and botanical garden!

2. Grand Ave. – There are a bunch of cute shops and eateries located on Grand. So many vintage items as well as places to sit and have a conversation.

3. Delight of France – definitely a must have for brunch! I love their almond croissant!!

4. Esco Gelato – great place to unwind after a long day while eating gelato.

5. Vintana Wine & Dine – located above the Lexus dealership for a fancy meal and great views of the town

6. Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – this place is a hidden gem! Good food and the ambiance is perfect for both mingling with kids and friends. Cute little string lights and pathways to talk and explore.

7. Daley Ranch – awesome area to hike around and get your fitness on.

8. Elfin Forest – another great area to hike and see sunsets!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to my husband, Chris. He has been instrumental in me taking the steps to actually make my “dream” a reality. When I first met him, I told him that I had a dream of one day opening up a pediatric speech therapy private practice and he told me that was awesome and that I should go for it. Throughout or relationship he continually reminded me of that dream that I decided to finally go for it. There’s no time like the present to take action. If you leave something for later, it might actually be a long time “later” until it actually gets done. I also want to thank Jena Castro Casbon for creating Start Your Private Practice. Without her and the mentors, I would not be where I am today!

Website: www.bebravespeechtherapy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bebravespeechtherapy/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-maldonado-212bb6239/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bebravespeechtherapy

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/be-brave-speech-therapy-escondido

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