Today we’d like to introduce you to Desiree Darby.
Hi Desiree, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a small town called Gaffney, SC, until my family relocated to Spartanburg, SC, in 2000. As a little girl, I always enjoyed helping others and dreamed of being a teacher or doctor. Fast forward to college at SC State University, I was introduced to the field of Speech-Language-Pathology in which I obtained my Bachelors’s and Master’s degrees. Throughout my undergrad program, I told myself and dreamt of owning my private practice. Every time I drove past vacant buildings, I would say, “I’m going to own a space like that.” It was in my 1st year of graduate school that my life shifted. While conducting a summer speech session on the campus of SC State, my then-boyfriend and now lovely husband unexpectedly shows up and tells me we have to go to Spartanburg because your dad is sick. A day later, I was saying goodbye to my #1 fan, my biggest supporter of all my dreams. This event crushed me, and I didn’t know if I could complete the program.
I went to school with my dad on my mind daily, in every class, and during every assignment. His voice saying, “Keep going, baby girl,” helped me reach the end. As a result of losing my father, I lost my dreams of being a private practice owner. I couldn’t see how I could do something so big without the support of my dad. I happily married in 2016; we had our first child in 2019 and another in 2020; years passed by, and still no desire to bring to life what I dreamt of as a little girl. 2021 as the world was dealing with a national pandemic, I sat and prayed to God about the next steps for my life and career. At that moment, he spoke loudly and clearly, reminding me of one thing I’d pushed to the back. I complained that there was a better time and that starting a business wasn’t something I had time to do. The Lord asked me, “Do you believe?”
From that encounter, Believe Pediatrics Therapy Team came to life from dreams of helping, teaching, and caring for others to now making an everlasting impact in the lives of parents and their children with special needs. I’m so grateful for the experiences that have led me to this moment.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business is by no means a cakewalk. I must overcome impostor syndrome, insecurities, doubts, and financial challenges. All these will either cause you to give up or fight harder for what you believe. As there are many private practice speech therapy clinics in Columbia, SC, I doubt and still sometimes do if what I have can stand with those already established. Being a working mom with two toddlers is undoubtedly challenging, and some days I need more business work done. Remembering my why (family), my what (for the community), and my when (forever) keeps me pushing to reach daily goals.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Believe Pediatrics Therapy Team is a pediatric speech therapy company offering services to the birth-5 population in Columbia, SC, and surrounding areas. It is a newly developed small business. We specialize in providing private one-on-one speech therapy to children, especially those who are non-verbal, autistic, and severely language delayed using a play-based model. Believe Pediatrics is proud of its free screening program and IEP consultation services offered through the company.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is our family trip to Carowinds every summer. My dad would get so excited to get on the rides with my brother and me and play arcade games. We would spend the entire day at the park and crash as soon as we returned home.
Contact Info:
- Website: believepeds.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/believepedstherapy?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/believepeds?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Kingdom Cultured Media
