From Microphone to Milestone: Luba Patlakh’s Journey Building Kidology into a Community-Driven Therapy Powerhouse

In this episode of Pivot to Profit, I sat down with Luba Patlakh, founder of Kidology, to uncover how she transformed a small contracting practice into a thriving multi-location pediatric therapy business. Her story is one of bold pivots, savvy financial strategy, and a relentless drive to serve families and children through innovative, inclusive spaces.

Pivoting with Purpose: From Media to Medicine

Before launching Kidology, Luba Patlakh was making waves in an entirely different industry—broadcast journalism. After working in media in New York City, she began reassessing her career trajectory and dove into researching professions with long-term growth potential. That research led her to speech pathology, a field that merged her love for communication and helping others.

Balancing education and motherhood, Luba went back to school, earned additional degrees, and began her career as a speech-language pathologist. After gaining experience as a contractor, she founded Kidology in 2014 with a vision to build something much bigger than herself.

Building Kidology: A Business Rooted in Impact

Kidology began humbly as a home-based operation with a small team of six contractors. But it didn’t stay small for long. Luba opened her first office, then moved to a larger complex, strategically adding services like insurance billing and in-office therapy.

Today, Kidology boasts two 5,000+ square foot clinics equipped with specialized therapy rooms and dynamic play gyms. The business also recently launched a mobile therapy bus, breaking down access barriers by bringing services directly to underserved communities.

Innovating the Therapy Experience

What sets Kidology apart is its “all-in-one” model. Luba didn’t just want to offer therapy—she wanted to create a welcoming, engaging environment for children and families. The clinics double as community spaces, offering birthday parties, play gyms, and social activities alongside clinical services like speech, occupational, physical, and ABA therapy.

This model fosters a sense of belonging while ensuring high-quality, multidisciplinary care. It’s therapy that doesn’t feel clinical—by design.

Financial Growing Pains and Business Wisdom

Luba candidly shared that one of her biggest early challenges was managing cash flow while scaling staff. She learned the hard way—through trial and error—how critical it is to understand billing, payroll, and the overall financial engine behind a business.

Rather than chasing fast growth, she made a deliberate shift to focus on profitability and sustainability. That meant making smart investments in facilities and hiring, while ensuring the business remained financially sound.

Her biggest advice? “Know your numbers and plan for growth before it happens.”

What’s Next for Kidology?

The future looks bright for Luba and Kidology. With expansion projects already underway in Pennsylvania—adding new therapy rooms and enhancing their play gym experiences—the team is also exploring new frontiers:

The mobile therapy bus is being used not only to serve remote areas but also to gather market insights for future clinic locations.
Florida is on the radar, with early-stage research into launching a location in the Sunshine State.

Long-term, Luba envisions nationwide growth, powered by a model that blends care, community, and creativity.

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Pam JordanJuly 10, 2025Comment