Spring as a Group Practice Owner: Growth, Uncertainty, and Stepping Into Your CEO Role

When I wrote about wintering as a group practice owner in December, I was reflecting on the importance of slowing down, conserving energy, and tending quietly to what was already built. Wintering was about allowing yourself to pull inward without guilt, to reflect on what was working, to steady your systems, and to rest in the foundation you had created.

Spring feels different.

Spring brings colour and light, but it also brings unpredictability. There are days when the sun feels warm and energizing, and others when the wind returns and you wonder if winter is truly over. I think this mirrors so closely what many group practice owners experience when they begin contemplating growth.

Spring, in a group practice, is often the season of expansion in thought before expansion in action.

You might find yourself reviewing your numbers more carefully, running projections, or seriously considering what it would look like to add another therapist. Perhaps you are thinking about bringing on administrative support because you can feel that you are stretched thin. Some days, this feels manageable and even exciting. You can see the path forward. You trust your referral streams. You believe in your systems. You feel capable.

On other days, it feels overwhelming.

You think about payroll, overhead, responsibility, and the weight of being the one who carries the final decision. You wonder whether you are moving too quickly or whether staying steady would be wiser. This back and forth does not mean you are uncertain as a leader. It means you understand that growth has real impact, both financially and emotionally. Thoughtful leaders feel the weight of their decisions.

Spring also shows up in the growth of your team. You may notice your therapists developing deeper clinical skills, building confidence, and expressing interest in contributing beyond their individual caseload. Perhaps they are curious about developing a niche area, offering groups, mentoring others, or helping shape the culture of the practice. There is something incredibly meaningful about watching growth happen under your umbrella. It reminds you that this work is not only about revenue. It is about building something sustainable, collaborative, and rooted in excellent care.

And yet, growth within your team often requires growth within you.

This is the quieter part of spring. It may mean strengthening your boundaries. It may mean recognizing the areas where you need support rather than continuing to carry everything alone. It could involve hiring help before you feel fully ready, because you can see that holding on to every administrative or operational detail is no longer sustainable. It might require you to slow down long enough to ask yourself what you truly enjoy about leading a group practice, and what you are ready to release.

I have lived through a spring season that moved far more quickly than I would have chosen.

When my first group practice ended, I moved through winter and into spring in very quick succession. My spring was short and intense. I had to make decisions quickly about where we would be located and who would be on my team. There was very little space between grieving what had ended and building what would come next. It was a stressful time, full of the familiar back and forth between excitement and overwhelm, although if I am honest, excitement carried most of it.

Looking back, one of the things I wish I had done differently was to slow down and allow the grey days to support me. Spring is not only sunshine and forward motion. It also holds cold mornings and rainy afternoons that invite you to pause. Those slower days can help you reflect, process change, and make intentional decisions about how you want to move forward. I moved quickly because I felt I had to. And while that season ultimately led to growth and expansion, I can see now how valuable it would have been to breathe more deeply within it.

Stepping into your CEO role rarely happens in one bold leap. It unfolds through steady, grounded decisions. It is choosing to value your time and energy. It is building efficient systems for growth rather than reacting to every new opportunity. It is clarifying your vision before expanding your team. It is leading with purpose instead of urgency.

One of the most honest parts of this spring season is the mixed feeling of wanting to move forward while also wanting to hunker down. There can be excitement about what is possible alongside a very real desire for stability. Both belong. Sustainable growth does not come from ignoring fear or rushing past uncertainty. It comes from acknowledging both the sunshine and the rain, and allowing each to inform your next step.

If something feels like it is budding in your practice right now, I encourage you not to rush it, but also not to dismiss it. Notice what is asking to grow. Is it your team size. Is it your leadership capacity. Is it your systems. Is it your confidence in making larger decisions. Spring invites you to nurture what is emerging with care and intention.

If you are in this season of contemplation, this is often where thoughtful support can make a meaningful difference. Not because you need someone to push you forward, but because having space to think strategically, to run the numbers clearly, and to strengthen your leadership capacity can transform reactive growth into sustainable growth with ease.

Inside my coaching and consulting work through Group Practice Network, I support Canadian group practice owners in clarifying their growth plans, understanding the true costs of expansion, strengthening their leadership skills, and building efficient systems that support long term sustainability. My focus is always on helping you step confidently into your role as CEO, so that your practice serves you as much as it serves your clients.

Spring is not about proving that you can grow quickly. It is about becoming the leader your next level requires.

As you reflect on your own practice, I invite you to consider this: where are you being invited to grow right now, and how can you allow both the sunny and the grey days to guide you toward thoughtful, intentional expansion?

If you would like support navigating your spring season, you can learn more about my coaching offerings at www.grouppracticenetwork.ca or reach out directly at lisa@grouppracticenetwork.ca. I would be honoured to support you in building the practice that truly serves you.