Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Croft-Caderao.
Katie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a psychologist that went into private practice five years ago, I experienced firsthand the need for community and resource sharing in private practice, especially as we grew a new practice with little to no startup capital. Despite being an uncertain and risky time where support is needed more than ever, it seemed that most therapists functioned as an island. Building community and connections among independent professionals became the heart of Sharewell; whereas, the coworking space and resource sharing are the bones.
The idea of a coworking space built specifically for therapists and other wellness professionals came to be when my co-founders, Grant Holland and Flip Croft-Caderao, and I visited WeWork looking for office space for our practice. As you may know, WeWork’s sexy glass everything, beer on tap, and ping pong tables are very appealing–and entirely impractical for therapy sessions. Two years later, we have a cozy therapy space in Uptown Dallas with a group of wellness professionals who care about the same things we do– helping each other grow in our work with our clients and in our businesses.
Has it been a smooth road?
A big challenge for us has been encouraging therapists and wellness professionals to invest in their practice by paying more to have a space in the prime location of Uptown Dallas. Our location is not for everyone but caters well to those wanting to build up a private pay practice by being strategically located to attract these clients. Often, people have heard about the importance of keeping overheads low and have prioritized that guideline above all others, and many times, to the detriment of quickly growing their practice.
We’ve learned that people thinking of branching out on their own in the wellness industry can take a really long time to decide, and when they do, often need coaching on the nuts and bolts of setting up a practice. We’ve tried to remedy this by being available for a one-on-one consultation on business matters, educating the wellness community through presentations, and connecting our members to solve entrepreneurial challenges together.
Beyond that, we’ve had the usual share of growing pains, especially in trying to reasonably keep costs down in a startup and managing a calendar for a growing community of professionals. We’ve had to learn plenty of DIY skills like building a floating shelf, re-keying file cabinets (did you know that file cabinet you buy from any major store most likely have identical keys?), and how hard it can be to match a paint sample.
Please tell us about Sharewell. What should we know?
Sharewell is a coworking space for wellness professionals, such as therapists, psychiatrists, dietitians, and coaches, in Uptown Dallas. We provide office spaces for sessions and shared resources for professionals in individual or small group practices. We offer flexible, month-to-month leases for as little as an hour and as much as full-time. Our Hourly Membership option is unique to other coworking models that cater to wellness professionals, and can significantly reduce the initial costs of starting a private practice.
We’re proud of providing structure, resources, and community that improves wellness professionals’ ability to do their very important job–help others improve their lives. We enjoy seeing our members’ practices flourish and to witness those exciting years of growth.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
As access to quality wellness and mental health services that are in-network for our insurance plans remains a challenge, private practices may grow to become the primary way of receiving these services. Historically, there have been many shortcomings to the private practice model, particularly around working in isolation, that impacts the clinician’s ability to provide quality care, and these will need to be addressed as the private practice sector grows.
One of the most interesting potential benefits of a co-working model for wellness professionals specifically is in combating “drift.” As the years pass following graduate training, keeping up with recent research findings and effective treatments in your field becomes more difficult. Correcting for this drift naturally happens as professionals begin to work together instead of in isolation and have more regular access to consultation with others.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3500 Oak Lawn, Suite 230
Dallas, TX 75219 - Website: www.sharewell.co
- Phone: (469) 428-7114
- Email: Hello@Sharewell.co
- Facebook: @sharewellcoworking
Image Credit:
Sharewell
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