We recently had the chance to connect with Kimberly Schuster and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kimberly, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Energy and intelligence are important — they help you get things done and solve problems. But without integrity, those qualities can be misused. Integrity is about doing the right thing, even when no one’s watching. It’s what builds trust, keeps you grounded, and helps you make decisions you can stand by. At the end of the day, I’d rather work with or be someone who’s honest and dependable than just smart or energetic.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Kimberly Schuster, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and the owner of Fine Tune Speech Therapy, a private practice based in Dallas, Texas. I work with children of all ages — from toddlers just starting to talk to school-aged kids working on speech sounds, language skills, and social communication.
What makes Fine Tune unique is our personalized, play-based approach. We meet kids where they are and collaborate closely with families, teachers, and other professionals to create meaningful, lasting progress.
I’m especially passionate about helping families feel supported and informed, whether they’re navigating early intervention or working through school-related speech and language needs. Right now, I’m focused on expanding parent resources, creating helpful content about speech milestones, and continuing to grow our community connections so families never feel like they’re figuring it all out alone.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that has most shaped how I see myself is the one I have with my sister. She’s always had a quiet strength and confidence about her — not in a flashy way, but in how she makes decisions and stands by them. After college, she didn’t jump into law school right away like some of her peers. She took a few years to figure out what she really wanted, and that decision taught me a lot about trusting the timing of your own path.
For a long time, I thought everything had to follow a strict plan — school, job, next step — but watching her take a more thoughtful route showed me that sometimes, the best things happen when you’re open to change and flexible with your timeline. That mindset really shaped how I approached starting my own business. It helped me stop waiting for the “perfect” time and instead lean into the opportunities in front of me, even if they didn’t come exactly when I expected.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, it would be: trust yourself and trust your knowledge.
There were times I second-guessed myself or looked for reassurance from others, but now as a business owner, I’ve learned that confidence grows when you start trusting your own voice. I remind myself often — I am the professional, and my knowledge is my strength. Everything I’ve studied, experienced, and worked for has prepared me for this. I’d want my younger self to know that she already had everything she needed — she just had to believe it.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the public version of me is the real me.
What you see is genuinely who I am — whether I’m working with families, posting on social media, or running my business. I try to show up with honesty, warmth, and professionalism in everything I do. Of course, like anyone, there are sides of me that are more personal or reserved, but the values I share publicly — being supportive, thoughtful, and committed to helping others — are deeply rooted in who I am every day.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Yes, I believe you can—and should—give your best, even if you don’t get praise for it.
Becoming a mom really drove that lesson home for me. So much of parenting is showing up day after day, doing the hard and loving work, often without recognition or validation. It’s not about the praise—it’s about knowing you’re doing your best for someone who matters deeply.
That mindset has carried over into being a business owner. There are plenty of moments when no one sees the extra effort behind the scenes—late nights, tough decisions, small wins that feel big to me but go unnoticed by others. But even without the applause, I’ve learned to trust that showing up fully and doing the work with intention and care is always worth it. I don’t need the praise to know I’ve given it my all.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.finetunespeechtherapy.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/finetunespeechtherapy
Image Credits
Ivy Tenenbaum Photography
