How I Built My IEP Advocacy Business

There's a moment I'll never forget.

I was sitting across from a mom who had fought for three years to get her son the speech services he needed. 

She'd been told "no" so many times she started believing maybe she was wrong.

But I knew better. 

After our first IEP meeting together, her son finallyyyyyy got approved for the exact services I knew he qualified for all along.

After the meeting was over, she said, "You just changed his entire future."

That's when I knew this wasn't just a business. 

It was my life's work.

But let me be real with you—

I never set out to build an advocacy business. 

When I started nearly 14 years ago as an SLPA, I was simply a mom with a child who needed more than the system was offering.

What began as fighting for my own child evolved into helping a friend, then a friend of a friend, until suddenly I realized: 

This knowledge I've gained has real value.

The truth? 

Building this business took way more than understanding IDEA law or knowing how to read an evaluation. 

Those things matter, but they're just the foundation.

What really help me build my business was:

1. Showing up when others wouldn't. I remember driving three hours to sit with a family for their first evaluation meeting because they were terrified of going alone. That family referred me to seven others.

2. Speaking truth when schools wouldn't. Schools sometimes count on parents not knowing their rights. When I started plainly explaining to parents what their children were legally entitled to, word spread like wildfire.

3. Treating every child like my own. This isn't a case number or just another meeting for me. Each child's future matters as much to me as my own child’s does.

But let me be honest with you… 

There were times I almost quit.

Like when I spent 15+ hours preparing for a difficult case only to have the school cancel last minute (that’s happened more than once unfortunately). 

Or when I was barely making enough to cover my childcare costs during meetings.

I remember sitting at my kitchen table at 1 AM, surrounded by IEP documents, wondering if I was crazy for thinking I could turn this into a sustainable business.

The turning point came when I stopped trying to help everyone for next to nothing and started valuing my expertise.

When I raised my rates, something unexpected happened—I attracted clients who truly valued what I offered. 

And it was then that I could finally afford to give each family the attention they deserved without burning myself out.

Yes, this business has allowed me to travel the world with my children—something I never got to do growing up and only dreamed of providing for them.

But the changes go deeper than stamps in our passports.

This work has taught me that:

• A single person with the right knowledge can stand up to an entire system and win

• Parents will move mountains for their children when given the right tools

• The ripple effects of helping one child extend far beyond what we can see

Last year, I got a graduation announcement from a student I helped secure services for in 2nd grade. 

His mom noted, "He wouldn't be wearing this cap and gown without you."

These moments are worth more than any paycheck.

But I’m not going to sugarcoat it….

If you're thinking of building an advocacy business, I want you to know the whole truth. 

It takes:

Heart. Because you'll hear heartbreaking stories and you'll see systems fail children. You need to care deeply but not carry it all home with you.

Boundaries. I learned the hard way that being available 24/7 leads to burnout. Setting clear working hours actually made me more effective for the families I serve.

Business sense. Passion alone won't pay your bills. You need systems for onboarding clients, tracking cases, and managing your time.

Continuous learning. Laws change. Research evolves. The moment you stop learning is the moment you start failing your clients.

Community. The best thing I ever did was connect with other advocates who understand this work. We share resources, vent about tough cases, and celebrate wins together.

After helping over 500 families across 30+ states, I keep thinking about how many more children need someone in their corner.

I can't be everywhere at once. 

But I started thinking:

What if I could help create an army of advocates? 

What if families everywhere had access to skilled advocates who could navigate their school system, no matter where they lived?

That's why I'm opening up spots for a few parents who want to turn their advocacy skills into a business that:

• Provides real financial freedom while working from home
• Creates profound impact in children's lives
• Builds a reputation as the go-to expert in their area

Not everyone is cut out for this work. And that's okay.

You might be perfect for advocacy if:

• You've navigated the special education system for your own child
• You're naturally the person friends come to for help with school issues
• You're not afraid of a little (or a lot of) paperwork
• You can stay calm when tension is high
• You're willing to learn the legal side while leading with heart

Ok Courtney, so how do I get started?

If reading this made something light up inside you—if you thought "this is what I'm meant to do"—I want to hear from you.

Together, we’ll walk through exactly how I built this business from the ground up, including:

• How to package and price your services
• The exact scripts I use in tough IEP meetings
• My client attraction system that keeps me booked without ads
• The legal knowledge you need (and how to get it)
• How to build authority so schools take you seriously from day one

This is the information I wish I'd had when I started. 

The kind that would have saved me years of trial and error.

If you're ready to turn your hard-won knowledge into a business that changes lives (including your own), let's talk.

Apply for Mentorship

Remember: You already have the most important qualification—you care enough to fight for these kids. The rest, I can teach you.

Your future advocacy clients are waiting. 

Their children are waiting. 

And a life of purpose, impact, and freedom is waiting for you too.