You Can Change Careers And Still Win

Send us Fan MailYour career doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else for it to work and Shemeka Cusack is living proof. We talk with Shemeka about what it looks like to pivot from early college plans and radiology coursework into hair school, salon ownership, real estate, and ultimately a calling in pediatric speech therapy. The through line is growth: every job teaches a skill you can reuse, especially when you’re building a life that includes entrepreneurship, family responsibilities, and real-world constraints.We also dig into what Shemeka does now as a speech-language pathologist and business owner. She explains early intervention services for children who are delayed in milestones, what therapy can look like in a natural environment, and why play-based methods matter when you’re serving pediatric patients. If you’ve searched for early intervention, pediatric speech therapy services, or how speech therapy supports school-age children, you’ll hear a grounded, local perspective on how care is delivered and how families can get connected.Business Awareness Month gives us the perfect reason to get practical. We talk about using a business incubator for free training, networking, marketing support, and SBA guidance for grants and loans. Then we switch to the details many founders miss: home office tax deductions, when a CPA is worth it, and how to form an LLC and get an EIN without paying ridiculous fees. Shemeka even shares how free tools like ChatGPT can help you research faster and ask better questions.If you like honest stories, clear steps, and real small business advice you can use today, subscribe, share this conversation with a friend who’s building something, and leave a review so more listeners can find Native Drums.Support the show