Meet Michael Leynor, MBA, PMP

My background is in analytics, project management, process improvement, and business administration. Throughout my career, I have always had a natural curiosity regarding business processes and how they might be improved. In every position I have held, I have continually asked, “Do things have to be like this, or is there a better way?”

This mindset led me to question why so many private practice owners struggle with pricing, billing, credentialing, marketing, and other elements of business management. I saw my wife, Leah, contend with these issues when she opened a massage therapy business and then a mental health private practice. (Learn about Leah’s background here.). I wondered: “Do other private practice owners struggle like this? Or is there a better way to do things?”

After Leah and I found a more efficient and effective approach to managing her practice, I realized that the answer to both of these questions was indeed “yes”—there is a better way, but many private practice owners have yet to discover it.

Leah and I recognized that we’re in a position to help. We opened Reliant Practice to assist small business owners in the helping professions to streamline their business processes so they can spend more time with their patients and clients.

Throughout my career as a consultant and program manager, I have been guided by the following principles:

Active Listening

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. I know from experience that every business owner has different goals and unique needs. That is why I start each new client relationship by finding out what the client is looking for—not telling the client what I think he or she needs. I listen closely and confirm what is required and desired before offering solutions, which are built on both my professional expertise and my client’s goals.

For practices that have multiple physicians or therapists, each clinician may have different needs and preferences. I have seen the frustration that results when several different processes are used to accomplish the same tasks, and I have learned to take into account feedback from all clinicians both before and after implementing solutions. This helps to reduce duplication, improve communication, and ensure everyone is on board.

Empowerment

I have spent over 15 years helping corporations implement business systems that allowed them to better focus on their core offerings. I have also empowered private practice owners to focus on the noble work of helping others by eliminating unnecessarily stressful and time-consuming tasks. My expertise in software selection has played a significant role in this effort, allowing me to identify private practice billing software that is effective yet affordable. (Learn more about Reliant Practices’ billing services. )

Through volunteer work, I have also helped people with developmental disabilities to achieve greater self-sufficiency by connecting them with treatments and specialized equipment such as wheelchair ramps. I enjoy teaching adults and children alike and seeing what they can accomplish with a bit of help. This focus on empowerment lends a supportive and collaborative tone to my work as a private practice consultant.

Balance

I am a pragmatic person, and I recognize that even a business focused on helping people must be profitable to survive. I also know that private practice owners, who must comply with a myriad of regulations all while operating on a limited budget, have unique needs. Given my background in project management and my experience helping to establish and grow thriving practices, I am uniquely qualified to help private practice owners find cost-effective solutions that promote the efficiency and growth of their businesses.

At the same time, I know that any new process must ultimately work for the person using it: the business owner. For therapists, physicians, and other private practice owners, working with clients is a selfless and often-draining task. Therefore, my ultimate goal will always be to make clinicians’ lives easier. When I can help my clients establish a good balance between work and personal life, it gives them more time for self-care and other activities that allow them to be the best versions of themselves. That benefits both them and the people they help.

I recognize this need for balance in my own life as well. I offset the many hours I spend on a computer each week by getting outside as much as I can, even in the winter. I enjoy playing tennis and going out with my family which includes my wife, two children, and two dogs. I also love cars and am a self-proclaimed weather geek, giving me even more excuses to get away from the office.

Private practice consultant Michael Leynor has a Master’s in Business Administration and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He founded Reliant Practice with the aspiration to empower private practice owners, allowing them to spend less time on administrative tasks and to do more of what they’re passionate about: helping people.