Discover Your Ikigai: Finding Purpose as an SLP Entrepreneur

As a speech-language pathologist considering entrepreneurship—or already on that path—you’ve likely asked yourself at least once: “Am I really meant to do this?” or “Is this the right direction for me?”

You’re not alone.

One of the most powerful tools to help you answer these questions comes from a simple but profound Japanese concept: Ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy), which translates to “a reason for being.”

At its core, ikigai is about aligning what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for (Garcia and Miralles, 2017). When these four elements intersect, you find a deeper sense of purpose—one that motivates you to get up each morning and move toward your goals with clarity and confidence.

Let’s break down this self-reflective exercise and how you can use it to explore your purpose as an SLP entrepreneur.

💗 1. What Do You Love?

Start here. Think about the parts of your work that make your heart light up. Reflect on your hobbies, personal interests, and the things that naturally energize you.

• Do you love working with toddlers?

• Are you passionate about advocating for underserved communities?

• Does creating engaging therapy materials bring you joy?

Write down 3–5 things that you genuinely enjoy doing—inside and outside of your career.

💡 2. What Are You Good At?

Next, focus on your skills. These may be clinical skills, such as evaluating speech-language disorders, or business-adjacent talents, like writing, presenting, or connecting with people.

Ask yourself:

• What do colleagues come to me for help with?

• What feedback have I received from clients or supervisors?

• What do I find myself doing easily that others find difficult?

Jot down 3–5 skills or strengths—this is your zone of genius.

🌎 3. What Does the World Need?

This is where your mission starts to take shape. Think about the real needs in your community, in the SLP profession, or even on a global scale.

Ask yourself:

• What problems do I want to help solve?

• Who could benefit from my knowledge, experience, or support?

• What service or product could I create that would truly help others?

Write down 3–5 needs you’ve identified through your experience or observation.

💰 4. What Can I Be Paid For?

This is where your passion and purpose meet profitability. Think about what people or organizations would pay you to do, based on your skills and expertise.

Consider:

• Could you offer parent coaching or teletherapy?

• Could you sell therapy materials or run a group program?

• Could you consult for school districts or provide professional development?

List 3–5 ideas that blend your expertise with a potential income stream.

🌀 Putting It All Together

Once you’ve listed items under each of the four questions, look for the overlapping areas:

• Where what you love and what you’re good at meet—you’ve found your passion.

• Where what you’re good at and what you can be paid for intersect—that’s your profession.

• Where what you love and what the world needs overlap—that’s your mission.

• Where what the world needs and what you can be paid for connect—that’s your vocation.

Finally, see if you can find one idea or area that sits at the center of all four circles—that’s your ikigai.

This might be:

• Starting a private practice that serves bilingual children

• Creating therapy tools for SLPs who work with AAC users

• Launching a consulting business to help schools build stronger communication programs

🌱 Why This Matters for SLP Entrepreneurs

As SLPs, we’re not always taught to think like entrepreneurs. We’re trained to assess, diagnose, and treat—but not necessarily to build or brand a business. This exercise helps bridge that gap by tapping into your intrinsic motivations and aligning them with a business model that feels right to you.

Your journey as an entrepreneur will include ups, downs, and learning curves. But if you start from a place of purpose—your ikigai—you’ll have a compass to guide you when things feel uncertain.

If you're ready to dig deeper and discover how your passions and talents can shape a fulfilling business, we’ve created a free Ikigai exercise just for you. It’s a powerful reflection tool that will guide you through the process of aligning your skills, interests, and business goals with purpose.

👉 Click here to download your free Ikigai Exercise and start building a business you love.