Meet Dr. Talin Yacoubian | CEO & Founder of Uplift Therapy Center

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Talin Yacoubian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Talin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My initial motivation to start my own business was driven by the desire for autonomy. Initially, I had many ideas that were unable to be incorporated given the limitations of working for another company. Now, I am able to be more creative in my approach to treating children and have the tools to do so. For example, rather than having to follow a set of procedures for all children, we tailor each program to the child’s needs. In addition to individualized occupational and speech therapy, we offer other programs to address various needs such as feeding therapy groups and parent & me classes. This flexibility in treatment allows us to create meaningful bonds with our children, families, and community by being a place they can come to for support.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Uplift Therapy Center is a multidisciplinary team of occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and nutrition educators, who are passionate about ensuring young individuals thrive. Our therapists work with infants, toddlers, school-age children, and adolescents. It is our mission to provide parents and families with resources to support the growth and development of our young clients at home, in school, and in the community.

When I founded Uplift in 2019, I was providing occupational therapy services myself in clients’ homes. As a first generation Armenian-American, I speak Armenian fluently and therefore my caseload began to grow with families seeking Armenian-speaking therapists. From there, I began to hire other occupational therapists on a part time basis, then added speech therapists on a part time basis as well. Due to a large number of positive referrals, I was able to hire therapists full-time and offer benefits. The majority of our services were being provided in-home and there was a growing need and demand for having a clinic space to further support our clients and families. In August 2021, we signed a lease for a 2,000 square foot space in La Cañada. After designing the space, constructing it, and building the sensory gym, we officially opened our doors to the community in July of 2022. With the expansion to a physical center, we are now able to support additional client and family needs.

I am so proud of how far Uplift has come. From the day that my husband and I chose the name to the day we opened our center doors to the community, there were many lessons we learned and obstacles we overcame along the way. Patience and perseverance were at the top of that list. There were definitely days where I wanted to give up. After all, I went to school to become an occupational therapist, but then I became a CEO who had to understand and direct all areas of running a business. I quickly learned that I did not have to know it all at once. Instead, I became eager to learn and sought out the resources to progress the company.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite things about LA is the food scene, with authentic cuisine from all around the world. We would have to stop for tacos at Cielito Lindo, sushi at Kazu Nori, and family style Armenian food at Carousel. After our foodie adventure, we would take a refreshing hike in Malibu with our dogs or play volleyball on the beach. LA has a spectrum of fun activities to do at night. This can include attending a concert at the historic Hollywood Bowl, watching an outdoor movie on a rooftop in downtown, or attending a comedy show at the Laugh Factory.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Uplift Therapy Center owes its existence to my supportive family and friends. Growing up, my parents encouraged me to be my best self while uplifting those around me. As a child, my parents emphasized the importance of higher education and to always take the time to stop to help others. From their guidance, I graduated with my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from USC and now hope to help as many people as possible through our clinic.

Along these lines, my husband Michael Mazmanian continuously supported my passion to help others. I was initially hesitant to leave my secure job as an occupational therapist at a school district, but he assured me that I would always be able to stand on my two feet especially with his unconditional support. In addition, with Michael’s background in business and my expertise in therapy, we make a great team!

I would also like to shoutout my business consultant, Iris Kimberg MS, PT, OTR, our clinical manager, Madison, and all the Uplift therapists and staff. Iris provided us with the tools and resources to grow from a small business that provided in-home services to a multidisciplinary team with a state-of-the-art therapy center. Madison continues to support the growth of the therapy center and our wonderful therapists work hard every day to help our clients. They all made Uplift the place I dreamed it would be.

Finally, I’d like to highlight one of the books I read when I first founded Uplift. The book is called Playing Big by Tara Mohr. Mohr highlights how women will often “play small” in their daily lives, whether it be in their personal or professional areas. She then provides practical and realistic strategies to identify and break through those barriers to “playing big.” I highly recommend this book for all women entrepreneurs. It encouraged me to make my voice heard and to make meaningful change.

Website: www.uplifttherapycenter.com

Instagram: uplifttherapycenter

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talin-yacoubian-otd-otrl/

Image Credits
Michelle Winters