Meet Jennifer Ersing of Mobile Milestones KC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Ersing.

Hi Jennifer, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been a physical therapist working with kids for 8 years now. I got to experience working in a specialized school setting in NYC for the first 2 years out of grad school but then transitioned to working at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island in 2018. There, I fell in love with working with babies and toddlers as well as medically involved little ones, but from my perspective, that’s an easy population to love. It was also at Hasbro Children’s that I was exposed to the world of pediatric pelvic floor therapy and underwent a lot of training to help build their program. Especially when working with children with bowel and bladder difficulties, I realized how significantly their lives, and their families’ lives, could be impacted by things that no one was willing to talk about but which were very treatable. When we moved to Prairie Village last September, I spoke to my husband about my desire to bring therapy to the comfort of the child’s home. As a mother, I couldn’t help but notice how difficult it can be for families trying to get their young infants or medically complex children out of the house for yet another appointment. Then, so much of the equipment I have used in my career requires parents to be creative in carrying over therapy at home. For children with pelvic floor difficulties, I noticed that these kids were often uncomfortable for their initial session or two as we built rapport while addressing topics that can be challenging. After years of practice in an outpatient hospital setting, I realized that both populations would benefit from therapy in their home environment. It wasn’t until this spring that the idea became too big for me to let go, and I decided to start Mobile Milestones KC.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not been smooth; the hardest part so far has been starting a business in an area that I have only lived in for 12 months at this point. Especially when word of mouth is so important for parents to know they will receive quality care. Another difficult point was transitioning from being a clinician 100% of the time to learning about small business finances, marketing, and everything else that goes along with being a small business owner. I also admit that the other little bump along the way has been my family growing at the same time as Mobile Milestones KC since my husband and I are expecting our second child around Thanksgiving. It’s hard knowing that I will take a shortened maternity leave to ensure my business continues growing.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business is a mobile pediatric physical therapy practice, which means I work with children born, and I meet the parents/child where they are, whether at home, school, playground, or even a parent’s place of work. I specialize in working with the pediatric pelvic floor, focusing on bowel and bladder difficulties, whether accidents, constipation, or pain. I also work with babies with torticollis and plagiocephaly (head flatness and tight necks) and young children with neurological or complex medical diagnoses (ventilators and g-tubes are nothing to fear). I think the thing that sets me apart, and I am most proud of, is something that has been driven by my faith as a Christian, and I am still in the process of making it happen. I am working to get Mobile Milestones Inc.’s not-for-profit status. I am hoping to be able to offer more sliding scale payment and even pro bono opportunities since two of the populations that I am passionate about working with, pelvic floor and medically complex, are areas that I don’t want kids to go without services just because parents can’t afford them.

Networking and finding a mentor can positively impact one’s life and career. Any advice?
I started with a class hosted by the Kansas Small Business Development Center and then was paired with a business mentor, a free resource offered through the state. Also, networking in the female small business owners community has been amazing. I’ve met several women through the WellWomen KC networking community. The other female small business owners have been supportive and helped me make other connections. The wellness community in the KC area has been incredibly supportive, which is amazing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mobilemilestoneskc.com/
• Instagram: MobilemilestonesKC