Welcome & Guest Intro (Alexis Riley)

Brian 0:10

All right. Well, welcome back to the Vero Beach Podcast. I'm Brian.

Shawna 0:13

And I'm Shauna.

Brian 0:14

And today we are excited. We're sitting here with Alexis Riley from the trilogy. Trilogy, hearing, and audiology. That's a lot to say.

Alexis 0:23

Yes, it's a mouthful.

Brian 0:25

Alexis, we're so excited to have you here with us today on the Vero Beach Podcast.

Alexis 0:29

Me too. Thank you so much for having me.

Brian 0:31

Yeah, we would love for you to take about 30 seconds just to tell us a little bit about who you are.

Alexis 0:36

Okay. Well, I grew up in the Midwest and Colorado and Kansas. And I loved the theater all through high school. I acted in lots of plays and I knew that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to be an actress. So I majored in college in acting. And but I was wanted to live on my own and I was waitressing at night. So I couldn't really do the theater. And I wasn't interested in all the rest that went along with that. So changed my major again and uh fell in love with the communication science and disorder. And you learn both about speech and audiology. And I turned towards the audiology side, helping people hear better. And for my fourth year, I only had an option to work to finish school, either New York, Florida, or California. And I just took a leap. I'd never been to Florida, and that's how I ended up here.

Brian 1:23

Wow. You had never been to Florida? Never.

Shawna 1:25

Nope. Only the Midwest.

Brian 1:26

Wow.

Shawna 1:27

What a brave soul that you just said, well, never been there. I'll just go there. I love that. It was a lot of fun.

Alexis 1:33

Packed up the turtle on the top of my car and threw it there.

Brian 1:36

You said you packed up the turtle?

Alexis 1:37

The little turtle uh stories. Oh, okay.

Brian 1:39

I was like, Do you have a pet turtle? You have to really help explain all this to me here, Alexis, because like I'm sitting there thinking, like, she has a turtle and she put it on top of the car and drove all the way to Florida. That is, I don't know if like the animal lovers are gonna be keen on that.

Alexis 1:53

Right. Yes, I should have clarified turtle topper.

Brian 1:56

Oh, that's awesome. Well, that was one of my questions was to ask, like, if you're originally from Vero, but you're not. So wow, I can't wait to talk to you about Vero and part three to learn more about what you love about Vero. So, how long have you been here now?

Alexis 2:08

Since 2008.

Brian 2:10

Wow. Okay. Well, I am gonna ask it now. Like, how's the comparison?

Alexis 2:14

So I do miss the seasons and I had Colorado, which had the mountains. I'd never really been to the beach. So I would love to have mountains and beach, but I will take the beach. I love that. And it wasn't really a small town where I lived in Kansas. It was one of the bigger cities in Wichita. I feel more of a small town feel, actually, here in Vero Beach. But I prefer Florida overall. Yeah.

Brian 2:36

Yeah.

Alexis 2:37

Think of anywhere I've lived.

Brian 2:38

Do you miss the snow?

What is Audiology & Why Alexis Took This Path

Alexis 2:39

Not the snow. And really, it was bizarre weather in Kansas and Colorado. I mean, Colorado, when I was younger, there was a lot of snow and sledding, and that was a great part of my childhood. But then Kansas, it was, I think it snowed twice in the 10 years I lived there. And we had a huge ice storm, is one of the biggest things I remember. A few tornadoes, none that, you know, damaged us. It was always just a warning.

Brian 3:00

But wow. Wow. So Alexis, audiology, what is that?

Alexis 3:04

So it's audiologists treat hearing and balance. So it's your hearing and balance care on the clinical side.

Brian 3:11

So you're wait a minute. I don't know a lot of this what you're gonna be talking about. You're gonna be way above my head, way above my ears to say that. So are you saying that your hearing has to do with your balance? Or is it tutoring?

Alexis 3:22

You can have balance issues that are related to the ear.

Brian 3:25

Really? Yeah.

Alexis 3:26

So we can help decipher that out.

Brian 3:28

Oh, okay. That's very interesting. Oh, I can't wait to learn more about this. So what inspired you to get into this field then? You said you were going, you're planning on being like an actor.

Alexis 3:38

Yes. And then I had a friend that invited me to a communication science course, and it was all about the parts of speech, and they touched on hearing disorders. And I really just it was so unique and interesting. My mom had been a nurse, and I just love working with people, and it just seemed like a very satisfying career to go into.

Brian 3:57

Interesting. And so I don't know. I just I wish like it's very interesting when people fall in love with something like that. Something I think I would really enjoy. So I was, I guess I'm just trying to wrap my mind around that, like what that moment was like for you.

Emotional Impact of Hearing Better

Alexis 4:09

I get that question a lot because many people that go into the field maybe, you know, have hearing loss themselves, or they had a family member that really struggled with a hearing journey, maybe even as a child. But for me, it was really just seeing the reward of someone hearing better and how it can be so life-changing. And really, you can work in so many aspects. You can work in hearing conservation, you can work in hospitals, you can work in the school system, you can work in private practice under them in a medical setting, like with ear, nose and throat doctors with the surgical side. And then we have the clinical side. So I just versus the speech, which seemed to take a lot more patience, you know, working with maybe stuttering. And there was a lot of ways I could have gone with speech, but I just felt more called to the audiology. And not everyone is excited to hear better. I've learned that. But uh, those that are, it can be life-changing. And I just being part of that journey and learning about building relationships with people going through that is satisfying.

Shawna 5:05

So when you were talking about that, that just reminded me of videos that I've seen in the past of people who get to hear well for the first time and their emotional reaction, you know. Have you been able to see a lot of that? People who, like you said, really do want to hear better and then they get that. Like, have you seen had one of those? Absolutely.

Launching Independent Practice (excitement & nervousness)

Alexis 5:22

Oh, yes. You can just see the expression change on their face. They open up more and, you know, maybe even get teary. And um, it can be emotional and so rewarding, especially when they come back after maybe a week of having the experience and they share and family members will share too, maybe how they've had a complete personality change because they're hearing better and they're able to connect more with their loved ones. And yeah, that's really the best part that can fuel you through the times when maybe it's not always that way. But yes, I mean, my son's a musician and you know, early intervention, so protecting hearing is so important for long-term effects. A lot of people think if they're a musician or if they're shooting, hunting, like that was years ago, you know, but it does catch up and that damage to the inner ears, to the hair cells, it dampens your hearing and can cause that damage later on. So yeah, I'm a fan of all sounds, but really educating about early intervention is kind of what my focus has been now that I've gone out on my own.

Brian 6:23

Okay, so you're you're starting your own practice right now and here in Vero Beach, right? You're getting ready to have your grand opening?

Alexis 6:31

Yes, October 23rd. Very excited.

Brian 6:33

Yeah, excited. And are you okay? So that's a pretty big step. So with the excitement, there's excitement, is there's some nervousness? Like what what's going on?

Alexis 6:42

Yes, well, I've been open since April. So this is the ribbon cutting to celebrate grand opening and make it official. It's been good. I mean, I definitely had anxiety and a little skepticism initially. I knew in the past I wanted to go out on my own. And the fact that there was extra space in this building, it worked out. It's still starting from scratch, but not as intimidating as completely, you know, from the ground up.

Brian 7:04

Yeah.

Freedom to Redesign Patient Journey

Alexis 7:04

Because there's patients walking in um throughout Florida I Institute where I'm located. It's been good since I started before the busy season to kind of get my feet under me with the forms I need and the protocols and um just all the things you learn along the way. Like I thought I had all the equipment that I need. Oh, but wait, you need this or um, we got to get this in place. So that's been good to have the extra time.

Shawna 7:26

So, starting your own practice, of course, is a big step. What pushed you to do that?

Performing Arts & Yoga

Alexis 7:31

Well, I worked in a busy medical setting prior for 12 years and I really learned a lot. I was director of the audiology department. I wore a lot of hats. I was involved in the marketing and even towards the end, scheduling, trying to optimize the schedule with the physicians and then our hearing patients. And finding that balance was very tricky and difficult at times. And I think I still love the day-to-day, but I really wanted to branch out. I felt that I could do more for my patients if I was independent. Even though it took a little while for that transition to occur, I knew I still love the field of audiology, but I wanted to do it in a better way.

Brian 8:47

So some of the things you said you feel like you could do more. Can you explain a little bit, go a little bit detail about that? Like what do you mean by more?

Alexis 8:53

Taking time, you know, I think that's what we all want when we see a healthcare provider and is to feel listened to, to feel heard, to not feel rushed. And in someone's hearing journey, that can be really critical from the first point of contact, even from picking up the phone can be the hardest part, just to make an appointment. And if that is not the most ideal experience, you may lose that person for another five to seven years. Cause on average, most people wait seven to 10 years to get help for their hearing once it's a known issue.

Shawna 9:22

Wow.

Alexis 9:22

Either that they know or family has been telling them. So there were just certain things that were out of my control previously. And I knew if I was independent, I could have control over all aspects of the patient journey from step one.

Shawna 9:34

So we read on your website that you're deeply involved in yoga and performing arts. Are you still doing performing arts? Yes.

Alexis 9:42

Well, I am volunteering currently at the Vero Beach Theater Guilds whenever I can. And so I can stay involved, but I haven't actually acted since 2020. Okay.

Shawna 9:52

There. But um, there's more to this question I will get right around to. Oh, yeah. Okay.

Yoga, Mindfulness & Patient Care

Brian 9:57

So I would love to know, like, okay, so you said the theater here, right? Because I've been watching the theater too. Like, we haven't been yet. So we've talked about we got to get out there. Is there a certain type of acting that you prefer? Like, I mean, what does it look like when it comes to like an actor?

Alexis 10:11

Like you say, you're you have a so I appreciate any theater really. Um, musicals have grown on me more because I never really auditioned for musicals. I was in Hair when I first moved to Florida. I was in Tampa and they needed extra people in the tribe. And it was a really fun experience. But um, my first time I did audition for a musical, I everyone in the audience was Beyoncé. And I got on stage and was like, this is no chance. So I didn't get that. But musicals, I think, you know, if you don't feel, if you don't jive with the music, it's really hard to enjoy. I mean, even though all the work that people, those actors have put into it. But I'm really trying to support all of the arts right now because I mean, just I'm in a different season of my life too. And, you know, I just want to be open to everything.

Shawna 10:57

Okay. So, how do those parts of your life influence the way you connect with patients or approach wellness?

Biggest Lesson So Far

Alexis 11:03

So, yoga in two 2023, I got my yoga certification and I had been doing yoga for you for a few years leading up to it. And it really was helpful for me as my job became a little more chaotic and I didn't quite feel in the best place. And it was really grounding for me and really helped me actually jumpstart my change. And um, it's something great to pass on to my patients as well. Because hearing health is just as important as overall health. I mean, it's part of your healthcare and um a lot of things like lifestyle meditation, we all know and hear about how important it is. But if you try and meditate, you know, sit in silence, how hard is that? But yoga is kind of a bridge to get there because meditation is incorporated a lot of times into even just the ending of the yoga class when you're laying for one minute to five minutes. For some people, that's the most stillness they will get in a day. It can really just help, just that little bit of self-care. You're getting movement, it's mind, body, growth.

Brian 12:04

We've got one more question as we get ready to wrap up this part. You went through this journey and now getting ready to launch your practice. What would you say has been your biggest lesson so far?

Alexis 12:14

I think getting out of your comfort zone is so important because making the change, I definitely was comfortable, but I knew if I didn't make the change, I would never know. And I didn't want to have any regrets. We can try and fail and then learn from that, right? And so I thought it was worth a shot. And I it took me a little time to get there, but I I know it to me it's already worth it, if nothing else.

Brian 12:39

I love that. I think that that's such a good statement there, because I think sometimes we look at failure as not being progression. It's not, but that is failure is progression too. Uh we're learning from every moment, but if we don't take the stuff, you don't have an opportunity to learn that that lesson. Exactly. So well, that's awesome. Well, I'm super excited to get into part two as we're gonna learn more about the behind the scenes. We got to check out your office already, so that was pretty cool. I'm sure you'll bring that a little bit of that into the conversation, explaining that to us. But with that, if you guys have enjoyed this episode, make sure you click subscribe and catch you next time, my neighbor.