A tenth anniversary is more than a party. It’s a chance to tell your story, thank the people who helped build it, and show your community where you’re headed next. When Build Your Private Practice (BYPP) reached that milestone, founder Liane Wood, RP, wanted a day that was intimate, fun and genuinely educational. She chose StartWell in downtown Toronto to host it.
A decade of helping therapists build sustainable practices
Registered psychotherapists are trained to help clients. Most are never taught how to run a business. Working out pricing, marketing and a steady caseload can take years, sometimes decades.
BYPP exists to shorten that journey. Its Launch, Accelerate and Scale programs give Canadian therapists clarity, community and coaching. The goal is a private practice that produces sustainable income and attracts clients in a way that fits how each therapist wants to work.
After 10 years and a large community of practitioners, the anniversary event needed to reflect those same values. It had to be useful, warm and built around real connection.
One day, four distinct spaces
The event took over two floors of StartWell at 782–786 King St W. Each space had its own job, so guests always had somewhere to be.
The main stage: Level Up
The core program ran in Level Up. Guests heard the history of Build Your Private Practice and a look at what’s coming next. The content blended thought leadership, best practices and education, with breaks for mingling.
The marketplace: our Off-Site venue
Next door, on the same floor, the Off-Site venue held a marketplace for event supporters. Partners could explain their products and services to therapists who browsed at their own pace. Catering and hospitality were set up here too. That pulled people through the marketplace naturally and made it a social hub rather than a vendor hall.
Hands-on breakouts: the lower level
The afternoon included dedicated time for breakout sessions on our lower level, beside the reception café. Attendees could grab a coffee and drop into small-group training on the topics most relevant to their own practices, moving freely between sessions.
The VIP social: the Cube Suite
To close the day, invited guests stayed for a VIP social in the Cube Suite next to the reception café. It was a quieter, more personal setting for the conversations that matter most at a milestone event.
Why the flow worked
The best part of the day was its energy. Guests weren’t stuck in one room for hours. They moved between learning, eating, browsing and connecting, and each space was a short walk from the next. Attendees left appreciative of BYPP’s decade of work, carrying new knowledge and new relationships back to their practices.
Planning your own milestone company event? What we learned
If you’re considering venues for an anniversary, launch or community celebration, here’s what made this one successful:
- Give each part of the program its own room. Keynotes, networking, partner showcases and workshops all need different setups. Separate spaces mean no awkward resets mid-day.
- Put food where you want people to go. Placing catering with the marketplace made sponsor engagement feel natural, not forced.
- Build in choice. Drop-in breakouts let attendees shape their own day. That matters for professional audiences with different needs.
- Save something special for the end. A smaller VIP gathering rewards key supporters and extends the event without stretching the main program.
- Keep everything under one roof. Moving between spaces in a single venue keeps momentum high and logistics simple.
