Autism and ADHD therapy provider The Owl Centre

‍Hi Nicola! What's your elevator pitch? 

The Owl Centre is an award-winning national autism and ADHD assessment and therapy provider for children and adults. We deliver expert, neurodivergent-affirming assessments and therapies across the UK - from pre- and post-diagnostic support to workplace and organisational training.

Our clinicians combine professional excellence with lived understanding, many of us are neurodivergent ourselves. We believe neurodivergence is a difference, not a deficit. Whether you’re seeking answers for yourself, your child, or your employees, our approach is compassionate, thorough and validating. We help people understand and celebrate their neurodivergent strengths.

What does the market need it?

Demand for autism and ADHD assessments has never been higher, yet current systems are buckling under pressure. NHS waiting lists of two to five years leave families in limbo, a deeply frustrating situation for anyone seeking clarity and support.

What’s missing is neurodivergent-affirming practice: care that celebrates difference rather than pathologising it, delivered by clinicians who truly understand because many are neurodivergent themselves.

At The Owl Centre, we bridge that gap. We’ve redesigned the entire experience to be comfortable, flexible, and trauma-informed - no harsh institutional settings or anxiety-inducing clinics. Our reports highlight strengths as well as challenges, using language that validates rather than labels. And we don’t disappear after diagnosis. We provide meaningful follow-up: therapy, workplace assessments, and ongoing coaching to ensure sustained support.

With transparent pricing, reasonable waiting times, and cultural competence that recognises how neurodivergence presents across different genders, ages and backgrounds, we see the whole person - not just a checklist of symptoms.

Where is the business today?

After I separated  from my husband in 2023, with whom I originally co-founded the business, we entered a period of restructuring. It was a necessary pause that allowed us to reimagine how the organisation operated.

Over the past six months, we’ve rebuilt stronger than ever. We’ve expanded our leadership team with experienced professionals who share our neurodivergent-affirming vision. We’ve refined our assessment pathways, launched a new IT system, streamlined operations for scalability, and created a collaborative, values-driven culture.

Today,The Owl Centre stands on solid foundations. Our systems are robust, our reputation is growing, and our team is energised. The restructuring is complete and we’re now ready for sustainable, purposeful growth. Current status: restructured, re-energised, and ready to scale.

What made you think there was money in this?

I co-founded The Owl Centre in 2011 with my then husband, quite by accident. He ran a language school in Oxford, and I was working as a Speech and Language Therapist for the NHS. When rising rental costs made the school unsustainable, I began offering private speech therapy sessions in the same space - initially to help cover the lease.

Demand quickly grew, and within months we were recruiting more therapists and expanding our services. Within a year we incorporated, and The Owl Centre for Children’s Therapy was born.

In 2020, I went on to establish The Owl Centre Charity, which supports families in the UK and abroad through training and resources. Our latest initiative, Waiting Well -  funded by the National Lottery - is the UK’s first resource designed specifically for people waiting for an autism or ADHD diagnosis.

What's your biggest strength?

Without question, our people. The Owl Centre’s success is built on the passion and compassion of our clinicians, therapists and support staff.

As Richard Branson once said, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your clients.” That philosophy defines us. By nurturing our team’s wellbeing and purpose, we naturally create the best outcomes for those we serve.

What is the secret to making the business work?

It’s simple: stay true to your purpose and your people. We’ve always focused on genuine relationships, both within our team and with the clients we serve. When people feel valued and trusted, they deliver their best work. Our biggest challenge has been managing growth without losing our personal touch. As we’ve expanded, we’ve worked hard to maintain our culture and humanity, and to never become “too corporate.”

If there’s one lesson I’d share with other entrepreneurs, it’s this: growth is exciting, but culture is everything. Protect it, nurture it, and let it guide every decision you make.

How do you market the company?

We’re fortunate to be in a position where demand is driven not by aggressive marketing, but by the quality and impact of our work. Word of mouth, professional trust, and genuine results are our most powerful marketing tools.

What funding do you have? Is it enough?

We’ve grown organically and remain entirely self-funded, which gives us freedom and integrity. Like many businesses, we took a Covid Bounce Back Loan, which we used wisely and invested in our new IT system and strengthen infrastructure. Beyond that, we’ve relied on careful reinvestment and financial discipline.

Tell us about the business model

[Our readers love financials and understanding the mechanics behind a business, such as pricing, overheads, and break-even points. So any insights you can share into how a company like this operates and makes a profit is invaluable]

In the early days, we were a lean operation - my then husband and I handled almost everything ourselves. That hands-on start gave us a deep understanding of every aspect of the business.

Remaining self-funded has allowed us to grow at our own pace and reinvest directly into what matters most: our systems, services, and people. One of our proudest achievements is our proprietary clinical system, developed in-house to support service delivery and maintain full control of our intellectual property.

Much of our work now comes from the public sector - NHS bodies and local authorities - with most clients paying within 30 days, helping us maintain strong cash flow. We’ve also introduced upfront payments for major contracts to support stability.

Financial acumen alone, however, isn’t enough. Understanding how each sector operates, from private clients to NHS commissioners, has been essential. Competing successfully in the public procurement space requires more than a great service; it takes strategic insight, compliance expertise, and strong relationships.

Our independence, financial discipline, and deep market understanding have shaped The Owl Centre’s resilience and success. What began as a small, self-funded operation driven by compassion has evolved into a sustainable, forward-thinking national provider.

What were you doing before?

Are there any technologies you've found useful?

When we started, we had very little. I still remember our very first client - I even reached out to them recently to say thank you. 

Growing up with dyslexia, I knew what it felt like to be left behind. That experience made me acutely self-aware and taught me to surround myself with brilliant people who complement my weaknesses. My brother, who has Down’s Syndrome, also shaped my outlook - watching my parents fight for support showed me how one caring professional can change a life.

That philosophy runs through everything I do. I deliberately hire people who excel in areas where I don’t, whether it’s technology, finance or strategic planning. Our bespoke IT system is a perfect example: built by a talented internal team, it’s been key to scaling a caring, efficient and high-quality service.

What is the future vision?

Looking ahead, my vision is that every assessment we deliver becomes a turning point - not just a report, but a moment of understanding and empowerment that people carry with them for life.

We never forget that each assessment becomes part of someone’s story - their identity, their self-belief. As we grow, that responsibility guides every decision: who we hire, how we train, the environments we create, and the language we use.

Our goal isn’t just growth. It’s growth without compromise, expanding our reach while deepening our impact, ensuring every person we see feels truly seen, validated, and empowered. Their story matters, and we want to help make it their strength.

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