Wenatchee audiologist leads with care, servant leadership

Dr. Megan Carter
Better Hearing

WENATCHEE—Dr. Megan Carter, an audiologist and owner of Better Hearing, has built her career around a commitment to patient care and steady leadership. 

Carter always knew she wanted a career where she could work closely with people, and audiology provided the ideal mix of health care and education.

“I always envisioned myself working one-on-one with people, creating relationships while working together to improve their quality of life,” she said. “Audiology is a great blend of science, health care, and teaching. I get to use my people skills while helping people achieve better hearing.”

Audiology is a unique field in that most audiologists are women. 

“Fortunately, the field of audiology is full of smart, passionate, and driven women,” Carter said. “About 70% of audiologists are female, so I am in great company.” 

Carter is also thankful for the women in her practice.

“I have the best team of women,” she said. “My office manager, Brooke, is incredibly smart and has great instincts. She is great at seeing the facts and is able to remove the emotion from major decisions, which is one thing that I struggle with.”

“Gaby is loyal and supportive, and she has great intuition,” Carter said. “She thrives when she works with patients and is a great problem solver.” 

“Everyone on my team is authentic and gives 100% - we don't take what we do lightly and consider it an honor to improve our patient's quality of life by improving their hearing,” she said. 

A key influence for Carter is a center on servant leadership, which keeps the focus on the overall team and business health, rather than success or benefit to just her.

 “I strive to lead my team as a servant leader, focusing on overall team and business health rather than just success or benefit for myself,” she said.. 

This approach centers on keeping her team supported and motivated. 

“I want my team to feel supported, appreciated, but also healthy,” she said. “I'm not a perfect leader, and I am always looking to improve and address my shortcomings.”

When it comes to balancing professional responsibilities and personal life Carter is still working to figure that out.

“I am a single woman - I don't have a family or children to support, which makes it that much easier to just work all the time and not set boundaries,” she said. “I realize that my business and team are more successful when I take the time to care for myself, so I make it a priority to give myself a day of rest once a week.”

For young women aspiring to enter the field of audiology Carter’s advice is to not be afraid to try something new. 

“I moved from St. Louis, MO to Wenatchee for a job,” she said. “Moving across the country forced me to learn to live in the uncomfortable, and also showed me that I am stronger and more resilient than I ever thought.”

“I also never thought I'd own a business - it always seemed like something far out of reach,” she said. “I took the leap of faith knowing I had people in my corner cheering me on. Was it scary? Absolutely! Was it worth it? Yes!”

In terms of skills or qualities that have helped Carter succeed she credits her sense of humility.

“Knowing when you don't know what you don't know, and knowing the right people to ask (and trust!),” she said. 

This attitude has allowed her to keep learning and adapting, and it keeps her practice grounded in the community she serves.

However, flexibility is another skill Carter has used to help her business navigate industry changes.

“The beauty of being a private practice is the ability to flex rather quickly,” she said. “When a new product launches, or even threatens market share, I can choose how the practice will handle the challenge.”

When a new over-the-counter category of hearing aids became available in October 2022, she re-evaluated the pricing structure to focus on the services her business provides, rather than the product.

For her, it became an opportunity to focus on providing high-quality service rather than just selling products. 

“I anticipate in the next 10-20 years prescription hearing aids will be available to purchase in a variety of channels, rather than only in traditional brick and mortar clinics,” she said. 

“By transitioning the focus of our business from product sales to service, we can position ourselves to handle that shift in the market and still be successful,” she said.

Quinn Propst: 509-731-3590 or quinn@ward.media.