Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Russell Kauitzsch, Owner of Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists, located in Cedar Park, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are a trauma counseling practice serving our community by healing trauma through expert counseling! We work with many different issues, including all forms of trauma, grief, gender questions/issues, coming out, a family of origin issues, child sexual abuse, male survivors, and so much more! We work with all who seek counseling and have specialized experience with the LGBTQ+ and first responder populations. We offer individual, couples, family, and group counseling. Our groups include Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse, Gentle Yoga and Movement for Survivors, and Gender Exploration.

Tell us about yourself

I have always loved helping, and I explored lots of careers like teaching, child development, nursing, and chaplaincy. I was lucky enough to have a wonderful mentor in my undergraduate work who talked to me about counseling. I began to explore that path and found volunteer jobs working with sexual assault and abuse survivors, and the work was hard but incredibly rewarding! I pursued the education I needed to become a counselor and worked as a sexual assault counselor and then in law enforcement as a counselor who responded to different calls to assist victims of crime at the scenes of the crime. I worked in disaster preparedness to help victims of disasters and in clinical practice settings and knew someday I would own my own practice. My motivation comes from seeing people heal, watching our counselors fill with pride as they help others heal and grow, and knowing the number of people we reach through the practice I built. The work is intense, but the rewards are many and definitely keep me going!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Building my group practice, Austin Counseling and Trauma Specialists, PLLC. No doubt! The energy I have poured into this practice has been more than I ever anticipated, but expanding to a second location and hiring more counselors to help more people is certainly my biggest business accomplishment.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The ups and downs of business have been the hardest things for me to deal with. I purchased a new office building, and we were opening just as COVID hit, and we closed our doors to our brand new office. It was devastating, but we were all able to work from home, and that worked out. Then I bought a second location, and we are in the middle of a staffing shortage and are challenged to find counselors to fill our open positions. But it all changes. For a time, things can be hard, and then they improve, and business continues and grows. Secondly, the time it takes to own a business was unexpected. It is a LOT of time. Really, it is 24/7. I am always thinking of my business and how to make it better and make sure my employees are taken care of and that we are successful. It's a lot of pressure from a lot of directions but so worth it!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Be prepared! Read a lot, research a lot, learn a lot and then take the leap! So much of the reading and learning is helpful and good to do, but if you never take the leap, the business never happens.
  2. You'll make mistakes, but take steps and take chances. If you expect perfection, you are destined to fail. Know you will make mistakes and plan for what you can and how you will navigate when you do make a mistake.
  3. Be flexible. Just because you envision your business a particular way does not mean it will look that way when in the end. If you are flexible, you can adjust to anything and roll with the punches. If you are too rigid, you might just break apart when adversity strikes.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Staring your own business is a rush and full of a million different emotions. It is also not for everyone. Consider what you really want from life and if you are willing to dedicate the time and energy it needs to create and grow a successful business. When it gets hard, don't give up. Adjust and make a new plan, and know that there are a million different ways to do what you are doing. Enjoy the ride and have fun! Oh, and make lots of connections and talk to others who own businesses! There is so much to learn from those who are at least a few steps ahead of us. Best of luck in your adventures!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.austincts.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustinCTS
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinctspllc/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpel2VamdsQYl4m2UC5GZyA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/austincts/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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