Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Cameron Froude, Founder and President of Bliss In Being, located in San Francisco, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Bliss In Being is a mental healthcare company founded by Dr. Cammy Froude. The mission of Bliss In Being is to help trauma survivors leverage their hardest moments into their greatest strengths and their families through clinical excellence, evidence-based training and development, and trauma-informed business consulting. We serve individuals, couples, and families who are recovering from a traumatic event, including but not limited to infidelity, bullying, sexual and physical assault, natural disasters, and more. We also work with companies and schools to build trauma-informed policies and programs, as well as employee interventions following traumatic events.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Dr. Cammy Froude, and I am a licensed trauma therapist, business owner, wife, and Mom to two kitties and a Beagle. I've supported individuals and families moving through trauma for the last twenty years. As a high school and college student, I worked as a counselor in homeless shelters and substance abuse programs. I then completed advanced degrees in psychology, marriage and family therapy, and human development, leading to a clinical license.
After several years in the field, I wanted to serve my clients more comprehensively by learning how to heal both the mind and the body from trauma. At that point, I secured a fellowship degree in Medical Family Therapy from the University of Colorado. Integrating mind-body healing interventions, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), propelled my clients' healing. When therapy concurrently addresses the mental and body-oriented responses to stress, clients feel relief faster and can engage more completely in their lives. I wake up every day ready to help trauma survivors and their families not only recover from but also thrive after their most difficult experiences. I am also extremely proud to support companies in providing trauma-informed workplaces for their employees.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was launching the 90 Days to Calm Masterclass. This masterclass includes evidence-based modules for stress and anxiety reduction, plus weekly coaching. This course expanded our services to individuals who were otherwise not able to get support for their anxiety. Our weekly coaching sessions create a community for individuals to connect with each other to problem solve, share stories, and build friendships. The reduction in stress and anxiety from masterclass participants was remarkable! My proudest moment was witnessing graduates from the masterclass go on to live lives of presence, intentionality, and calmness.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I see building a business as analogous to putting together a puzzle. The final picture comes in and out of view as you fit the pieces together. You may complete one large section of the puzzle quickly as the pieces fit in a snap. Whereas another single puzzle piece may evade you for weeks or even months. Trusting the process has been the hardest part of being a business owner. My wise business coach said these words when I first started Bliss In Being: "The best bet you'll ever make is the one you make on yourself." Since that day, I've bet on myself, my skills, and my client outcomes. Trusting in myself has been as challenging as it has been rewarding.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Build a Team – Building a team of experts is key to the success of a small business. Often, new business owners attempt to take on everything in an effort to cut costs and learn each corner of their business. I learned the hard way that I couldn't do everything or become an expert in everything. I needed to secure the best and the brightest to help with my digital marketing, accounting, legal issues, and more.
- Invest in You – Building a business will draw from all aspects of your identity and personhood. It will shine a light on your strengths and your frailties. Capitalizing on your strengths and shoring up your limitations is the name of the game. Invest in a business coach, a mastermind of fellow business owners, and a therapist to support your identity development. In terms of a business coach, I would search no further than Eden Connelly, who will support your personal and professional development from day one. An extra bonus? She's also a digital marketing guru!
- Pause and Celebrate – Business ownership can feel like reaching a milestone and then jumping right into the next one. Taking pause and celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how small, is vital for your growth and your business's growth. The goals we accomplish today were just dreamed of a few months or years ago. Relish in the joy of who you are today and who you are becoming.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.drcammy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drcammyfroude
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcammyfroude/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcammy/
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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