Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Janny Condie, Founder of Condie Counseling & Coaching, located in Anaheim, CA, USA.

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

I offer individual therapy or coaching services to those who are invested in their emotional and mental health. I specialize in trauma work and working with individuals who are in the helping profession themselves (i.e., fellow therapists, teachers, social workers, nurses, full-time caretakers, etc.). I have found that my therapeutic approach and style are best suited for clients that have already started prioritizing their mental and emotional health but are struggling to stay consistent in their healing, feel lost or stuck in their journey, and/or have difficulty fully adopting and integrating practices and perspectives they wish to have.

Tell us about yourself

I often tell my clients that I am a human first, which means I, too, have my own struggles and limitations, especially when it comes to my emotional and mental health. Due to my own curiosity and desire to "fix" myself, I found myself studying psychology in college, which inevitably led me to my own journey of healing and into my career as a therapist. I realized early in my career the limitations and barriers to being able to provide quality care to individuals that wanted and needed it. The current systems that are in place to bridge individuals to quality mental health care are extremely flawed, non-comprehensive, and in some cases, unethical. So, I decided to break away from these systems by starting my private practice, Condie Counseling. "Be the change you wish to see in the world"-Gandhi. In my opinion, we need more meaningful connections, and my business creates an opportunity to connect in the most meaningful way through emotional vulnerability. I feel grateful that I am able to make a livelihood that is aligned with my value of helping others while also keeping me accountable to my own journey of healing and growth, which is what helps me access the motivation needed at times to keep doing this work both professionally and personally.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is believing in myself enough to take the risk of starting my business.

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

Learned that you will not be great and knowledgeable in all the other roles and hats you will play when you are a business owner. I knew I could provide a great service as a therapist, but I am not the best accountant, marketing director, lawyer, website designer, etc. So coming to terms with this, learning to adjust my expectations, as well as asking for and hiring help, was essential and continue to be essential as I continue to operate my business.

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

  1. Create a business plan that outlines your objectives and goals and make sure it is aligned with both your business and personal values.
  2. Get support. Either hire someone like a business coach or mentor and/or lean on trusted friends/family that have a clear understanding of your vision. It will be important to gain multiple perspectives and to have people in your corner to help ground you back to your original vision and goals, which can become easily lost or jeopardized during this process.
  3. Be intentional in celebrating the small wins, and, no, there are no such things as too small. Have you applied to get your business license? Great! Give yourself a minute or two to celebrate this accomplishment. A celebration can look like self-validation, sharing with others, or allowing yourself to feel your emotions before reminding yourself of the 100 other things that still need to get done.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.condiecounselingcoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/condiecounselingcoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jannycondie_lmft_coach/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jannycondie/

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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