Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Adriana Popescu, Founder of Firebird Healing, and Adriana Popescu, Ph.D., located in San Francisco, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a licensed clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach. I have my own private practice, Adriana Popescu, Ph.D. (https://adrianapopescu.org/), and recently opened a trauma healing center called Firebird Healing (https://www.firebird-healing.com/). I work with high-achieving clients seeking freedom, empowerment, and a life of infinite possibilities.
Tell us about yourself
I went through a lot of difficult and traumatic experiences as a child and realized by the time I was 16 that I wanted to work with people to support them with their challenges so they didn't feel so alone as I did. So I pursued clinical psychology and spent many years amassing the education and experiences to become an expert in my field. Becoming mysteriously ill for almost 20 years with what turned out to be Lyme Disease and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome put me on an unexpected path of spiritual development and alternative therapies to heal myself, which inspired me to bring these practices into my clinical work.
Having been in the industry for over 25 years, I'm very clear about what I'm here to do, which is to empower people to overcome their imagined limitations, release their self-judgments, and discover the brilliance within – creating a life of infinite possibilities. Through my books (my latest, What If You're Not as F**ked Up As You Think You Are? is coming out this fall) and podcast (Kaleidoscope of Possibilities–Alternative Perspectives on Mental Health), I also want to educate the general public and fellow professionals about some powerful holistic tools and techniques that can assist people to identify and shift whatever is keeping them stuck at the most fundamental energetic level, eliminating the deep-rooted causes of suffering and distress.
It's challenging work, especially nowadays with all the craziness that is happening in the world but seeing how powerful this work is, the miracles that have been created in my own life as well as countless others, and the hope and possibility for a greater future for all of us on this planet are what keeps me going every day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The thousands of people and their loved ones whose lives have changed for the better as a result of the work I've done with them is one of my biggest accomplishments.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being self-employed, it's challenging to set and keep healthy boundaries around work-life balance. It's sometimes hard to take a vacation when you think about the income you will miss making while you're gone. This is why I've recently moved from having a solo practice and doing contract work to opening my own healing center where I can hire others to work with and for me.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Get help! It's really hard to do it all on your own.
- Hire experts. You really want people who know what they're doing more than you do to help you set up your business infrastructure and keep it running.
- Don't get stuck in one way of doing things. Be flexible, ask lots of questions, and be willing to shift your business practices whenever necessary to adapt to the ever-changing times.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Don't give up! Having your own business can be challenging, but it's also super rewarding to have the freedom and choice to create it however you'd like, even beyond your wildest imagination!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website:
https://www.firebird-healing.com/
https://adrianapopescu.org/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Firebird-Healing-106021185477982
https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/firebirdhealing_/
https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdrianaP
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/firebird-healing/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793/
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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