Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Francesco Del Governatore, CEO of GIA Miami, located in Miami, FL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
GIA Miami is an innovative mental wellness clinic located in the heart of downtown Miami. GIA offers therapeutic approaches to solving mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, stress, attention and sleep problems, and addiction based on the latest discoveries in neuroscience. Vita Recovery was founded by the makers of GIA Miami and focused exclusively on recovery from addiction. GIA and Vita are unique in the field of mental wellness because we adopt a whole-brain-body holistic perspective on mental health.
We combine comprehensive psychiatric, psychological, and neurological treatments with cutting-edge technologies like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to help clients change their brain plasticity and cultivate mental wellness for the long term. We also work individually with every client to design a mental wellness plan tailored to their unique needs and goals.
Tell us about yourself
Before GIA Miami and Vita Recovery, my professional experience in business development was largely in infrastructure. I oversaw the planning and construction of roads, highways, bridges, and tunnels around the globe. However, I always wanted to be in the healthcare field, where my work could have an even bigger impact on helping people in their daily lives.
In 2020 I had the opportunity to pursue my dream by joining the development team of a new startup mental wellness clinic, GIA Miami. After our successful opening of GIA Miami, I also oversaw the launch of Vita Recovery, which offers rehabilitation programs to support people in recovery from addiction.
What motivates me every day is knowing that our businesses are helping people recover from crippling mental health issues like anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, and addiction. Empowering our clients to achieve their best mental health and wellness gets me out of bed every day. It is the guiding compass in every business decision that I make.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I believe that my greatest achievement as a business owner has been to create a clinic and space in which I can empower people to take back control of their lives and feel happier and healthier.
One of the accomplishments I am most proud of as a business owner has been that our clients with substance use disorders and other addictions have shown an overwhelmingly positive response to our programs. All of our clients have reported reduced cravings and use of drugs, alcohol, gambling, and other risky behaviors. Not only that, but many of our clients have reported improvements in other areas of their life, such as improved sleep, better mood, and enhanced mental clarity and focus.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the most difficult challenges I have faced as a business owner has been starting up a clinic at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although I knew people needed mental health support more than ever during the pandemic, it has not been easy navigating the launch of a business at this time. However, I have built strong business administration and medical teams and have been able to reach hundreds of clients with a 100% satisfaction rate. I believe our comprehensive approach to wellness, incorporating counseling, medications, and non-invasive brain stimulation technology, has been integral to our success.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Have a clear vision of what motivates you – how can you use that vision and motivation to fuel your business development?
- Define exactly what success in your business would mean to you, and don’t allow yourself to be limited by fear or feasibility.
- Use that vision, motivation, and definition of success to identify exactly what resources you need for your business to grow and reach the milestones of your dreams.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
A little bit about me – in addition to developing GIA Miami and Vita Recovery, I am the father of two beautiful little girls. I enjoy teaching them to speak and read in both Italian and English and always involve them in the kitchen preparing delicious meals for our family. I am also an avid kayaker and love taking a boat out on the Miami bay at sunrise to spot manatees!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://gia.miami/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/MiamiGIA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gia.miami/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gia-miami/
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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