Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kelly McKenna, Anxiety Therapist & Founder of Sit With Kelly, Inc, located in Miami, FL, USA.

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

I have a virtual private practice where I provide therapy to anxious millennial women. I also help other therapists grow their own private practice through my courses, coaching, and other memberships. I have built my business on Instagram and am the face of Sit With Kelly and businessoftherapy. On Sit With Kelly, I create meaningful and relatable content to connect with millennials struggling with anxiety. For businessoftherapy, I share business tips, marketing strategies, and income breakdowns to empower mental health therapists to succeed in their own private practices.

Tell us about yourself

I'm Kelly McKenna, a licensed therapist in NY, NJ, and FL, as well as a content creator. Alongside my Master of Social Work, I decided to get my MBA because I was interested in nonprofit management. After 8 years of working in nonprofit management, I was burnt out and exhausted. I pivoted my career and started my private practice virtually during COVID, working with anxious millennials (just like me). Currently, I do virtual therapy, offer business coaching, and create relatable content to connect with anxious millennials and therapists looking to grow their practice in a variety of ways.

I'm encouraged to continue posting and sharing my knowledge with others to normalize mental health and successful mental health workers. This motivates me each day to show up on my social media platforms and engage with the community that I have built there.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was making over $350,000 last year. I started my virtual therapy business in 2021, where I made $250,000. The consistency I have put into my business has allowed me to support my goals and encourage others to do the same. I don't share my income to brag but instead to inspire others that it is possible for mental health therapists to earn a living that they deserve, not what society thinks they should offer.

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

Asking for help and setting boundaries for work/play are the two things that I struggle with most in my business. It can be challenging to relinquish some control over your business to another person by hiring someone else. However, I have been able to put more into my business than before. When owning your own business, there is always a never-ending to-do list, so creating dedicated working hours and blocking time throughout my day has allowed me to enjoy work and play.

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

For therapists who want to expand to private practice or move to private pay clients, my advice would be:

  1. Most therapists weren't taught a thing about marketing in grad school, so you need to invest in learning this skill if you want to run a successful business. Marketing your practice on Instagram is such a great way to help potential clients find you and get really excited about working with you.
  2. More and more people are struggling with their mental health than ever. And more people are seeking help than ever too. Therapists, make sure that your potential clients know you exist and that they can find you. There are plenty of people seeking therapy that can keep your caseload full at the price that you have set.
  3. Be consistent with your time and your posting on social media. Growth often feels slow, but do not underestimate the power of showing up for your brand.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.sitwithkelly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sitwithkelly/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sitwithkelly/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycosullivan/

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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