Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Caroline Danda, co-founder of The Invisible Riptide, located in Prairie Village, KS, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Through its books, workshops, website, and resources, The Invisible Riptide offers practical information and strategies that help kids and teens understand and work through their struggles. They need to know that it’s OK not to be OK, and adults need to know how to talk to them and support them. The mission of The Invisible Riptide is to address the gap in knowledge and fill it with tools and understanding for all ages and professions to begin to conquer the youth mental health crisis.
The books are designed to be a resource for teachers, school counselors, parents, grandparents, and youth leaders to spark discussion and reduce the stigma of talking about mental health. Talking creates connection and reduces guilt and shame.
In addition to the book series we are publishing, we offer workshops and curricula for schools and community organizations, parenting workshops on how to use the books, and practical strategies that can be used in groups, classrooms, and with individuals to support kids and teens.
Tell us about yourself
As a child and adolescent psychologist, I have always been passionate about working with kids and families to help them understand and change emotional, behavioral, and communication patterns that keep them stuck. I believe in the resilience of kids. I love working with families and seeing the “a-ha” moments when they begin to make sense of their experiences and what to do to work together to work through them.
The Invisible Riptide was born out of the pandemic based on the desperate need seen in our offices, homes, and community but goes beyond the pandemic mental health crisis to provide education, discussion guides, and strategies to help youth move through difficult experiences, understand the mind-body interaction, create meaningful connections with others, and ultimately develop more resilience. My co-founder Carron Montgomery and I knew that we needed to find a way to share the work we were doing in our practices and make strategies and resources easily accessible to families and the community. We wanted to give them the language to spark conversations and methods to discover what works for them.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is creating services and books, workshops, and resources that others value and making them viable within the community.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I’d already been in the field for over ten years when I started my private practice. I had fabulous training and mentors, so I felt like I mostly knew what I was doing. I loved having the ability to set my own hours while also being responsible for myself. The hardest part was limiting my hours and planning in time for all the paperwork.
With my new business, The Invisible Riptide, my co-founder Carron Montgomery and I are using content that we know well but delving into the somewhat unknown territories such as writing (and marketing) books, developing workshops and curriculum, speaking, and creating resources, while also making it financially feasible.
The hardest parts are prioritizing, understanding new processes, and figuring out how to make it all work while still having a family and active practice. Having a partner, especially one you trust and who is as dedicated and passionate as you are, helps tremendously. We energize and inspire each other. We both know we could not do what we do at The Invisible Riptide without each other. Adding to that, making connections and having mentors are invaluable. One of the sayings we promote is, “Together, we can do anything.” We not only believe that but also live it wholeheartedly.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Go for It. Too often, and in my case before The Invisible Riptide, I had ideas but felt like I had to have everything in place and perfected before launching anything. You have to start somewhere, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.
- You don’t have to have it all figured out at once. Your business will grow and evolve, as it should, to meet the demands of those you are trying to serve. Nurture it, be patient, and give it time to grow.
- Connect with others. Truly, together we can do anything. We learn so much and gain so much support from others. Connections and relationships matter.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I love the movie Field of Dreams and the quote, “If you build it, they will come.” Believe in yourself and what you have to offer as a small business.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.theinvisibleriptide.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinvisibleriptide
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinvisibleriptide/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarronMontgome3
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-invisible-riptide/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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