Creating a Stigma-free Mental Health Culture

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Adam Nemer, Founder of Simple Mental Health, located in Marietta, GA, USA.

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

Simple Mental Health is a Leadership Consulting firm that partners with leaders and organizations to improve employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention by creating psychologically safe, stigma-free mental well-being cultures. We do that by first addressing the root cause of the problem, the myths surrounding mental illness. Our mission is simple: facilitate the creation of mental health literate and psychologically safe organizations.

We do this through a variety of services:

keynote speaking
mental health first aid training
business consulting
leadership coaching
social media community building.

Our customers are both businesses themselves, along with industry and trade associations.

Tell us about yourself

I spent 20 years as an executive (CFO, Sr Operations Leader, IT Leader, etc.) at the largest integrated healthcare company in America. For the first 15 years of that career, I struggled daily with undiagnosed severe depression, anxiety, and panic. On the outside, I appeared to have it all together. I had a wonderful family and a thriving executive career, and I would have told you I was fine if you had asked me how I was doing. But inside, I was a wreck. I had never dealt with the trauma of finding my father, my best friend, dead by suicide. And I didn't realize that the crippling anxiety and depression I felt weren't normal. I thought life just felt like that for everyone. I was moving through my life dragging a 2-ton boulder tied to my heart, and I didn't even know it.

When I found my mom after her death eighteen years later, that boulder became even heavier. I found myself struggling to function, unable to even get out of bed. If I hadn't had a boss who cared enough and understood enough to reach out to me when I was at the lowest point of my life, I wouldn't be where I am today. His compassion and wisdom gave me the support and encouragement I needed to get real help - the kind of help that changed my life.

To be clear, I'm not "cured" of depression and anxiety. For me, mental well-being is a never-ending journey, not a destination. Using the tools I've learned in therapy and practicing self-care are vital to maintaining my emotional stability. It's like my Crohn's disease. I can't cure it, but I can manage it, so it doesn't impact my life. But after five years of hard work, I feel great and am the happiest person I know. These are the reasons why I'm so passionate about the work we do at Simple Mental Health Leadership Consulting. Because what we do doesn't just change organizational cultures; it changes lives - the lives of those struggling with mental health and the lives of those around them.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

While Simple Mental Health just launched in August 2022, I'm most proud of the courage to leave a 20-year executive career to start a business based upon my calling...my purpose in life.

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

For me, the hardest part is a sense of loneliness. I went from working in an organization of 250,000 folks to an organization of 1. I miss regular collaboration with colleagues. So, what I'm doing about it is creating informal partnerships with new colleagues. I'm creating a "virtual team."

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

Follow your passion and your gut!
You gotta wake up every day and get your "stuff" done. Your calls made. Your proposals completed. Your thank you cards written.
Focus on your meeting your customer's problems. How does your business bring your customers value?

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://simplementalhealth.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mentalsimple
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplementalhealth_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-nemer/

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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