Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Becca Ferguson, owner of Becca Ferguson, LPC, located in Springdale, AR, USA.

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

I own a Private Therapy Practice and offer online courses for mental health topics. I primarily work with young adult women with a history of trauma, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. When I built my platform, I wanted to offer a wide variety of ways for people to get their questions about mental health answered and encourage them to seek their own individual mental health support. I love being a fun and energetic person to whom people relate.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Becca Ferguson, and I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arkansas. When I was fresh out of high school, my goal was to go into youth ministry. I wanted to learn technology and incorporate that into my career with the church. After I graduated, I quickly realized that I couldn't help people the way that they needed help through the boundaries of the church. I often found myself struggling to provide authentic human empathy. In the midst of that struggle, I started my own journey in therapy. The therapist I was seeing encouraged me to seek a career as a therapist. When I left my job as a youth minister, I questioned my ability to help people the way that they needed to be helped. As I went through school, I found joy in what I was doing for the first time! The ability to be honest and assist in problem-solving showed me my true abilities and helped me develop my individual personality as a helper.

I find myself motivated by my client's stories. I work primarily with young adult women that have a significant history of trauma. After seeing the progression of my first few clients, I was hooked. I knew that by being my authentic self, I could show people hope. As a therapist with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I like to use my real human experiences to help clients understand what could potentially be difficult to understand concepts. I get so much energy from the validation that I get the honor of giving to my clients. Their growth and progress are so inspiring.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I started Graduate School in August 2017 and graduated in December 2019. Shortly after my graduation, I got my Associate License and became a Licensed Professional Counselor in 19 months! My drive and motivation to get into a private practice setting were inspired by the multiple experiences I had in my Associate License. Within one year of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor, I opened my own practice, started coaching other therapists on opening their practice, had a full caseload of clients within my preferred population, developed online courses, and created multiple assets for clients to use outside of therapy. Although all of these achievements have been spectacular, they are all external. My proudest accomplishment is the work that I continue to put into myself through my own mental health counseling. I feel that it makes me more human in my sessions with my clients and gives them the ability to talk to someone who "gets it."

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

The hardest thing about being a business owner is balance! I find myself constantly in search of support from other practice owners, professionals, and more. It is difficult to create a framework from scratch after years of being told the exact way to do things. I feel empowered to create my own business from scratch, but it can be difficult to trust that you're making the right choices. This is one of the main reasons that I added a coaching arm to my business model. I felt it was important to help new business owners move through imposter syndrome and thrive as therapists.

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

Starting my own business was a simple decision for me. The difficult parts lay in the organization and development. For people starting their own businesses, I would share these top three tips:

  1. Save up to $5000 for start-up costs. There are going to be costs that you don't expect, and it's good to have a financial cushion to sit on. You don't need to have every set up in the first month that you're there. You can create goals and a timeline for your income and expenses. It's important to save money for the unexpected and know that you don't have to build an empire in one day.
  2. Get a business coach and develop your network of support. Join a group of people that encourage and validate what you are doing for your business. Your coach should be someone that aligns with your values and goals - don't settle for less or the first one that you see online!
  3. Find your personal self-care and self-comfort activities, so you don't burn yourself out. You don't need to figure it all out before you start your business, but you need to make true goals to find the things you enjoy that give you rest and relaxation. If you are considering starting your own business, find your support and know that you don't have to do everything alone!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.beccafergusonlpc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beccafergusonlpc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beccafergusonlpc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/becca_lpc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beccafergusonlpc/

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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