Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Darlene Scott, Founder, and CEO of Basic Bliss Life Coaching & Counseling, located in Radnor, PA, USA.

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

Basic Bliss Life Coaching and Counseling is a private practice that offers a variety of services, including traditional psychotherapy, marriage counseling, short-term individual counseling, and life coaching services. My clients usually find me online, or they are referred by friends or family members. My clients are high-functioning adults that are usually looking for a safe place to process their feelings. I work with people from different backgrounds. Some are artists, musicians, business owners, or athletes. Others are professionals from different fields. Now that we offer telehealth services, people from all over the country attend sessions virtually.

Tell us about yourself

I am a licensed psychotherapist, and my specialties include treating trauma, anxiety, and mood disorders. I work with survivors of domestic violence, survivors of emotional abuse, and those with anxiety. In my late teens, I found myself in an emotionally, verbally, and sometimes physically abusive relationship. When this relationship ended, I started studying psychology in school. I was hoping to uncover the cause of mental health disorders and hoping to understand more about relationships. At the same time, I was working as an administrator at a center for children with (ASD) Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The more I learned about mental health disorders and developmental disorders, the more I understood my calling. My high levels of empathy and my personal experiences lead me to this career path.

I am motivated to wake up each day because I want to be there for someone. I want to make someone feel less alone in this world. Some days, I am training clinicians or working with my psychology students, but I feel fulfilled because I am helping the next generation of business owners, educators, and clinicians.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is having the faith and the courage to walk away from my full-time job in management. Being able to walk away from that financial stability was a huge accomplishment. I knew that there was no turning back and that I had to make this work. Between running my business part-time and working in my management position, I cleared over six figures a year, but I know that success cannot be measured by your bank account alone. Success is having flexibility, time to spend with your family, and doing something that you love. Success is the feeling that you get from helping others and from being accessible to those that love you.

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

One of the hardest things about being a business owner is learning how to work through the ups and downs that come with running any business. For example, during the pandemic, my entire practice shut down for over a month. I did not have the technology to provide telehealth services right away, and some of my clients were sick or had a fear of becoming sick. There were many canceled sessions. We experienced a 70% increase in cancellations. The first two quarters after the pandemic were brutal. My business was in the negative, and I was piloting new software and advertising virtual therapy sessions, which no one seemed to be interested in at the time. Some high-profile professionals were uncertain about the privacy of video sessions and outright declined to do a virtual session. I understood the concern.

With my credentials, I could have shut the business down and applied for a full-time job, but I kept trying to make this new reality work. It is hard not to give up. It is hard to believe in yourself when everything is falling apart around you. The bills were piling up, and the insurance companies suddenly fell behind on paying for services that I rendered weeks before the pandemic started. So the hardest thing is to be motivated even in the midst of trials.

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

  1. Number one, before you walk away from your full-time job, you should already have a solid plan. A solid plan is not just a business card and a Facebook page. A solid plan includes your financial outlook. Do you have enough money in savings to survive if you do not make money right away? You need to develop a plan that includes a financial forecast and resources. Resources should include websites and freelancers that you can outsource work too if the business suddenly starts getting more sales or engagement.
  2. Number two, assemble a team. You need someone that you can talk to and process with when things aren't going well. This person should be someone that believes in you, and that will not discourage you. You need an accountant if accounting is not your business. You need a lawyer.
  3. Number three, believe in yourself when no one else does. It is your vision. It is your future. Your dreams need you to believe in becoming a reality.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Clients can find me online at www.darlenemscott.net
Here, you can book me for speaking engagements and workshops or schedule a session.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.basic-bliss.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2basicbliss
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenemscott/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/2basicbliss
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darlene-m-scott-lpc-ncc-2630b65a/

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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