Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amy Lajiness, Founder of Highly Sensitive Parenthood, located in San Diego, CA, USA.

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

I'm Amy Lajiness, LCSW, PMH-C, an Ecotherapist and Psychotherapist practicing in San Diego at Inner Nature Therapy and a Coach for Highly Sensitive (HSP) parents at Highly Sensitive Parenthood. My clients are parents - usually moms - who are experiencing overwhelm, overstimulation, anxiety, and stress.

Tell us about yourself

I'm a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW) with a thriving private practice in San Diego. Just this year, I launched a resource website and blog for Highly Sensitive (HSP) and Empath Parents and Caregivers. During a brief sabbatical from my therapy work in early 2022, the idea for this website came to me out of nowhere, and I've just been running with it ever since! Parenthood in 2022 is hard enough, but for parents (like me) who are empaths or highly sensitive, it can be incredibly challenging. Right now, Highly Sensitive Parenthood is a weekly blog and also offers both free and paid resources specifically to help HSP parents recognize their strengths and manage challenges with self-compassion. Later, I hope to launch online community groups and live retreats to support HSP parents in a more interactive way. The way that I work with clients is pretty unique – I empower them with information about their HSP traits and help them towards a more self-compassionate mindset. But that's not enough for me – I also work really hard to help parents see and change systemic factors such as accessing more childcare, helping loved ones understand/support their HSP trait, and considering their work/life balance.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Starting my two businesses has been a huge accomplishment for me, at least on the surface. But overall, I'd say that I'm most proud of creating a career that finds creative ways to support people while also feeling excited and empowering for me as a therapist and coach. For example, my psychotherapy practice incorporates nature-based sessions (Ecotherapy), which ended up being an incredible way to support people during COVID lockdowns. My newest offering, Highly Sensitive Parenthood, grows out of my own experience as an HSP mom. I'm leveraging my own personal experiencing and combining them with my psychotherapy profession to create down-to-earth yet research-based products and services for sensitive parents. I feel very proud that I'm able to take my personal challenges and transform them into creative ways to support others.

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

I'll be honest; I don't love most "business" aspects of being a business owner - marketing, accounting, legal setup, etc.! I am happy to be able to outsource these aspects of my business when possible. The startup phase for both of my businesses was quite emotionally challenging for me, with the risks and all of the unknowns. But both times, my excitement for what I could create won over any fear I had on the business side of things, and I'm so grateful!

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

  1. Find support people as you start a business! This could include business mentors, coaches, or even colleagues who have embarked on similar ventures. Simply having someone to talk to about being a business owner on the hard days is invaluable.
  2. Don't lose sight of your values. For me, owning a business is about bringing something unique and wonderful to the world, but it's also about my own quality of life and having time to spend with family and friends. If I become overly stressed or focused on my business, I start to lose sight of the other things that are important to me: my family, my friends, my health, etc. I suggest checking in with yourself (or a therapist) regularly to make sure you are living life on your terms as much as possible.
  3. Celebrate every win! It's easy to focus on the tough stuff - the failures, the not-so-goods - and forget about what you have accomplished. For me, staying positive and motivated as a business owner requires me to take a step back every so often and really reflect proudly on what I have accomplished. I encourage you to do the same!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.highlysensitiveparenthood.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highlysensitiveparenthood/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amylajiness/

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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