Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jane St Claire, owner of Wiseheart Counselling, located in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a counsellor in Port Coquitlam, BC. People hire me to walk with them as they work on healing the things that are causing pain in their lives and disruption in their relationships. My clients are folks who have decided that they're ready to do the difficult work of shining light into the shadows and moving their lives into alignment so they can show up as their authentic selves.
Tell us about yourself
I've been on a healing journey for as long as I can remember. Between my two biological parents, there were seven marriages, and all of my parents carry/carried a lot of unhealed intergenerational wounds into their parenting. My two mother figures projected a lot of their own pain and insecurities onto me, which caused a great deal of relational trauma for me as a young girl. This propelled me to live a very self-destructive life in my late teens and early 20s, and it caused me to move further and further away from my family, which I thought would ease the pain I was in. What's that old expression? Wherever you go, there you are. Needless to say, the physical relocations didn't help. It was through the support of wonderful friends and VERY talented counsellors that I finally started to find my way.
In my first two careers (first in artist management and second in recruitment), it was always connecting with people that inspired me the most. I spent countless hours in what can only be described as counselling-type relationships with industry contacts and job seekers. So, when I was laid off from my corporate diversity recruiting job in 2020, it seemed like the ideal time to re-educate and change careers.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Persevering in the face of fear and self-doubt!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know your strengths. It takes an immense amount of motivation, organization, networking, and personal fortitude to start a business.
- Nurture your network. It's impossible to do this on your own.
- Know your WHY! Why do you want to start a business? What is the purpose of your service? It has to go beyond the financial gains or personal recognition that you'll receive to really propel you to success as an entrepreneur (and within your craft).
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.wiseheartcounselling.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiseheartcounsellingbc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wiseheartcounsellingbc/
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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