Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Matthew Dickson, Founder of Mind Aid, located in Fredericton, NB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Hi, I'm Matthew Dickson, founder of Mind Aid. I help people with mental illness in developing countries so they can get access to basic mental health care. Mind Aid is the world's first website with all the groups helping people with mental illness in developing countries on one site (they are otherwise scattered across the web). Mind Aid aims to build these groups' capacities to allow them to help more and more people with mental illness.
Tell us about yourself
I lived in Canada and had an average childhood. I bicycled across Canada when I was 20 (that trip came out of nowhere!), but I developed schizophrenia two years later. It took me a few decades, but I have successfully recovered from schizophrenia and enjoy peace and contentment now. Throughout my recovery, my heart went out to people in developing countries/war-torn countries who have a mental illness to go through as well, as they have it worse than I did. In 2017 I saw a TED Talk by Vikram Patel on mental health in developing countries, and I started learning more about the cause. I made my Mind Aid website in 2018, and I believe I have found my life's work. Vikram Patel and others have developed models of basic mental health care that are low-cost, proven effective, and scalable. I went through an incredibly painful, difficult time with my mental illness. Now that I know what mental illness is like, have learned ways to help myself, and know there are ways to help others in developing countries, I can't sit here and do nothing about it. I was desperately crying out for help for myself. I can hear the desperate cries for help from millions suffering from mental illness, and I just can't sit here and not do anything about it. If I ignored them for the rest of my life, they would eat at me.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I've been starting to get more media attention in the last year, something I'm very happy about. Most people don't think about mental health in developing countries, and I'd like to change that, especially as we are talking about mental health so much more now in developed countries. I know there are millions of people out there who would like to help, as we can see by the number of people who have been donating for decades to buy goats, drill wells, and build schools for people in developing countries. I am trying to make this cause mainstream conversation. All the attention I can get makes me happy!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
It is difficult not to have as big an impact as you would like. One piece of advice that helps me is something I read in an advocacy book: "If you fought for a cause for your entire life and had zero impact, could you still be happy?" It reminds me to keep my chin up, despite the setbacks I have.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Just start. Pick something and start. You can change it later or pick something else if it doesn't work out. The book "The Motivation Myth" by Jeff Haden says instead of waiting for the confidence to start taking action, the small steps you start taking one by one over time will slowly build your confidence. I found that very true. I'm doing things now I didn't think I was ready for five years ago. Read "Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion" by George Thompson to improve your people skills. Dealing with people can be intimidating, and this book helped me immensely to learn how to deal with people better (It's what police officers use). And educate yourself on how to be a good entrepreneur. There are so many resources out there on how to get into the business world. Even if you're not ready to start, learning about entrepreneurship is something you can start today!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.mindaid.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindaid1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewjdickson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattMindAid
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjdickson/
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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