To Prioritize Mental Health - Mental Health Global Network
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental health but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Juliet Meskers, Co-Founder, and CEO of Mental Health Global Network, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our business provides B2B mental health education and training services! Our goal is to help others prioritize mental health on the same level as physical health through educating community members on how to address mental health issues appropriately, whether they be in themselves or others. We provide a series of both online and in-person courses and seminars, where participants learn about how to identify the warning signs of mental illness or suicide, initiate a conversation with someone who they think might be struggling, connect that person to professional treatment, and then practice self-care through self-help and coping strategies. Our course is designed to help improve responses to a mental health crisis in school or the workplace, prevent liability, and improve community morale. It's like CPR, but for mental health! In addition to our courses, we sell Mental Health First Aid kits that include nine tangible tools that help decrease stress, anxiety, and sensory overload. The kit comes with instructions on how to use each tool as a meditation device to self-soothe in subtle ways. Our kits are perfect for office spaces and classrooms and are portable, so they can be taken on the go.
Tell us about yourself
My Co-Founder and I both considered ourselves to be active mental health advocates when we lost good friends of ours to suicide. We spent lots of time ruminating, feeling guilty, and wondering how we could have missed the warning signs in our own friends. What we realized is that we were never formally educated on how to recognize the warning signs in someone who is struggling or how to get them help. We grew up with health class and PE, where we learned about the importance of taking care of our bodies, but mental health was never included in those conversations. Our friends' passing motivated us to make a change and continue to motivate us every day. We do the work we do to honor what beautiful people they were and the impact they had on our lives. We know that they are helping guide us in what we do, alongside their amazing families and those who were close to them.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
There are many accomplishments as founders that we are proud of, but I would say our biggest has been sticking together as a unit, no matter who or what has tried to disrupt our journey. Being two young female founders has certainly added a layer of resistance in regards to receiving the respect that we deserve as both a company as well as the founder. Whether it be with potential clients or investors, we've had to put up with a lot of disrespect and inappropriate behavior on our journey to where we are today. Kelly and I spent the first two years of Mental Health Global Network completely bootstrapping the business with no savings and no outside funding. We have faced many disappointing, uncomfortable, and even scary situations, but neither of us has ever walked away. We have relentless trust in one another and believe so strongly in what we are doing as a team. We know that we are both in this to make a difference and to prevent individuals from struggling alone in silence. We have turned out pain into purpose, and that will always keep us going.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
As a business owner, you have a vision for your company and an understanding of your services that doesn't always come as naturally to others. It requires founders to have a level of self-worth and resilience that supersedes the average salesperson's. When you're selling your idea, your baby- it's a lot harder to take no for an answer, and you will hear "no" in the beginning, over and over again. It can be extremely difficult to hear harsh and frequently uneducated opinions on what you are doing, but you have to take a lot of feedback with a grain of salt. Feedback is essential to a business, but it need not be taken personally by a business owner. Developing thick skin takes time and patience and is part of the natural learning process, but that certainly doesn't make it easy.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- The success of a business relies on the founder(s) more than it does on the idea. Only you (as a business owner) can decipher whether or not you're capable of running a successful business. No one else's opinion matters.
- The structure of your business will change many times, and what you are actually selling might as well. Build a strong team and lead your business with a sense of purpose. It's okay for your ideas to change- follow your gut, and don't be afraid to start over when you're hitting dead ends.
- Be very careful when it comes to signing big contracts or agreeing to spend large sums of money. You're going to learn a few things the hard way, but always try to trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, give yourself time to re-consider. Nothing is ever as urgent as it seems.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
To the other female / LGBTQUI+ founders out there- stay safe and lean on one another. Never go to an in-person meeting alone after 4 pm. Always take meetings in the company of others or in public spaces. Do not let anyone comment on the way you look, are dressed, or your relationship status. There are a lot of really amazing people out there who want to help you, and there are a lot of people with great resources and bad intentions. Nothing is ever worth putting yourself in a vulnerable position. If you ever need help navigating a complicated situation, reach out to me at juliet@mhgn.org.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.mhgn.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MentalHealthGlobalNetwork
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentalhealthglobalnetwork/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mentalhealthgn
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-meskers-16bb89168/
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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