Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robyn Gray, Founder of Robyn Gray Counseling, Inc., located in Sacramento CA, USA.

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

My business is Robyn Gray Counseling, Inc. I work in private practice in Sacramento, CA, serving individuals from a somatic and integrative approach who are suffering from trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and interpersonal relational issues.

Tell us about yourself

I started working in the mental health field over 18 years ago due to my own mental health struggles in my early 20s. I started to integrate a somatic perspective after learning more about yoga and getting my yoga teacher certification during my graduate studies. My client's courage and willingness to show up for themselves, even in their darkest moments, motivates me each day to do the work professionally and to also continue to do the work on myself personally. In order to really talk the talk as a therapist, you must walk the walk. Clients are smart and can tell someone who just preaches vs. actually lives out what they are teaching in the therapy room.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Having a thriving private practice has been my biggest accomplishment. It was a scary step to take to leave a secure agency career and branch out and work for myself. As difficult and scary as it was at first, it is incredibly rewarding, and I am so grateful for my full practice.

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

When working for yourself, the hardest thing is that income is not necessarily consistent, especially in the beginning. A lot of what it takes to own your own business is to be consistent and creative in your income streams and to remember to trust the process. I also stay up to date-on my training so that I can continue to offer the most effective and up-to-date treatment options for my current and future clients.

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

Top 3 tips for starting, running, and growing a business:

  1. Be courageous - start telling people your plan and speaking it into existence. Don't wait to talk about it until everything is "perfect," or you will never start. It's OK to learn the business side of things as you go; at least, this is true for therapists in private practice.
  2. Be consistent - show up and work. Continue with continuing education and be consistent with your clients in showing up for their appointments. It can be difficult to hold yourself accountable, especially being your own boss, but when you show up consistently, it helps clients and future clients trust you, and it shows that you value the work and the client's work in their healing.
  3. Charge and set your fees based on your education, training, and experience in the field. Don't charge necessarily based on what others are charging or what you need to make for your lifestyle. If you do either of those, you run the risk of over-charging and feeling like a fraud or under-charging and feeling resentful. Also, don't set your fees "based on your worth" - that's outdated advice. Everyone is worth a secure income. Set your fees in an ethical way that you feel comfortable and confident in. Remember, your fees are not set in stone. The beauty of working for yourself is you get to change this as needed in your business. I increase my fees every few years due to my experience and adding my training and certifications. My fees grow with my own professional growth - and I feel really good about that.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.robyngraycounseling.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robyn.gray.mind.body/

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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