Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Deborah Bell, Founder of Sand Story Psychology Services, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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

Sand Story Psychology Services provides therapy and assessment services to children, youth, parents, and individuals across the developmental span. We see clients living with anxiety, depression, the effects of trauma, eating disorders, and autism. I have specialized training working with infant mental health, meaning I see children from the prenatal stage to age five and their parents. However, Sand Story is a multidisciplinary team with a wide range of specialties. All of our clinicians offer parenting consultations to support parents of children of all ages. We also have specialized services for families going through separation and divorce, from early stages to high conflict. The different assessments we offer include assessing for Giftedness, Learning Disabilities, Autism, or court-involved assessments for high-conflict divorce.

Tell us about yourself

I'm a Registered Psychologist and mother of two. Regardless of where I worked, I have always been inspired by my clients' dedication and courage in facing different struggles. Seeing parents grow in their understanding of their children and how to support them is a privilege. I first started my business journey to be able to have more flexibility as a mom of two small children. Being able to set my hours and my time off and build a team of incredible people has definitely made it worthwhile. Now that my kids are older, I get to enjoy an environment where I love going to work. The team and the clients are incredible.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I don't know what the biggest accomplishment is. I want to say the team of people that I work with. Everyone is so talented and such lovely people. This is true from the admin team to the clinicians. I think our clients feel it when they come into the office. One client once said, "Sand Story is like a warm hug and a box of Kleenex." I love that! It's definitely not always easy to come in for therapy, but when people do, I want them to feel genuinely cared for.

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

Psychologists actually get no business training, although many works in private practice. I learned everything the hard way--usually by doing things wrong and learning as I went. I still feel like I have so much to learn. I'm not good at networking or promoting myself. I have to really push myself to do that stuff, and I usually avoid it.

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

  1. Get a business advisor, even for a little bit at the beginning. I didn't even know that business advisors existed for the first couple of years of my practice. Then I got advice from an amazing woman who specialized in supporting women entrepreneurs. She really helped me develop my vision. I only needed her support for a few months, and it was really worth it.
  2. Hire expert people to help you do the things you don't know how to do. When I first started, I did everything myself--admin, bookkeeping, payroll, etc. Figuring out that hiring people who know what they are doing saves time and money, in the long run was an important lesson for me. Once I did that, I had a lot more time to focus on the business and doing what I am good at--seeing clients.
  3. Start small, let the growth happen, and expand when the demand is there.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://sandstory.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057543876357
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdeborahbell/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandstoryca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdeborahbell/

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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