Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rebecca Parkey, CEO of The Parkey Group, located in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a therapy and psychiatric services practice, and we offer child therapy, individual adult therapy, couples therapy, immigration evaluations, and psychiatric services for medication for mental health. Our clients range from young children all the way to older adults and have a variety of needs and a variety of mental health concerns.
Tell us about yourself
I am the CEO of The Parkey Group. I provide individuals, couples, and teens within the community face-to-face services when desired, as well as anyone in Kansas, Missouri, and Nevada with telehealth services. I provide trauma-informed therapeutic services as well as therapy for all types of behavioral stressors that are occurring in their life. I am a trainer in evidence-based interventions and have worked in higher education as an adjunct professor providing training to students, as well as supervision to students who are seeking a Master's Degree. My passion is providing immigration evaluations for a variety of reasons to immigrants who are hoping to make the USA their permanent residence and are often faced with some daunting issues that have arisen. I love working with all types of people from all types of backgrounds to help them utilize the resilience they have innately to get the help they need and move forward with life.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My company is in a huge transition right now, which is exciting and also scary. I have been in business for two years and have seen exponential growth. Due to this, I have moved from an executive suite with a couple of offices to an office suite with multiple offices and multiple employees. This is a very exciting time for us as we are transitioning from private pay only to taking a vast amount of insurance, including Medicaid. This has been a very exciting time for us, and we are so excited to be able to expand our services to the community.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about owning your own business is that it is all on you whether you succeed or fail. You work more than if you were working for someone else, you have more stress to make it succeed, and you care more than you have ever cared about a job. You have to spend to grow, which is always a huge leap of faith, but in the end, it pays off.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- You must be passionate about the business you would like to start. This was my dream for 13 years before I began. I had always hoped one day to do it.
- Have experience in your industry. You must be the content expert on everything. However, there are going to be things that you don't know. The best thing I ever did was hire a business coach in my area of expertise. He pushed me to make big decisions and grow my business, whereas if I had not had him, I would likely have never expanded as much as I have and grown as quickly and well as I have.
- Know that it is not going to be easy. You will laugh, cry, and break down some days, but in the end, it is worth it. Also, you must be the owner/manager that you have always wanted. Your employees look to you to set the culture of the company, and if you don't show pride in both the company and them, you're doomed to fail. Give a significant amount of positive feedback and reinforcement and show appreciation. They will want to stick with you and feel like they are a part of something bigger if you show respect and admiration.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Whatever you do, do not undervalue yourself. This is something that is often done with women especially. Grow a large group of community support, and when you are in a business, you must network. Remember that you are the face of your business, and in order to grow, people have to know and respect you. Show them you are worthy of respect!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://theparkeygroup.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theparkeygroup1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theparkeygroup/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-parkey-bba90452/
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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