Why I Work With Entrepreneurs: An Entrepreneur Therapist’s Raw Take on the Most Fascinating Minds in Business
As an entrepreneur therapist, I’ve worked with countless business owners and have noticed a throughline in their stories: they’re all brilliant, passionate, and motivated, yet at the same time, most of them suffer from burnout, perfectionism, low self-esteem, anxiety, and/or imposter syndrome.
To an outsider, this might sound crazy; how can someone so successful and driven have these problems?
The tricky thing about that brilliant entrepreneur brain is that it’s a double-edged sword – the personality traits that make you a high-achiever are often the very same ones that block your success and create a storm of mental health issues.
This is why I love working with entrepreneurs – they are so gifted and talented, and I get to help them break the barriers that prevent them and their businesses from shining.
Let me give you a peek into their mindset, why I’m drawn to them, and how entrepreneur therapy can help.
The Beautiful Mess of the Entrepreneurial Mind
Here’s the thing: the entrepreneurial mind is a paradox.
They are simultaneously visionaries and their own worst critics.
It takes a special kind of person to not only come up with a unique idea, but to create a plan, implement it, and keep going when the going gets tough (and trust me, at some point it always does – no entrepreneur I’ve ever met has had a seamless road to success).
But that same type of person is usually a perfectionist with high standards, for themselves and their business.
If everything isn’t “perfect” or exactly the way they envisioned it, they can get stuck and frustrated.
They also frequently have new ideas they want to add to what they’re already doing, which can slow things down. Or, conversely, there’s so much pressure in the business world to constantly create and come up with new ideas, that it can feel impossible to keep up.
The entrepreneurs I work with struggle with procrastination (even though they are driven and motivated), imposter syndrome (even though they are perfectly capable and more than qualified to do their jobs), and business owner burnout (even though they keep going through the motions and getting shit done every day).
Why Traditional Self-Help Advice and Therapy for Business Owners Fails
Well, first of all, many entrepreneurs don’t tend to seek mental health treatment OR business coaching – you’re a self-starter, a go-getter, and you know exactly what you want!
You have been doing things on your own since you can remember. What can therapy or coaching offer you that you can’t figure out for yourself, right?
Wrong.
Sure, there is an abundance of information available on the internet, millions of self-help books, and plenty of other like-minded entrepreneurs you can talk to. But let’s be honest, the conventional idea of work-life balance doesn’t really apply when you own your own business.
When your career is such a huge part of your identity, it can be practically impossible to put it out of mind or stop working at the end of the day. For the entrepreneur, work-life balance can’t really be a thing, right?
Definitely wrong!
Generic business coaching and general therapy often miss the mark for entrepreneurs, especially when it comes to taking care of their mental health.
If you’re facing entrepreneur burnout, professional anxiety, or imposter syndrome, you need something less traditional: support from a therapist who not only specializes in business but who knows it very fucking well.
The Real Reason I Love Being an Entrepreneur Therapist
One of the biggest reasons I love working with entrepreneurs is that I believe they are the disruptors, the change-makers, and the innovators.
They don’t accept the damn status quo – they challenge themselves to build new systems from scratch, and that’s something I really relate to and admire.
Their influence extends beyond individual success to community impact.
The entrepreneur with the lifelong dream of opening a combination coffee shop/bookstore? That business becomes a favorite meeting space, first date spot, or quiet refuge in the neighborhood.
The innovator who has an idea for a disability-friendly product? That can change lives, industries, and how people feel about themselves and others.
Entrepreneurs are so important to their communities and beyond.
But as an entrepreneur therapist, I’ve seen evidence that there is not enough support to address the challenges they face – not just from the business standpoint, but from the mental health angle, as well.
The Truth About Transforming Entrepreneur Burnout
When you address both the business challenges and unique mental health issues that entrepreneurs frequently deal with, you undergo a magical transformation.
I’m not talking about surface-level productivity hacks.
I mean Real Profound Long-Lasting Change.
You are both the leader and the product – and that can be extremely tough, not to mention hard for others to relate to.
Entrepreneur fatigue and burnout are very real and difficult to handle on your own. But when you work on yourself, you become a better boss and business leader, and an overall better person.
Not only can you show up for your team, but also for your family and friends and, most importantly, for yourself.
How Entrepreneur Counseling Can Help You Be a Baddie Boss – and Human
If you were drawn to this post, then you’re probably already familiar with the external challenges that business owners face.
But what’s less obvious is the internal landscape of entrepreneurial life, like how you think and feel, and what your life looks like outside of work (and yes, I promise you can have a life outside of work!).
There is a lot of psychological complexity that comes with being an entrepreneur that most people don’t understand.
Traditional therapy just doesn’t cut it.
That’s why talking to someone who combines business coaching with mental health treatment is crucial and gives you a unique edge.
Instead of just addressing anxiety, we also take a look at what’s going on with your business and personal life that contributes to your symptoms.
Rather than focusing solely on scaling your business, we unpack the mindsets that are holding you back and keeping you overwhelmed and unfulfilled.
If you’re ready to start taking better care of yourself so your company can thrive, give me a shout.
I’m a business therapist in Portland, Oregon, and also provide telehealth entrepreneur counseling in Colorado, Florida, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Washington.
Together we will figure out how to build the life of your dreams, as both an entrepreneur and a human being.
This holistic approach can truly transform your life and your company, so why not give it a try?
The time to take control is now – your business and your mental health can’t wait.