What drives a person to boldly venture down the winding path of owning their own business varies from entrepreneur to entrepreneur. For Megan Giehl, the motivation developed over years of training and experience in the systemic relationship therapy field. She knew she wanted to provide quality care to her clients for the long haul and felt owning her own practice would provide her the flexibility she was desiring to do so in a way that felt authentic to her.

Megan is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working to provide support to couples, individuals, and families throughout the Denver Metro area, focusing on clients in their 20’s and 30’s experiencing life transitions and relationship challenges. When asked about her start-up experience two throughlines occurred – the value of patience and the need for mentorship. 

Megan began the early phases of starting her business while she was still working at a group practice, allowing her to learn from peers who had gone before her in starting their own practice, while building towards the potential and possibility she was envisioning for herself. It was from one of her mentors that she first heard about the North Metro Denver SBDC. 

Megan began working with an SBDC counselor within the first year of her business journey and has valued the experience for the accountability and encouragement she receives, but also for the chance to approach her goals piece by piece with a business advisor. 

Of her experience Megan says, “My coach has helped me significantly increase my marketing efforts and has helped me overall have a better understanding of good business practices and informing me about what I need to know/do to continue to make a successful business. I’ve been able to increase my caseload, revenue, and have a plan in place for continued marketing efforts. I’m so grateful for this program because the direct mentorship is extremely beneficial.”

Megan also noted the challenge of having patience in the process. Recalling the difficulty of being patient in learning the business aspects of her new venture, Megan explains that the primary hat she wears is that of a therapist, and says, “becoming a business owner is like fumbling in the dark trying to find this new business hat.” 

By patiently taking the process one step at a time she has been able to build a strong foundation for her business, learning to wear several new hats along the way, and experiencing encouraging growth and achievements in her business. 

It is common to feel overwhelmed in the early stages of starting a business and want to rush through the uncomfortability, but Megan’s wise advice to other entrepreneurs is that you don’t have to do it alone! She encourages others to surround themselves with peers, colleagues, and other like-minded individuals who can support you through the journey. To seek this type of support through the North Metro SBDC, schedule a consultation with a business advisor here. 

To learn more about Megan’s practice, Rise Collective Counseling, you can visit her website here or contact her at megan@riseccounseling.com or (720) 715-9507.