Valerie Rivera
When Valerie Rivera first started as an entrepreneur, her dreams were so big that she often felt overwhelmed by the various directions she envisioned her company taking. For many years, she remained trapped in a loop of the “how’s,” “what’s” and “when’s.” The branding, the mission, the vision, the values, the website, the visibility… oh my—entrepreneurship was swallowing her whole and she knew she needed guidance, direction and accountability.
Enter Vanessa, who ultimately supported Valerie to gain clarity and direction. Vanessa helped Valerie to launch her group practice, Inner Solace Therapy, which was established in April 2020 (yup, in the midst of the pandemic!). Inner Solace Therapy strives to help women heal from traumatic childhood experiences that show up as anxious behaviors and relationship struggles in adulthood. The goal? To lead women towards emotional, mental and physical security and safety.
Ahead is the breakdown of just how Vanessa’s approach aided in the development, growth and transformation of Valerie's business.
Valerie took part in Vanessa’s “From Solo to Group Practice” workshop after months of individual business consultations. Vanessa walked Valerie through every step of building a group practice, shifting her leadership mindset and supporting her in building an unshakeable confidence. Since working together, Valerie has developed a strong sense of ownership over her business, let go of imposter syndrome, and learned to embrace risk and uncertainty. Additionally, Valerie has built an online presence in a creative and authentic way, offers community networking events to fellow mental health professionals, and is currently expanding her team.
Prior to working with Vanessa, Valerie could only dream of starting her own business and implementing her impactful ideas. To put it simply, she didn’t know where to begin—after all, business management is similar to learning a new language. Vanessa served as a guide, assisting with the ebbs and flows of entrepreneurship, as well as sharing her ideas and tweaking Valerie’s to benefit the continued growth of her business. On a micro-level, Vanessa challenged Valerie to carry out her vision by helping her weigh the advantages and disadvantages of accepting insurance, discussing financial stability and growth, and constructing "buckets" of work outside of direct clinical practice.
Despite all of the growth and success achieved, Valerie attests that her favorite part of working with Vanessa has been the friendship that has developed over time. “Vanessa has an energy that is powerful,” says Valerie. “You want to be in her circle because you know you’ll grow.” Vanessa leaves space for her clients to discuss their fears, worries, and concerns without judgment or ridicule. She hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to be in the beginning stages of building a business. “You need someone that remembers that,” explains Valerie. “You need someone to tell you, ‘It’s going to work out, it already is.’”
