We recently connected with Lillianis Cruz and have shared our conversation below.

Lillianis, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I must say that I am happier as a business owner. There is a difference between building something for someone else and building something for yourself, your family and your legacy. I cannot deny that there have been some days in which I wished I had a regular job as the responsibilities could be less and someone else can play your role within a company that is not your own. However, on those brief days, I always remember the joy that comes after a hard day of work at my own business.

The last time I wished I had a regular job was when going through my second pregnancy and feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. During those days I felt that a regular job would just allow me the luxury of having paid time off and someone else could fulfill my role in my absence. However, I realized that having my own business gave me the drive, motivation and ability to go beyond what I thought I was capable of doing. I was strengthened and carried through by doing what I was called to do in my own business.

Lillianis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Lillianis J Cruz and I am a 31 year old wife and mother who moved to Florida from Puerto Rico at age 14. Since the 7th grade, my desire was to become a lawyer in order to help others. However, my heart started shifting towards wanting to help others in a different capacity; in a way that allowed me to connect with them at a deeper level. At the age of 25, I was well on the way to the top of my career in management within my field. However, that kept me away from my true passion: counseling. Such transition gave birth to Hope Behavioral Health, which is my own private practice and has allowed me to help others in more meaningful ways. At the moment we provide individual, family, couples and faith-based counseling to anyone who lives in Florida. We help others with general life stressors, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Our company is distinguished by providing bilingual services, EMDR therapy and faith-based counseling for those who desire it.

I am most proud of the fact that I was able to start my own business barely at 25 years of age, without a financial safety net and business experience. To date, my business has grown to have 6 additional therapists who are able to help others. I want our potential clients to know that we care for them and we are invested in helping them heal, one therapy session at a time.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

With the COVID-19 pandemic, fear overtook me as I saw that businesses around me closing. However, I was able to overcome first mentally and then with innovation by expanding my services online. Since the pandemic, our staff doubled and the amount of people we have been able to help through our shared experiences have doubled.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I am currently in a pivoting point in my career, my business and life all at once as I will become the mom of two boys in about 3 weeks. With this upcoming change, I have decided to only focus on my business from an administrative standpoint rather than providing therapeutic services myself. I will be working from home full time in order to have the flexibility of tending to my newborn’s needs. I anticipate these changes to be challenging yet thrilling.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hopecounselingfl.com
• Instagram: @hope.behavioral
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/hbehavioral
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianis-cruz-lmhc-15543166/
• Twitter: @hope_behavioral
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hope-behavioral-health-kissimmee

Image Credits
Edgar Junior Media, LLC