We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gabrielle Juliano-Villani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gabrielle below.
Gabrielle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
I remember clearly on a summer day in 2021, waking up with dread and a pit in my stomach, thinking “I don’t want to do this anymore”. I was definitely at the darkest point in my burnout from running my group practice and seeing clients. I realized how draining managing a team and doing sessions was for me but I didn’t know how to move forward because I felt like being a therapist and running my group practice had become my identity. A friend of mine suggested selling but it didn’t seem worth it so I put it on the back burner. A few months later, I got a call out of the blue from a company saying they wanted to acquire my practice. The universe called and I answered! I sold my business in December 2021 and retired from 1:1 therapy in December 2022. It was one of the most difficult decisions I have made. What helped me was to ask myself what my perfect day looked like AND what were my goals for my life? What did I want to be doing in five years? I found that I was too focused on everything right in front of me and not how I wanted to continue to grow
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I graduated with my BSW in 2012 and MSW in 2013. I started working in the field in victim’s advocacy and then moved on to working in child protective services. That was the first time I got burnt out and moved into working as an in-home care manager, which I loved! However they were downsizing the department and in December 2017 I started my private practice. It grew to 15 clinicians in about 2.5 years. I am a licensed clinical social worker, consultant, coach, entrepreneur and educator based in Sarasota, Fl. I have been in the mental health field for over a decade specializing in stress, chronic health conditions, and trauma. After realizing my own burnout in 2021, I sold my thriving group practice and made it my mission to educate others on the impact stress has on our everyday lives. Gabrielle pulls from her experience as an EMDR and Polyvagal Informed therapist to utilize mind/body approaches to help others implement everyday strategies to manage stress and live their best lives. Gabrielle is an international speaker, retreat leader, and has been featured in Authority Magazine, The Daily Om, Bustle, and the Everyday Woman TV Network. When she’s not working, Gabrielle is teaching Zumba, surfing, or reading a psychological thriller at the beach
We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.
I sold my group practice in 2021. It’s essential to have an exit plan from the beginning and start planning now. Even if you never sell (or don’t want to), acting as if you do will make your practice more efficient and more profitable. Get coaching, do your own work to become a better leader, and get systems in place to streamline as much as you can. Also know that selling is a long process. Have supports in place to help you emotionally work through it. It can be hard to sell because our business is our baby, but if you aren’t working in alignment with your values, want to retire, or pivot, selling is a great way to do so!
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Having a support system, doing the work on my own mindset and limiting beliefs, and working from an abundance mindset. Most therapists don’t have business training and are running their practices as a therapist instead of a business owner. This tends to get them stuck, frustrated, or overwhelmed. You can blend both being a therapist and an entrepreneur together and doing so will also prevent burnout.
Contact Info:
- Website: gabriellejulianovillani.com and medicareconsultingfortherapists.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/gjvconsulting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/createanabundantgrouppractice
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellejulianovillani/
- Youtube: youtube.com/@gabriellejulianovillani
- Other: tiktok.com/@gabriellejulianovillani threads.net/@gjvconsulting
Image Credits
Michael Stewart Patrick Kent