As an outsider, breaking into an industry can often seem like an impossible challenge and so we reached out to some very generous folks who agreed to share their stories of how they broke into their respective industries.

Lauren Bernick

In 2017 I read a story about Paul Chatlin, the founder of Plant-based Nutrition Support Group. I was so inspired by him and his health journey, that I wanted to know him. He almost died from heart disease; declined a triple bypass opting instead for a plant-based diet. It saved his life and he now runs a non-profit organization dedicated to helping others find health through nutrition. Read more>>

Elizabeth Van Exel

My very first client came to me from a referral by a family friend. This family friend knew what I could do, even though I hadn’t taken on clients yet. She worked at a theme park at the time and told one of her co-workers about me. That co-worker reached out to me to schedule an appointment. I knew what I was capable of, but I had never charged anyone for a reading before. I was extremely nervous because I knew this was very important to this client. Read more>>

Mikayla Ricks

I posted a TikTok! I was frustrated about being unable to market myself that was algorithm friendly and posted the video thinking no one would really see it. That it would get lost in the void. When I checked on it a few hours later it had a couple thousand views and one of the people that saw it contacted me about working with their relative to ease their death anxiety. I guess speaking it out into the universe works! Read more>>

Saja Hayek

My first client was a neighbor of mine, Sara. Her son was 8.5 months old. He would need to be carried and rocked to sleep and then wake up every few hours at night requiring her to feed him to sleep again. The first nap of the day wasn’t so bad, but as the day progressed, Yeyha got cranky and would need more and more help to sleep. Sara felt “drained” and was unable to wean the nighttime feeds so she often “gave up” soon after trying. She was concerned about her son waking up cranky in the morning instead of happy and relaxed, and she was feeling frustrated at not having enough energy to give her 7 year-old child the attention and care she needed. Read more>>

Summer Stevenson

I graduated from my Masters program in May 2021 and had my heart set on New York City. I believe that is important to step out on faith and chase your dreams. My ultimate goal and vision was to become a licensed counselor in the state of New York and soon after, open my own private practice. My first step in this process was applying for my counseling license in the state of New York and getting a job. Read more>>