We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jaime Castillo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jaime below.

Hi Jaime, thanks for joining us 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?

Overall, I love being a business owner. I’d be lying though if I said I never get nostalgic about the days when I had a “regular job.” For me, the pressure of owning a business can become intense. Having to make decisions that impact the lives of all my staff can feel like too much at times. It is also a difficult balancing act to prioritize my employees needs and also the needs of the business. Ultimately, everyone benefits from a sustainable business so making decisions that benefit the business is key. It’s not always easy when you value your employees so much, and want to give them the moon and the stars too. Luckily, I have an incredible management team that helps me make decisions, so I’m not alone in them.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who owns a group private practice called Find Your Shine Therapy in Tempe, Arizona. We are a group of 10 therapists and 5 masters-level interns who provide therapy to residents of Arizona. We specialize in treating trauma and anxiety in people across the age-span. We truly love what we do.

After getting my graduate degree in 2014, I worked at a local community mental health agency which was a difficult but incredible job. I had great training and support from the more senior therapists and supervisors; I learned so much there. After about 3 years, I branched out and went into solo private practice. I loved being my own boss, but found being all by myself in an office to be a little isolating. After a year I hired my first associate therapist and then another and another, until we grew the group we are now.

It’s been a wild ride, full of challenges, joys, setbacks, personal hardships, and incredible growth. Since I started this journey in 2017, I’ve grown my practice, gotten married, published a book, and most recently had a baby (which has definitely been the toughest journey of all).

I’m most proud of the team we have at Find Your Shine. I think it is what sets us apart for sure. I’ve got several therapists who have been with me for 5+ years. I look forward to seeing them everyday. I also love witnessing their passion and expertise for helping people overcome trauma and anxiety. They truly are inspirational.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

2020 was a difficult year. During Covid, we had to move our entire practice to the online space from being almost 100% in person. Many of our clients lost their jobs or experienced financial hardship which caused them to discontinue therapy. It was a particularly scary time because right before the pandemic started, I had just signed a 5 year lease on a new office suite that had 13 offices. It was expensive, and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to our jobs and my business. I remember thinking, “If Covid is going to take us down, it’s not going to happen without a fight.” Luckily, we were able to put our heads together and think of solutions as a team. During that time I worked really hard on our social media presence, and launched a few online workbooks geared toward people who were experiencing anxiety and trauma related to the pandemic. We also started selling “shine boxes” which were boxes of personal care items that people could send to one another, to add some sunshine to their day during a dark time. All the proceeds from these items were used to supplement my therapists’ incomes.

Luckily, we survived and the demand for our services exploded in 2021. Looking back, I’m happy to have gone through that experience with my staff, because it really showed that we can get through tough times together.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Probably the toughest lesson I’ve unlearned through business ownership is that you should be able to make everyone happy. When you try to be everything to everyone, you end up becoming nothing to no one. In the past year or two I’ve really gotten clear on what I’m able to offer as a business owner and what I’m not. It’s still a work in progress to be okay with the “what I’m not” category, because I would love to make everyone very happy. I think it’s a product of perfectionism culture, which can be incredibly damaging.

I’ve also been working on honoring my capacity. Having a baby recently forced me to be okay with not having as much time to dedicate to social media and other things that I used to spend lots of time on. Perfectionism wants me to do all of it all of the time, but that’s not just realistic in this season of my life. Deciphering where my energy and time is best spent and then letting the rest fall to the side has been a tough but important lesson for preserving my own mental health.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.findyourshinetherapy.com
• Instagram: @findyourshinetherapy
• Facebook: @ Find Your Shine Therapy
• Linkedin: @find your shine
• Youtube: Find Your Shine Therapy
• Yelp: Find Your Shine Therapy
• Other: Tik Tok – Find Your Shine Therapy

Image Credits
O’Shea Tometi