We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Agee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.
Jennifer , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
In 2018, I was feeling burned out and stressed out. At the time, I owned a solo-private practice and although I absolutely love being a therapist, my first passion is being an entrepreneur. I was not honoring that part of myself at all and the monotony of daily practice was draining my energy.
Here’s a little backstory. I was the executive director of a non-profit organization in South Africa from 2009-2013. When I left South Africa, I was completely worn down. The work we were doing in the organization was emotionally taxing and I needed time to not be in charge of anyone and honestly, I needed time to heal. Starting a solo private mental health practice seemed like the easiest step. No employees. Easy administrative overhead and I was still able to work within my value of helping others. This worked well for me for several years until one day, I had healed and my entrepreneurial parts started knocking on my door.
After a long day of sessions, I left the office absolutely pooped. I decided enough was enough. I would never let my clients get away with not taking accountability and responsibility for the direction of their life so I took my own advice and did something about it. I had a “come to Jesus” talk with myself where I was no bullshit honest about what I wanted and didn’t want, what I liked and didn’t like about my current job.
I keep a whiteboard in my kitchen and I used it as my space to brain dump my thoughts. I divided my whiteboard into 4 sections. In box one, I wrote down all of the things in my job that gave me energy and that I enjoyed. In box two, I wrote down all of the parts of my job that were draining my battery. Box three was filled with my BHAG dreams – you know, the Big Hairy Audacious Dreams. Box four was action steps to start putting a plan together to get back to living my best dang life.
My first step was to give myself permission to delegate the energy draining items or stop doing them all together. This is easier said than done because as a good Midwesterner, we don’t pay people for what we CAN do ourselves. I had to shake off all of the pre-programing I have had around money and look at the big picture. I absolutely had to leave space for my creative entrepreneur brain to take center stage again.
I am a strategic business coach so my plan was methodical and the I set it up for the parts to achieve my dreams to fall like dominoes. I’ve always been good at the big picture. I can zoom out and see the interplay of many pieces and parts and how best to execute and monetize the ideas. Since that day in 2018, I have grown a successful group practice, started coaching other small business owners, operate destination continuing education retreats for therapists, teach at a local university and host a podcast. That may sound like a lot to some, but my entrepreneurial brain loves it!
No regrets. No looking back. Take the risk. Bet on yourself and live your best dang life!
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?
Jennifer Agee, LCPC is a Strategic Business Coach leading retreats in the US and internationally providing entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed. She is the founder of Counseling Community, Inc. and the host of the podcast “Sh*t You Wish You Learned in Grad School”. Jennifer owns a group private counseling practice in Kansas City where she lives with her husband.
For the first 15 years of her career, Jennifer served as the Executive Director of two non-profit organizations working both domestically and internationally. She combines business practicality, strategy, compassion, and fun to all of her business ventures.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
After I etch a sketched my career and wrote out my lists of what I wanted and did not want on my whiteboard, a clear vision of what I wanted to do emerged. I strayed from the vision I knew was right for my business and went head first into a deviation that I was absolutely certain would make more money. I invested thousands of dollars into developing the website, hiring a team for social media and went all in. The project fell flat. I swung and missed big time and I was out thousands of dollars and re-learned a valuable lesson. If money is the primary motivator, that is usually a project (at least for me) that is doomed to fail.
After painfully admitting defeat, I got back up, dusted myself off and had yet another difficult talk with myself. I needed to honor the vision and dream for my business that was deep in my heart and in alignment with my core values. I reset. Wiped the website and started over with what I know I should have done in the first place and created Counseling Community, Inc., a place to help my fellow therapist not only become excellent clinicians but solid practice owners.
It was a painful lesson and my pride took a hit and end the end, because I allowed myself to swallow my pride and admit defeat, I was able to pivot back to my original plan and my company now brings me endless amounts of joy and financial security. I am able to travel all over the world teaching and coaching some of the most amazing helpers and healers on the planet. I feel honored that I am a part of so many therapists and entrepreneurs journey to success.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
If I could give one piece of advice to anyone wanting to build a solid reputation within their market it would be this, be authentically and unapologetically who you are and always remember that relationships come before tasks. You can have the most amazing product or service this planet has ever seen but if you have not built trust with your audience, your message falls flat.
People have gotten really good at spotting a phony. The number one reason entrepreneurs hire me for coaching or attend my trainings is because my words and my actions match and are consistent over time. That consistency has been backed up by testimonials and through unsolicited social proofing. People who have worked with me in the past sharing my name within our community has done more for my business than running ads. I build trust through the consistency of being myself. The way I am on social media is the way I am in real life. People know what they are going to get when they hire me.
I am also unapologetically rooting for you.
If you’re stepping up to the plate and taking a swing at living your best life, I’m rooting for you and will provide you support and strategy to help make it happen.
If you’re a fellow helper healer and you’re serving your community with integrity, I’m rooting for you and will provide you support and strategy to live your passion and not become burned out.
If you’re stepping out and trying something new and are struggling with imposter syndrome, I’m rooting for you and will offer encouragement and remind you that you’re not an imposter, you are a beginner. It’s okay not to know everything just yet.
There is more than enough space on this big, beautiful planet for us all to thrive. I am rooting for you to succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://counselingcommunity.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselingcommunity/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/counselingcommunityinc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferagee/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoWMeUop8GwFfbF2svFVomw
- Other: Podcast: Sh*t You Wish You Learned in Grad School: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1966625 Group Counseling Practice: Counseling Community KC: https://counselingcommunitykc.com/