From Professional Burnout to Entrepreneur: A CEO’s Story
Alison Pidgeon, Move Forward Counseling’s CEO & Founder, is featured in ASSETS Lancaster’s January 2023 highlight article. Read about Alison’s journey since 2015, when she began as a solo practitioner, and how she and Chief Operating Officer Valerie McNicholl, utilized ASSETS’ Impact Consulting department to earn their B-Corp Certification in 2022.
For Alison, the circumstances that led to her venture into business ownership and entrepreneurship were far from a fairytale. “This is where something beautiful came out of a bad situation,” shares Alison’s journey to becoming a woman-founded business owner.
In 2015, Alison worked as the director of an outpatient clinic for a large health system. She had worked her way up through community and mental health, becoming a leader for the organization. And then she got burned out. Admits Alison, “One day, I realized I couldn’t do it anymore.”
With two young children at home, Alison courageously stepped into entrepreneurship. “I left my job and started my own practice because I didn’t know what else to do,” explains Alison. Taking what she learned from her previous roles, Alison started a solo practice on February 1, 2015.
Without formal business education, Alison embraced learning things on her own. She remembers, “When I started, I didn’t know about ASSETS Lancaster. I just dove into doing my own research and paying attention to business consultants doing private practice.” Now aware of the wide scope of assistance ASSETS offers, she advises aspiring entrepreneurs to connect with them as early as possible.
Alison explains that part of her interest in B Corporations came from the local business community in Lancaster. Crystal Weaver of Commons Company encouraged Alison to pursue certification, and Alison hoped that B Corp Certification would signify her commitment to building a sustainable and community-oriented business.
Read the full “From Professional Burnout to Entrepreneur: A CEO’s Story” article at https://assetspa.org/from-professional-burnout-to-entrepreneur-a-ceos-story/.
