Why I do what I do…

Six years ago, if you had asked me “where do you see yourself in 6 years?”… I would have never thought I would be where I am today!

The first thing my coach asked me to do before we started our journey together…please answer these 3 questions.

6 years ago, I had some idea and could stumble through the answers. But today, I am confident in these answers…

Who I am

I am first, a child of our loving God. I was born to encourage and help others. I bring joy and a positive perspective on life and I love people.I am passionate, dedicated and tenacious in life and all I do. I strive to live first in love, then with honesty and integrity and of course, I gotta have fun!

What I am

I am a Daughter, Wife, Mother and MIL, Oma, Sister, and Friend. I am a Master Certified Life Coach and a Certified Professional Coach. I am someone who belongs in the room! I am a successful Entrepreneur!

Who I serve

My passion is to serve mental health clinicians. I have been called to do specific work, to be a vessel – a beacon – to bring light, hope and guidance to clinicians around the world so they can continue to do what they are called to do – to help the world heal.

My Story – where am I and how I got here?

Well, THIS could really take a long time, but I will spare you and try to make it as painless as possible. 😉

I am now 60 years old…wow…just saying that is pretty surreal and I am the youngest of 7 kids! I KNOW! Why do I share this? Foundation…

I grew up with my mom and dad owning a business. I watched how they treated people.  I watched their dedication, commitment, honesty, and integrity.  I watched them go above and beyond when it came to customer service and how they treated their clients. I watched them be successful entrepreneurs.

This is my model and why I run my own business the way I do.  Not perfect, but pretty darn awesome!

OK, Fast forward to my career.

For more than 35 years, I have set up, cleaned up, and ran businesses for others.

Before I founded My Solution Services, Inc. I was the director of a large counseling center in southern California for 8 years. BUT… it was corporate. I was done. I was tired of not being able to help the way I was designed to help and most important the way clinicians needed to receive help. ‘Nuff said and I will just leave this here.

I resigned and started my business when most people are thinking about retiring at my age (at the time I was 54 yrs old.)  

My Journey

Easy? – Hell NO! – and on certain days, it is still painful and hard… like now!

Even though COVID19 was not around six years ago, other uncertainties were. Many challenges, obstacles, and hurdles to jump. Emotionally, mentally, psychically, spiritual, and of course, financially. 

My biggest fear… would I be a success?

 6 years ago, I became an entrepreneur almost overnight.  I had no choice but to put one foot in front of the other and move FAST… if this was gonna work.

Six years ago this very time of year my life was in uncertainty. I was in transition, unsure, in uncharted territories, money was wavering. My story is very similar to what life is like right now in some ways…not knowing what the hell is going on or going to happen? 

But then, do we ever know?

Oh, I KNEW the work and how to help the clinician have a successful business side of their practice.

But what I DIDN’T know was how to grow my business, and how to get out of my own way, all while avoiding burnout. Remember, I started this at 54 yrs old, so this was the second time around for me.

Then here come the uncertainties of how the hell am I gonna do this, how am I going to financially sustain, and how am I going to replace my income in 3 1/2 weeks? 

Nothing to it, but to do it…right? Welllllll…

6 yrs ago I thought I was just a Virtual Assistant (VA)

I had my computer and my cell phone and my experience, my knowledge, my expertise, but most of all I had my faith – I had God behind me, my husband, my family, and friends supporting me. I had a tribe. So I knew I would be able to make enough to cover our house note.

But beyond that…not so much.

Within two years of owning and running the business, I knew I needed help, to grow my tribe. I needed a coach and actually had been looking for quite some time – I didn’t want just anyone..

I needed someone who had gone before me, walked the talk, scrapped the knees, shed an unlimited amount of tears, and most likely lost a butt load of cash in the process. This is who I could learn from.

THAT person could guide me around those holes they once fell in.  They would be able to help me focus on the things that work instead of trying to dig me out of the same hole they once climbed out of. 

In came Jo Muirhead…to speak into my life and my business…we had a divine appointment.

Jo opened my eyes to what I really did and had to offer. When she heard my story, she saw I was MUCH more than a VA. With my background, experience, skills, and knowledge…she flat out said, “You are NOT a VA. My eyes got really big and I almost wanted to cry. I thought I had made the wrong decision.

 You ARE an expert and an Online Business Manager – OBM.”

Notice – she didn’t say…you WILL BE or COULD BE… but YOU ARE! This was gold for me.

So for the last four years, we have worked very hard together to help clinicians understand what sets My Solution Services apart and why their practice needs the services we offer.

She helped me to reframe who I was as an entrepreneur. She helped me to understand and own that “I belong in the room”.  

She has seen and pulled things out of me I didn’t even know were there. She saw the direction of where the business would go and has helped me to stay (or get me) on the path to take it there. 

Today as I write, my coach, Jo, still provides wisdom, insight, and direction as the journey continues.

When I get Stuck

 I learned 4 years ago when I first started working with Jo and I got in a panic mode or overwhelmed she would say to me… What needs to happen next?  WHAT IS THE VERY NEXT STEP? She STILLS asks me these questions when I get stuck.

Are you struggling with being stuck? Are you challenged with being grounded during this time and not sure what to do or where to turn?  What is the very NEXT step?   

Get back to basics!  Why do you do therapy in the first place?

We need to CONTINUE to do the work that we are called to do and serve those who need us! 

Why? This is what we do best, and it is our passion and when we work from our passion THAT is when we are successful because we are serving our clients.

Never ever, EVER lose sight of that because when we serve others, we can only be successful!

But we CAN’T do it well if we are stuck or overwhelmed!  If you are struggling or overwhelmed… GET HELP!!!  Find your tribe. Get your support team. Get a business coach who can see YOUR vision…and so much more.

Invest in YOU and your private practice.  

Where am I today?

Two years ago, I hired a full time W2 Office Project Manager, Carly. Holy crap that was scary. But six months in and Jo says…so how is it going with Carly? I am dancing like a happy camper…and she reminds me of how I kicked and complained – “I can’t do that. How can I pay someone full time?” – yet I have complained once in the last 6 months. This still makes me laugh.

After 5.5 years of running the business at home, we just acquired office space 6 months ago…double the size we originally thought we needed – so we could allow for the growth in the future. Think 3 years ahead.

Well, the future is now!

We started plans, research and figuring out finances to build a call center on-site! (Something Jo suggested 2 years ago, and I was like… huh?)

We hired 2 new inhouse staff – just before COVID locked us out.  But that won’t keep us down…they are working remotely.

We moved from having IC’s to W2’s.  I have 2 e-guides out with a 3rd and 4th on the way, and even during a world crisis we are growing faster than I can blink. and…. breathe.

Why? How?

• I realized it was bigger than just me and continue to get out of my way
• I invested – in ME, in my business, in my future
• I got my coach – the RIGHT coach – Thank you, Jo
• I found a tribe who believes in me
• I have support all around me
• I release and trust those who I have picked to hold up my arms (still a work in progress)
• I have my faith and trust in the calling that God has given me

Why I do what I do?

 I do it because my passion is to help clinicians be successful and give them more time to be completely in the room…present…so they can help heal the world!

Who is Frances Harvey?

I’m Frances, the founder of My Solutions Services and Master Certified Life Coach, I have been encouraging and helping people see their own life potential and to move forward for over 30 years.

My experience as Director for one of the largest professional counselling centers in Southern California for 8 years, has well equipped me to help mental health professionals build solid businesses. From solo practitioners, to multi-site centres, we can help you manage and grow your therapy business.

I have been happily married for 36 years – to my best friend and father of our two sons, and “Opa” to our granddaughter. We enjoy traveling, camping and being with family and friends.

And… I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE PURPLE!

By Frances J. Harvey, M.C.L.C., C.P.C.Founder and CEOMy Solution Services, Inc.