Evan Vitale Consulting: Small Business Spotlight: Michelle Nietert, Community Counseling Associates

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Michelle Nietert is the owner of Community Counseling Associates, a business that offers counseling and therapy services in Wylie, Allen and Frisco.

Did you always want to be an entrepreneur/small business owner?

As a young person, it was not my desire to start a small business, but it is in my blood as my grandparents owned one for more than 50 years. I realized early as a counseling professional that if I was truly going to make an impact in the style that I wanted in the community, this would be a necessity. I began looking for opportunities for training and connections with other small business owners.

What steps did you take in your previous jobs or training to prepare you for owning your own business?

I took a women in small business class from Collin College more than 10 years ago which helped a lot. I also have a network of female business owners that I connect with regularly.

What is the best advice you received when you were looking into opening your own business?

The best advice that I received was to be patient, because this is a slow-going process with rewards for diligence and flexibility.

How long have you owned your own business?

Four years.

Do you use social media or networking groups to grow your business?

Yes, we are on Facebook and Twitter, and we also use MailChimp.

How does your business give back to the community?

We offer extremely low-cost and pro bono counseling in cooperation with Branson community agencies. We often attend community events, and we also provide parenting and other mental health topics in the community as presenters for no charge.

What are some of the ways the area is good for small businesses?

Many of the Collin County suburbs still seem like small towns in a big community.

Looking ahead, what do you feel are some of the challenges your type of business will face?

For mental health providers, managed care is not increasing our rates, and yet with HIPAA and overhead, our expenses continue to increase. Our clients constantly find a challenge with finding in-network providers and yet need to use their health insurance as their family budget demands.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I feel like being a small business owner, as my 94-year-old grandmother and I often discuss, is like having a baby. It needs constant care and attention but also comes with great rewards.

Are you a small business owner in the Plano, Murphy or Wylie area? Would you be interested in participating in neighborsgo’s Small Business Spotlight? Send an email to jtrevino@neighborsgo.com for more information.

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