In this episode, we are going to deviate away from the standard topic of discussion. At the end of last week's episode, I discussed how my friend was being hard on herself about her past. 

I'm in some social work Facebook groups and a question I see quite often circles around side hustles. As social workers, we know that many people in the profession, especially people working at agencies or in community mental health are not making serious coins. If you're a travel social worker you might be pulling down a chunk of change, or if you work in insurance, but otherwise most social workers these days are taking on extra jobs to make ends meet. 

Therefore, on today's episode of SWELL A.K.A. the social work entrepreneur learning lab I'm going to discuss some side hustles that can help you generate extra income and let you dip your toe into the entrepreneurial waters. Yes, this episode is completely devoted to side hustles that can eventually become the full-time business that will help you obtain more time, money, and freedom. 

In this episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of my private coaching practice and other businesses so I can give you a glimpse of what it takes to be your own boss. Why? Because I think it's a good idea to not only talk about it but to be about it as well. This is why I'm going to share what a week looks like for me. In this episode, you get to hear about the good, bad, and ugly of entrepreneurship. 

There is a lot of discussion among social workers as to whether or not paneling with insurance is necessary for private practice success. You'll have some who say no, that insurance is terrible. You'll have others that say yes because it is the only way they know how to private practice. Having worked in the insurance industry for over 20 years, I'm here to tell you that paneling with insurance as a new clinical private practice may not be a bad experience if you know what to expect, but if you aren't prepared paneling with insurance could be a nightmare. 

There is a lot of discussion among social workers as to whether or not paneling with insurance is necessary for private practice success. You'll have some who say no, that insurance is terrible. You'll have others that say yes because it is the only way they know how to private practice. Having worked in the insurance industry for over 20 years, I'm here to tell you that paneling with insurance as a new clinical private practice may not be a bad experience if you know what to expect, but if you aren't prepared paneling with insurance could be a nightmare. 

Starting a business without a strategy is a sure-fire way to enter into entrepreneurial chaos. You cannot enter your business all willy nilly, although you'd be surprised at how many people do enter their entrepreneurial journey this way. If you want entrepreneurial success there are going to be a lot of things you're going to have to do and having a strategy is one of those things. 

One question that I often get from social workers is, "Can I start a private practice without being licensed?" For some reason, this question is a hot topic and you'll find there is a lot of division on the subject. So today I'm going to cover this topic with my perspective on the issue. Why? Because I believe that even a social worker without a license can start a business without compromising any ethical guidelines. 

We have been taught since a young age to try to improve on our weaknesses. We have been told that we practice and put in the time we can improve areas of ourselves. And if you have time to waste I guess trying to improve on your weak areas might be beneficial. 

When I started out as an entrepreneur almost eight years ago I had no idea what the hell I was doing. Not one single clue. I was a holy mess. December marks the month I decided to become an entrepreneur. 

Since it is almost the New Year it is time to get your action plan for next year completed. Therefore, in today's episode, I'm going to show you how to plan like a PRO using parts of the FourSight CPS method. So let's get this episode in motion...