The Beacon Way

Navigating Entrepreneurship & Parenthood with Dr. Melvin Varghese | Beacon Way Podcast

Join Adrian Wilkerson on The Beacon Way Podcast as he chats with Dr. Melvin Varghese, a licensed psychologist and founder of the Selling the Couch podcast. Dr. Varghese shares his journey of transitioning from a traditional clinical career to creating a top-rated podcast aimed at helping therapists build online income. They delve into the challenges and dynamics of being a working dad, especially in the context of navigating a premature birth and childcare, and discuss the evolving roles of working parents in today’s society. The conversation also touches on the cultural nuances of caregiving, with Dr. Varghese discussing his plans to offer executive coaching to Indian founders and executives. An inspiring and insightful episode for anyone balancing career and family!

Melvin Varghese, PhD is a licensed psychologist in Philadelphia, PA.

In 2015, Dr. Varghese founded Selling The Couch, a podcast to help therapists move from clinical to online income.

On the podcast, he interviews successful practitioners about how they've built their practices, social media/marketing experts, and shares lessons as he uses our clinical skills to create an online business powered by podcasting + online courses.

The podcast is one of the top Career podcasts in Apple Podcasts, has been downloaded over 1.8 million times, and is heard in over 125 countries.

Dr. Varghese also founded several resources for therapists transitioning from the therapist chair to online income including a podcasting community for therapists that’s supported over 240 therapist podcasters, an online course mastermind for therapists launching their first online course (50+ students), and a mastermind for veteran course creators to find support growing and scaling their course.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
01:37 The Journey to Podcasting Success
02:52 Balancing Parenthood and Career
06:34 Navigating Work-Life Harmony
23:45 Cultural Insights and Executive Coaching
32:30 Conclusion and Future Plans

Welcome to the Beacon Way Podcast! In this episode, we have the incredible Sean and Angie Taylor joining us to discuss niche marketing, business entrepreneurship, their founder's journey, and how their Christian counseling service, Cornerstone, came to be. Discover their inspiring story of overcoming stigma in mental health, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, and integrating faith with clinical expertise to transform lives. Learn about their struggles, the importance of having an abundance mindset, and how they balance marriage and business. Tune in for an enlightening and uplifting conversation!

00:00 Welcome to the Beacon Way Podcast

00:47 Sean and Angie's Entrepreneurial Journey

03:52 Founding Cornerstone and Overcoming Stigmas

07:46 The Role of Faith in Counseling

12:07 Challenges and Growth in Business

25:36 Balancing Marriage and Business

29:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Future of Mental Health: Insights from the 2025 State of Mental Health Report

In this episode of The Beacon Way Podcast, Jennifer hosts Brandon and Sanjana to discuss the findings of the 2025 report on mental health insurance and marketing trends. Sanjana, co-founder of Thrizer, and Brandon, owner of BG Copywriter, provide an overview of the report's key insights, including the challenges faced by clinicians with insurance, the growing trend of private pay, and potential innovations to improve the mental health industry's sustainability and accessibility. The conversation also covers the significant frustrations clinicians experience with insurance hurdles, the necessity of better data and stories behind the statistics, and potential improvements for future reports and industry practices.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:56 Overview of Thrizer and the 2025 Report

02:12 Challenges with Insurance in Mental Health

03:24 Insights from the 2025 Report

03:36 Brandon's Perspective and Surprising Findings

07:28 Feedback and Reception of the Report

10:07 Future Directions and Improvements

14:44 Addressing Out of Network Benefits

21:43 Concluding Thoughts and Next Steps

In this episode of The Beacon Way podcast, we're joined by Daniel Sorochkin, the founder and CEO of TakeOne. TakeOne is revolutionizing the way service providers create professional introduction videos, focusing on authenticity and trust in the digital world. Daniel shares insights from his previous venture, Tiny Giraffe Pictures, his transition to TakeOne, and the importance of maintaining customer service excellence. He also discusses overcoming early challenges, leveraging AI, and educating the next generation in an AI-influenced world. Join us as we explore these topics and more with Daniel.

https://www.takeone.video/

00:00 Welcome to the BeaconWay Podcast

00:13 Meet Daniel from TakeOne

00:54 The Story Behind Tiny Giraffe Pictures

03:09 The Birth of TakeOne

05:36 Challenges and Early Days

09:41 Ensuring Authenticity in the AI Era

21:21 Transitioning from Tiny Giraffe to TakeOne

26:02 Evolving as a CEO

28:56 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Join host Jennifer on the Beacon Way Podcast as she converses with Melissa Rosenthal about navigating market pivots, the challenges of being a woman entrepreneur, current market trends, and the impact of AI on marketing and business. Melissa shares her journey from media to B2B SaaS, her experience building Outleaver, and the importance of trusting your gut in career and market shifts. This episode dives into the shifting paradigms of marketing in today's world, the balance between human interaction and AI integration, and the evolving dynamics of business relationships.

 Melissa Rosenthal: linkedin.com/in/melissarosenthal5

Outlever: https://outlever.com/

00:00 Welcome and Introduction

00:27 Guest Introduction: Melissa Rosenthal

01:21 Melissa's Background and Career Journey

02:21 The Concept of Outleaver

04:54 The Importance of Trusting Your Gut

08:01 Challenges and Pivots in Business

14:12 The Role of AI in Marketing

20:32 Women in Leadership and Entrepreneurship

27:31 Conclusion and Parting Words

The Mental Health Business: You Must Do Well – To Do Good

Welcome to the Beacon Way Podcast Executive Series! In this insightful episode, we sit down with Christina Zampitella, owner of a successful mental health and behavioral health practice, to discuss her journey from launching her own practice to building a thriving group practice with the help of Beacon's marketing strategies.

Christina shares her compelling story about the challenges and triumphs of starting a new business during the uncertainties of COVID-19, finding the right marketing partner, and the importance of having a balance between helping people and ensuring financial stability. We dive deep into her experiences of leveraging Beacon's tailored marketing efforts, tracking feedback, and making pivotal decisions to maximize her impact on helping the community.

Discover the transformative power of authenticity, collaboration, and resilience from Christina’s personal anecdotes of overcoming hurdles in both professional and personal life, including her battle with cancer. She touches upon the significant role her podcast has played in expanding her reach and impacting more lives.

This episode is rich with valuable lessons on growth, partnership, and the meaningful pursuit of making a substantial impact in the mental health world. Whether you own a business or are looking for inspiration to fuel your passion, this discussion is not to be missed!

Guest name: Dr. Christina Zampitella, FT

Founder & Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Fellow of Thanatology 

Bio: I'm a thanatologist, which is a psychologist that specializes in trauma, death, loss, and grief. I've worked in mental health for almost 30 years in a variety of settings, working with bereaved individuals as well as people who are processing things like depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and more. I use an individualized approach that takes each persons' mind, body, and spirit into account. I also value diversity and enjoy working with people from all cultures, backgrounds, genders, and religions. I started Center for Grief and Trauma therapy in 2019 after experiencing loss and discovering a passion for thanatology. I realized there was a need for specialist grief and trauma support. Expertise and creativity are at the core of my practice and I lead the team with authenticity, vision, and passion. 

Links: https://www.centerforgrieftherapy.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-jU_InSFb-lXZhRkWaDDIw

00:00 Welcome to the Beacon Way Podcast

00:57 Christina's Journey with Beacon

02:00 Navigating Business and Marketing Challenges

03:59 The Impact of Effective Marketing

06:02 Collaboration and Continuous Improvement

10:09 Personal and Professional Growth

19:30 Overcoming Challenges and Building Relationships

28:15 Unexpected Podcast Success

29:18 Embracing Authenticity

30:12 Balancing Personal Disclosure

31:47 The Power of Storytelling

32:57 Navigating Professional Boundaries

35:17 Impact of Authenticity

37:20 Podcasting and Community Building

38:09 Finding Meaning in Loss

39:32 Challenges and Growth

41:43 Rediscovering Purpose

53:05 Advice to My Younger Self

Building Resilience and Disrupting HR with Chrissy Myers | The Beacon Way Podcast

In this episode of The Beacon Way Podcast, host Adrian welcomes Chrissy Myers, CEO of AUI and Clarity HR, and author of 'Reluctantly Resilient'. Chrissy shares her journey of taking over and scaling her family business, starting a new venture, and leading through personal and professional challenges. They discuss the importance of resilience, authenticity in leadership, and navigating the evolving HR landscape. Tune in to hear Chrissy's insights on managing generational businesses, the impact of the pandemic on work environments, and the critical role of peer groups for business leaders.

About Chrissy Myers: 

Chrissy is the author of Reluctantly Resilient and the CEO of AUI and Clarity HR which serve small and medium sized businesses in both for profit and non-profit sectors in the areas of Human Resources and Employee Benefits.  Chrissy describes herself as the chief cheerleader setting direction, steering marketing content, and finding creative ways to disrupt two established business sectors.  Chrissy is also the author of AUI Gives Back & Clarity Cares two community impact programs where employees serve in the community, track their impact and share what they are doing on behalf of their customers.  

Around Akron Chrissy works to leave her community a better place.  She is a graduate of Leadership Ohio, Torchbearers, Leadership Akron, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Sclaerator NEO and Community Leadership Institute.  She has received the 30 for the Future Award from the Greater Akron Chamber and an Achievement on Excellence Award from National Sales and Marketing Executives.  

As an advocate for families struggling with addiction and mental health issues, Chrissy currently serves as Chair for the County of Summit Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board, and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Akron Chamber and Goodwill Industries of Northeast Ohio.  Previously Chrissy has served on the Board or Committees for Jobs for Ohio Graduates, Red Oak Behavioral Health, Community Partnership of Summit County, and Social Venture Partners. 

Chrissy received her bachelor’s in business administration from John Carroll University and her MBA from the University of Akron.  When she is not plotting world domination of the insurance industry or volunteering in the community Chrissy can be found at home with Team Awesome Sauce including Steve, her husband, two kiddos - Maddy & Caleb. 

 Purchase Chrissy’s Book Here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4RHL17L?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_4FJ68Q15WSE8XVMMHHCQ&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_4FJ68Q15WSE8XVMMHHCQ&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_4FJ68Q15WSE8XVMMHHCQ&bestFormat=true

00:00 Introduction to the Beacon Way Podcast

00:46 Chrissy Myers' Background and Journey

01:57 Generational Business and AUI's History

04:11 Launching Clarity HR

07:07 Navigating HR Challenges During COVID-19

14:54 Resilience and Leadership as a CEO

18:16 Navigating Entrepreneurial Challenges

18:40 The Myth of Perfection in Business

19:25 Authenticity in Leadership

20:08 Balancing Transparency and Leadership

20:56 Building Resilient Teams

23:05 The Reality of Startup Life

24:53 Managing Growth and Transitions

26:41 The Entrepreneurial Mindset

34:32 The Importance of Peer Groups

In this episode of the Beacon Way podcast, host Jennifer is joined by Colin Jeffries to delve into various aspects of marketing within the healthcare and behavioral health sectors. They discuss Colin's podcast, the 'Rethink Marketing Podcast,' which has reached six successful seasons. Colin shares his journey in healthcare marketing, starting from his tenure at an orthopedic sports medicine practice to his current leadership role at BrightView Health. They talk about the transformative influence of telehealth and the evolving marketing strategies in the addiction treatment industry. Colin emphasizes the importance of optimizing conversion rates and collaborating with other providers to enhance the overall industry. They also touch on the impact and ethical considerations of AI in marketing. The episode concludes with insights into Colin's book 'Collecting Jelly Beans' and how to connect with him.

Unmasking the Behavioral Health Crisis: An In-Depth Discussion with TPN Health's Trevor Colhoun

Join your host Jennifer on The Beacon Way Podcast as she chats with Trevor Colhoun from TPN Health Trusted Provider Network. In this episode, they delve into the complexities of the behavioral health market, discussing issues with insurance, matching patients with the right care, and the role of marketing. Trevor shares the foundation and mission of TPN Health, aiming to bring transparency, connectivity, and value to the behavioral health ecosystem. Learn about the current frustrations, the disconnect between providers, insurance companies, and patients, and discover innovative solutions that TPN Health is implementing to drive better outcomes in behavioral health.

From Battle to Balance: A Veteran's Journey Through EMDR and Therapy

Join Jennifer on The Beacon Way Podcast as she delves into an enlightening conversation with Christopher Brown of Peak Psychotherapy. Christopher shares his compelling journey from military service and battling PTSD to becoming a licensed therapist specializing in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Learn about the profound impact of EMDR on trauma recovery, the science behind its effectiveness, and its connections to ancient healing practices. Additionally, discover how psychedelic-assisted therapy is emerging as a powerful complementary tool in the realm of mental health. Christopher provides a deep dive into these therapeutic modalities and emphasizes the importance of integration and community support in the healing process. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in innovative approaches to mental health and trauma recovery.

Guest Christoper Brown 

linkedin.com/in/cdbrownvet

Websites

• peakpsychotherapy.co (Company)
• growingveterans.org (Company)

Email

[email protected]

https://www.peakpsychotherapy.co/

https://growingveterans.org/