Emily Gordon, Founder of Dr. Emily Gordon
Name: Emily Gordon
Founder: Dr. Emily Gordon
What's your elevator pitch? (Ie. In one sentence, what do you do?)
I am a psychologist who helps teens and women tune into themselves, tune out all the external noise, and find strategies to heal, accept themselves, and find meaning, hope, and connection.
What's your story? Share how you got to where you are and WHY it is you do what you do.
I am a licensed clinical psychologist and have been treating adolescents, young adults and women of all ages for almost 25 years. I have become an expert in treating eating disorders and helping people heal their relationships with their bodies, food, exercise, and themselves (all of which deepens relationships with others). I do this work because it is so profound to be able to walk along someone in their life journey and help them find their way through. I always knew I wanted to "help" people, but I never realized how much helping others would enrich me along the way.
I truly love what I do, and yet as I raise my own teenagers (now young adults-ish), I find myself tuning into parents and how hard it is to parent teenagers when there is so much stress and pressure coming at all of us from everywhere. I want to create supports for parents to understand their teens, take care of themselves while parenting their teens and to build relationships with their teens that are strong. My WHY is that I know the value of parenting for myself and my family, and I have seen that over time what parents do and how they respond to challenges can make all the difference. Parenting matters SO much, and we can't do it alone.
What does BEING a FoundHer mean to you?
Being a FoundHer is an opportunity for me to connect with and learn from other women who are creating meaningful businesses. I am hoping it will inspire me to keep moving forward with new ideas and programs that will serve more people. While I have run a small business for many years, there is so much I don't know about building it and helping it grow, and I want to learn from others.
How do you support other female founders and women in business?
I support young clinicians in my field through supervision and consultation. One of my favorite things to do each year is to go to my local high school on Career Day and talk about what it is like to become and to be a psychologist. And I am always eager to meet, connect with, and connect other women business owners so we can all learn and grow together!
What are three podcasts you listen to that have helped you with your business?
The Business of Therapy
The Business Savvy Therapist
The Goal Digger Podcast
(and of course Dear FoundHer)
What is ONE BOOK that you would recommend every female business owner read?
Oh boy, I don't have only one! But on my list are: The Pivot Year by Brianna Wiest, Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale, and Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
Who is a female entrepreneur you look up to and why?
I always say the person I want to be when I grow up is Dr. Lisa Damour. I admire how she has maintained her academic integrity and her expertise but has found a way to share her important knowledge and ideas with so many people who need it and benefit from it.
What are the first five things that you did when you were starting your business?
1. I rented office space from a friend even when I had no patients to see
2. I made sure I had all my forms and documents ready to go
3. I printed business cards and thank you stationery
4. I got an EIN (Tax ID) and opened a business bank account
5. I started telling colleagues I was avaialble
Who is someone who has helped change or shape your business for the better and what did they do to help you?
There is not one person but two groups of people. The first are those that believe in me and give me the confidence that I can do it and be successful. The second are my peers from many peer supervision groups I have been in over the years. Together we can problem-solve, share resources, and support each other.
At what point did you make your company a full time gig? How did you know the time was right?
For many years I worked mostly at a hospital and in my private practice on the side. 21 years ago I was trying to build a family and I realized the stress of my full time work was impacting my health and personal goals. So I decided if I really wanted to build my life the way I wanted to, I would have to launch my private practice full time.
What lesson or skill did you take with you from a prior job to help you succeed in your role today?
The most important thing I learned from my first jobs is the importance of good quality care. If I focus on the individual in front of me, and provide effective, attuned treatment, that will help the person I am working with and others in their life. I will feel confident in my skills and slowly I will become known for my expertise. I also learned the importance of collaboration and communication with other colleagues and team members. This has served me well consistently over time. I make the effort to connect with other providers working with the person I am treating, I thank my referral sources, and I always take the time to offer referrals to individuals who reach out to me even if I can't serve them myself.
Let’s talk social media—who handles it for your company (you, an internal team member, an outsourced solution?) and what is the secret to making it successful? What is the biggest challenge?
I don't really use it! And I handle it all myself. The biggest challenge for me is finding the balance between my personal and professional selves. Also, as a licensed healthcare provider I am beholden to a code of ethics that makes engaging in social media very challenging. That said, I know I need to begin to put content out on social media platforms if I truly want to amplify my message. The thing I have found the most useful about social media is connecting with like minded women who have turned out to be both personal and professional relationships.
How did you land your first client?
My first clients in private practice were people I was working with in my full time job and they decided to continue working with me when their time in the program came to an end.
What is something you do differently from the industry standard?
I think what sets me apart as a therapist is my capacity to connect with each person as an individual, to be nonjudgemental and to balance insight and awareness with practical skills and strategies. I am hoping to bring my clinical skills to a broader audience by educating parents about their teenagers in a way that is accessible, practical and relevant.
What would you do differently if you were starting your business today?
The only thing I would do differently would be to find a group of providers that I could share an office suite with so I wouldn't feel so alone on a day-to-day basis.
What are three strategies you use to market your business, grow brand awareness and generate bottom line growth?
I don't really market my therapy practice, but if I had to say how I do it is by providing excellent care to the people I work with and connecting with collateral providers who then get to know me and my work and refer others. I am starting to write more and post on social media so I can share my expertise. I hope to do more outreach to organizations that may have opportunities for speaking.
What was an obstacle you overcame to get your business where it is today? Please share the story behind it.
In the middle of the covid pandemic, I found myself overwhelmed and burnt out by the influx of people needing therapy and the long hours spent isolated and in front of my computer screen providing care. At the same time, my own kids were entering high school and I didn't have the time or the energy but I wanted to be present for them. Somewhere along the way I realized I have the power to say Yes or No to new clients and that I can decide when and how I am available to work. I made a slight change when I decided I was no longer going to work after 4pm (most days) so that I could be more available for my family. I reminded myself this didn't have to be forever, but it was what I needed at that time. It was life-changing. Not only did it give me the power to set boundaries for myself and to have more time and energy for my own kids who I really wanted and needed to be with, but it led to different kinds of referrals. I found myself so excited to be able to work with women navigating life changes and parents needing help with their own emotions and raising teenagers.
What are three actionable tips you would give with other women who want to start a business or are just getting started?
1. Start somewhere - don't wait for the perfect time or idea or anything, just do something
2. Lots of positive self-talk - "I can do this", "Why me - why NOT me?", "I have something to offer"
3. Make sure your business is just one part of your life - we need time away to rest, recharge and be re-inspired
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