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Sladja Redner always wanted to be a therapist, and when she was done with graduate school. She knew she had different options, but her ultimate dream was opening a private practice. Even though after graduation she was advised to work for an agency, it didn't feel aligned with her goals, so she went on and started her entrepreneurial journey. Sladja explained that her path through entrepreneurship had few obstacles because she had surrounded herself with a great community and mentors. It was on this journey that she learned to trust herself and follow her purpose. It was all about following what was right for her, not what society thought she should be doing.
Right now, her business is focused on psychotherapy and life coaching services. She has started offering single sessions and long term therapy. She targeted an audience/client that often didn't know they wanted therapy or anyone who wanted to be able to work on their own personal development.
Though Sladja has learned how to cultivate and grow a successful business in psychotherapy, her journey to becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t always linear. Sladja shared that some of the biggest obstacles she experienced at the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey were self-doubt and learning how to manage a business - something that wasn't addressed in graduate school. She learned that practicing patience and giving herself time to learn new skills is an important asset for long-term success.
In Sladja’s perspective, there is no business without community. In order for a business to flourish, there has to be a community who stands behind it. The purpose of a business that focuses on private practices is to build a network through community in order to reach those in need of such services.
It is important to lead with strengths and values, as people can identify them and consciously apply them to their business and personal lives. In the case of Sladja, she had great clarity about her strengths, which included being an optimistic person who is always keen to find the next big growth opportunity. That optimistic lens has helped her navigate through her entrepreneurial journey and allowed her to see obstacles as opportunities to progress towards her end goals.
Moreover, Sladja has incorporated her personal values of freedom and personal development into Inner Becoming. As she aligns her personal values with her business, she will be able to take on her tasks with purpose and meaning and is likely to be more motivated to stay committed to her business and feel fulfilled.
It is also worth noting that after starting a business, a person's strengths can change. Sladja has continued to develop new strengths like perseverance, resilience, and adaptability. By recognizing each new strength, she will continue to grow her business.
Sladja thrives best through routine and having structure within her schedule. Her schedule consists of seeing clients from Monday through Thursday and she spends her Fridays catching up with emails and having meetings. She takes the weekend off to spend time with her loved ones.
Sladja’s future for her business is to develop a service that is not so dependent on time that way she is able to develop new streams of passive income. She hopes to improve the overall experiences of her clients through developing new products that cater to their needs.
Through her experiences, Sladja interprets the meaning of entrepreneurship as having freedom. Not only does she view entrepreneurship as a gateway to financial freedom but also as an access key to exploring your passions and interests freely. Being self-reliant and trusting her intuitions are key components that have guided through her entrepreneurial journey.
About The Authors:
Sabrina Flores '26
Textiles and Apparel Design
Alexa Escorriola '26
International Relations
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