As a social worker, you make a beneficial impact on society and improve the lives of the countless individuals that you serve. Unfortunately, it’s no secret that social workers aren’t rewarded very well in terms of income, so you might be thinking about possible entrepreneurial ventures.
In a society that is becoming more competitive and expensive, social workers are left to feel the effects all too keenly. Fortunately, you don’t have to sit back and let the world push you in whatever direction it wants. In fact, anyone who has worked as a social worker has key skills that can help them in a variety of entrepreneurial pursuits.
However, it can sometimes be scary to take the leap and leave social work for the life of an entrepreneur. Thankfully, being exposed to some key business ventures that are perfect for those coming from the social work profession can make it much simpler.
Here are entrepreneurial ventures for seasoned social work professionals.
Rehabilitation Centers
While social workers can differ in their specialties and the types of people they serve, anyone who has been in the role long enough has dealt with addiction and the devastating effects that it can have on people’s lives.
This being the case, social workers know how meaningful and important rehabilitation centers can be in people’s lives. This makes this type of business the perfect entrepreneurial venture for social workers because it allows you to help others while also growing a business and making a better salary.
Therapy Private Practice
Social workers — especially clinical social workers — often engage in many of the same practices that therapists do in order to help the people they serve. As a result, social workers already have a good idea of what it takes to be a therapist and the processes involved in the profession. What many don’t know, however, is that therapy can be a great route to entrepreneurial success.
In the same way that nurse practitioners can open private practices, therapists too can open their own businesses. Social workers intent on engaging in work similar to social work can find what they’re looking for by becoming qualified as therapists and opening private practices.
Mental Health Technology
Social workers are well aware of the importance of good mental health in living a fulfilling life. Fortunately, society’s views have caught up over the last decade and many now prioritize mental health and mental health care more than ever before. Social workers intent on pursuing entrepreneurship currently have the power to tap into these sentiments through a mental health technology business.
Whether it’s a device that helps individuals feel present or a mobile app that encourages people to engage in mentally healthy behaviors, an entrepreneurial pursuit like this can be impactful and lucrative. This being the case, any social worker looking to make an impact and find success as an entrepreneur should think about starting a mental health technology business.
Social Work Consultancy
If you’re keen on utilizing all of the skills and knowledge you’ve developed during your career as a social worker in your entrepreneurial venture, consulting might be your calling. Essentially, organizations such as non-profits often need insights pertaining to matters that social workers are familiar with. As such, social work consultants can command lucrative pay for the expertise they can provide to various organizations.
One amazing aspect of this type of business is that it doesn’t require social workers to leave their career space. Rather, they simply provide the same type of insights in a different way while being able to command better salaries and make an impact on a bigger scale.
Life Coach Business
The duties of life coaches are closely related to those of social workers in many ways. Essentially, life coaches provide clients with guidance that helps them better their lives in keyways and in key areas, such as careers and relationships. Often, social workers provide the same type of help in different contexts.
Social workers looking to start a business that doesn’t involve a lot of moving parts can become life coaches who offer their services privately. Though it will take some effort to find clients, once this is done, social workers can continue to improve the lives of others in meaningful ways while also being an entrepreneur.
Social Workers Have the Skills to Thrive as Entrepreneurs
Though many don’t typically associate social workers with entrepreneurship, the truth is that social workers have a variety of skills and key insights that can help them succeed in entrepreneurial ventures. From taking the leap and crafting mental health technology to starting slow as a social work consultant, there are endless opportunities for social workers to find entrepreneurial success.
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