Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Hershey.
Hi Jen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When you’re 38 and starting a new business, you tend to reflect on how you even got here. So here’s my story. It started in my 20s which was a wild ride. I always knew deep down that I wanted to help people, but I was so lost that I couldn’t figure out my own path. I even did one of those career counseling things before college and it told me I should be a counselor, but I was like, “nah, that’s too boring.” So I bounced around majors in college and eventually landed on psychology because it seemed like a safe bet. After graduation, I went to New Zealand for a year to try and find myself, but all I found was a dude (who didn’t end up being the one). Back home, I was living with my parents, working an unfulfilling job, and feeling that deep directionless again.
It wasn’t until I met my husband that things started to click for me. I know, I know, I don’t need a man to define me, but for me, having a solid partner was the key to feeling secure enough to pursue my passion. And that passion, it turns out, was counseling.
After finishing grad school, I had to grind through 3000 hours of experience before I could take my licensing exam, three months postpartum with my first baby… Let me tell you, that was a tough road. But I learned so much about myself, my boundaries, and what makes a healthy work environment.
Eventually, I started my own private practice and focused on treating women with disordered eating and postpartum issues. Then the pandemic hit, and suddenly I had to figure out how to do therapy online with a second brand-new baby at home. Like for many, it was rough, but I actually enjoyed the freedom of virtual therapy.
And now, after a lot of hard work, I have made an adjacent career move and launched an app called How We Get Thru. It’s a mental wellness app that offers short courses by licensed therapists, and I’m so excited to be able to help people on a larger scale. It’s been a crazy journey, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being an entrepreneur is anything but smooth sailing, let me tell you! The idea for our How We Get Thru app was born back in January 2022, and since then, it’s been a wild ride. Trying to navigate the whole app world while ensuring we connect mental health and tech ethically has been a steep learning curve. But we’re proud of the product we’ve developed, one that fills gaps in mental health support for those dealing with specific issues like imposter syndrome or mom guilt. While technology has advanced mental health support, we’ve also realized the importance of the therapeutic relationship between the client and therapist. Our app doesn’t aim to replace it but rather support it. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, though. Balancing our regular jobs, two little kids under 4, and developing the app has been challenging. But with my husband as the Chief Technology Operator responsible for all things tech, we’ve made a great team.
We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with incredible therapists for the app, whose insight and guidance have been invaluable. Helping them with their scripts has been an eye-opening experience for me, and I’ve learned a lot that I can apply to my own life. It’s a privilege to support them in their work and to help women who don’t have to go it alone.
We’ve successfully completed a beta round and are thrilled to announce that the How We Get Thru app is now live and available to everyone. It was a nail-biting rush to get everything done, but now the real work begins. Our focus is on deciphering the data we’ve gathered so far and improving our subscriber conversion rates. To get the word out, we might even earn ourselves a quick MBA in marketing. We’re excited for the challenges ahead and can’t wait to see where this journey takes us!
We’ve been impressed with How We Get Thru, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our business is all about mental wellness and personal growth, and we’re known for our awesome app called How We Get Thru. It’s a one-stop-shop for all things mental health and wellness. Our six-month and annual subscriptions come with curated 30-minute courses created by licensed therapists that can be watched, listened to, or read on your own time. With new courses added each month, you can continue your self-development journey without breaking the bank or feel strapped for time. We also have daily check-ins, mental health tips, and even a journal section to help you keep track of your own growth. What sets us apart from other mental health apps out there is our commitment to legit self-help and empowering women to find what works for them. We know that mental health is not one-size-fits-all, so we offer a variety of courses to get you the answers you need to get thru and an amazing therapist directory to get you the right fit.
I’m really proud of our app’s mission to make mental health resources more accessible and inclusive for everyone. We’re a small husband and wife team (one therapist and one tech guy) who know firsthand the issues we are all dealing with and want to add to the therapeutic experience. We created the How We Get Thru app out of a need we saw for reliable and trustworthy mental health resources that are accessible right at your fingertips- when and where you need it.
So if you’re looking for a supportive resource to help you get through life’s ups and downs, then check us out! We’re here to help you get thru it all!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
When it comes to achieving success, there are a few characteristics that stand out to me. The first one might seem obvious, but it’s a game-changer: perseverance. Doubt is so natural when you’re building something from scratch, but it’s essential to keep pushing forward when it creeps up. For us, we were able to address our doubts together and set a timeline for launch, even promoting the app before it was fully developed to keep us motivated and focused on our goals. There were definitely challenges and pivots along the way, but those experiences ultimately got us to where we needed to be. Another characteristic is asking for help.
To be honest, I’ve always been the type of person who supports others, whether that’s in the therapy room or just cheering on my friends. But when it came to creating the app, it took a lot of personal growth for me to invite others into the process and allow them to support me. I learned that we can’t create something impactful in a vacuum, and the outpouring of support we received was the best feeling. By building a community and involving others in our process, we were able to gain traction and achieve our goals.
And that brings me to the last characteristic that I think is crucial for success: self-awareness. I know it might sound a little therapist-y, but hear me out. Being aware of my own thoughts, feelings, and actions has been instrumental in making the right decisions, learning from my mistakes, and creating healthy work boundaries. Self-awareness is an ongoing process, but trust me, it’s so worth it.
Pricing:
- 6- month subscription $69.99
- Annual subscription 119.99
- Individual Course $49.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.howwegetthru.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/howwegetthru
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howwegetthru
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-we-get-thru-llc/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@howwegetthru_?_t=8VtkgjVXoAo&_r=1
