Our answer was clear: unions, blue-collar industries, construction workers, electricians, first responders, etc. Don’t get me wrong, of course many people need better mental health solutions, but these particular groups were facing an undeniable crisis. Construction alone has the highest suicide rate of any industry. Addiction rates are alarmingly high. Pain reliever abuse in the field is the worst in the country. And when surveyed, 83% of workers in the industry reported struggling with moderate to severe mental health issues. Traditional mental health solutions weren’t working for them, and treatments like ketamine-assisted therapy, SGB, and TMS could. So we doubled down on them. Once we found our niche, focused on impact & went all in - one by one, companies started to see the value & get on board. Year 6: Explosion This year, our growth is skyrocketing. Some of the largest unions in the country are interested and signing up. We’ve built something that matters, something that works. But it took years of resilience, some tweaks, and staying true to the mission.
cases. If we had stuck with the approach of what we thought was “safe” and familiar with Enthea, we wouldn’t have made any real impact.
The Road Ahead
Even after a couple of years with Enthea, I’m comfortably going to say we are just getting started. The mental health crisis isn’t going away, and traditional solutions aren’t fixing it. We’re here to change that. If you’re a founder, an entrepreneur, or someone trying to create meaningful change - stay the course. The early years are brutal. The challenges will make you question everything. But if you focus on impact, adapt when necessary, and refuse to quit, the growth will come.
Take it from me - I’ve been there.
Lessons for Founders
Looking back, here’s what I wish I had known when we started: Find the people who need you most. Not just the biggest names or the most prestigious clients - the ones who are truly in pain and searching for a solution. Those are the people you need to serve first. 1. Your mission can stay the same, but your strategy must evolve. If we had insisted on making Enthea work as a nonprofit, we wouldn’t be here today. Adapt or die. 2. Relentless focus beats chasing opportunities. Once we committed to serving unions and blue-collar industries, our traction got a massive boost. 3. Innovate where traditional methods fail. Mental health care is broken for many people. Ketamine- assisted therapy (KAT) and Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) provide real hope for treatment-resistant 4.
Byline:
Sherry Rais is the Founder and CEO of Enthea, the leading provider of innovative mental health benefits for workplaces and beyond. Passionate about reducing human suffering, she is dedicated to expanding access to breakthrough treatments for employees, employers, and individuals seeking better mental health solutions. Learn more at Enthea 45
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