Andrew Schafer is passionate about helping people break through life’s struggles. Having worked in mental health roles throughout the Lansing area since 2012, Andrew launched his private practice in East Lansing. Guided by his philosophy of “Don’t try harder, try different,” Andrew helps clients explore new coping skills that help them move forward and grow through their struggles.

In 2019, Andrew established Mid-Michigan Therapy, creating a collaborative culture by renting space to other therapists. Andrew’s mission became clear: to give therapists the supportive network he wished he had received when starting out. However, like many mental health professionals, Andrew quickly realized that his therapy degree hadn’t prepared him for the business side of entrepreneurship, particularly marketing and community outreach.

That’s when Andrew connected with the Michigan SBDC at Lansing Community College and Business Consultant Dr. Janet Atkinson. “Janet has been really helpful. She has given me the confidence and coached me through what networking really looks like,” said Andrew. “The guy that was trained as a therapist has never really taken a business course, and so this modeling of what it looks like to grow my business has been invaluable.”

Janet became Andrew’s go-to contact, providing ongoing support through online meetings whenever he needed guidance. After practicing new skills, Andrew would reach back out with the next challenge, creating a sustainable cycle of learning and growth.

“The confidence level has gone way up. Learning how to put our name out there along with how to follow up and reach out to connections of people who would really benefit from our services has been huge,” Andrew explained.

The impact has been transformative for Mid-Michigan Therapy. Andrew now confidently networks and markets his collaborative therapy practice, ensuring that both his services and those of his partner therapists reach the community members who need them most.

“It is really nice to be able to say I have experience with the Michigan SBDC at LCC, really just to have somebody to bounce ideas off with and help you get the ball rolling,” said Andrew. “It’s really hard to beat free.”