We had the good fortune of connecting with Francine Bejarano and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Francine, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I was in graduate school, I always envisioned having my own private practice. I saw working for myself as the ultimate goal and a mark of success in the field. While it’s possible to start a private practice immediately after graduation, it would have to be cash-pay, which can be difficult to sustain without another source of income. To build financial stability and a steady client base, I chose to work at two group practices.

However, one of those practices was led by someone who was not transparent about how the business was run. During the United Healthcare data breach, our practice was significantly affected, bringing existing issues to light. A lack of communication, delayed payments, and ultimately unpaid wages forced me to rethink my path. Through a series of difficult interactions with the business owner, I realized I didn’t want to rely on someone else for my financial security. If a mistake was going to impact my income, I wanted it to be mine—not someone else’s.

That experience pushed me to take control of my career and start my own practice. I wanted the freedom to run my business with integrity, transparency, and the ability to provide for myself without being at the mercy of others.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started my private practice, Palette of Hope Counseling, last year after a difficult experience at a group practice made me realize I wanted more control over my career. One of the biggest challenges in this journey has been building something entirely from scratch, on my own. While I’ve been fortunate to have the support of my friends and partner, ultimately, this practice is mine. I had to dig deep to authentically represent who I am—both as a person and a clinician—and ensure that vision resonated with potential clients.

I’ve learned that private practice can be a solitary journey. Having always worked in collaborative team settings, stepping into this world on my own was a significant adjustment. One of the toughest challenges I’ve faced is overcoming my shyness and nervousness when meeting new people. In private practice, referrals from other clinicians are highly valuable—not just for business growth, but also for consultations and combating the loneliness that can come with running a solo practice.

As someone who has always identified as an introvert, I’ve naturally preferred spending time alone or in small groups of one or two people. But building my practice has pushed me to step outside my comfort zone. I’ve attended multiple networking events, introduced myself to countless new people, and repeatedly spoken about my work. While this has been incredibly difficult, it’s also something I now deeply value in myself as I continue to grow more comfortable with it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Luckily my closest and best friends live in the area so I get to enjoy this city with them on a regular basis. One of the things we love to do and first on my list is hiking. There are so many wonderful places along the Front Range to hike and get away from the city right into the heart of nature. My favorite trails are Lake Isabelle via Pawnee Pass Trailhead & Frazer Meadow. They are both within an hour of Denver and make you feel like you’re in another world with breathtaking views. Within the city I love frequenting coffee shops such as Beleza in Boulder and Legacy Pie on Tennyson in Denver. These are quaint, small businesses with comfortable spaces to set up for a few hours and chat about our lives while sipping coffee and eating pie.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my boyfriend, Scott. I met him the same year I started my educational journey in 2014, and from day one, he has been my biggest supporter. We both remember a moment when he was driving me to school, and he told me, “One day, we’ll look back on this moment and remember it was all worth it. All your hard work is going to pay off.”

When I started applying to graduate schools, he was incredibly supportive, even offering to help me financially if I chose to go out of state. When I decided to stay in-state, Scott suggested we move in together to help lower living costs. Throughout my undergraduate experience, I had been working full-time, but when I began my graduate program, I realized that continuing to work those same hours—especially in an industry I had no passion for—would leave me resenting my daily life. After a long discussion, Scott and I agreed that I would step back from full-time work and focus solely on school. It was a deeply moving moment to have someone who cared for me so much offer such unwavering support. Since graduating, he has continued to champion me in pursuing my dream of becoming a business owner.

I also want to recognize my best friend, Sara, who was in my graduate program and started at the same time I did. We met in our first semester and quickly became inseparable. She has been my rock—we’ve bonded over 20-page papers, group presentations, role-plays, and late-night classes. Beyond school, we’ve supported each other through life’s ups and downs, sharing similar childhood and family dynamics. She has become the sister I never had, and I am eternally grateful that, during our first semester group presentation, she decided we would be friends.

Website: https://www.paletteofhopecounseling.com

Image Credits
Canva- Practice pictures AI generated by Francine Bejarano
Room- Provided by Boulder Healing Hub

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