Delegation, Burnout, and Building a Healthy Workplace Culture
Today’s guest is Alison Pidgeon, licensed therapist, serial entrepreneur, and founder & CEO of Move Forward Counseling. With over 20 years in mental health and six years consulting for private practices, Alison shares her journey of growing a thriving group practice, the leadership lessons she’s learned, and why mental health belongs at the center of workplace culture.

Takeaways:

• Delegation Fuels Growth: Avoid becoming the bottleneck—systems and trust make scaling possible.
• Culture Must Be Intentional: Values can’t just live on the wall; they must be built into daily operations.
• Consistency Creates Safety: Showing up with steadiness and transparency earns employee trust.
• Mental Health Matters at Work: Normalize conversations, provide flexibility, and encourage employees to seek help.
• Burnout Has Warning Signs: Self-awareness, feedback, and simple breaks can prevent overwhelm.
• Think Bigger: Don’t limit your business by your first vision—growth often exceeds expectations.

Quote of the Show:
“I’m really holding back the growth of my business if I don’t delegate.” – Alison Pidgeon

What problem can the listeners help you solve?

• Alison is seeking licensed therapists in the Pittsburgh area as Move Forward Counseling expands its offices and services.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Business Growth Strategies
03:18 Building a Strong Company Culture
07:11 Leadership and Employee Engagement
12:45 Mental Health Awareness for Entrepreneurs
15:18 Recognizing Burnout and Its Signs
17:20 Overcoming Mental Barriers in Business
19:38 Mental Toughness vs. Emotional Avoidance
21:00 Finding Clarity When Feeling Stuck
22:55 Practical Steps for Improving Emotional Health
24:29 The Power of Kindness
26:21 Challenges in Hiring Therapists
27:08 Future Vision for the Practice
28:50 Journey to Becoming a Therapist
30:56 Consulting and Business Growth
32:27 Navigating Growth in Practice
34:40 Overcoming Delegation Fears
36:42 Building Trust in Delegation
38:13 Advice to My Younger Self
39:52 Balancing Work and Family Life
41:39 Recommended Reads for Growth
43:28 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information

Links:

• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-pidgeon/
• Website: https://moveforwardpa.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Transistor: https://steelcitygrowth.live/ 
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4SBtiD6wOmd2EFCYh4PW3Z 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/steel-city-growth/id1806713142 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/42813799-b7e8-432a-a9d5-aa6d67b8f8f3/steel-city-growth 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/steel-city-growth-6053619 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SteelCityGrowth