Balancing Business and Mental Health with Justine, Founder of Mentally a Badass

Episode Summary: In this episode of BizBlend, Reema sits down with Justine, the founder of Mentally a Badass, to explore the challenges and rewards of managing multiple businesses while navigating mental health struggles. Justine shares her personal journey with bipolar 2 and borderline personality disorder (BPD), discussing the tools and strategies she uses to stay organized and maintain her well-being. She emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, vulnerability, and rest in her entrepreneurial journey. The conversation also covers the growth of her brand from a podcast to a clothing line, the importance of transparency in business, and how vulnerability helps build a strong community. About the Guest: Justine is the founder of Mentally a Badass, a mental health-focused brand that includes a podcast, clothing line, and an Instagram community. She started the podcast to have raw and open conversations about mental health, aiming to reduce stigma and make others feel less alone. As someone who has lived with bipolar 2 and BPD, Justine integrates her personal experiences into her business, offering an authentic and relatable voice. Her brand emphasizes the power of vulnerability, self-awareness, and mental health advocacy. Listeners can visit her website - mentallyabadass.com to check her podcasts, clothing line and other resources. Key Takeaways: Managing Mental Health in Business: Justine emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and using tools like Google Calendar and Asana to manage stress and stay organized in order to prevent episodes of bipolar disorder. Building Vulnerability in Branding: Justine shares how embracing vulnerability and transparency in her podcast and brand has helped foster a supportive and engaged community, especially around mental health topics. Importance of Rest and Self-Care: Justine highlights the value of taking rest when needed, especially as an entrepreneur, and being at peace with mental health challenges. Running her own business allows her to take the necessary time off when required. Coping Mechanisms for Anger and BPD: She discusses her personal coping mechanisms for managing anger and borderline personality disorder, including therapy and physical outlets like using a teddy bear to release emotions. Leveraging Personal Struggles for Success: Justine shares how she turns personal struggles into growth opportunities for her business and how she reframes failures as learning experiences.