For Danesha Baldwin, LMSW, the path to becoming a therapist grew out of years of experience serving people navigating some of life’s most difficult circumstances. As the founder of I Got You Therapy (IGYT), she brings 17 years of experience in the social sciences, a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a commitment to supporting individuals through life’s challenges.
Her professional background spans outpatient mental health clinics, inpatient behavioral health facilities serving military service members and their families, and correctional settings. Licensed in both Tennessee and Kansas, Danesha has also spent more than a decade serving active-duty service members, military families, and veterans through her work with the Department of Defense.
Now, as she looks toward the next chapter for I Got You Therapy, Danesha is building on that experience with a vision for continued growth and expanded impact.
Through Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills’ Commerce Uplift Cohort 3, Danesha had the opportunity to strengthen her business foundation and think more intentionally about what comes next. The business plan was the most valuable part of the 12-week program, helping her consider the strategies and decisions needed to move her vision forward.
The experience also strengthened her confidence in several areas of entrepreneurship, including financial management, identifying funding opportunities, communicating her business’s value, and making strategic decisions.
Expanding the Vision
One of Danesha’s longer-term goals is to develop a nonprofit branch of I Got You Therapy, creating an opportunity to explore new ways of extending the practice’s reach and impact.
Bringing that vision to life will take thoughtful planning, from defining the nonprofit’s purpose and structure to identifying the resources and funding needed to support its work. Commerce Uplift offered space to strengthen the business-planning skills that can help Danesha explore those possibilities.
At the same time, she is focused on practical steps to grow the existing practice. Her goals include building consistency on social media, publishing a planner or journal, and increasing her client caseload.
Together, these priorities reflect a vision that includes strengthening the practice while exploring new ways to connect with and support more people.
Turning Plans Into Progress
For Danesha, growth means more than having a vision. It also means identifying the resources, relationships, and strategies that can help turn that vision into action.
She identified continued one-on-one business coaching, strategic planning, financial guidance, and access-to-capital support as valuable resources for her next stage of growth. She also highlighted the value of connecting with fellow entrepreneurs and learning from guest speakers throughout the program.
Danesha rated her overall Commerce Uplift experience five out of five and specifically noted the hybrid format as something worth keeping for future cohorts. The flexibility of that format can help entrepreneurs balance business development with the many other responsibilities that shape their lives.
As Danesha prepares for a new chapter that includes relocating to Virginia, we celebrate the experience and perspective she brought to Commerce Uplift Cohort 3. Her journey is a reminder that building a business involves both strengthening what exists today and making room for what it could become.
We’re grateful Danesha and I Got You Therapy were part of the Commerce Uplift community, and we wish her and her family all the best as they begin this next chapter. We look forward to seeing how her vision continues to grow.
