After spending 20 years at IBM, Becky DeGrossa walked away from her corporate career in 2003 to pursue a path she felt more passionate about. More than two decades later, a venture she initially started while working as a therapist has grown into a company that generated $2 million, or approximately Rs 18 crore, in revenue by June 2026.
DeGrossa was previously employed as a consultant and managing principal at IBM before deciding to resign. Although she had attained a senior role, the work no longer excited her, prompting her to spend the following year exploring alternative career directions. She eventually decided to enter the field of psychology, inspired in part by her own positive experiences with therapy. Between 2003 and 2006, she completed a master's degree in psychology and subsequently opened her own practice, which ultimately paved the way for a transition into digital marketing.
When DeGrossa launched her therapy practice, she initially anticipated that having a website would automatically attract clients. She soon discovered, however, that building a site was only the beginning and that she needed to understand how Google search worked to help prospective clients find her. She enrolled in courses covering search engine optimisation and content writing, applying those lessons directly to her own online platform. As patient enquiries began to increase, she started sharing her insights with fellow practitioners.
DeGrossa initially hosted small workshops in her therapy office to teach other therapists how to promote their websites and set up Google Business Profiles. Observing that many participants lacked the confidence to handle the technical execution on their own, she transitioned from teaching to offering hands-on management services. That initial side venture evolved into CounselingWise, a specialized marketing agency designed to help therapists draw in clients through website development, SEO, content creation, Google Business Profile optimization, and Google Ads.
As client demand expanded, DeGrossa found it increasingly difficult to balance her therapy practice with the scaling agency. Four years after launching her practice, she decided to close it entirely, providing her active clients with a six-month transition notice.
The agency has since developed into a highly profitable enterprise. DeGrossa noted that CounselingWise has maintained seven-figure annual revenues since 2022, reaching the $2 million milestone in June 2026. Furthermore, the company has sustained approximately $300,000, or roughly Rs 2.7 crore, in annual profit over the past five consecutive years, with nearly all of its revenue stemming from direct client services.
DeGrossa attributes this steady expansion to a mixture of technical proficiency, sound business administration, and strong customer support. Her team continuously tests various SEO strategies to determine which tactics improve search visibility, subsequently transforming successful methods into standardized operational processes. Today, CounselingWise collaborates with a network of 40 to 50 contractors, with a strong emphasis on recruiting personnel who excel at communicating clearly with clients who may feel intimidated by technology.