Meet Maurice Harvey | Mental Health Advocate, Entrepreneur, Therapist (LCSW)

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

Hi Maurice, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I thought about the flexibility aspect and my ability to meet people where they were.

My background thoughts were around the fear of the unkown. In my life experiences I have had limited engagement with business owners. It has been an interesting journey.

I knew that being able to control my desired impact would be importnat for the work I was doing. I wanted to also be a beacon for other black men and black serving professionals for being authentic, and meeting people where they are.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have two businesses.

Choose B.E.T.T.E.R. 4 U, PLLC (CB4U) is a for profit based out of Charlotte, NC serving residents of NC and SC through mental health therapy. (commercial insurance processing, EAP processing, and private pay options available).

Black Male Therapists of Charlotte (BMTCLT) is a nonprofit with a 2 fold strategy around impacting the stigma of mental health in black and brown communities; internal programming designed to create spaces for men of color who are therapists to gather and learn the business of mental health, and external programming where BMTCLT memebers and affiliates go into the community and either create or support programming that impacts the community. \

CB4U has evolved several times over the course of 9 years. It is, not ony a private practice, it is also a consulting firm assisting organizations with increasing clinical and professional skills.

CB4U birthed the idea of BMTCLT and gathering like-focused people to support common causes and build community. We often say representation matters and BMTCLT gives an opportnity for a representation of the diversity of Blackness and maleness.

Both businesses have challenges. Each challenge that I am met with I learn more about business. I learn more about myself, and I also learn more about how the outside world views the work that I do.

1 of the biggest lessons that I have learned is that leaderhip is being willing to use my skillset and voice to encourage impact. It is not about position, nor title; it is the ability to use knowledge and wisdom effectively.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I often differ to various search engines and social media for things to do. Charlotte is a city full of culture and arts. Ther are lots of places to travel in the city including South End, Uptown, Noda, and Ballantyne- also there are several historic areas as well as professional guided and self guided tours and museums. There are multiple malls and tons of eateries. There are also festivals, live muisc venues, and sporting events.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Sherry Harvey- my mother being strong willed and determined. She had an entrepreneurial spirit with companyies like amway and avon.

Francine Smith- my maternal grandmeother who along with her husband owned and operated a boutique in Bladen County, NC.

Tiffany Harvey- my wife who has partnered with me in my businesses and began her own entrepreneurial journey after beleivng that 9-5 was he only means to secure finances.

Lawanna Brown- business mentor who assisted me in developing a structured means to scale my bsuiness and a mindset of business owner versus creating a job for myself.

Website: https://www.choosebetter4u.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/choosebetter4u ; https://www.instagram.com/BMTCLT

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amauriceharvey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/choosebetter4u ; https://www.facebook.com/bmtclt