Entrepreneur Interview: Cyndii Sinex with the Chronic Illness Hotline
Today we are speaking with Cyndii Sinex, found of the Chronic Illness Hotline. The hotline provides a listening ear for those with chronic illness during the current pandemic and beyond. Chronic Illness Hotline gives a safe place to vent negatives, celebrate positives, practice advocating, build a journey story, set goals, help identify resources, and much more. Viewer challenge! Donate via PayPal to chronicillnesshotline@gmail.com ... Every amount helps small nonprofits like this continue to provide critical services, and I know personally your donation will be put to good use and be responsibly used. Send the cost of a cup of coffee a week! You can connect with the Chronic Illness Hotline: Text "care" to 202-596-6520 Visit https://chronicillnesshotline.org/ Like the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/chronicillnesshotline/ Follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/IllnessHotline Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chronicillnesshotline/ SUBSCRIBE so that you always receive the latest marketing updates. Or visit our website at https://vickywu.us/blog for a ton of great marketing information! Show notes: 0:20 Introducing Chronic Illness Hotline 1:09 Cyndii's background, and how one small slip and fall took her down a healthcare rabbit hole 2:10 Diagnosis #1 - fibromyalgia 2:45 Prescribed anti-depressant SSRIs, which put serotonin at a toxic level 3:10 Nerve damage, cardiac arrest, respiratory failure caused by medication were attributed to anxiety 3:50 Medical community was aware of serotonin syndrome but it wasn't widespread understanding 4:30 Eight years to diagnose serotonin toxicity, several more for additional diagnoses 4:47 The toll it took on her life 5:27 With other hotlines, callers want to take their life, but Cyndii calls because she's afraid her life is being taken, so she felt like she didn't fit 7:00 It must be in your head 7:45 Just prescribe medicine 8:30 Why another hotline? How CIH is different and why a specific hotline is important 9:45 Why even our most supportive and loving friends and family can't always provide the support we need 10:15 Why would a hotline caller want to celebrate? 11:05 Five of the common reasons people reach out to the hotline 12:00 Why it's hard when someone asks "how are you?" 15:15 Getting the nonprofit started 16:39 What sparked the idea 18:11 Nonprofit work is like 10 full-time jobs (don't I know this!) 18:42 The impact of Covid-19 on their startup plans 26:55 What it takes to recruit 27:46 Your challenge ... even small donations add up - paypal link 30:55 There's two types of people on social media 33:03 Social media fairy, please visit 34:00 The best thing you can do for a friend who has a chronic illness or pain 35:00 One of the best things you can do if you've been diagnosed or are going through trying to be diagnosed 37:00 General mental health tip 39:00 Stages of grief when your body is failing you 39:30 How to connect with the CIH 40:30 Why not to share our social posts by tagging a friend - send a private message instead 41:21 All aspects of your life affect your chronic illness 43:04 Information on how you can support the cause 43:53 Cyndii's question for me about the beast that is SEO