Meet Karen Wilson | Pediatric Neuropsychologist and Founder of ChildNEXUS

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

Hi Karen, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

As a pediatric neuropsychologist, I have worked with hundreds of families whose kids struggle with learning or mental health challenges. I have seen the frustration.  I’ve seen the tears from parents and children, and I have also seen the relief and joy that comes from understanding a child’s struggles and knowing how to help them.

Approximately 26 million children and adolescents in the US have some learning disorder or mental health problem that keeps them from reaching their full potential. And, when a child is experiencing difficulties, parents have to search multiple websites to find the information they need and qualified professionals who can help.

So, I set out on a mission to improve the lives of children and adolescents struggling with learning or social-emotional challenges by increasing parent access to reliable information, support, and professionals who provide high-quality educational and mental health services. I created ChildNEXUS.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

On December 31, 2019, I left a full-time, tenured faculty position at a university to become a full-time entrepreneur, and in March 2020, I launched the ChildNEXUS MVP. Soon after, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. For most of the providers we were seeking have as members on the platform, their businesses temporarily closed, or they were unable to provide services. Parents were helping their kids with remote learning and those parents who had kids with learning challenges were struggling; other parents were seeing their children experience mental health or academic difficulties for the first time, and they needed help and guidance. We began offering webinars, webcasts, town halls, and virtual roundtables to support parents and professionals; this work led to the idea for a podcast, which we launched in November 2020. I realized that while the content and support we were putting out were not generating revenue, they were helping to increase visibility, build trust, and establish our thought leadership. In addition, because of our work, parents and professionals felt better equipped to help children and adolescents during a critical time.

I am proud of our work during the pandemic. It shaped ChildNEXUS, which became more than just a digital platform connecting parents with professionals. It became clear that we were leveraging the power of technology and community to increase efficiency and access to educational and mental health support services for children and adolescents so that more youth have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I am excited about what ChildNEXUS is and what it will be. Currently, we offer content, live expert sessions, and connections to a multidisciplinary group of youth service providers. We plan to offer 1:1 consultations with child development specialists, virtual learning group communities, and more. We’re just getting started!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
It really depends on the friend! There are a number of places I love in LA. A kick-off day would involve hiking the Temescal Canyon Trail, lunch at Moonshadows Malibu, a visit to The Broad museum, followed by dinner and music at Pip’s On La Brea. We would also have to have a beach day, check out several other staycation spots (e.g., Griffith Observatory, Watts Towers, Universal Studios, Leimert Park Artwalk), and catch a show at the Hollywood Bowl or The Greek Theatre.

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?
My grandmother provided a model of entrepreneurship for me before I even knew what being an entrepreneur was. I watched her run a business, make savvy real estate decisions, and play the organ in her church, all while supporting her children and her grandchildren. She was a force, who left a legacy for her children and her children’s children!

Website: https://www.childnexus.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childnexuscommunity/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrKarenIWilson