Age: 36.
Business & location: The Health Spa by Vive + Select Balance Supplements + The Healthy Practitioner Podcast, Peosta and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Founded: 2016.
Female you look up to: Dr. Nasha Winters (author of “Metabolic Approach to Cancer”) is someone I have loved having as a mentor and friend. She is making big waves in the world of integrative oncology and pushing the boundaries to help people work with their unique body to help heal from diseases like cancer. Her story inspires me and pushes me to be innovative and enhance the lives of the patients I serve each day.
What inspired you to launch your business: My health journey with an autoimmune disease (Crohn’s disease) lead me to this path. I knew that I wanted to help people get to the root of their illness and change the way people looked at their health. Most importantly, I wanted to help people feel empowered in their health journey.
Biggest thing you’ve learned or best advice you’ve received as a business owner: If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that experiences are everything. Go above and beyond for your customers, make them feel valued, and they’ll happily tell their friends and family about you. Word-of-mouth is like gold in this business, and it doesn’t cost a dime. Another tip: When you decide to add employees, the best advice I received was, “Hire slow, fire fast.” Your staff is a true extension of you and can propel your mission if it aligns with theirs. Always treat them well.
Your advice for other female entrepreneurs:
1. Embrace your “why.” It’s easy to compare ourselves to other people and feel an urgency to do something that can take us away from our mission. Lean into your unique skills and passions, and carve your path.
2. As someone with a big entrepreneurial spirit, it can be easy to look at the destination and feel so overwhelmed that you’re not sure on where to even start. The key is to just take the next best step. Enjoy the journey, complete small, attainable goals that can help you reach your bigger goals/destination, and remember it is OK to make pivots as life changes.
