Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ying Tsang, owner of Aum Ayurvedic & Thai Massage, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Aum Ayurvedic & Thai Massage is a holistic health business based on the Ayurveda belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Our clients are anyone who is looking for a more traditional holistic approach to health, aiming to relieve emotional, mental, and physical stress.
Tell us about yourself
As a child, my grandmother used to always ask me to step on her to reduce her back pain. At that time, I had no idea what I was doing, nor did I understand the importance of massage then. It wasn't until 2011, when I took a Thai massage course from the Toronto School of Thai massage, that I realized the importance of massage and that touching is healing.
Since then, I have frequently traveled to Southeast Asia to study the ancient healing arts, and eastern wellness philosophy/theory and advance my techniques. During my travels, I fell in love with Southeast Asia due to its rich history, architecture, vibrant culture, and warm and friendly people. Following my travels, I began dreaming about opening my own Eastern-themed spa, which would have the same ambiance as Southeast Asia and where clients would feel like they are on vacation. In order to stay true to the ambiance of Southeast Asia, I've traveled to India and Thailand extensively to hand-select the decor and furniture. As such, Aum Spa is built in the ancient Ayurveda philosophy of traditional Indian medicine and is inspired by the Hindu/Buddhist temples and Mughal architecture as seen through my eyes throughout my travels. Not only do I want the space to look authentic, but I also want to offer massage services at reasonable prices so that anyone can enjoy a massage at any time.
My grandmother had passed away over a decade now. I often wish that I knew what I now know so that I could have given her the pain relief, love, and comfort that she sought. Instead, I will now offer that same comfort, love, and pain relief to my clients- and this is what motivates me every day - to help people relieve pain and stress.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It was very scary to transition the business to home-based and mobile services after the pandemic. I am very grateful to have many loyal customers who keep on supporting the business even after we closed down our storefront. I would have to say that the biggest accomplishment in the past year is to be able to develop many long-term customers relationships.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For service businesses, one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is to find your target audiences and how to find the right staffs that can help deliver and execute your idea and standard of service to the customers. I can have the most brilliant idea, but it's my employees that help build and make the business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- You have to love what you do, and money will follow.
- Building a relationship with your clients is very important.
- Word of mouth might be traditional, but it's still the best form of marketing.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://aumspatoronto.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aumspa.toronto
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aumspa.toronto/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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