Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nasreen Gulamhusein & Shahaa Kakar, Founders of Breathing Space Counselling, located in Port Moody, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Breathing Space Counselling is a practice that began in 2016 out of a shared passion between us -- Nasreen Gulamhusein and Shahaa Kakar -- to create a supportive, safe, and connected place for mothers to put down their responsibilities for a short time and focus on their own inner work.
Our venture began with a Counselling Support Group for Moms that we ran together for two and a half years. When that group ended, our practice expanded to include private counseling for individuals and couples both in-person and online.
In the past, we have hosted support circles, community events, and professional development workshops for fellow counselors. These group gatherings came to a halt when COVID began, and we endeavor to bring them back in the near future.
Tell us about yourself
Our journey through therapy school and as young mothers motivated us to create Breathing Space Counselling. Our 3-year therapy school program provided an environment where we worked simultaneously with our own places of stuckness and pain while also developing the skills to work with others in their areas of struggle. The personal growth aspect of our program was one of the most powerful parts of therapy school. We both graduated feeling profound fundamental personal shifts in our lives, and we wanted to offer this to others in the world.
When therapy school was over, we also went through a grieving process. We no longer had the structure of the weekly connection and support that we received in school. As we looked around, we noticed how many others -- especially moms of young children – were also craving spaces of connection and support. This is what motivated our first steps and the creation of the support group for mothers. Essentially, we created what we craved.
What sustains us day-to-day is quite simply the power of the human spirit. To be with and help guide other humans as they walk towards their personal growth and expansion is healing in and of itself. Their trust in us is something we never take for granted. Their commitment to themselves and the lives they desire is inspiring. What we do is filled with a real and tangible sense of purpose, which helps us feel like we have an impact on the world.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Taking risks. Every risk we have taken feels like a leap of faith, from saying yes to starting our business to growing into a larger office space to expanding our team. No matter how organized or clear we have been, there are always unforeseen things that have to be dealt with as they arise. Those unplanned things can overtake you, fill you with fear, and keep you from stepping forward. So far, we haven’t let that happen, and that is in large part due to the partnership we have built.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Because we are business co-creators and owners together, one of our biggest challenges has been balancing our friendship and work relationship. We started out as good friends and grew into business partners through our friendship. This dual-role relationship can get messy at times as the lines between those roles get blurred. We had to bump into each a few times before we found a groove that allowed space for us to work well together and play well together too.
We’ve had to be very intentional in doing this – really making time for it and making it important. We care for our personal relationships, so we invest in making sure it’s healthy. This means we have hard conversations and get vulnerable and real with each other. We apologize, take accountability, and change behavior when needed.
We have this beautiful practice that we have leaned into when things get hard: we re-write our relationship contract with each other, and we sign it! It allows us to name what we are committing to and what we are walking toward with those commitments. Without all of these things, I’m not sure we would have grown into what we are today.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Get clear about your vision. What do you ultimately want? What does your dream look and feel like? This is where people get afraid to dream big and say those dreams out loud. Give yourself permission to be bold with your vision, so you have something clear to walk towards. Remember, a vision isn’t static; as you grow and change, it will too.
- Small steps make big dreams happen. Big visions don’t always require big actions. Small steps are the most powerful force behind the movement toward big visions. Make a solid commitment to show up and take the small steps every day. It’s easy to fall behind on doing this, so make sure your steps are realistic and manageable so you can feel the win of getting them done.
- Get comfortable with discomfort and rejection. If things don’t go your way, it doesn’t mean you are failing at building a business or that you are bad at what you do. Rejection and setbacks are 100% part of the process. The sooner you make friends with this reality, the sooner you will be able to make room for creativity and persistence to move toward what you want.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: http://www.breathingspacecounselling.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breathingspacecounselling.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breathingspacecounselling/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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