Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Bridgette Shaw, Founder of Bridgette Shaw Yoga, located in Calgary, AB, CA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Fluctuating hormones can make you feel like you are going crazy. I suffered for years before I found Hormone Yoga Therapy, HYT. I've been a yoga, Nidra, and meditation teacher for over 20yrs and a student for even longer. I know how much stress impacts our health and wellness and how it can do a number on our hormones, turning our world upside down.
When I discovered HYT, it was a perfect fit with the work I was doing and where I was at in my life, hormonally. HYT is a set sequence created by a 95-year-old Brazilian psychologist and yogini that naturally brings balance to your hormones. It focuses primarily on the ovaries, thyroid, and pituitary gland and takes about 30 minutes to do. I share this natural option to create balance in your life and hormones and pair it with practices that will help you manage your stress and help you age with grace.
Empowering others to move through all stages of life with more grace is what I love sharing. Whether you are having periods, going through peri/menopause, dealing with hypothyroidism, having PCOS, struggling to get pregnant, or being post-menopausal, these practices can help greatly reduce or eliminate your symptoms.
Tell us about yourself
My mom was sick most of my life, and she taught me at a very young age that we need to take the reins with our health. She used a blend of Eastern and Western medicine to support her, and she taught me to be my own advocate for my health. I suffered for years with severe PMS that only worsened, and I thought I was going into early menopause. I didn't know what perimenopause was at the time or that I was in it, and I was suffering from about 30 symptoms. Within a week of practicing HYT, I began noticing things changing, and it only improved. My mental health improved along with my physical health, and I felt more like myself than I had in years.
I want women to learn how to take the reins of their health as they age. We don't have a lot of support of information out there as a regular part of the conversation, and that needs to change.
Hearing from the women I've worked with about how their lives have improved, how they feel like themselves again, how they don't feel crazy, and the sense of community and support keeps me motivated to keep going each day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Aside from helping so many women feel good again? If I'm looking at it more from the back end, I would say creating my digital platform! I am the worst with technology, and it almost kept me from creating my own business.
But I knew I needed to create a website, a membership, and an on-demand option to learn HYT and do the stress-reducing practices. Then I had to figure out the technology of live virtual classes, and somehow, with a bit of help and a lot of sleepless nights, it came together. I learned things I never imagined I'd know how to do, and now I can reach women all over the world.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
You have to be good at planning, organizing, and scheduling, which I am. I like structure. The problem is that I can be a bit of a perfectionist, so trusting that things are good enough to be put out there and not delaying the release to spend more time editing, reshooting, or tweaking can be hard. If you are going to wear all the hats, you have to figure out what you can let go of.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Starting a business is more than full-time work, so I do believe that you've got to love what you do. There must be a passion for helping you overcome the many challenges you'll face.
- Do your research. When you ask for help, be sure to get references and referrals and interview them. You will likely be investing in a number of things, so you don't want to waste a lot of money. When looking into the different platforms and systems you need, ask around, read reviews, and do a free trial.
- Make sure you have some days off each week and have a true end to your workday; it's easy for work to bleed into all parts of your life if you let it.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I believe it's a gift to age, and I embrace the changes. We don't really talk about aging outside of trying to reverse it. There's a movement of women beginning to talk about what we are going through as we age and our voices are finding their way out into the world. I encourage you to keep that conversation going. Let's chat if you are ready to experience increased energy, better sleep, balanced hormones, and a community of amazing women!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.bridgetteshaw.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridgetteshawyoga
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgetteshawyoga/
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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