Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dionne McGinn, Founder of Cryothletics, located in Boston, MA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Cryothletics - helps elite athletes/high performers and establishments with curated Cryotherapy & Recovery approaches. How that is done has evolved quite a bit since conception, with modern cryotherapy being the main modality. It started by making what wasn’t an accessible treatment accessible, as a mobile company, with a Sports Therapy background as the foundation in treatments. Over time, I kept getting requests and interest from athletes and establishments both in the US and Internationally, wanting access or affiliation to treatments, technologies, or protocols. Franchising wasn’t something I thought was efficient; then the pandemic hit, so I pivoted a large portion of my focus to be a go-to consultant for athletes, teams, and establishments on technology, research & curated protocols in an effort to benefit their recovery experiences in high level curated training programs.

As well as this, as a way to make “our treatment/ touch” accessible everywhere - I’ve been working on Cryothletics own curated product for athletes- to help them through performance, recovery, and pain while actively training, rehabbing, and competing. Set to release in a Mid Summer 2022.

Tell us about yourself

I’m Irish - attained my BSc.Sports Therapy in England, now residing in Boston, US. I’ve lived an amazing life thus far, full of experiences, most recently becoming a mother to my baby girl in 2020 (Who runs the world ? Girls!) I chose to study Sports Therapy in order to help athlete’s through their toughest times mentally & physically - which is usually in recovery, especially after an injury.

Watching my brother get injured growing up (and, funny enough, currently nursing a ruptured patellar tendon) and wanting to understand and help him was my initial seed of motivation. Now - I see that in every athlete, and helping them motivates me every day to stay committed to the evolving landscape for them. When I moved to Boston, applications such as modern Cryotherapy technology were not available in the US at the time, and I wasn’t able to work on a team due to licensing board barriers, so I developed Cryothletics to be able to provide progressive and contemporary athlete specialized treatment and care.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Ohh, this is a good but tough question to single out one - there have been so many special achievements both on a personal and professional level. As cliche, as it sounds - helping clients/athletes feel better and empowered in their performance because of their recovery is the ultimate accomplishment. To hear about and see the positive impact fills my heart so much because the core mission has always been to assist their process.

Looking back on the back-end business that people don’t see  - I pride myself on trusting my core instincts for the most part in this journey. Developing an idea with core values dedicated to serving something more than myself and maintaining that important standard through to today despite some intense challenges - ultimately created space for flexibility and evolution, which I didn’t realize at the time.

All the details that came from those choices accumulated. Not only do they continue to serve the best interests in their recovery, but they end up serving “the business” in being able to adapt and pivot through a global pandemic.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Discernment & remaining steadfast in your value, vision, and mission when things get tough - and they will get tough, often. It’s one thing to work on your passion, but “business” or how people handle that - can be another monster, unfortunately. I’ve always been able to adjust to any situation almost immediately. However, it can be a lonely road, and you can start to doubt yourself and your capabilities when things get quiet or challenging. I’ve come to learn that those moments are just as valuable as the busy, fun, happy moments. Usually, when things or people become tough or even ruthless, it’s an underhanded sign; you likely actually have a lot of value that you bring, and you should adjust accordingly and push through.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Radical acceptance & brutal honesty with yourself & others. This helps you deal with the small and big things more efficiently.
  2. Trust the Process & Take heed of the signs.“Obstacles are detours in the right direction” - finding a balance between when you should apply pressure and when you should embrace the “hold up” to reassess or even pivot - is a never-ending cycle.
  3. Keep your core values to the mission strong. Quality things take time; no matter how many times I thought something should be quick, it never happens. Rushing the process will almost always be more costly in $ and lessons - Trust, your meticulousness in high standards, and pure intentions are eventually what will set you apart, and the right opportunities & partnerships will come if you stay committed to that.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Don’t fear failure & Don’t fear Judgment - anyone who does either of these things - isn’t your target audience or people to have around. Accept there is no way to avoid these two things; just dive in and do you! You can only learn as you apply - a journey of 1000 miles does not happen from sketching it up a million times; it happens one physical step at a time.

Also - unpopular opinion - prioritize rest & recovery both mentally and physically (Hint: One assist the other). The culture of “Team no sleep” is not good; burnout happens to everyone at some point, but try to avoid it; it is not productive and sets you back further in the long run.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://cryothletics.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cryothletics/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dionne-mcginn-3aba6858/

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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