Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jason Whistler, Owner of Yakushi-An: Healing Sage Wellness Center, located in Watsontown, PA, USA.

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

Yakushi-An (pronounced, Yah-Koo-She-Awn) is a place and experience of healing for your body, mind, and soul. Our clients are at a point in their life where they are able to perceive that what they have experienced up to now is just the tip of the iceberg that life has to offer, and the pains they may have aren't due to age but do to the collection of incompletely healed wounds collected over time. Our clients understand that greater access to life and enjoyment is achievable by working with and learning to nourish and support ourselves appropriately so that we may heal fully from the inside out.

Tell us about yourself

I am a student and teacher of the warrior ways of life, and I am dedicated to helping others wake to their fullest potential. Along my path, I have sought out teachers that would further my understanding of pain, healing, and personal growth processes. My friends, family, and cherished clients are the people that continue to push me to learn and develop myself more, as well as find solutions and methods that will best help them along on their personal healing journeys.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was the day I stopped making excuses and finding reasons for why I couldn't or shouldn't launch a business dedicated to my purpose and focused myself and all my energies on that purpose. Staying in a corporate job was easy and practical, and to all outsiders, it was the most logical thing to do, but I knew, deep down, it was just a stepping stone toward something greater. In the end, it felt far more like a leap than a step.

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

One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is accepting personal responsibility for all outcomes and still being willing and able to seek out help and guidance from others. Too often, I have found myself fixated on me having to do or figure out something because it's my responsibility to ensure it's done a certain way, and this has led me to miss opportunities to check in with my mentors and seek guidance that would have sped up my successes. Now I remind myself it's like swimming... I have to come up for air, and it's best not to wait too long to do so. Regular intervals for breaks, check-ins, and self-care are as important as the challenge I'm currently stuck on and often provide the solutions.

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

  1. Spend as much time on self-care as you do on your business. This is especially true if you are your business. Every machine, process, and system requires maintenance and fuel to sustain it, and this is true for each of us, too.
  2. Learn to lean on mentors and coaches who have been where you are now. It's like having a local tour guide who can show you the places to avoid and the places you'll want to spend a little extra time.
  3. Don't just start a business because it seems like a good idea and there are lots of customers. You can, of course, and you may even make a lot of money, but it's a lot more fun and rewarding if you can align your purpose with your business and the work you are doing.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Most of my website materials are dedicated to my clinics near my home, where people see me in person, but I do also work with people remotely with energy healing, teaching, and coaching.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://yakuwell.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JWBizNinja/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonwhistler/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonwhistler/

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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