Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cass Ghiorse, Founder of MIDLINE, located in Grosse Pointe Park, MI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a movement & breath-work teacher and integrative mind/body coach. I support people on their way to a better relationship with themselves through breath awareness and dynamic, supportive movement of all kinds. I specialize in corporate wellness for organizations and corporations with a program I call "Well-being at Work." This program has been proven to have a huge impact on work culture many times over. People are happy to come to work when they know they will be able to take a moment for themselves in a safe environment. I also teach virtual and in-person group classes as well as carry a full private client roster. My clients are a diverse population of people with various needs. I have corporate lawyers who want early morning movement to start the day with a workout. Breathwork for teens managing anxiety and pressure. Integrative mind/body coaching for women transitioning careers or shifting from full-time motherhood to adding more in their lives that fill them up. My offerings are diverse, and yet it all boils down to the same thing: Helping people feel better.
Tell us about yourself
I have always been a mover. A dancer from a young age, and my mother introduced me to Yoga at age 10. I loved it for many reasons. Loved how it felt on my tight dancer's muscles. I loved how I had a say in what I thought about while I moved into the class. I could move and let my imagination be free, and I cultivated my spiritual practice that way- through exploration. From there, I have continuously pursued my education in body mechanics, emotional regulation, and integrative therapies. Every day I am motivated by the fact that I feel I have the secret to the world...no really. We are living at a time when people are so disconnected from themselves. So much sadness. So much pain, And while that is part of the human experience, it is taking people down in a way that I feel we need to really pay attention to and do something about. I am motivated to "normalize" well-being education. I don't believe we need to be happy all the time or feel good all the time. Impossible and boring! I believe that we need not be so afraid of our own feelings of aliveness. That we recognize our bodies not as our enemies but as our greatest resource. The modern-day "wellness industry" is doing a lot of harm. Trying to capitalize on convincing people that everything is their fault. Their sickness. Their depression. Etc. And it is capitalizing on this in a very dangerous way and perpetuating systemic oppression in the process. We need people to feel empowered and excited to heal in the community. To see movement, breathing, and healing not as a threat but as a loving, welcoming opportunity to work with life. We need to get back to basics, simplify it and educate those who are desperately searching outside themselves constantly for the "answer"...can you tell I am motivated? Ha!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My greatest accomplishment is in any person who has ever come to class and walked out feeling hopeful and alive. In terms of business? That I am still here and that my client retention is A+. Once people experience what I offer and the way that I teach...they never leave me. Thank goodness. I love my clients.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Well, my work is abstract. I don't sell a product per se. People will invest in a lot of things...but doing work on themselves doesn't necessarily come with an easy button...ooofta...not easy. Self-motivation to keep finding the next client. Self-marketing so people know they can trust me. Letting people know that I am a highly skilled teacher and can meet just about anybody where they are without sounding arrogant or like I am in it for myself....also not easy.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Trust your vision.
- Don't expect that vision to show up anytime soon. Every day is its own day of business. It will come. But it's not going to look like you imagine. Head down. Focus on today.
- Make time for personal work and personal play. What brings you joy? Makes you feel excited? Makes you laugh? Makes you forget about work? Makes you remember why you started? Make it a non-negotiable. DO MORE OF THAT!!!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
So far, the greatest wealth I have accumulated from my business is Time Wealth. I have been able to be a full-time mother to our two children while also doing work that fills me up. I am grateful for that. And while I get very frustrated and confused by being a "business owner" most days, I must know that I am living the life of my dreams. A life rooted in my values. Rooted in love and healing. Rooted in hard work. Rooted in play and curiosity. I hope that the tides will shift soon as more people seek out these sorts of healing modalities. I am ready to up-level professionally and financially. I will do whatever it takes. And as that happens, I celebrate the life I have built for myself and my family. I am proud of it, and I pray it continues. Thank you for reading. I finish every class and session with the words of my dear Grandmother Ruth, and I will end this interview with them as well. To anyone reading, I wish you, Safe Home.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.findyourmidline.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassghiorse/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cass-ghiorse/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.
