Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Daina Gardiner, founder of Mind Body Healthy, located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My mission is to inspire women struggling with chronic fatigue to take back control of their health through functional nutrition, aligned lifestyle activities, and crushing limiting beliefs about their capabilities to overcome their exhaustion. I specifically help women with active or legacy viral infections (like Epstein Barry Virus) holistically rebalance & strengthen their immunity, hormones, detoxification, and cellular health naturally.
Tell us about yourself
I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome when I was 15 and was told by every health professional I visited that there wasn't anything they could help me with. In my early 30s, I developed embarrassing cystic hormonal acne and decided to work with a naturopath. Her natural protocols plus a newfound burst of energy I felt inspired me to become a holistic nutrition consultant, and, through experimentation and trials (and errors), I uncovered a natural, sustainable solution to put my CFS into remission. I've been in remission for nine years. And I am inspired daily by other women's stories about their struggles and frustrations with EBV/CFS to help empower them to take a more natural, holistic journey to feel energized and live a life they truly love again.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I've created successful nutrition, lifestyle & mindset protocol that helps women put their EBV/CFS into remission and start living their best life ever. The Energy & Hormonal Rebalance System is like nothing else I've come across for chronic fatigue recovery, and I'm so excited and proud when my clients start to feel like healthy, normal, energized mothers, daughters, and partners again. I've used my technical background to build an online business to confidently run and share my program with the women who need and want to fix their exhaustion.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
As a solo-business owner, there are days when it's tough to be fully on your own. I haven't a team to bounce ideas off of, and all tasks and projects, plus consultations with clients, are mine to achieve. While exciting and filled with passion, there are days when it can be lonely. Finding answers to "why" a marketing strategy didn't work out or a program idea failed sometimes feels difficult. However, being a business owner is exhilarating, and I am fully in love with my company and work.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Find a support group, other business owners with similar niches and modalities as you, to share ideas, create accountability for your ideas, and maintain social connections. Research your business idea well before you execute it. Make sure there is a strong market and that your idea will be received well. Start with friends, family, and acquaintances. Don't be afraid to simply ask to interview people and ask for their thoughts. If you want to run an online business, learn your technology and don't get overwhelmed by it. If you're not technical today, you will absolutely learn everything eventually. In the meantime, there are many virtual assistants who can help!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
One thing I've learned is that consistency and showing up daily for your business, even if it's a small appearance, is crucial for growth. Hiring a business coach can be very fun and helpful but make sure your coach is aligned with you, your values, and understands your business model. And listen to your intuition - have fun with your business and enjoy the journey. If something you're coached to do doesn't feel right, that energy will leak through, and you may feel blocked from moving ahead. Find ideas that light you up and feel amazing to you!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://mindbodyhealthy.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindbodyhealthy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mind-body-healthy/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.