Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in patient care, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with John Forde, the founder of P3 Products, a patient care platform in British Columbia, Canada.
Tell us all about your business...
I have 4 businesses, with my focus on P3 Products Ltd. For 28 years I was a therapist and own two large multi- discipline clinics (www.theapolloclinic.ca). From these clinics my focus has always been to help my community with the management and treatment of pain and recovery from injury.
P3 Cream is a product I created to aid in our clinic treatments in a natural way. From this patient care platform P3 Cream has vaulted to new amazing "word of mouth" generated heights! My goal of helping people in my community has spread to across Canada and we are now in over 1000 clinics and retail locations across our wonderful country!
What's your background and motivation to grow as a business owner?
I grew up as a Canadian national track and field team athlete. Due to injury I was introduced to the land of rehabilitation. This led me to my career as a sports rehab therapist. I was very fortunate to get a job with the Vancouver Canucks in 1993 and grew my practice over the years out of that experience. In 1999 I started my first clinic with three practitioners and now we have over forty people working between two clinics helping our communities.
I have always maintained my athletics, in the early 2000's I competed as a professional highland games athlete from Canada to the US and to Scotland. To this day I continue to have a coach for my daily activity and am staying active in competitive activities.
I have spent over 10 years as a professional musician from the early 2000's and have had some amazing experiences at big venues that I am very grateful for!At this stage of life my fourth business, with my family, is our Greendale Lavender Company farm (www.greendalelavendercompany.com) in Chilliwack, B.C.. (This has also lead to the creation of Calm by P3 lavender product.)
I am also working with six young entrepreneurs to mentor and help them build their businesses.What motivates me each day is my family, my music, my home gym, helping my community and fellow practitioners and friends grow in their careers, my farm and watching P3 Products grow across our country!
As an entrepreneur, what does success ultimately mean to you?
Helping thousands of people in their journeys through rehab and health and growing our companies to help my colleagues grow into ownership as I watch their families grow!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being an entrepreneur?
Always being "on" with a different "hat" for each business. The reality of responsibility of all of the staff is also difficult some days.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run or grow a small business today?
Be curious and ask questions of someone that has done what you are about to do. Have the confidence that you can grow the business-work hard and treat people well.
My analogy of where I am at in life would be, "I feel I have climbed a high mountain, I have reached the peak, and now I love turning around and helping others up to join me." I envision this daily when I read the quote that has been on my vision board since I was 16 years old, " What the mind can conceive and the heart will believe, you will achieve".
Where can people find you online?
https://www.instagram.com/p3cream/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/p3-products-ltd/
https://www.facebook.com/p3cream
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as an entrepreneur or business coach that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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