Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julie Manning, Founder of Simply Focused Coaching, located in Palmer, MA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I teach vegan cooking online. My customers are kids, teens, and families.
Tell us about yourself
When I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2012, I had big plans for changing the way the world ate. I soon realized that I needed to niche down to reach my target market. I started by renting the kitchen at my local wellness center and teaching in-person classes to kids and families and meal prep classes for the moms once a month. One day the local team librarian saw that I was making a chocolate chip cookie in a mug in the microwave with the children's class and asked if I could do the same thing for the teens at the library. The next thing I knew, I was driving all over the state of Massachusetts, teaching kids in libraries to cook in a mug in the microwave. When covid came, someone asked if I do it online, teach it online. And the rest is history.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I think my biggest accomplishment is represented by the mom who came back to the library and said that her daughter goes to visit her dad on the weekends, and the dad doesn't cook. But after taking a class or 2 with me, Mikama, the girl can now prepare her own meals in a mug in the microwave. Little meals like pizza and lasagna and egg fried rice.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, it's marketing.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Believe in your mission, have a system in place to track scheduling and income, and never give up.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I believe that if we can teach kids young enough to make healthy choices and prepare healthy food, then we can go a long way toward ending the trends of obesity and disease in this country.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.simplyfocusedcoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmsimplyfocused
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplyfocusedwellness/
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.