Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health & wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julie Grace, Founder of Sol Wellness & Remix Audio Bar, located in Santa Fe, NM, USA.

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

Sol Wellness is an integrative wellness center focusing on alleviating physical pain. We take a biodynamic approach addressing mental, emotional, nutritional, and physical aspects of health and wellness. Our ideal clients are interested in improving their lifestyles to reach a state of profound health.

We specialize in helping “occupational athletes,” in other words, busy people who sit at a desk or who have challenges with balancing their occupation with maintaining a pain-free physical body. We also assist clients with recovering from orthopedic surgical procedures. We also host large-scale health and wellness festivals in our region to provide free education and access to wellness services. In 2024 we will be incorporating mental health counseling services into our practice.

Tell us about yourself

After witnessing many friends and family members deteriorate or parish due to poor health, addiction, and suboptimal lifestyle choices, I decided to dedicate my life to helping others alleviate pain in any way possible. I started my educational journey studying psychology and mental health in my undergrad years and while I was in school worked with the Dancesafe harm reduction organization setting up booths at nightclubs and raves to educate that population on substance abuse.

During that time, I also worked with the New Mexico Department of Health within their harm reduction and infectious disease departments. At that point, while collecting data on drug addiction and disease surveillance, I was inspired to help individuals with the root causes of what led them to self-medicating trauma. I realized that mental, emotional, and physical pain are the root causes of addiction. After receiving a Ph.D. in Naprapathic medicine to assist people in alleviating physical pain, I realized that it wasn’t enough and am now in the process of also becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor to address trauma in another way.

Through Sol Wellness, I have received funding to produce local health festivals (Sol Sundays) focused on building community through substance-free programming. My mission is to promote wellness through art, community building, and education through my Sol Wellness Clinic and Remix Audio Bar businesses. Remix Audio Bar is a coffee shop, therapeutic art space, DJ school, and community-building think tank to connect people to resources that will help them thrive in the community.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

In the first three years of Sol wellness, we broke six figures in profit. I have been able to help hundreds of people in our local community and invest in building a second business that also creates a healthy and fun atmosphere for people to get inspired and inspire others to heal through artistic expression.

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

Being a business owner means being adaptable, being a gladiator, and being comfortable with risk. Human Resources and managing people has been the most challenging part of owning a business. The pandemic had an abnormal impact on hiring and keeping employees on board and keeping them motivated to serve clients.

Hiring right to make sure you have the right people on board with aligned visions who believe in your business is sometimes the most challenging task. Being able to let go of people who do not meet the standards you set for your company is also incredibly difficult. Still, if you hire right, you won’t have to fire.

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

  1. Make sure you have the right people on your team, a great lawyer, CPA, bookkeeper, manager, and banker or financial advisor.
  2. Make sure to build out systems for your employees to follow and have a clear employee manual or handbook that explains what employees will be responsible for and what they can expect from you as their employer.
  3. Learn to read your financials, keep learning, and take business courses to stay innovative in your industry. Learn to measure whether or not you are profitable, not just if you gave revenue, and try to have as much cash flow/liquidity as possible.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://solwellness.clinic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solwellnessclinic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solwellnessllc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SolWellnessLLC
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sol-wellness-llc/


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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