Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kat Roberts, Owner of Surface Float Wellness Centre, located in Fredericton, NB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Surface Float Wellness Centre is a one-stop shop for those that want to learn how to use the powerful effects of meaningful stillness and 'doing nothing' to help them in their wellness journey. We offer Floatation Therapy (aka sensory deprivation tanks), Infrared Sauna, and Massage Therapy, and we also have Yoga and Meditation workshops. In a society that is constantly demanding our attention, our energy, and our time, it is challenging to find time to replenish our batteries. We can rely on our resilience for only so long, and eventually, our health (mental, emotional, and physical) begins to take a hit. Our mission is to help our clients feel their best by helping them experience how to #BreakUpWithStress and change the way they prioritize their self-care. Our clients are people from all walks of life. We have clients from the corporate world, healthcare workers, educators, the military, athletes, stay-at-home parents, and even seniors coming through our doors! Our clients are looking for solutions to help them feel their best, and they know improving their health and wellness is attained by prioritizing their self-care over the demands of society.
Tell us about yourself
I am the perfect example of what can happen when prioritizing health doesn't happen. In the Fall of 2017, I was burned out, overwhelmed, and exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically. That was also the time I got diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. It was a challenging time, but it led me to implement some very necessary changes in my life. I had dabbled in meditation prior to this but now began my practice in earnest. I started saying no to things that I knew I couldn't do, and I started saying yes to more things that fulfilled me and brought me replenishment and joy. I started allowing myself to ask for help. I involved my kids more in the day-to-day tasks of our home. A few months into my healing journey, I discovered Floatation Therapy and fell in love. I knew I needed this regularly in my toolkit. I began researching it more and decided this was going to be my next project! I have been floating regularly since the day our tanks were installed! Over time I started to feel better and different in every aspect of myself. My mindset started changing. I began to have a different relationship with how I interacted with myself, my thoughts, and with others when stressful things came up in my life. I still have ups and downs in life (after all, I'm just human!), and every once in a while, my autoimmune disease stirs up, but I have been so fortunate that I have this amazing modality to bring me back to feeling balanced and grounded and this has ripple effects that improve my physical health too. Experiencing firsthand what prioritizing wellness has done for me is what keeps me going and motivated. Helping others experience that level of meaningful stillness and peace and leaving with that post-float glow is so rewarding!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Hands down, the biggest accomplishment to date has been opening during the Global Pandemic and surviving through it! What a trip it has been!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Although entrepreneurship was not new for me (I used to run my own business as a birth doula and prenatal educator prior to opening Surface Float!), being a business owner with employees, suppliers, tenants, and hundreds of customers and all the challenges that come with all that was totally new territory for me! It has been hard to learn how to hire, fire, and manage a team. It has definitely been challenging to deal with the frustrations of ordering supplies and not having things go as expected. I have enjoyed learning all the new things, but there are times when I totally want to hide in the float tank and not come out again LOL! It's during those times that I really get to see the investment in my mental, emotional and physical health I have made over the last two years come out to shine...and I can get through these moments with a solution-focused mindset instead of feeling overwhelmed and burned out.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Focus your energy on the things you're good at and that are going to keep launching your business forward. Ask for help with the things that aren't your forte or that demand too much time that you could be spending on more growth-focused tasks--it will save you a lot of pain and hassle in the long run!
- Have a clear mission and vision, and stand in your truth through challenging times. You will attract your clientele by being authentic. Remember, you can't please everyone!
- Don't be afraid of social media. I know, I know, it's a love-hate thing for most of us, but it's worth it to have a presence and to invest time learning the ins and outs of how to maximize your reach. Just make sure you're keeping it real so you keep attracting your ideal clientele! And ignore the trolls.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://surfacefloat.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surfacefloatcentre
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surface_float/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/surfacefloat/
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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