Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lauren Hundert, Owner of The Balanced Wellness Centre, located in St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a health, wellness, and employee engagement company. Working with multiple experts in these fields from across North America, we provide individuals and businesses with innovative courses, workshops, one on one consultations, etc., to improve work-life balance.
Tell us about yourself
I was in a non-profit for about 15 years. About three years ago, I left the and entered the health and wellness space based on an idea and intuition. I had an idea to work with maybe 4-5 other wellness practitioners to bring health and wellness programs into the workplaces in the Niagara region. What ended up unfolding was beyond what I had ever imagined.
Now, we have a panel of about 20 practitioners (and growing) throughout North America, producing professionally scripted and recorded courses about any and all things that impact your quality of life on a daily basis. And that's what I'm really passionate about: bringing opportunities for personal and professional growth through unique and tangible solutions to help people with work/life balance. I love getting people excited about ideas that are not typically associated with health and wellness but are absolutely helpful on a day-to-day basis.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We've put a lot of intention behind our processes and products. I am really proud of the fact that we have behavior analysts. Communication and adult learning specialists review our work to ensure accessibility.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Feeling like I need to know all the answers. I do my best to be prepared, but at a certain point, preparation becomes a crutch and can lead to inaction. I know this about myself now, so I do my best to be as prepared as I can, and then I dive in and trust that I'll know the answer or I'll know how to find it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Starting a business is an incredibly courageous thing to do, so my first piece of advice would be to remind yourself of that. Often.
- Find your people. If you are in a position to be able to hire people from the get-go, or barter services, that's fantastic. I'm so grateful to have a partner that has a complementary opposite skillset to me, and it has made a world of difference to the operation and vision of our company. If you are not in a position to hire, find people you can trust and confide in, people you can celebrate with and who will keep you accountable, and make checking in with them a priority.
- Carve out time to think ahead. Especially in the start-up stage, operations can be hectic and reactive. While it can be overwhelming, try to find time to imagine where you want to be and how you might get there. This can also help significantly with getting through the minutia of the day-to-day.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I'm humbled to have been asked to participate in this interview, so thank you to Subkit. I love connecting with people, so if anyone reading this would like to get in touch, please reach out!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://balancedwellnesscentre.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balancedwellnesscentre.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hundert-70832735/
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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