Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kasandra Monid, founder of ThinkLife Wellness Coaching, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

ThinkLife Wellness Coaching helps people to stress less and laugh more with an integrative mind-body-spirit approach to preventive self-care, using modern nutrition, life coaching, and traditional Chinese Qigong exercises to support clients. I collaborate with individuals navigating life transitions and present corporate wellness seminars on nutrition, stress management, and qigong.

Tell us about yourself

I often say to my clients, "a healthy body is a healthy mind, and a healthy mind is a healthy body." Today neuroscience and neuropsychology show that the brain and immune system are intimately intertwined and that many mental health conditions can arise from an inflammation in the brain. This inflammatory response starts with the body's immune system. Chronic stress is a major contributor to inflammation and accelerated aging in the human body.

Like many people, I'm familiar with stress. I previously worked in the animated film industry, and as a production manager, I was typically juggling multiple film projects. Working sixteen hours a day was my norm. I loved my job, but I had zero concepts of balance or self-care. To say that I struggled with stress management and work-life balance was an understatement and the long hours and poor eating habits caught up with me. I burned out.

I eventually left the world of animation and moved across the country for my family. A love for food led me to George Brown Chef School. This training and an interest in whole foods was a natural segue to becoming a certified holistic nutritionist. Guided by curiosity and a passion for preventive self-care, I have since added life coaching, solution-focused therapy, and qigong skills to better support, my clients.

I believe that practicing good stress management is more relevant today than ever. As someone who has experienced the physical and mental impacts of chronic stress, I'm motivated to help others cultivate mind-body awareness and learn simple, practical tools for optimum wellbeing.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I've been a wellness practitioner for over a decade, and it's always rewarding to know that I've played a role in helping to make someone's life better.

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

Being an owner-entrepreneur isn't for the faint-hearted, as you're often called upon to step out of your comfort zone. I wanted to expand my business beyond one-on-one coaching to include corporate wellness seminars, and that meant cultivating public speaking skills. So, I took communication and public speaking workshops. I also trained in stand-up comedy. Yes, stand-up comedy was the best self-investment ever. After you've performed on stage at a comedy club in front of a paying audience, everything else becomes less terrifying.

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

  1. Align your business with your values. Do a comprehensive self-assessment of your strengths, weaknesses, behaviors, and beliefs. Know what makes you tick and let your personality shine…, especially the quirky parts.
  2. Open your heart and mind to all possibilities. Let go of self-limiting beliefs and step out of your comfort zone. Scary yes. Feel the fear and go for it.
  3. Practice self-care. For me, this means eating good nutrition, getting proper sleep, exercising daily, practicing self-kindness, and pursuing activities that I love. And laughing every day. Without good health, everything else is meaningless.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I love the Japanese concept of resilience expressed in the proverb "Nana korobi ya oki" which means "fall seven times, stand up eight." In other words, Be strong. Be patient. Never give up hope.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://www.thinklifecoaching.ca/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasandra-chow-monid/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur 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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