Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Virginia Alcalde, Co-Founder of Embody Nutrition & Integrative Therapies, located in Seattle, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Embody Nutrition & Integrative Therapies is a private practice in Seattle, Washington, that offers Telehealth nutrition counseling, functional nutrition therapy, and mental health therapy, among other healing modalities. We work with adolescents and adults of diverse backgrounds.
Tell us about yourself
I am Virginia (Gigi) Alcalde, a registered dietitian, therapist, and yoga/mindfulness teacher. I specialize in working with individuals presenting challenges with eating disorders and disordered eating, trauma, and mental health, among other conditions. I'm partnered with Dr. Laura Cotton, a naturopathic doctor and nutritionist who specializes in women's health, digestive disorders, and hormone balance, among many other conditions.
We are two friends and colleagues who met at Bastyr University during our post-graduate studies and shared a common work philosophy and vision to support individuals in finding holistic health (mind-body-spirit) and addressing the root causes of illness and disease to support deep and true healing. We are passionate about supporting our clients with client-centered care and individualized interventions. We work on empowering individuals to discover their inner wisdom, intuition, and strengths to guide their path towards finding authentic healing and living more healthy relationships with themselves and their bodies.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment has been believing in myself and the dedication, consistency, and perseverance I've held consistently through the various challenges that one encounters when starting and growing a business.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Starting a health business in the midst of a global pandemic and various complex world events has been a hard task. As a business owner and clinician, being with and navigating my individual experiences and difficulties that these times have presented while committing to holding space and supporting the healing of my clients has been challenging and yet a continuous growth experience for me.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Believe in yourself, your idea, and your purpose. We all have something to offer to the world.
- Have a clear understanding of your business's mission, vision, and values. These might be fluid and growing as time passes, and you'll practice, learn, and grow. But starting with clarity will increase trust and intentionality in the work that you do.
- Prioritize work-life balance. Starting a new business can demand a lot of energy and time. It's important to take care of ourselves and our physical and mental health in order to best show up in our business and to our clients.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://embodyintegrative.com/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3bYeIGP
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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