Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey by launching a health & wellness business, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Aisling Lanigan, founder of Flourish. Aisling is a leading expert in women’s health, mom of young children, Naturopathic Doctor, Speaker, Creator of The Preg-Tox Program, based in Toronto Canada.
What's your business and who are your customers?
Flourish is a beautiful physical and online space for women and mothers led by a team of experts in women’s health and perinatal care collaborating. Our patients and clients are most commonly women in 1 of 3 stages:
- Women who want to feel amazing and Flourish their health (versus just not being sick!)
- Women looking to get pregnant, Flourish during pregnancy, and restore themselves to their pre-baby glory and then some as mamas.
- Women in peri/menopause want a different transitional experience than our mothers had so they can step into their best selves after 50.
Tell us about yourself
My passion is to support women to achieve their peak level of physical and mental health so they can effectively make their impact on the world. I started Flourish because I believe with all of my being that we can have it all as women. We can achieve the dream of family, friends, career, whatever, and ALL OF IT! But we can only do this when we feel amazing, not fine, not 7/10, only when we are Flourishing! Supporting my patients to transform themselves from surviving to thriving is what makes me jump out of bed in the morning and love the life I have created.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Flourish was a concept in my mind for years. I practiced as a Naturopathic Doctor for 9 years before Flourish came to fruition. I dreamt about a better way for women’s health. Then I had a few babies and did all the things. I made the business plan, saved them money, curated the BEST team of women’s health and perinatal experts, and coached them to collaborate to provide the highest level of patient-centered holistic health care…Then the pandemic happened. The world shut down 4 days after I signed a 15-year commercial lease in midtown Toronto. I had to pivot everything. Like going from zero virtual offerings to doing acupuncture on the zoom level of pivot! It was a wild rollercoaster. Successfully launching Flourish in the middle of a pandemic, with 3 kids under 4 all at home is my biggest accomplishment to date.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The pros will always outweigh the cons for me and I welcome the challenges. That being said, what I find difficult is sometimes the most soul-rewarding pieces of Flourish are not the most financially rewarding. Don’t get me wrong, I will always prioritize the soul but it’s difficult to not feel conflicted when setting treatment rates which I know will exclude some women from accessing those services. To deal with this (and sleep at night!) I have created the Flourish Complimentary Learning Library and several group programs which are a much lower barrier to entry so we can support all women at Flourish.
What are the top 3 tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Follow your passion - In my 36 years of experience, this has let to lead me astray.
- Get specific - who do you want to work with/ serve and get to know that person deeply.
- Stay in your zone of genius. Get support, whether it’s tech, design, coaching, whatever! Know your weaknesses and get help with those areas.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://flourishyourhealth.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/draislingnd/
https://www.instagram.com/flourishyourhealth/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FlourishYourHealth
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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