Shake Off the Stress & Start Blooming

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Hina Pitroda, Founder of Bloom and Belong, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

I am the founder of Bloom&Belong. I take mothers from stress and overwhelm to harmony and happy health. Mothers are the foundation of every single one of us, and this foundation needs to be strong. This strength is facilitated by optimal physical, emotional, and spiritual health. It is all connected—our bodies, minds, thoughts, beliefs, relationships, food, sleep, etc., where an imbalance in one affects the whole system.

We are connected, yet each one of us is an individual; therefore, I work in a personalized manner to look at each person's unique whole system, and I partner with them to find what works best for them at this particular stage in their journey.

The stress a new mother experience is different from that of a mother who is going through the empty nest stage. What an expat mother wants to address may be different from the concerns of a South Asian mother. Regardless of these factors, stressors are a part of the constant changes in mothering, and if left unaddressed, they can have a cascading effect on the body, mind, and our relationships. Stress is at the root of most diseases, and awareness is the first step to optimal health.

I use evidence-based modalities to bring awareness to habits and mindsets, address your beliefs, and set a path for you to build healthy habits while keeping you in charge. My approach is client-centered, non-judgmental, and compassionate.

I hold a master's in health and wellness coaching and am a certified mindfulness meditation teacher, as well as a certified mindful self-compassion teacher. In addition to this, I incorporate attachment parenting, laughter yoga, and sleep hygiene for optimal health.

Tell us about yourself

I have lived in three different countries in my life thus far, and describing those experiences is akin to describing the color blue to someone—it is challenging. I wouldn't have it any other way, of course. However, moving is one of the biggest stressors in life, and I certainly experienced that!

At first, there is so much excitement and much to learn in a new place—but alongside this, there are so many changes that you are in a low level of stress constantly. I didn't actively attend to the negative stress, so my body decided to make me aware of this with physical symptoms. This is when I really felt the most difficulty in being the mother I wanted to be, as I couldn't function at my best.

This experience was very powerful, and I began to do everything I could to improve my health. I worked out, took up dancing, meditated, strengthened my relationships, and began the journey of being a lifelong learner. Before long, I was doing these things purely because I enjoyed them - there were no "shoulds." This was freeing and what felt like true health to me because what I was doing was connected to my deeper values. I wanted to be healthy, happy, and thriving for my children—and the only way to do that was by taking care of myself first. This was anything but selfish.

Bringing further awareness to this, I realized that if every mother could feel their best, they would be raising their children in a loving, connected, and kind way. And what happens when we have a world full of kind children? They grow up, and we have a kinder world! This vision is what motivates me every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

As a solo business owner, waking up with hope and a positive outlook every day feels like a big accomplishment. Underneath these are all the tiny ones of having to learn something new every day, especially when it comes to all the evolving technology and details of running a business.

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

Juggling all the different aspects of running a business, making sure that nothing escapes your radar, and managing time around on what is really important.

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

Connect to your deeper why of running a business.
Make your whole health a priority.
Find support and community.

Don't let age keep you from starting something new or doing anything you want. No matter what it is, if you put in the work, have support, and allow for humility and humor, you can do it.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.bloomandbelong.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomandbelong
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomandbelong/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hinapitroda/

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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