Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kathryn Smith, owner and managing partner of Contour Fat Loss Clinic Inc., located in Hamilton, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
"Future medicine will be the medicine of frequencies... ". This was a statement made by Albert Einstein over ninety years ago. Since then, we have seen the invention of many diagnostic machines that operate on frequencies, such as magnetic resonance (MRI machine), ultra-sound, and thermal scanning. Much less is publicized about the healing modalities of frequencies, although there are numerous patented medical devices in use.
Contour Fat Loss Clinic Inc. is a doctor-supported medical clinic that uses low-level light waves in specific nanometre wavelengths of the visible spectrum to safely emulsify the fat inside adipose (fat) cells. Specific body areas are targeted, which is something that cannot be accomplished with any diet or exercise regime.
We soon discovered that the majority of our patients were women that had taken good care of themselves but had reached menopause. No matter how much they exercised or dieted, the stubborn area of belly fat remained. To make things worse, often, these women saw the weight come off their face and bust area, only to remain around their waist. I have literally had women walk into the office in tears.
Tell us about yourself
I have always loved the arts and science. Medicine (especially frequency and alternative therapies) seems to be where the two converge into a beautiful symbiosis of life and healing.
Since money was never my main goal or motivation, I chose art over science as my vocation and have made my living in Hamilton as an artist for more than thirty years. During those years, I spent a great deal of my spare time studying the natural healing properties of plants and that of sound and light frequencies.
As chance often manifests, the opportunity to open a business using low-level laser technology for adipose (fat cell) reduction fell into my lap serendipitously during a conversation with a doctor in 2016. A few months later, he and I opened Contour Fat Loss Clinic Inc.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Knowing that I am making a positive difference in people's lives is a very worthwhile achievement.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The hardest thing for me personally is feeling overwhelmed. If you want to start your own business, be prepared to work… a lot. Besides that, you can't always anticipate a downturn in your market or accumulate enough resources to get you through the tough times. This means that you might have to get a part-time job at some point. You are like a parent to your 'baby,' so be prepared to do whatever it takes to help your business-baby survive.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Everything looks good on paper. So, unless you're psychic, my first tip would be to take your business plan and burn it, or better yet, don't even bother making one because they rarely work out the way you projected. Trying to follow a business plan will only depress you and either make you want to throw in the towel before you start or tone it down to something you perceive as more realistic and attainable. Big mistake.
- Focus instead on your end goal and then work backwards
it will almost always be less intimidating and have much fewer steps. Trust that if you believe in what you are doing, the money will follow.
The most pragmatic tip I can give anyone is to read. Look up other similar businesses or people who run a successful venture like yours. You don't need to do it by trial and error if you can use their example. What did they get right? Can you do something similar? What did they do wrong? Don't do that! - You can't grow a business in radio silence. Therefore, after reading comes talking (and writing). Talk about your business to anyone and everyone. Although there are a lot more start-ups in almost every industry, it's also a lot easier to get the word out due to social media. Now is the time to be the parent who can't stop talking about your 'baby.' Use pictures to visually stimulate prospective customers. Please, please, always carry business cards with you. Be creative, but be truthful. Getting the word out will get you customers, but your honesty and integrity are what will keep them and grow your business.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I believe that the greatest deterrent to starting a business is not lack of money but the fear of failure. This is something that often paralyzes people in many aspects of their lives and can spiral them into a state of inertia. Keep in mind that the negativity you may be receiving from well-meaning family and friends is only their own fear being projected onto you. Be kind to them. Most of them just want to keep you safe.
Finally, trust your own instincts. Remember, at the end of our lives, the regrets we have are seldom for what we did. We will, though, regret dearly what we never attempted.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.contourfatloss.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/contourfatloss/
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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