Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Amanda Tracy, ND, based in Fairfield, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I've been a licensed Naturopathic Doctor (ND) since 2005. For 15 years, I helped build an award-winning wellness center in Massachusetts. In 2021, I relocated to Northern California wine country and transitioned my practice online to serve women from New England to California and everywhere in between. In my telemedicine practice, I help women over 40 reclaim their bodies, minds, and mojo to master their metabolism, sleep deeper, have more energy, and always be in a kickass good mood.
Patients come to me feeling like their bodies and minds are in chaos due to hormonal transitions, menopausal symptoms, and the constant stresses of life. These women are frustrated because they're not feeling well and not getting the answers they need from their current doctors or late-night Google searches. I enjoy helping my patients by finding and treating the underlying causes of their symptoms with evidence-based and holistic treatments, as well as shedding some light on what's really going on in their bodies during perimenopause and menopause.
Tell us about yourself
In my teens and 20s, I was plagued with irregular periods. Naturally, when I specialized in naturopathic medicine, female hormones, and menstrual cycles were of personal interest. I created my personal healing regimen using natural therapies, herbal medicine, and nutrition to support my hormones, and I was able to have regular, monthly periods in my 30s and 40s.
As my practice grew in size, life became more complex, and stressors mounted over the years; by 2017 (coincidentally when I turned 40), I arrived at a place all too common in the healing professions... "burnout." This experience of "burnout" was a wake-up call that forced me to re-evaluate my lifestyle, work-life balance, and my nutrition and supplement regimen.
Knowing the close relationships between stress, insomnia, and my hormones, I dove deeper into the causes of stress and how to manage my triggers daily. Although this was a really difficult time in my life, this exploration led to me not only healing myself but also creating the medical practice I have today.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Saying "yes" to what I really want and the patients that I can help the most and be comfortable saying a polite "no" to clients that may not be the best fit for my practice (usually in the form of a referral to another practitioner).
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being a solopreneur can be lonely. It provides valuable flexibility in my schedule that allows for preparing healthy meals and maintaining a consistent exercise regimen, but the flipside is I am alone most of the day and do not have the social aspects or consistent support of peers throughout the workday. To prevent loneliness and feeling isolated, I find women-centered networking and business mastermind groups to be a vital part of my schedule.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Niche as much as possible, and then niche more! As a business owner, there's always an ongoing list of things to get done and opportunities to grow - the more defined you are in your lane and the more honed in on your ideal customers you are will help you prioritize your goals and decide which opportunities to say "yes," or "no" to.
- Keep accurate stats, even in the beginning when the numbers may be small. Knowing your numbers really well will help you see trends as your business grows and help you make better decisions.
- Have fun and listen to your gut. Business isn't always fun, and of course, there's a fair amount of drudgery in any business, but if you find yourself consistently avoiding a task or sluggishly getting through it - do a gut check: Does this task really need to be done? And if it does, does it need not be done by you?
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://dramandatracy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandatracynd/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandatracynd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmandaTracyND
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandatracynd/
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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