Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Natalie McCulloch & Nicole Sandilands, Founders of Durham Natural Health Centre, located in Ajax, ON, Canada.

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

We are naturopathic doctors, twin sisters, and owners of Durham Natural Health Centre, a multi-disciplinary clinic in Ajax, Ontario. We help women navigate the hormonal transitions of their lives and help women thrive in perimenopause and menopause. We see patients virtually all over the province and run various online programs to increase our impact and how many women we can support. We both truly believe that education equals empowerment and feel if we can educate women about their hormones, they can move through life with a newfound grace and ease wherever they are in their hormone journey.

Tell us about yourself

We are twin sisters and both naturopathic doctors, but interestingly enough found naturopathic medicine on our own terms. Nat struggled with acne and was looking for a solution to her health problems and discovered naturopathic medicine and the power of our diet and lifestyle. Nic originally thought she was going to be an MD but loved the root cause philosophy of naturopathic medicine, and we both ended up starting in naturopathic school together.

We both started out in private practice independently but quickly decided we wanted to have our own space and put our own spin on it. We co-run our clinic together and both have unique skill sets we bring to the table - Nic is the numbers geek, and Nat takes care of the marketing. Our jobs are twofold - 1 running the business and 2 seeing patients.

The motivation for seeing patients, I feel, speaks for itself. Being able to support women in their hormonal transitions and provide the support they need to feel better is an incredibly rewarding role. The second hat we wear is that of an entrepreneur and clinic owner, which is equally great. Being able to create a space for wellness within our community is amazing. Having each other to lean on as we navigate the natural ups and downs of entrepreneurial life is everything.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

We have grown our business from a little team of just the 2 of us, where we literally did everything in the beginning to a full multi-disciplinary center with a team of 6 naturopathic doctors, one osteopathic manual therapist, an RMT, an acupuncturist, an IV lounge, and an amazing admin team.

Also, being recognized by our local board of trade for a business excellence award in 2021 as we celebrated nine years of business was the icing on the cake.

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

Creating boundaries. As entrepreneurs, I think you are drawn to the creativity and the excitement, and that is inspiring and amazing, but learning to unplug is also necessary. We have both been guilty of not turning off and being too available at times. Having five little kids under the age of 6 between the 2 of us has definitely taught us a lot about boundaries and discipline in our work.

We have learned over time that the greatest creative sparks happen when you unplug and recharge.

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

  1. Find your passion - if you love what you do, it doesn't feel like work! This is also important when deciding what to outsource. If you hate a particular task that needs to be done - outsource it so you can stay excited and passionate about what you do.
  2. Invest in mentorship and coaching early. We are constantly investing now to grow and learn, but it only started when we were years into the business. I wonder where we would be today had we done this sooner.
  3. Know your numbers intimately! By having a large team and a large center, it has been so important to know which parts of our business are thriving, so we know what needs a little more support and, more importantly, where to focus our attention.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://dnhc.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DurhamNaturalHealthCentre
Instagram(Personal): https://www.instagram.com/dr_nic_and_nat/
Instagram(Company): https://www.instagram.com/durhamnaturalhealthcentre/
LinkedIn(Natalie): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliemccullochnd/
LinkedIn(Nicole): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-sandilands-nd/

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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