Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Emma Mulvany, Founder of EM Holistic Wellness, located in Des Plaines, IL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I combine my training as a holistic nutritionist and personal trainer with my personal experience to coach women in coming home to themselves. The women that come to me are looking for a new way of being. They may feel fed up with diet culture or have a specific health issue they're looking to get to the root of. Or they may just feel disconnected from their own body and their authentic self.
With a curious and open heart, we examine their nutrition, fitness, lifestyle factors, relationships, career and purpose, past trauma and experience, and much more to unpack what's holding them back from living their most healthy and happy life.
Above all, I create a supportive, loving, and nurturing environment (whether in one on one sessions or in group experiences) where all feel seen, loved, and held in a safe space.
Tell us about yourself
I knew from a young age that I was born to help people. Through each trial - with many chronic health issues and some mental health learnings - I always looked for the "teachable moments," the nuggets that I could share with others to make their journey easier, so they could skip some of the sufferings.
When the time was right, I complimented my experience with formal training in holistic nutrition, fitness, and natural healing modalities in order to confidently guide my clients through their own exploration and healing journeys.
Now I love that my business supports others, and I get to connect with beautiful souls while being an example to my children and molding a life I love around my passions.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My clients' success stories are my greatest accomplishment. Clients often become lifelong friends, and every one holds a special place in my heart. But one woman, in particular, stands out. She is one of those people who emanate light, even through a video call. She was lost and struggling with digestive issues, rheumatism, depression and anxiety, and many other confounding factors. After just a few short weeks of working together, she was on a healing path - feeling less inflamed, calmer in her digestion, more balanced and grounded in her mood, empowered on her health journey with allopathic specialists, and reconnected to her own inner wisdom and intuition. It was a true honor to witness her journey and be part of guiding her home to herself.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
What I love most about owning my own business is often also the hardest thing - going it alone. I love having control over my schedule, what I commit to, and the end product of everything I do, but it's also a very lonely place to be. In my first few years in business, I learned quickly what to outsource and what to keep on my plate, but now I'm excited to grow my network of solopreneur running buddies in the hopes of learning from others' experiences and gaining that like-minded connection that is essential for overall fulfillment.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- There will never be a perfect time to start your own business and always a long list of excuses - just start now. Even if you can't go for it full time, what's one step you can take toward bringing your product or service to life now?
- Be authentic. There are endless ways to do business and be successful. Choose the tactics and strategies that resonate with you, that ring true and feel good, and your business will be supported no matter your service or product.
- Lead with service. Even though being an entrepreneur can come with the perks of setting your own hours and controlling most aspects of your business, the customer is the true beneficiary of your business. Put the customer/client/user first - their experience, their pain points, their needs - and you'll be successful.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Don't be afraid to break the rules or conventional molds of what business in your chosen niche or industry looks like. Create a home for your client or customer, and you have a business for life!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.emholisticwellness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emholisticwellness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emholisticwellness/
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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