Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jessica Mahé, owner of Forward Physiotherapy & Wellness, located in Edmonton, AB, Canada.

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

At Forward, we strive to provide our clients with all their health solutions under one roof! We currently offer Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Naturopath, Custom Orthotics, Custom Bracing, and Custom Pillow Fitting. We pride ourselves in our new modern facility, complete with a 500sqft gym space for active rehabilitation. Our customers include car accident claims, WCB claims, military clients, and also regular clients who come in with various injuries or health goals. What sets us apart from other clinics is that we focus on the client experience - you get one-on-one time with your health professional, appointments are not rushed, each treatment plan is built custom based on the client's goals, and we will not recommend things that aren't necessary for your recovery.

Tell us about yourself

In high school, I was fascinated by the human body studies in biology class. I knew I wanted to have a career that learned more about anatomy, physiology, & rehabilitation. I also knew I wanted to have an active job where I was on my feet all day helping others. I ended up completing a BSc in Kinesiology and then an MSc in Physiotherapy - both degrees completed at the University of Alberta. After graduating, I also did extra training in Acupuncture, Dry Needling, and various other courses because I still love learning more and more about the body. Starting a business was actually my husband's idea! My husband is a CPA Accountant, and his dream has always been to run a business. After a bit of convincing, he inspired me to be his business partner. We also have a third partner Melissa, who is also a physiotherapist. Together we have been the dream team, me and Melissa focusing on client care, and my husband Yannick taking care of the administrative tasks. What motivates me every day is getting positive feedback from our clients. We are so proud to have so many amazing 5 star reviews on Google and clients who say "wow!" when they walk into our facility.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I would say my biggest accomplishment is our staff team at Forward. I didn't realize how difficult it is to find the right team members. Currently, our team is so experienced, so knowledgeable, so positive, and we love working together to reach the client's goals. I get so proud to see the staff interact and give their positive feedback about working for our company.

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

I would say the hardest challenge of being a business owner is that it is a 24/7 job. In the beginning, we were sometimes working 14-16 hours per day to get the business open, running, and successful. Even now, after three years of operation, we often have to put in late nights and weekends as needed to address challenges as they come up. There are always things to do, ideas to research, challenges to solve, and ways to grow, which keeps you very busy!

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

  1. Make sure you are committing to the time it takes to run and grow a business (make sure you enjoy being very busy!).
  2. Make a robust business plan and take your time putting in the researching, planning, budgeting, and designing. The more specifics you can think of during your planning phase, the better!
  3. Find a business partner! It's been great to have Yannick and Melissa to bounce ideas off of, support each other during challenging times, and help split up the workload (bonus if you all have different areas of expertise!).

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Wishing all the entrepreneurs out there a successful future filled with growth, learning, and a sense of fulfillment!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://forwardphysiotherapy.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FwdPhysioYEG
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fwdphysioyeg/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fwdphysioyeg

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.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.