Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Katherine Jones, Owner of Katherine Jones, Naturopathic Doctor, LLC., located in St. Louis Park, MN, USA.

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

I am the owner and naturopathic doctor of my virtual private practice, Katherine Jones, Naturopathic Doctor, LLC. I have a passion for all modalities that naturopathic medicine has to offer, including lifestyle counseling, botanical medicine, and nutrition.

I love taking the time to listen to patients, understand their health history, and offer comprehensive and compassionate care so that patients feel empowered to take control of their own health. I try to practice "root cause medicine," meaning that rather than eliminating or merely suppressing someone's symptoms, I try to remove the underlying cause of illness.

I have expertise in mental health and see patients with conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, and ADHD. Another focus of my practice is women's health, and I see women with "problem periods," PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, and menopause. I also see patients with digestive concerns, endocrine disorders, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular issues, skin conditions, and more.

Tell us about yourself

The main influence on my career decision to become a naturopathic doctor was my undergraduate independent study with the University of Wisconsin Industrial Engineering department. At the time, I was a pre-med biology major and was ready to go to "conventional" medical school.

The Industrial Engineering department recruited people who were pre-med, and we were given the task of watching hours of primary care visits and coding doctor-patient-computer interactions. While the research was tedious at times, it ended up being a valuable experience because I essentially had the opportunity to virtually shadow numerous area physicians for hours every week.

One patient that stood out to me was a woman in her 50s who was using a walker. I was already surprised by how restricted her mobility was for someone of her age, but what was even more shocking to me was that the number of prescription medications she was on was in the double digits. These were all powerful medications with serious side effects.

Many of these medications were prescribed to combat the side effects of her other medications. She, like many other people in this country, was on a chain of one medication being used to mask the symptoms of another. After seeing this visit, I quickly became disillusioned with conventional medicine. I realized that although it is really good at preventing people from dying, it is not good at making people well.

Some months after my independent study, my mother showed me an article in one of her nursing magazines that gave basic information on naturopathic medicine and NDs. With my previous experiences prominent in my thoughts, the article sparked my interest.

After several months of reflection and research, I decided that pursuing this kind of work would be extremely valuable. I believe in a more holistic approach to medicine: treating patients instead of treating just diseases and treating the root cause of an illness instead of only giving people Band-Aids.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Surviving and starting a new business in a brand new state and having a global pandemic hit two weeks later. My private practice has grown in the past three years despite these challenges.

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

All the behind-the-scenes admin work that goes into it! I got into naturopathic medicine to work with patients, not to worry about running a business. But running a successful business impacts patient care, so it is important that the admin side runs smoothly as well.

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

  1. Get started! Everything doesn't have to be "complete," starting on day one. Chip away at tasks and take things one day at a time.
  2. Create your website sooner rather than later. Having a good web presence is important, so it's good to have that up and running early.
  3. Take the time to establish workflows. It can feel like more time/energy up front, but it will make your life easier in the future.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.katherinejonesnd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katjonesnd/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-jones-608/

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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