Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Laura Brown, Owner of Capital Region Therapeutic Massage and Laura Brown, PT, PLLC, located in Clifton Park, NY, USA.

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

My businesses are therapeutic massage and the elimination of nerve pain with Scrambler Therapy. My clients are go-getters who are frustrated by the pain that keeps them from their full potential and rob them of joy. Some are trying to avoid surgery, and all of them are tired of popping pills that don't help or, worse, make them a zombie. It is possible not to live like this! I spend my day trying to restore that joy, so it's a pretty good way to earn a living.

Tell us about yourself

I was a hospital and home care-based physical therapist. I got frustrated with the lack of progress. If it wasn't the control insurance companies exerted over us, it was the paperwork and the general lack of participation on the part of people to adhere to a long therapeutic process or change in lifestyle. Clinical massage offers the hands-on work that I liked doing with a more immediate gratification as far as pain relief and increased mobility.

It's that excitement that motivates a patient to do more of the self-care on their end to gain even more remarkable results. Scrambler therapy, aka Calmare Pain Mitigation, is everything we have said we wanted in pain control. It has allowed me to watch people on the verge of giving up have hope and talk about a future again. It's unbelievably powerful.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I have brought this groundbreaking therapy to my region. It is a daily treatment, so having to travel for it is hard. This was something I wasn't sure I could do, but here I am, making a difference.

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

Being a "solopreneur" means not having a marketing machine in your back pocket. It is hard to get the word out and slow but finding those practice champions that are open to this as a resource keeps me going.

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

  1. Have capital. Save, save, save before leaving your current job. You can't put a price on peace of mind and having six months of all expenses before starting a business gives you that. Don't max out credit cards to start a business. Don't put that pressure on yourself.
  2. Don't be too quick to say yes. Do your homework. You don't have to take every opportunity that comes your way. Will it help you in the long run? This is a really hard one if your schedule is empty, but everyone will try to sell you a solution, so be savvy. Take the time to find out what your questions are and ask them.
  3. Get a business coach/mentor. In my field, we learn how to be skilled practitioners but not how to run a business. Find someone who has done what you want to do and ask for help. Also, joining a local BNI chapter is a great way to find people and open your circle of influence.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Just that we are people like everyone else, we are here to serve, but therapy is a partnership. It works best when both parties are side by side, looking to the future and planning what that will look like for the client. We can say or do anything, but it is the client following the game plan that makes or breaks success.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.calmaremassage.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/crcalmare/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calmarept/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalmareRegion
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/capital-region-calmare-massage/

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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