Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with William Hershey, Founder of Life Stream Business Services, located in Umpqua, OR, USA.

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

I help Functional Health Entrepreneurs who need to earn more. FIND ALIGNMENT, BECOME PROFITABLE & THRIVE.

Life Stream Business Services offers strategic advisory and business coaching services for functional health and healing arts professionals who are committed to impacting their communities. Aside from helping clients one-on-one, I teach business and finance fundamentals nationally and internationally through professional organizations, institutions, and CE course platforms. It's an honor and a thrill to help the healers who are out there helping the world heal.

Tell us about yourself

I lived at a meditation retreat center for 15 years, and that was a wonderful experience in ways that are difficult to describe. But at a certain point, I realized that I needed to express myself more fully in the world, and it was then that I decided to shift my focus from strictly spiritual health to helping folks develop a healthy lifestyle on all levels (body, mind, and spirit). In order to support my own functional health training in trauma therapy (Somatic Experiencing) and Ayurveda (an ancient health science and sister science of Yoga), I began offering bookkeeping services to other functional health practitioners. And I quickly realized that my functional health colleagues needed much more than bookkeeping services. Most clinician entrepreneurs don't receive sufficient business training and end up struggling unnecessarily with their businesses. Many don't receive adequate compensation for the value of the work they deliver and the level of education necessary to deliver it. Witnessing this problem and realizing that I had the financial tools to support them, I decided to provide this necessary support to help this profession thrive. I believe functional health should be rewarding in all ways, including economically. I believe that functional health professions need to be recognized as an economically viable career path so that the talented healers of the future don't need to hesitate in following their calling to pursue this path.

When we're able to thrive, we're better able to help others thrive. And by helping others grow, we are also bolstering our own growth. This is a virtuous cycle, which I call "Mutual Prosperity," and that's the key principle behind how I approach business.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

It's been a thrill to see one of my Naturopathic Physician clients take her clinic from 1% Net Profit in 2021 to 15% Net Profit within the first seven months of working together. When we dialed in her pricing for her blood draw procedures, she improved her projected profitability enough to pay for a year of my services with that alone.

Why is that important? - She's a single mom, recently separated from her husband and supporting two small children. Knowing that she has enough to make ends meet and plan a nice future for them warms both of our hearts. And to know that her patients are getting vitally needed help during a global health crisis is deeply fulfilling. I love seeing practices like this thrive!

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

It's always a challenge for me to call it a day and go to bed. There's always more to do to make things better, more great stuff to learn, and more people to help. I often just want to keep shoveling the work in. Still, I realize I must approach my work and business with a sustainability mindset. I'm in this for the long haul. I've lived through burnout before, so I know what that's like. But what's wonderful is feeling the flow of the work, wherein it doesn't feel like work. Clients are happy, and it's a joy delivering value. So even though it can be long hours sometimes doing all the things an entrepreneur needs to do, it's deeply gratifying to know that this is making a difference in people's lives.

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

  1. Commit yourself to the success/fulfillment of your clients/customers.
  2. Commit yourself to constant improvement, including developing your skills or developing a mindset that attracts success.
  3. Be clear about your vision, values, and purpose behind what you're building because this will propel you through the many tests and challenges you'll face. I've come to realize that the life of an entrepreneur is a journey of self-development as it consistently challenges us to grow.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

The overall mindset necessary for being successful as an entrepreneur is much different from that of an employee working for someone else. This was surprising to me as I settled into the entrepreneurial life, and now I can see that I've grown tremendously as a result of adopting an entrepreneurial mindset. Being an entrepreneur can be highly creative because you're engaging the creative mind to solve problems for people in the marketplace. Building a business is also an art. And many of the best entrepreneurs out there do not have formal business education (look up Tony Robbins, Jay Abraham, Michael Gerber, etc.) But they all embody certain entrepreneurial traits that helped them succeed. I know some of the highly-educated folks reading this may not like to hear what I'm about to say. You probably don't need to go back and get a degree to succeed in business. Get whatever training you need to move forward, but hang out with and learn from other entrepreneurs who share similar values. In their company, you'll quicken your learning process and greatly increase your chances of success. That's all for now!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.lifestream-bewell.com/
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3QjJIAu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/life.stream.business/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-hershey-life-stream/

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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