Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lisa Jespersen, Owner and Founder of Mindful Thyme Wellness Centre and Concussion Help Canada, located in Barrie, ON, Canada.

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

Mindful Thyme Wellness Centre is a Registered Massage Therapy clinic in Barrie, ON. We concentrate on injury rehabilitation and pain management for all ages. The majority of our patients are between 25-65, but we enjoy treating babies, children, and people in their golden years as well. Our clinic is easily accessible to everyone.

Tell us about yourself

I became a Registered Massage Therapist in 2014. I worked in multi-disciplinary clinics with Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, and Naturopathic Doctors. Since I started my practice, I seemed to mainly be treating people who had suffered complex injuries after a car accident or major injuries while playing sports or recreational activities. Despite having a very effective team I was working with, there was a percentage of this type of patient that just wasn't getting better no matter what we did and no matter who else we referred them to. After a lot of research into chronic pain and concussion, I realized that a lot of these patients were suffering from persistently post-concussive symptoms but were not being diagnosed or treated as so. Once I changed my treatment approach with these patients, I started to see a decrease in symptoms and improvement in their quality of life.

In 2018 I opened Mindful Thyme Wellness Centre as a solo practitioner.
I dreamed of a clinic in Barrie that concentrated on concussion rehabilitation to help the many patients out there that were not finding the help they needed. I knew when I opened Mindful Thyme that I would not be in a solo-practice clinic forever. I wanted to find other practitioners in my area that wanted to work together for the same goal.

In Sept of 2019, the building I am located in approached me about the opportunity to take on a larger unit across the hall from where I was currently located. I jumped at the opportunity even though I had not found my team of practitioners who wanted to join the clinic yet. In Jan 2020, I moved into my larger unit, and that same month met the first RMT who would join the team. Since then, I have gone on to have a few other RMTs join the team who I have mentored to offer the same quality of healthcare the patients at Mindful Thyme had come to expect.
Knowing there are people out there who got their hope in life back after having their experience with pain or injury acknowledged and taken seriously helps motivate me to get up every day to run and grow this business.

Having other RMTs at the clinic has allowed me to reduce the number of hands of treatment time I was doing, so I have been able to develop some of the resources for our patients I have always wanted to create. In January 2022, I published Concussion Help Diary on Amazon. This book is a guide on what to do right after experiencing a concussion as well as a diary to prompt you to record the most important information about your injury and experience. In July 2022, I published Post-Concussion Help Diary. This book is an in-depth, step-by-step guide to Post-Concussion rehabilitation when you experience persistent symptoms. This book also includes diaries to help you keep a record of your experience and help your healthcare team understand your experience.

My goal with these books is to be able to pass on the knowledge that has helped so many of my patients to people who do not have a rehabilitation healthcare team in place.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The biggest accomplishment for me will always be seeing patients come to the clinic obviously suffering and then seeing them live happier, healthier, with more pain-free, and ready to enjoy life. As a business owner, this is the reason I practice Massage Therapy and open this clinic. This is also the reason I like to mentor other RMTs so they can experience the personal satisfaction of being truly appreciated for the value you have given to each of your patient's life.

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

One of the most difficult parts I have encountered was navigating around the pandemic. We were listed as essential workers after the first lockdown. This meant being closed for four months. Navigating the changes and extra precautions that came with re-opening, as well as the extra costs and reduced income associated with running a health clinic during the pandemic, was tricky. I made it through with some good planning.

I think most business owners would tell you one of the hardest parts is navigating the different personalities and expectations of each team member; when you are teaching and mentoring people, you have to navigate different personalities, learning styles, and work ethics. This can be trickier with some people over others.

When I feel unsure of how to deal with a situation, I am lucky to have my own mentors and friends in the industry I can call and talk to about what is going on to give me a different perspective on what might be the best way to approach the situation.

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

  1. Be ready to work hard, but make sure you also work smart.
  2. Understanding all aspects of your business is important to success and growth.
  3. Take the time, in the beginning, to set yourself up properly with accounting and business management methods to give yourself a solid start.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

At Mindful Thyme, we offer online booking for easy, convenient booking at any time of the day. Visit our website to book. Concussion Help Diary book series is available on Amazon now.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.mindfulthymewellness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MindfulThymeRMT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulthymermt/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mindfulthymermt
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisajespersenrmt/

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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