Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health & wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Phoebe Lyman, Owner of Los Angeles Manual Therapy, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

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

I own Los Angeles Manual Therapy, specializing in hands-on, holistic care for fertility, pelvic, and gut health. I offer highly specific, organ-level manual (massage) therapy for people who are trying to conceive either naturally or through IVF, as well as therapy for people suffering from painful periods, pelvic disorders like endometriosis, hormonal imbalances, and gut discomforts. My practice is LGBT+ inclusive, recognizing that not all people who have uteruses identify as women.

Tell us about yourself

I have been working in sexual and reproductive health for over a decade, not as a health practitioner but as a clinical researcher. As much as I love the rigorous, data-driven approach to knowledge, I knew I had something more to offer. I knew I wanted to work one on one with people, and the biggest gap I saw in reproductive health care was the absence of touch. For example, in fertility care, the allopathic (and even naturopathic) medical system throws a lot of procedures and medications at a body without ever touching the womb space of the person trying to conceive. If touch were more central, we would change our approach, first reducing tension, addressing scar tissue, and mobilizing the organs to restore healthy functioning.

I strongly believe that manual therapy should always be the first-line therapy in any pelvic health concern, whether it be fertility, menopause, painful periods, or another issue. I was also motivated to shift into a solo practice by a deep drive to create a work-life for myself that felt more humane more integrated, in which I used my body and my intuition. Away from a screen, in communion with other humans. Part of my work and thinking revolves around 'rewilding' in the name of fertility and reproductive health.

Meaning, what are the things we can shift in our own lives that will help us throttle back the technology-intensive, disconnected lifestyles we've developed over time and reconnect with our animal selves, and the idea that these shifts positively impact our own health and are important steps in preparing to grow a family. For me, this looked like shifting my work from computer-based, 40-hour weeks to human-connected, spacious, and free work that allows me to rest and may one day accommodate a growing family.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Connecting with other practitioners in the field and spreading the word about the importance of hands-on healing. It has been so satisfying to watch lightbulbs in the heads of doctors light up when I explain the simple, elegant impact of connecting with the reproductive organs, improving circulation and mobility. The more we can collaborate and share our knowledge and tools, the more we benefit the people in need.

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

The diversity of responsibility and the SALES! When you go into business for a service, you think the work you'll be doing is the service. And it is. AND a good chunk of the work is selling the service you offer. It has been a massive challenge for me to learn new skills and approaches to marketing, but I've also been so grateful for this unexpected opportunity to grow myself. It's a daily practice in communication and fine-tuning your message.

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

  1. Know your numbers. It has been critical for me to have tight spreadsheets and accounting systems to know how to develop my services and pricing to meet my needs so I can track the ins and outs of my business finances.
  2. Connect with other professionals, either in your field or an adjacent field. Yes, it's helpful for the nitty gritty success of your business, but it is also critical to have other entrepreneurs and folks in business for moral and logistical support.
  3. Regarding the challenge I mentioned before about getting used to marketing, what helped me the most is realizing that selling is nothing more than offering a product or service to a person when it's relevant to that person. You are helping them by offering them a solution to their problem. This way, marketing and selling can be generous, caring, and attentive.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.phoebelyman.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/la.manualtherapy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la.manualtherapy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebe-lyman-24197960/

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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