Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dave Candy, Owner of More 4 Life, located in Manchester, MO, USA.

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

At More 4 Life, we're a holistic physical therapy and wellness company that helps St. Louis women aged 40 and above to stay active, mobile, and healthy without relying on pain medications, injections, or surgery using a holistic approach.

Tell us about yourself

When I first graduated from physical therapy school, I wanted to work with athletes. But I quickly found that I got more joy helping everyday people get back to the things that matter most in their lives. I also found that there was a subset of people who just didn't get better doing the things I learned in school, so I went on to get further education and training on how to help these "difficult patients." As I got better at helping people that others haven't been able to help, I got into the niche of chronic pain, and that's really what my business focuses on.

We help get people out of chronic pain and then engage in healthy lifestyle habits to keep the pain from returning in the future. Helping people to know that there is hope is what motivates me. Many of our patients have tried other things in the past like medications, other physical therapy places, chiropractors, massage therapy, exercises they find on the internet, or even injections or surgery, and yet, they're still suffering from pain. When we can give back hope to someone that's lost it, that's really fulfilling.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is building a team. We're still a small and growing team, but by yourself, you can only help so many people per day. By recruiting and training top talent, you can multiply your impact beyond what you could ever do by yourself. I'm also proud of publishing a book and developing a growing blog and YouTube channel to be able to help people outside of St. Louis who I likely would never have the opportunity to help in person.

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

One of the hardest things about owning a business is the uncertainty. You don't get a guaranteed paycheck of a fixed amount every two weeks, so you have to be smart about keeping an eye on your expenses vs. revenue. You can only help people if you stay in business. Money's not the only reason to be in business, but you can't keep your doors open without it. Marketing, sales, and finance aren't skills you learn in school when becoming a physical therapist, so you have to learn a whole new skill set. That's fun and invigorating, but it can also be challenging.

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

  1. Know your why. That's a bit of a cliché, but it's true. If you don't have a mission and a belief that you're passionate about, it's probably not worth the effort of running a business.
  2. Know your numbers. It's not enough to think, "build it, and they will come" you need to know and track whatever key performance indicators (KPIs) are relevant to your business. Whatever products or services you sell, you need to know how many products or services you need to sell to break even and how many to make the margins you want. Once you know that number, you need a plan to get you there. Knowing your numbers becomes even more important as you scale.
  3. Be OK with uncertainty. Uncertainty is an inevitable part of owning a business. It keeps things fresh, but it can also be nerve-racking. If you're not OK with some degree of uncertainty, don't start a business.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

When you own a business, it's not enough just to be really, really good at your craft. It's a bit of a mindset shift from being a technician to a true entrepreneur. That's the theme of the book the E-Myth by Michael Gerber. I would recommend anyone aspiring to own a business read that book BEFORE starting your business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://m4lpt.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/M4LPT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/more4lifept/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/more4lifept
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dave-candy-pt-faaompt-b9a19a24/

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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