Feel Better in Your Mind and Body

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Correy O'Neal, co-founder of Movement Genius, located in Columbus, OH, USA.

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

Movement Genius is a subscription platform that creates mental health tools and stress relief techniques that people can use anytime, anywhere to feel better. We design our classes with psychotherapists and then have professional talent demonstrate the techniques on-camera, which helps users connect with familiar faces.

Movement Genius was built by and for young adults, creating an accessible, effective, and polycultural community of people seeking support in a way that feels relevant and effective.

Tell us about yourself

I've been building start-ups for the past 15 years. My earlier career was focused on business growth within entertainment, media, and fashion. I took a hiatus and spent four years creating sustainability for a non-profit facilitating positive youth development programming for teen moms and young people aging out of foster care.

My sister and I created Movement Genius when we noticed Gen Z in a mental health crisis. We saw plenty of mindfulness tools that focus on the neck-up approach. But we know that anxiety, stress, and trauma are stored in the body, so the best way to help young people is to make our resources effective and entertaining.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Reaching over 500,000 individuals in the first year since launching our MVP without any paid media promotion. We've strategically developed our programming to drive organic engagement and interest in our product.

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

At the beginning of starting a business, you're required to perform tasks and carry out responsibilities that aren't in your natural wheelhouse. I am naturally wired for strategy, sales, partnerships, and storytelling. However, as the COO, I find myself working with our bookkeeper and handling operational protocols way more than I'd like. The tasks aren't hard perse, but they do take me more time since it's not how I'm naturally wired. Ultimately I find that the early days can move slowly when you have your hands in so many pockets of the business.

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

Know your purpose for building the business. It will drive your passion and carry you through negative feedback or tough times.
Invest in leadership and communication training. This will impact your opportunities in the future (PR, marketing, website language, hiring, etc.).
Before you start your own company, see if somebody else is already doing it. Reflect if it's better to work WITH them or be in competition with them. If you're certain you want your own company, you MUST find what makes you different. And the difference between your business should be significant in a way that matters to your customer or your investors.

Even the hardest of personalities will experience a lot of stress and anxiety while launching a company. I recommend communicating with those in your life and being honest about how you're doing -- share your fears, let others pay for your dinner sometimes, keep your body moving, etc. Your health and wellness will affect your company's success.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.movementgenius.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/movementgenius/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/movement-genius/

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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