Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Natasha Sharma, founder and CEO of NKS Therapy, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

NKS Therapy is a destination for total Mental Health and Emotional Wholeness. We provide accessible online counselling therapy to Canadians, along with tools such as books, journals, and online courses, so our clients and customers can both heal, as well as learn to take control of and nourish their mental health on an ongoing basis. Therapy can teach us how to respond to situations - and to ourselves - with empathy and understanding, instead of reactivity and defensiveness.

What sets us apart is that in addition to providing traditional care and support through psychotherapy, we also educate and empower our clients. We're not just supporting mental health; we're building mental strength. The term I've used for this is "Emotional Fitness," which was the subject of my 2017 TEDx Talk. The more we flex and exercise our brain muscles, experience our true emotions, and grow through continuous learning, the stronger we become. Our customers are anyone who is looking to live better: More consciously, more intentionally, more happily, and more peacefully.

Tell us about yourself

I think deep down I have been entrepreneurial since I was a child. I've always questioned the status quo and been an artist and creator at heart. But I also learned to be independent and rely on myself from a young age. I didn't have the easiest time growing up. My family was privileged and we had everything functionally, but our relationship dynamics were unhealthy. My parents were immigrants to Canada from India and they carried their own personal traumas. They didn't know how to meet their own emotional or marital needs, let alone ours. This is true for so many parents of their generation and before then. The impact on my siblings and I was tough. But through this, I developed a sense of resilience, a very strong work ethic, and the desire to help myself and others live healthier, happier lives free from their pasts. As human beings, we all have the amazing ability to come out of very difficult situations and not only survive; but thrive. Our challenges in life actually become the beacon for that growth if we let them.

What motivates me every day is a sense of gratitude for just being alive, healthy, and able to enjoy my life and make a positive difference in the world as much as possible. It’s what we’re all here for. I’m also motivated by the love I have for raising my two small boys, and bonding together as a family with their dad. I am literally living my “Dream Life” and I’m so grateful for that.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

We have won several awards in the past year. In 2021 we were voted "Best Psychotherapists Toronto," and we were also a recipient of the "American Express Blueprint Award." The last few years have been really tough on us all. I'm very proud to have been able to expand my business exponentially these past few years at a time when mental healthcare is needed more than ever. Due to this expansion and scaling, I have been able to lower our costs to clients and customers and provide our services and products far more efficiently and effectively across Canada. We are now one of the leading providers of therapy in Ontario, with plans to continue our expansion.

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

One of the hardest things about being a business owner is being a leader for your team. Leadership requires a strong, confident presence, which means working on yourself so you can show up for others - your team and your customers/clients. I’m proud to be a therapist who also engages in the therapy process myself, so I can explore my own emotions and analyze my reactions to things. When I make time for self-care, I am always a better leader, therapist, and human as a result.

I would also add managing your time can be challenging - more specifically, compartmentalizing your time. That might sound funny since owners, in theory, set their own time. But your time as an owner is dictated by your clients, customers, and the needs of the business. This means "work hours" change every day. My solution has been to use a weekly planner and to make sure have plenty of downtime every day, even if when that happens changes day to day.

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

  1. Start with looking for a problem that you see in your own life that you are personally bothered by. Do you use something – either a product or a service - that is somehow sub-par? Do you imagine ways you could improve it or features you wish it had? Now... is it something you could potentially make better? Is there anyone else out there making it better? Don't be afraid if there are... don't be afraid of competition. That means there is a market there! Is there something you have a special talent for? Something you’re already doing for others in your spare time that more people are asking you to do? There are many ways to find a problem society needs a solution for: Find one that speaks to you, your passions, and your skill set.
  2. Try starting a business on the side of a regular income stream. That's what I did. I started as a solopreneur while working part-time at someone else's clinic 12 years ago. This lowers the risk to you while at the same time providing some investment income for your new business venture. As well, when starting out try to build up a loyal community by providing free content or education on your website and/or social media. It costs you mostly time, but it is worth it. Give away free value, build up trust with a handful of people, and they will eventually buy from you if what you have is a good product or service.
  3. Be persistent, be persistent, be persistent! Passion + persistence usually wins out in the end. Some businesses are "overnight" successes, but most are not. Play the long game! I would also add that while persistence is important, so is knowing when to 'quit' an idea, modify it or pivot, or transform, change it, or move on and try something new.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

There is always a place in the world for people with passion, a desire to work hard, and who genuinely want to make the world around them better by helping people and the planet. It is NEVER too late to start something in life. So if you're reading this, and you've always had an idea for something swirling around in the back of your end that you've been too afraid to pursue, in the words of another (famous) brand: Just Do It! Don't let fear hold you back. Do it WITH your fear.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.nkstherapy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatashaKSharmaPsyD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaksharma/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatashaKSharma
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashaksharma/

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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