Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ryan Kenny, co-founder of Pause at Work®, located in Portland, OR, USA.

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

Pause at Work® is an organization dedicated to helping leaders and teams create S P A C E in their lives for what matters most and tap into their inner resources for resilience. We partner with organizations that are passionate about shaping a more sane, loving, and healthy future.

Tell us about yourself

I founded Pause in 2015 in Portland, Oregon, with my partner Rena because we needed a different way to live. I was a social worker working in crisis centers, and Rena worked for a nonprofit furniture bank. We cared deeply about our work, but we were stressed out, burnt out, and losing our balance. We turned to mindfulness and meditation as a pillar of support, and we started experimenting with pausing throughout our day – small moments many times. It changed everything. We knew countless other passionate professionals who were also feeling stuck and unhappy, so we started Pause at Work® to share our method.

Seven years later, we’ve partnered with universities, hospitals, and multinational corporations. We’ve taught tens of thousands of people how to pause. We get up each morning because we believe pausing each day is a key ingredient to cultivating the most authentic, creative, and resilient versions of ourselves. Our world needs space now more than ever.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Hands down, the most meaningful accomplishment has been helping people overcome some of the biggest challenges of their lives. Watching someone transform from feeling utter to stuck to empowered and capable of skillfully navigating their life challenges (from anxiety, chronic pain, or burnout to the loss of a loved one) is incredibly hopeful and inspiring.

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

Maintaining my own balance. To my point above – when someone is passionate about their mission, it can obscure their personal needs and stamp out the space necessary to recharge and stay inspired. I’ve heard before that you find or create a biz/product/vocation because the path serves up what you truly need yourself. Yep, that holds true here for sure!

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

  1. Find an amazing partner. It’s so much more rewarding and possible to grow a business when you can share your dream with another inspiring and motivated human.
  2. Find a coach. Building a biz is a team effort – even for solopreneurs – and we all need support, especially as leaders. When we first started Pause, we could barely afford a coach, but we took the leap anyway, and it was one of the best decisions we’ve made. Someone believing in you and rooting you on (and providing practical guidance) goes a LONG way.
  3. Establish a non-negotiable self-care routine. You are your most valuable asset. Business is not fun (nor fruitful) if you’re withering on the vine. Ask yourself, what will it take for me to show up as the best version of myself? Ten hours of sleep each night? Great – build that into your business model as best as you can. The beauty of running your own biz is that it’s your dream to shape – you get to lead every step of the way.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I once saw a yellow road construction sign comic that said, “UNIVERSE CLOSED, USE RAINBOW.” On this journey, I would hit a dead end so many times, and it would feel like the worst thing ever. Much to my surprise, it turned out to be just the thing I needed to push me to adapt and grow in a new direction. Whenever you hit a roadblock, I suggest you pause, practice patience, and then look for the rainbow.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.pausemeditation.org/workplace-mindfulness
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pausemeditation/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pausemeditation/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pausemeditation
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pausemeditation/

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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