Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with PJ Olsen, Founder of Restorative Strength, LLC, located in Nashville, TN, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is Restorative Strength, where I offer specialized movement training to help the 50-and-over crowd overcome physical limitations, regain their confidence, and restore and maintain their strength and mobility for the long term — no matter their age, fitness level, or location. I'm an expert in physical wellness, having completed 500 hours of yoga wellness training, and I am a certified Original Strength™ Pro.
By empowering clients with simple tools and techniques that strengthen the body, brain, and nervous system, they can quickly reduce stiffness and pain, reclaim lost mobility and strength, and get back to leading their normal active life! I specialize in working with Baby Boomers and Seniors, folks recovering from injury or surgery, joint replacement prehab and rehab, and adults living with Parkinson's Disease...folks determined to reclaim their active lifestyle, age gracefully while maintaining independence, and return to a thriving life!
Tell us about yourself
I've always led a very physically active lifestyle, but in my early 50s, I had a wake-up call. As a result of years of sitting behind my computer screen and working in a sedentary business environment, my body felt the toll. I was in constant discomfort and pain, and my ability to move around was declining. Desperate for a solution, I spent loads of time and money seeing every specialist I could think of, but the relief was only temporary. Finally, I tried something different. I learned about Original Strength™, and through it and other specialized fitness and mobility training, I got my life back.
Seven years ago, after having spent 30 years working in the music industry, I made a huge career shift. In my 50's, I began my life's mission passion — to help people restore mobility, regain strength and confidence. I knew I wanted to help folks in their 50s learn to move like they used to and beyond reclaim the active lifestyle they had always enjoyed!
Since then, I've become an Original Strength™ Certified Pro and Yoga Wellness Specialist and immersed myself in training to work with folks with Parkinson's Disease. I wake up every morning excited to help folks — especially those 50 and over — rediscover how to move freely and without pain. In a relatively short amount of time, my clients are able to resume their favorite activities, whether it be golf, tennis, hiking, yoga, or gardening. The transformation is exciting and so rewarding to watch!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a business owner, my biggest accomplishment to date has been successfully pivoting when the pandemic hit! Forced to leave behind the brick-and-mortar where I had been working with my clients, I quickly learned how to use the virtual world to continue working with the aging population, which has since connected me to wonderful folks all around the world! Not only did I begin offering my private and semi-private sessions via Zoom, but I also launched a monthly membership of Total Body Reset: Simple Moves to Improve Balance and Mobility -- 25-minute, live-streamed classes that I teach 3 times per week where I offer a 72-hour replay for those who are unable to attend live.
I also created a 4-module online course, Movement For EveryBODY: Jumpstart to Reclaiming Your Mobility At Any Age, that walks folks through simple, safe movements that, when practiced regularly and consistently, will help them to feel better physically and mentally, move better, get stronger, regain their confidence, and reclaim the active lifestyles they once enjoyed!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As a solo entrepreneur, the challenge of wearing so many hats requires constant planning and managing of my time. Marketing my business on a shoestring budget and being discovered by my community has been the biggest challenge. Fortunately, many of my clients are so thrilled with the results they've gotten from working with me that they tell their Physical Therapists and Chiropractors about my business, and they've become wonderful referral sources.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be sure that you absolutely love what you're doing! When business is slow, it's easy to get discouraged. Let your passion for serving and helping others be the reason for owning your own business. You'll find yourself moving past obstacles with ease and grace!
- Don't be afraid to ask for help! There are plenty of resources (many of them are free) available to folks wanting to start their businesses. Do your research, of course, but also talk to as many small business owners and solo entrepreneurs as you can. Most will be honored that you asked for their advice and will be thrilled to share what they know with you!
- Keep learning! You don't have to wait to complete all the training and certifications before starting your business. My kettlebell coach always told me that as long as I was one page ahead of my clients, that was enough to make me the expert in the eyes of those clients. But do remain a student forever. It will result in you improving your services in the most amazing ways. Stay open-minded and realize that knowledge can come from anywhere!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://restorativestrength.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restorativestrength
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pjolsen_rs/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/p-j-olsen/
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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