Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rory Batchilder, Founder of Westboro Counselling & Psychotherapy, located in Ottawa, ON, CA.

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

Counseling and Psychotherapy to individuals and couples. My life experience with a diverse educational and vocational background allows me to connect with and have compassion for clients.

Tell us about yourself

I went through my own psychological and spiritual struggles in late high school and then university. When I graduated, I worked for several years in my field and then left that and went on a spiritual journey for five years, volunteering, working, and traveling across Canada and the US. I was drawn to the field, and then I met many psychotherapists at the retreat centers I was working at and decided to transition into that field.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I have a very good web presence with very good verified reviews in a field where it is difficult to get reviews. I now have a 3-month waitlist which could easily be much longer, but for ethical reasons, I decline many inquiries as I don't want people waiting that long to get help.

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

I am not a full-on introvert, so working in private practice can be a little lonely as I do not have co-workers and colleagues around me. I've chosen that it is the best way to run my business and not be weighed down by some of the demands of working at agencies or shared spaces.

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

Take a short business or development course, like an online course or one through your local business development agency. Or read a couple of books on specifics of opening the type of business you envision. You don't have to invent the wheel; there are lots of shortcuts/tips and pitfalls that you can avoid.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

For me, my private practice started only because I had left an old resume on monster.com. I was contacted by an employee assistance program to be a contracted private practitioner. That's what got me started on something I had been thinking about for a long time, which finally got me to pull the trigger. :-)

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://rorybatchilder.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rory.batchilder
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorybatchilder/

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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