Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Hema Murty, Founder of Shanti Consulting, located in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I help active women professionals over 50 who have pain from activity to get rid of pain and enjoy life.
Tell us about yourself
When I was training at the gym twenty years ago, there was no one who had specific knowledge of strength training specifically for women. In particular, there was no training specifically designed to remove pain for active women. When women had pain from golf, tennis, or horseback riding, they had to go to endless visits to physiotherapists and chiropractors while being away from their friends and activities. There is another way, and I started my business to help women get back into their activities and enjoy life faster.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Helping women who are struggling with pain and missing friends and activities to feel as if they have no pain and can enjoy life without missing a beat. One client was crippled at the airport and couldn't move. I coached her through texts to carry out some rehab moves and got her out of it so she could get on her plane.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Wearing many hats like CEO, marketing, financial manager, public relations, and of course, training my clients. Regular promotion on social media, newsletters, educational seminars, online professional education courses, writing for magazines, and writing a book all take time, and there are only so many hours in a day.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Spend a day being honest with yourself and writing down your "Why you want to start a business" and chase that down with five more Whys until you drill down into something that you can hang on to when things get tough.
- Get help. Sign on to high-profile online courses with reputable names like Jasmine Star or Donald Miller. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.
- Make personal time non-negotiable. Schedule it in. Cast it in stone.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Going solo is not something you do because you can't do anything else. You do it because it's the only thing you want to do, even if you have alternatives.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.getshanti.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/over50fitnesswithsiva/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sivaparvati
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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