Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robyn Cullen, Founder of The Wild Grace Collective, located in Laguna Hills, CA, USA.

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

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist & Reiki master in Laguna Hills, CA, and I'm the founder of The Wild Grace Collective - which is a sacred commUNITY for healing. I help people who look like they have it all together on the outside but who are dying inside to get out of their heads and into their bodies so they can stop feeling stuck, lonely, and unfulfilled in life. I utilize holistic healing modalities such as traditional psychotherapy, psycho-spiritual therapy, brain spotting, Reiki energy healing, and the use of word medicine through oracle cards. I also create Sacred Space gatherings for heart-centered, spiritual, sensitive folks yearning for community, connection, and healing.

Tell us about yourself

I have been a marriage and family therapist for over a decade, so a lot has changed over time as to why I do this work. Initially, it was all about helping people to heal. But back when I started, I thought that just meant helping them to be less ... less anxious, less depressed, and less disconnected. But as time has gone on, and through my own deep psycho-spiritual practices, I realized that I am not only here to help people release what no longer serves them, but I am also here to help them reclaim what's always been theirs. I am here to be a guide + fellow traveler to those on inner journeys to their own hearts so that they can feel MORE ... more alive, more fulfilled, more excited about life, more connected to them Selves, others, and their source or divine. Who knew this journey would take me on such different and exciting paths?

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I would say my biggest accomplishment has the courage to change course. I owned and operated a very successful group practice that served couples here in Orange County, CA, and loved it until it was no longer for me. I had employees, I had a full client list, as did my employees, and the phone was ringing off the hook. But more and more, I was feeling this pull from within me that it was time to do something different. And over time, I closed down that very successful practice that helped so many couples and families so that I could fully focus on The Wild Grace Collective. It was scary as hell. It was really hard (and honestly still is sometimes) when I think back on how "easy" things were going in my previous business. But I still wake up every day and ask Spirit, "Ok, work through me. What are we doing today? Who are we helping?" And that just feels exactly right for where I am supposed to be today. So, my biggest accomplishment ... saying YES to what is my Soul's Calling today and giving myself permission to pivot again if that's my path.

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

I think one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is staying connected to your WHY when things get really tough. When business slows down, you have to keep your own morale up. When business gets really busy, things can start to fall through the cracks. When business ebbs and flows, it's integral to stay connected to our Soul's Calling - Why are we doing what we're doing? I have found that to be one of the most impactful ways I keep my head on straight when it comes to the wild ride of business ownership.

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

What I'd suggest to anyone wanting to start a business is this:

  1. Join a community of other business owners that you resonate with. Find a mentor. Find a group of people who you trust and to whom you can be vulnerable. Where you can celebrate your wins and brag your heart out when things are awesome. And where you can ugly cry about things that flopped (because they will), and they can hold you in such a tender, empowering way that your tears don't stop you. And your community is there to cheer you on again. Or honestly & gently help you step back from something that is simply not working.
  2. Build Your Business Around The Life You Want/Have - not the other way around. So often, people run themselves into the ground, burn themselves out & completely abandon their family and friends because they make their whole life about their business. That's just not sustainable. Start small. Start slow. Start in a way that you don't put your whole life on the line - but absolutely put your whole heart into it.
  3. Maintain (or pick up) some sort of Spiritual Practice. Without some sort of practice that keeps you connected to something bigger than YOU - when shit gets really tough, it can feel like the only option is to light it all on fire and catch the next plane outta town. I've found that getting out for hikes (where I feel so close to Spirit) keeps me grounded when things get really hard. And I also love going to my meditation & journaling practice to reflect on and celebrate all the successes as a business owner too! You've gotta have something that keeps you tethered ... because business owners can be a beast sometimes.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.thewildgracecollective.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWildGraceCollective
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildgracecollective/

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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