Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nicki Reid, founder of Wholesome Mind Health Coaching, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

My business is a holistic wellness business. I am the CEO and founder of Wholesome Mind Health Coaching. I am certified health, life, transformational, and master coach. I also teach yoga and meditation classes. I help women suicide attempt survivors find solace by creating safe spaces for them to be seen, heard, and feel like they belong so that they can be confident in their mind, body, and soul. I use a variety of holistic techniques such as (mindfulness) meditation, breathwork, movement (yoga), aromatherapy, nutrition, etc., to support my clients in returning home to themselves and facilitating long-lasting changes.

Tell us about yourself

Long story short, my journey started during my undergraduate degree. It was the first time in my adult life that I was forced to stop and pay attention to my mental health because I was having a really difficult time at university.

I am a first-generation Canadian, and my family is from the Caribbean, so mental health was not a topic that was discussed or even considered. When I started to experience anxiety, burnout, stress, depression, etc., when I was in university, I was beside myself. I had no idea what was going on; I thought I was broken. The pressures of excelling at my studies, setting an example to those around me coupled with working 60+ hours split between 3 different jobs and taking on a full course load in English and French at two campuses, and navigating life as a 20-something-year-old eventually caught up with me.

My family doctor and various therapists helped me to understand what I was experiencing. I was not broken; I had way too much on my plate; I needed to slow down and create space for rest and learn how to manage my stress levels. I started to practice meditation, and in January 2012, I stepped foot into my first yoga class. Once I graduated from university, I started to pay more attention to my diet and learned about how the foods we consume impact our brain, mood, and gut health. I started to openly discuss my experiences and findings with anyone that would listen. I posted online and even started a blog in 2014.

Fast-forward to 2015; I was selected for an interview to become a health coach based on a compelling story I wrote about my lived experience with my mental health. I didn’t move forward due to a lack of experience, but that opened me up to the possibility of being able to help others. I was a few years along my healing journey at this point, and I wanted to share what I had learned with others who were also experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, exhaustion, etc. In 2016, a couple of months after having our first child, an opportunity presented itself for me to become a health coach. After discussing it with my husband, we decided to move forward, and the rest is history.

Reflecting on my experiences with mental health during one of the darkest and most isolating periods of my life, instead of being met with support, compassion, acceptance, and understanding, I was met with rejection, judgment, ridicule, and misunderstanding. No one who experiences challenges with their mental health should ever be made to feel that way. While we have made some progress with mental health as it is now more mainstream and less taboo, we still have a long way to go. Knowing that the work is not done and the education must continue is what motivates me each day to continue doing what I do.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Years ago, when I was experiencing challenges in my health, I wanted help and support, to be seen, and understood. I wanted to feel better and acquire the skills and tools that I needed in order to heal. Along my healing journey, I met some incredible people who helped me tremendously. It is rewarding to be able to pay it forward and provide the level of support that I deeply desired and dreamt of.

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

Admitting you need help and asking for it. It is not easy running a business in general, but especially as a solopreneur, there are so many aspects of owning a business. When I first started my business, I thought I had to do it all alone, and I tried to. Your business will require different things at different stages of growth. As your business evolves, pay attention to what your business is calling for and adjust accordingly. It is okay to outsource and ask for help.

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

  1. Ensure that you create the time and space to take care of yourself. Without you, there is no business. Your energy thought processes, and creative ideas are needed. You are better able to serve others when you are operating from a healthy space.
  2. In the beginning stages of my business, I got distracted one too many times by the “shiny object syndrome.” I thought I needed to do all the things, which was not true. Don’t get caught up in the razzle-dazzle of what is being sold to you online. Create a step-by-step plan for your business. Set goals and break your bigger goals down into bite-sized, achievable chunks. For instance, maybe you create a vision for where you want your business to be over the next 1-5 years. Break that down into yearly, → quarterly, → monthly, → weekly → daily goals. Having a business coach, joining a mastermind, and/or having an accountability partner can be helpful in keeping you focused (all of which I’ve done and highly recommend).
  3. Ask for help! It takes a community to build a business. Outsource where you are able to. Get as much support as you possibly can.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://wholesomemindhealthcoaching.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wholesomemindhc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholesomemindhc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wholesomemindhc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachnicki/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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