I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Subkit in early June. We discussed what I do here at QC Natural Health, what it's like to run a practice, and challenges as a business owner. I shared some advice for anyone who is interested in starting a business. I hope you enjoy reading it! You can read the original interview here: https://gosolo.subkit.com/qc-natural-health/
What's your business, and who are your customers?
QC Natural Health is a naturopathic clinic that focuses on digestive health & nutrition. So often, people go about their days with a baseline sense of normal digestion, and many people's normal includes some discomfort or inconvenience. QC Natural Health helps find the root cause of digestive distress and offers treatment plans using food as medicine along with other natural, non-invasive means.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a different kind of doctor and a self-proclaimed food nerd! I started QC Natural Health in 2018 after completing medical school at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Prior to that, I earned my Bachelor's degree in Dietetics from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. I knew I wanted to be in health care, but I wanted to do something that treated the root cause of disease rather than covering up the problem. When I learned that nearly 90% of chronic diseases are related to diet and lifestyle, I thought, 'I have to help prevent this. I have to become a doctor.' This inspired the opening of QC Natural Health and having a primary focus on gastrointestinal health through the power of nutrition, Food as Medicine, and treating the whole person.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It's one of the most gratifying feelings to have patients be comfortable in their bodies again. Some people have had daily discomfort for years. For example, a few patients had daily stomach pain & heartburn every morning after breakfast. Others had a bloated belly every night, so much so, that the only option was to wear stretchy pants after coming home from work. These, and many others, completed testing, were given an individualized treatment plan, and after some time for the body to heal, they now go about their day with a new sense of normal. It's an honor to be a part of a patient's health care team!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Maintaining a work-life balance can be tricky at times. When you are your own boss, the only person setting boundaries & parameters is you. Feeling so passionate about helping other people feel better, it can be hard to draw that line in the sand about when to make time for self-care too. Thankfully, I have a lot of great role models in my life for seeing a healthy work-life balance in play. It feels like a constant flux, but one thing I know for certain is that I'm a much better doctor when I'm taking care of myself first.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First and foremost, do what you're passionate about. There will be days when owning a business is downright tough, but if you love what you do, that serves as fuel with limitless potential.
Don't do it alone. Ask questions, find mentors, join networking groups, and be active in your community. Business owners wear so many hats! As it turns out, you're going to have your favorite hats and some hats you really don't like wearing. Give those hats to someone else; people really want to help, and it just might be that you're giving them their favorite hat.
Make time for yourself. Create time every day to fill up your own cup. The phrase "giving from your saucer, not from your cup" holds true, especially for people that are natural givers. If you keep giving and giving from your cup without replenishing, your cup will soon become dry, which can look like burnout, depletion, and fatigue. However, if you keep replenishing your cup with things that lift your spirit and energize you, you have an abundance to give. Your cup may be overflowing, and you can give to others from your overflowing cup and saucer.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
As a child, I listened to an audiobook on repeat with my dad and sister. One of the chapters was about the word "inspired." Inspired comes from the words "in" and "spirit." When you are in spirit, you are inspired. Our modern medical system often doesn't make much space for the spiritual side of healing, but I think in the gentlest of ways, it can have a profound effect.