We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Becky Higginson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Becky, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?
I work with wellness practitioners to support them in growing sustainable businesses rooted in collaboration and reciprocity. The ultimate goal is to build a business that gives back to their clients & communities, and also to THEMSELVES.
Because I am a practitioner myself (chiropractor) and have worked inside and owned several wellness businesses, I know that most practitioners are highly skilled at their craft, but have little knowledge around running a business. Most people get into healing work because they have really big hearts and genuinely want to help– unfortunately this often ends up being at the expense of their own well-being and flourishing.
I see too many practitioners pouring from an empty cup. Most start their businesses with amazing intentions and a desire to do good in the world, but without proper systems and strategy, running a business can become all-consuming (at the expense of health, well-being, sleep, finances, family…)
I see way too many healers who are burned out, in debt, and on the verge of calling it quits.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have been a practicing chiropractor and Craniosacral therapist for close to 20 years. I’ve run several businesses, including a community yoga studio, a one room chiropractic clinic, an online herbal apothecary and a large wellness spa with over 20 employees. In that time, I made every mistake in the book, and learned a lot along the way. A lot of what I teach the practitioners I support is from lived experience.
Consulting with other practitioners inadvertently fell into my lap about 10 years ago when friends started asking questions. Those questions morphed into a mastermind group, which led to 1:1 work, as well as running regular meetups and workshops for small business owners.
The people I support tend to be witchy visionaries who believe in magic and mysticism and want to change their little corner of the world for the better.
I believe that owning a business is an opportunity to say THIS is how I think the world should be. I work with micro-business owners in the wellness space who want their business to be a catalyst for self sovereignty, and are struggling with how to make that happen. The people I support have often lost focus of the big vision and are drowning in the day-to-day. [What’s a micro-business? A business with 10 or less employees— and often times just one.]
I work with bodyworkers, wellness studio owners, yoga and fitness teaches, and those with a brick-and-mortar location.
We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.
I have sold two of the businesses I founded.
The first was an eclectic little yoga studio in the Alberta Arts district of NE Portland that I ran as a 20-something yoga instructor with absolutely no knowledge of running a business! It was an adventure, and it taught me so much about leadership. I loved the community so much, and ultimately decided to sell so that I could focus all of my energy on my growing family and my bodywork practice.
I also sold the wellness spa that I founded and ran for over a decade. It started off as a one room chiropractic clinic and grew into a flourishing business with over 20 employees. The biggest lesson in the sale of the business is the age old lesson of “start as you mean to go on.” If you know that you want to eventually sell your business, there’s a whole lot of systems you need to set up from the start. When I work with consulting clients, one of the first things we figure out are long term business goals and exit strategy. If the ultimate goal is to sell your business, the strategy and systems are going to look very different from a business where the goal is to pass on to kids or simply phase out of.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing clientele in both my own bodywork practice and in my consulting work has been relationships.
I have been a business owner since before the days of social media and the boom of internet marketing, so when I first got got into business, I was posting flyers in co-ops and meeting other business owners for coffee dates.
I am a genuinely curious person, so it’s easy for me to reach out to people who interest me. I love learning about the inner workings of people’s minds, and this has led me to many “power partners” who have helped to nurture and grow my businesses.
Relationship marketing is more about giving to others before asking. It’s based on mutual respect and reciprocity, and I find this to be a good way to move through life in general.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wildish.love
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becky_higginson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildish.love
