We recently connected with Dr. Mojisola Edu and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Mojisola, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
Establishing Love Energy Services, LLC was a natural choice for me, given my background as a serial entrepreneur with previous successes in launching and assisting start-ups. Drawing from my experience, I emphasize the importance of grit and determination for business owners. The entrepreneurial journey involves sleepless nights and sacrifices, but the payoff is significant.
Adaptability and the ability to pivot with changing economic landscapes are crucial. Having a diverse range of services or products is key, with a focus on identifying and nurturing a “cash cow” that ensures a steady revenue stream regardless of societal changes.
As we witness societal evolution, an online presence is paramount. Brick-and-mortar establishments are becoming obsolete, and accessibility online allows for a global reach. Considering the global audience, I recommend making your website bilingual for broader appeal.
Don’t limit yourself; be open to trying new things and thinking outside the box. My journey, from not envisioning myself as a studio yoga teacher to becoming a Well-Being Coach, yoga teacher, Reiki Master, Yoga Therapist, and Chaplain, showcases the importance of embracing unexpected opportunities.
Arming oneself with a variety of skills and continuously learning, such as exploring herbal medicine, broadens the scope of services you can offer. Having a mentor in your field, conducting market research, and anticipating future needs rather than following trends are invaluable.
Building a community is crucial. I started with free online classes to create a sense of belonging, gradually transitioning to booked teaching engagements and contracts. Diversifying revenue streams through virtual and in-person classes, private and group sessions, retreats, and partnerships enhances financial stability.
Having a home office or virtual consulting allows flexibility, and charging for discovery calls helps filter serious clients. Stay updated on technology to effectively convey your message to your target market. Understand your customer segments, gather testimonials, and be prepared for your mission and vision to evolve as your business grows.
Never underestimate your worth; charge accordingly and don’t fear scaling your business. Virtual accessibility enables you to operate from anywhere. Starting may be challenging, but perseverance pays off. Even while juggling a 9-to-5, work on your business until you’re ready to go full-time. Be your biggest cheerleader, ignore negativity, and remember, success is not just about money but turning ideas into action. You’ve got this, and there are people rooting for your success. Don’t give up.
Dr. Edu, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a disabled Army Veteran. I served 6 years in the military where I was injured and survived military sexual trauma. I’m a former homeless veteran. I suffered from PTSD, Fibromyalgia, lymphedema, neuropathy, severe asthma, a bulging disc in my back, and arthritis. I was 290 and could barely walk or breathe.
I was reintroduced back to yoga by my yoga therapist at the time Pamela Stokes Eggleston the owner of Yoga2Sleep.com. Yoga saved my life and helped me manage my chronic pain, stress, and mental health. Later, my Yoga therapist and colleague pursued Reiki as another healing modality to help the body naturally heal and I became a Reiki Master. I also became a certified well-being coach. Pamela told me to try to become a yoga teacher and I was against it at first but, I tried during the pandemic and became a 500hr yoga teacher.
I still didn’t think I was going to teach but, during the pandemic so many people were dealing with stress, burnout, and suicide was at a high. I decided to offer virtual yoga for the community and for the DC Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs and people in need. Yoga is such an ancient sacred practice and it helps so much because a lot of people are suffering. Lots of people can’t afford yoga classes because it’s expensive and not accessible.
That’s why I created my business Love Energy Services to make sure holistic practices are accessible to all. If you are disabled, homeless, low-income, LGBTQIA+ or underrepresented you should have access to healing. If it saved my life, I should share it with others. I have taught chair yoga for Seniors and the community at the Baltimore Sleep and Wellness Center run by the wonderful Dr. Kashi for better sleep, restorative benefits in the body and mental health support. I have given classes to agencies for the City of Alexandria focused on burn-out prevention. I have worked with soccer players focusing on mindset building, restorative yoga and stress relief on and off the field.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road because there are gatekeepers in every industry, which is sad. You still deal with racism, sexism and discrimination. As a Nigerian-American woman with a disability, I try my best to work through it. I can’t give up because people need me. Even in the holistic spaces, there is a lack of funding for underrepresented communities and lack of representation. It is slowly getting better. I was fortunate to receive a grant from Lululemon for 25 mats to assist me with my work in helping people heal through yoga.
Also, the other struggle was finding my niche, where I fit in, and realizing I didn’t need the fit in, I just needed to see what the need was and create a solution. I also went back to school to be a yoga therapist at Optimal State Yoga Therapy School, which is run by the amazing Dr. Amy Wheeler. I went back to school because many hospitals and clinics are transitioning to holistic care. I’m working on finding the root of the issue or prevention. I knew I wouldn’t be a regular yoga teacher. I knew I needed to be boots on the ground in the community to help people heal. The biggest obstacle was getting out of my own way and trusting myself, was the biggest thing.
We’ve been impressed with Love Energy Services, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Love Energy Services was created to support veterans and the under-resourced holistically: I desire that all people see and experience the light that resides in them. If my clients can rest, feel at ease, and heal, then I have done my job. Once the client can find their voice again, then we can begin the real work.
They are open to adding therapy, journaling, or just expressing themselves more. The hardest work is completed by the client and that includes a deep dive into old wounds with guided support. “The most courageous thing a person can do is decide to heal. With healing, you find clarity and compassion for yourself and others. We must begin with forgiving ourselves for things we had and didn’t have control of and that’s where we find peace, for we are a work in progress.”
We offer well-being coaching, journaling workshops, Reiki Sessions in person and virtual, Private and Group Yoga sessions, Reiki 1 Course, Reiki and Yoga for kids, Workshops for Wellness, and a Burnout Wellness Tool kit and Labyrinth workshops for ancestral healing. I’m just proud of the people we have been able to heal through this work. When people are healed, they spread the love through their community and pay it forward. That is what it is all about. Once you see me once, you’re a part of the Love Energy Services Tribe for life.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
If I could go back this actually would have been the first business I would have created. This is so rewarding, the ability to help others heal, warms my heart. It never feels like work to me. I feel every life lesson I learned prepared me for this work I am doing now, so I am grateful.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
The most helpful for succeeding in any business is to never put limitations on yourself. You never know until you try.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.loveenergyservices.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveenergyservices/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveenergyservices
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mojisola-edu-86253495/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenergyservices2235
Image Credits
Love Energy Services, LLC photo Credit