We were lucky to catch up with Holistic Coalition recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Holistic, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In 2018 I, Carita Hall, cofounder or Holistic Coalition, left a very secure position as a corporate compliance director with a very successful property management company in Bellevue, Washington. I left this job after almost 10 years to go back into my passion of massage therapy and a first attempt of entrepreneurship. I understood within my corporate position that I wasn’t happy and always very combative with every change within the industry because I didn’t belong in that atmosphere. I gave my employer a 90 day notice of termination with the option to train as many people as it would take to fulfill my position. I loved them for allowing me the opportunity to rise within their organization without any formal training or degree. I was making more money then I could ask without any formal training or a degree. I cried that entire drive home and recorded a message to my future self. Telling myself that I’d be okay and if I didn’t try now then I would hate myself for continuing to waste time in another persons dream. I was in business for less than two years when Covid hit and set me back as an employee. Coming out of Covid I decided to try my hand at entrepreneurship again but learned my lesson with working alone. I decided to take another risk and to seek a business partner. This is when I found Deon Abdullah, cofounder and COO of Holistic Coalition.

I know that because I took a risk and believed in myself and the future of my goals and dreams I have been able to apply all that I’ve learned through other employment experiences to assist in the growth of what is now known as Holistic Coalition; a community focused holistic practice that opens the doors of holistic healing to both experienced providers and unaware persons who may not realize that they have proactive options when it comes to addressing their personal care.

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.

Carita brings over 20 years of experience as a massage therapist, instructor and budding entrepreneur within the King and Pierce County areas. Caritas’ passion for therapeutic wellness and economic development, combined with her expertise within the industry and business management experience makes her the strategic force behind Holistic Coalitions’ expanding community influence.

Deon spent six years in the United States Air Force, where he also became aware of his passion in providing medical care as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Deon also offers fitness training as well as an interest in skin care therapy. Deon has become renowned for his ability to combine several different modalities of massage therapy within each individually created client session. Deon’s innovative approach is the creative energy behind Holistic Coalitions’ signature style of bodywork and won him the title of #1 Sports Massage Therapist in the nation at the 2023 International Massage Championship in Denmark. Deon now spends his time studying ultrasound technology with plans to further innovate his bodywork application technique.

Holistic Coalition started with just both of us offering services in massage and fitness personal training. We have expanded our massage services and now relate them closer to physiotherapy or manual muscle manipulation and stretch services. Deon is also a dance fitness instructor thru the international group fitness program called MixxedFit. We are finding ways to implement mindful meditation, IV Therapy, bodywork and fitness in a fun and affordable way. Our ultimate goal is to make holistic practices more known within disenfranchised communities and amongst disenfranchised people – also making it more affordable by way of creating membership programs that will also collaborate other services and technical systems which will allow practitioners and providers to communicate for the betterment of the individual health of each participant.

Deon and I are most proud of our ability to create experiences for people that expose not only our services but also the services of local and non local holistic providers around the world. Deon and I traveled to Denmark in 2023 for the International Massage association championship and brought home first place in the nation and second place internationally for sports massage therapy (for technique and presentation). We have since been able to obtain grant funding to provide free services in around the greater seattle and King County areas. Holistic Coalition has touched over 5,000 people with positive touch, helping them reduce their stress and anxiety, strengthen their immune systems, and increase their body awareness… while also reducing injury and increasing recovery times with our local student athletes.

We want our future and potential clients to know that we only want what’s truly best for them, holistically. With the right funding and opportunities Holistic Coalition has the potential to become a household name, where people will come to first to seek assistance with taking care of themselves and their loved ones.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn how I received criticism.

When I was a child I was sensitive and if someone told me to change my clothes or loose weight I would cry and feel bad. As an adult, looking to create a new life and be more intentional about the imprint I leave on the world I have to be able to accept that what I’m doing isn’t working and for not only myself, but the people that I’m responsible for and for the people that I influence.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Life is all about pivots.
When I was 21 I became a single mother of one.
When I was 28 I became a married mother of 3 (birthing twins – after birthing a stillborn baby in his 38th week of gestation the year before).
At the age of 40 I decided corporate life was not for me and ventured into the world of entrepreneurship.
At 42 my marriage ended and my family became broken and spread out.

Through all of life’s changes joyful pivots in mindset and daily application become more of a requirement (not an option), if you don’t want to stress yourself or fall into a depression. I’ve learned how to change my outlook on challenges in life – instead, calling them opportunities. Opportunities to grow and elevate my way of thinking and my surroundings.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.holisticcoalitionnw.com
• Instagram: @holisticcoalition_nw
• Facebook: @holisticcoalitionnw

Image Credits

Nikki Womac
Jill Goubeaud
Jo Woods