We were lucky to catch up with Kimberly Cassidy recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kimberly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with 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?
From a young age, I knew I didn’t have the want to take the same path as everyone else. Sitting in an office all day was not an interest I had. But I loved to learn, and even more so, I loved to teach.
I decided to take a class that was coming to our area, and it was called Iridology. This is the science of the color and structure of the iris to determine tissue deficiencies and strengths and the body’s predisposition to genetic weaknesses. Our eyes are like a miniature television screen showing 90 different areas mapped in each iris.
This was the beginning of the next chapter of my life. I fell in love with this science, the way it revealed health issues, the different nutritional needs of the body, and saw my ability to help people in a different and less invasive way.
From here I began to take more and more classes regarding nutrition, herbs, vitamins, and Chinese Medicine. If a class came to the area, I went to it. Turning it into a business came naturally. I started telling friends and family about supplements they should try, asking if they would let me look in their eyes, and through word of mouth, people were contacting me to see if I could help them with their health issues.
When this all started I had 2 young children and I wanted to be able to take them to and from school, be the field trip mom, be at their sporting events, and have time with them to ride bikes, swim and travel. Owning my own business wasn’t my dream, but it became the answer to what gave me the opportunity to be the mom I wanted to be for my girls.
Looking back, I wish I would have dreamed bigger. I never saw all of the possibilities my future could hold. Most importantly, I didn’t think I could impact other people’s lives in such a positive way, and how rewarding of an experience it has been.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a Traditional Naturopath. I have a strong desire to see people live healthier and more fulfilled lives. My objective is to enhance the health and wellness of my clients and provide them with knowledge and compassion as their practitioner.
What I love about being a naturopath is that every day and every person is different. There is no one size fits all here, which I believe has given us so much success. I do work on eliminating a problem versus masking a symptom, and that is done through working with vitamins, minerals, herbals, essential oils, diet, exercise, and emotions.
I live by “expect the unexpected”. It applies in my office, but also as clients beginning their journey with me. We are always working with the body as a whole. So you may come to me with one specific problem, but as we work together, other issues can also remedy themselves, physically and emotionally.
I am a support system on their path. It is not always easy, we let things fall by the wayside or stop when it can become too difficult. It can be hard to change our habits if they have been with us for most of our lives. I want to remain the cheerleader for them, coaching through the tough parts and congratulating them on the hard work and good outcomes.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
What I do believe helped me ultimately create a business successfully was going to business school. Before health was ever a blip on my radar, I did graduate with my Bachelors in Business Administration. I had the knowledge to know what I was creating, how to handle financial aspects of the business, and how to make it work for me and the life I desired. It really was a blessing I didn’t recognize initially. I had so many friends and family in the beginning say, “what a shame you went to college for business and now you’re not even using your degree”, but I actually use it every single day!
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
In my profession, training and knowledge are very important. I am always continuing to learn. But what makes someone successful is their passion for what they do and having the connection with who they work with. Establishing a relationship as being someone your client can count on is what will make you stand out.
I know I can never be everyone’s “cup of tea”, but I have learned throughout the years when to be a good problem solver, when to be a great educator, and when to be an even better listener, and people need all three.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.healthwellnessandsunshine.com
- Instagram: Kimsherbalsunshine
- Facebook: Kim’s Herbal Sunshine
- Linkedin: Kimberly Cassidy