We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Leffler recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

The road to entrepreneurship has been filled with risk and change for me. It began with a radical shift from the construction industry (where I ran a residential remodeling firm and was a Licensed Builder) into the holistic and alternative health fields. I was hungry for a deeper intrinsic reward, having been drawn to the healing arts most of my life. It required giving up a lot of professional and financial stability to chase this dream (plus many unexpected detours) yet was worth starting over, again an again.

The ultimate goal back then was to open what was originally meant to be a Metaphysical Store. Life had other plans and led me to tenure in Natural Retail Management, focusing more on natural health and body products. Eight years after leaving construction, I opened Wild Ginger Apothecary in Sarasota, Florida. And just as it was meant to be, what began as a natural health and wellness hub evolved to include a spiritual and metaphysical side. I gave up career and salary security, family and roots in my (then) prior home of Michigan, and started my small shop from a $10,000 credit card loan. Eight more years later I had my daughter and in the fall of 2022, I sold WGA. My business was a true dream come true that had grown to three times the size. It had become a foundational health and wellness as well as spiritual hub in the area, it filled my cup in immeasurable ways and was worth every struggle. It was the perfect way to end on that note.

Fast forward to today I continue to operate my intuitive consulting arm, Dharma Hive, back here in Michigan. I began consulting small businesses before I graduated from business school back in 2003, stemming from my roots in family businesses. It ebbed and flowed surrounding other roles, and I now take on only clients that are aligned with mindful business practices – usually via referral. I have since begun another small business from the bottom up, New Moon Neuro, with my husband a year ago. After a lot of risk to begin again, and again, and again – I have found a perfect balance of my dharma. There truly is a sweet spot between doing work I love that helps others and can support our family.

Nicole, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an intuitive business consultant and wellness junkie at Dharma Hive. I am a soul searcher, dreamer, explorer, mama, community builder and educator.

With over two decades of business management and consulting experience, I have worked in numerous industries from residential remodeling to medical cannabis and alternative health. I grew up in my family’s construction companies, planting a seed of entrepreneurship, but traded it for what spoke to my soul. It’s always been a major passion with health, wellness and spirituality. The last 16 years in the wellness industry specifically, including tenure with national retailers, have continued to anchor my focus for personal development. When soul work and living your dharma meets business, true manifestation of your career dreams is possible. I believe and live this! I use all these experiences in my spiritual practice and business today. I have consulted businesses large and small since my management career began, eventually discovering the sweet spot of working with mindful entrepreneurs — near and far.

Professionally, I hold a Bachelors in Business Management, am a Certified Holistic Health Coach, a Certified IASIS Microcurrent Neurofeedback Practitioner, a Certified Master Tarot and Oracle Reader, Danielle LaPorte Desire Map Facilitator, and in the past a licensed builder. Originally an Ann Arbor, Michigan native, I have returned to nearby Chelsea, Michigan to nest near family. In person, I brought the health + wellness community together with all that Wild Ginger Apothecary had to offer during my 8 years of ownership in Sarasota, Florida. In 2022 I sold my passion project to pursue a deeper one via Motherhood and allow for more expansive consulting work. Virtually, Dharma Hive is a long overdue passion project that shares my knack for vision with my tribe.

My extensive experience with the holistic health world has provided me with the gift of knowing how to help support your ultimate wellness alongside your business shifts. My latest local venture New Moon Neuro embraces that in full. With a solid team of experts in body, mind and spirit we can go far beyond marketing and branding together. This is true mindful entrepreneurship, embodied and empowered, with a balance of soulful inspiration.

Can you talk to us about your experience with selling businesses?

I sold my retail business and wellness community 15 months ago. I used a business broker and cannot recommend that enough! There were a few things that I did that made the sale smooth and quick, which was a lifesaver given my family needs at that time.

Keeping your books neat and tidy – from the start – is the hands down most important takeaway. I resisted hiring a bookkeeper for years because I had done books for other businesses for so long. I can’t stress enough how much things shift delegating that role, especially when it comes to selling your business. Perfectly clean and clear records are one of the most critical elements to valuing your business. (This includes regular, accurate, adjusted inventory for those in retail.)

Documenting procedures and processes is the other biggie. I created “how-to” guides for most every role and task within my business, primarily to step away from being as hands-on in years prior. What resulted what a truly turnkey business model that supported unexpected employee transitions and delegating the training of the new owner to my lead employee. Every teeny tiny little step, from scheduling software, to ordering, to vendors, to contacts. The more info the better. My brokers said it was the most organized sale they’d witnessed and I knew it could have been improved even further. It’s worth the time to be prepared – long long before you decide to sell.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

There had been so many at my prior business! Many years of paying bills with my personal credit card during hard months, only to have things bounce back before I knew it. Starting a business isn’t for the faint of heart, nor is it usually as lucrative as people expect. I continue to have this conversation with consulting clients who expect sales to always be perfectly linear or upward. That’s not the way life operates in business and it requires resiliency, patience and pivoting more than anyone can ever warn you about.

During times of trial, flexibility is key as is learning how to simplify. Minimizing orders or expenses, stepping in to do more as an owner, living simpler, lowering your expectations. Sometimes it requires a credit line! Or a new skillset! Or adjusting your next step or vision. But when it’s meant to shift, it does, and it gets easier over time. Even if it comes with a frugal season or a lot of extra hours. That’s when you know you’re on the path… and it’s very much part of choosing to go out on your own in my experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dharmahive.com and www.newmoonneuro.com
• Instagram: dharmahive and newmoonneuro
• Facebook: /dharmahive and /newmoonneuro
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleffler/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/new-moon-neuro-chelsea?osq=new+moon+neuro