Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Temperance Stone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Temperance, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I can remember sitting on the roof top of this fancy New York building posing for this elite photographer, daydreaming to ignore how cold I was. I wondered about other ways to experience joy, make good money, and be valued. I had already worked as an event planner, wedding coordinator, in hospitals and clinics providing patient care, now modeling and I felt like I wasn’t able to have all three. I knew I was excellent in patient care and really enjoyed it and while the medical field provided financial freedom, I knew having my own practice was the best route for me to truly experience the value and joy I was looking for. The next day, I packed my bags and headed back to Atlanta.

Over the next two years I took massage therapy and business classes, worked on building my personal and business credit and attending any conference, charity event or social gathering that wanted massage therapy. I build my client list with word of mouth referrals, networking with chiropractic teams and athletes as a concierge therapist. I was able to travel around the world and experience learning other ways to heal and connect to my inner self from some of the best teachers and healers. I studied yoga and began offering small classes to friends and neighbors. It was an amazing experience. Then COVID happened. Travel turned into zooms, patient care was limited and social events stopped. I knew I had to keep the ball rolling so I started offering virtual classes to other massage therapists and children. I was able to transition easily and used the down time to come up with a plan to scale the business as soon as the world opened back up.

That day finally came and when it did I was ready. I knew I had to take the risk, be persistent and follow the plan. I started my non profit organization Solace4Kids.Inc and continued to run my concierge massage business. I spent weekdays working patient care providing rehabilitation massage therapy and weekends providing wellness education to the youth. I was able to develop patience, character and lots of composure over the next few years. I decided to take an even bigger risk and expand these services to other areas in the state of Georgia that were statistically deficient in natural healthcare and wellness services. I landed in the small southern town of Nashville, Ga. We have four red lights and the only traffic is cows and tractors. Our building is located on the local square. We have experienced many challenges along the way. I did not realize that by moving the business here that I would be the first black female business owner in the local downtown area aka ” The Square”. This particular area of town is historically known for the railroad system and trading. The former jail, where the sentence of hanging was rendered was but two blocks down. You can imagine the social and political stir I caused. Permitting was challenging, funding for space was limited and explaining to the local church members that yoga is not the devil was the summary of my first year as a business owner here. We are in our 2nd year and much of that has changed. Trusting my character, skill set and commitment to my plan has allowed us to network with other local organizations, school systems, after school programs and health care professionals. We are thriving.

Taking the risk to start my business moving from Atlanta to a small town has been worth every late night and sacrifice made. I allow my passion for service to be my motivator. Seeing a child smile, baring witness to individuals experiencing solace as a lifestyle and hearing from other community members about the difference we are making in how they feel daily makes it worth the risk. We are thriving against all odds. I finally have a career home where I am financially secure, experiencing joy and truly feel valued by my community.

If I was to offer any advice to an up and coming business owner it would be:

1. Develop your plan.
2. Build your credit, financial and network
3. Be persistent.
4.Keep composure. When the doors all look closed, remember that YOU are the key to the door most perfect for your plan.
5. Take the risk!

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 the creator and founder of Solace Therapeutic Touch LLC, a concierge massage therapy corporation. Solace4Kids.Inc a non profit organization that provides wellness education and services to undeserved youth and Solace on the Square. A massage and yoga studio that offers training classes to the public and other massage and bodywork therapist. My background is in medical patient care, manual rehabilitative pain management and education. I have been a massage therapist since 2012 and started my first business Solace Therapeutic Touch in 2016.

My favorite thing about becoming a business owner in the wellness industry is my ability to offer these services to communities and unite diverse cultural backgrounds under the umbrella of self-care. I have had the pleasure of working with children as young as 7 years old expanding to individuals of the senior community. I am most proud of the person I am becoming along the way and how each clients personal experience with the Solace brand adds value to who we are as a company as well as how we are able to return that value to our community.

We pride ourselves in providing safe and effective pain management, community service, and career training for current and future wellness professionals. Our most recent efforts have been geared toward our Let’s Grow Project. An educational and food resource program teaching children how to grow, harvest and prepare fresh nutritious foods. We are excited to continue to grow and thrive among our youth.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth has been my best source of clients. Connecting with the community at local events and staying engaged with social media has also been helpful.

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

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn is control and how to be patient during the growth periods. Things don’t always happen when you want them to or with the people you think. I thought that my friends and family would be my biggest supporters and while they have been there to cheer me on, the truth is that my biggest supporters have come from the network I have created by investing in my self care and nurturing my skill set by advancing my training. I once wrote in my exit thesis, “If I build it, they will come”, a famous quote from the movie A Field of Dreams. For some reason that quote always stuck with me. I have remained persistent in building what I believe to be a beautiful life and career for my self an abundant field of dreams and the best thing is that I get to share it with the world. Learning how to balance control of my personal life, business life and nurture my soul only happened when I learned to be patient with the process and live in the present moment because there is so much beauty to experience when you go with the flow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.solaceonthesquare.com
• Instagram: solace_onthesquare
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solacetherapeutictouch
• Yelp: solaceonthesquare
• Other: nonprofit info: www.solace4kids.org
  www.facebook.com/solace4kids
  www.instagram/solace4kids