Obviously it's been a while since I've written. At first it was due to the extreme fatigue and the nausea that came with the first trimester of pregnancy but then it turned into a combination of a lack of motivation, focus, and direction. Trying to figure out where I wanted to take my holistic health education and business became overwhelming so I buried my head in the sand and went into denial. After I quit my job last May, I tried to focus on building a health counseling practice but I didn't put as much effort into it as I could/should have and the recession certainly didn't help so things went nowhere fast. I felt lost and overwhelmed and getting pregnant gave me an excuse to put things on the back burner but I am now feeling the self-imposed pressure to "figure things out".
I have come to the conclusion that it won't be possible to have the type of health counseling practice I would like with a newborn and preschooler mostly because of my husband's extensive business travel schedule and our limited child care resources so I'm taking the business in a new direction. The details still need to be worked out and a business plan made but I have a general idea and framework and think it will be something that I enjoy that I can also make some money at.
Firstly, my business will no longer be called "Balanced Life Health Counseling". The alternatives I have thought of so far are as follows: Balanced Life Health and Wellness; Balanced Life Health and Nutrition Company, Balanced Life Health Coaching Company, Balanced Life Health Coaching or Balanced Life Health and Wellness Company. Comments and Suggestions are most welcome on this!!
Secondly, instead of doing long term one on one health counseling, I am thinking of doing some form of workshops/educational seminars for individuals that would be a one time session... for example I would offer seminars such as How to Transition to Vegetarian/Vegan, How to Cook for a Gluten Intolerance, Nutrition Label Reading 101, Kitchen Cabinet Clean-up, and many others. These classes could be purchased individually or as a package and they would be easier to schedule for when it's easy for me to give them.
Next, I'd like to develop some sort of online health coaching program. It's still a pretty vague idea but I'm thinking of having 3 options. A one month intensive option which is really for someone who is already pretty healthy but just wants to shape up for an event or vacation; a 3 month option for someone who needs some support and guidance on making healthy changes a lifestyle; and finally a 6 month option for those people who need to completely overhaul their lifestyle. I have ideas on what each option would entail but it's all pretty basic at this point.
Also, at some point in the future I'd like to start offering corporate wellness programs where I'd go into companies and give seminars and workshops to their employees in hopes of increasing productivity and decreasing sick leave use, among other benefits.
Finally, I'd like to offer an online bakery featuring cakes, cookies, muffins, pies, etc., which are vegan, organic, all-natural, or allergen (i.e. gluten, dairy) free. I also want to sell my traditional baked goodies but that may be a separate business. Some name ideas for the online bakery are: Sweet Meredith's Baking Company, Sweet Treats by Meredith, and Blissful Baking Company. Again, comments and suggestions please!
