Meet Kristin Thomas, founder of the Health & Wellness Business School, which teaches health and ... [+]
People across the U.S. are suffering from high levels of burnout, disease, and health problems. For example, 83% of American workers reported work-related stress, which costs companies up to $300 billion each year in treatment, absenteeism, and lost productivity.
Many Americans, unfortunately, ignore their health problems until it’s too late. As it stands, only 23% of American adults get enough exercise, over 40% suffer from chronic disease, and only 12.2% of Americans are metabolically healthy. It’s no wonder we’re getting sick.
There’s no easy solution to this epidemic. It requires a significant shift in the healthcare provider paradigm, increased health education, and lifestyle changes. So, where do we begin?
Meet Kristin Thomas, founder of the Health & Wellness Business School, which teaches health and wellness practitioners how to build sustainable, profitable, and heart-centered businesses. Thomas suffered from chronic illnesses for much of her life. Her battles with ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease that causes ulcers in the digestive tract) and stressful work environments taught her that too many American companies don’t keep their employees’ health in mind. Like many other Americans, Thomas’s job overworked her and made her condition even worse.
Her mission is to help Americans re-examine their health and to teach practitioners how to market themselves and scale their businesses organically.
In this exclusive interview, Thomas shares her journey towards sustainable wellness and creating a profitable business that reflects her values:
"I’d spent so much time in pain due to medications that did nothing for my body, yet a holistic ... [+]
Celinne Da Costa: Looking as far back as you remember, what sparked your interest in your business?
Kristin Thomas: I grew up in a middle-class family in Connecticut and was raised by two generations of strong women who taught me the importance of having an entrepreneurial spirit. My grandmother was a career-driven woman and the Vice President of a corporation, which was far from the norm back then. My mother was also a very successful and well-respected businesswoman.
I knew I wanted to get into business too, and I was always inspired by their business savviness and the fact that they followed their passions. I found small ways to make money from an early age. I’d help run family tag sales and would write short stories that I sold to my family and friends for fifty cents.
Da Costa: Where did your passion for health and wellness stem from?
Thomas: I was lucky enough to be taught the importance of treating my body right from an early age. My mom taught me to cook healthy meals, so I wouldn’t be tempted to eat junk food. I was also very involved in school athletics and exercised regularly; my family even had a large fruit and vegetable garden.
That passion built up, and I wanted to extend what I’d learned to my loved ones. My dad was a smoker, so I tried showing him research about the adverse effects of cigarettes to convince him to stop. Unfortunately, he never listened. I wanted the best for my dad but was frustrated that he never took my advice. This only made me more driven to show people how important it was to pay attention to their health.
Da Costa: What was your personal experience with your own health?
Thomas: In early college, I started having digestive health problems that seemed to have come out of nowhere. Every doctor I asked chalked such issues up to conditions like acid reflux and lactose intolerance, but never took the time to diagnose any possible underlying conditions. They prescribed me a lot of different medications, which my body didn’t react well to.
Eventually, I found myself in unbearable pain and winded up in the hospital, where I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. After my new diagnosis, the doctors medicated me more heavily than ever before. I had so many pills that I could hear the bottles rattle against each other in my purse whenever I walked. It was embarrassing and miserable: I felt like these pills covered a much deeper problem in my body.
"I didn’t want others to go through what I did. I knew that early treatment could prevent years of ... [+]
Da Costa: What were the milestones leading to your entrepreneurial journey?
Thomas: Even though I had a strong intuition that something was wrong with my body, I didn’t have much time to worry about it. I put on blinders and did what I thought I was supposed to be doing: working relentlessly to further my career.
I was the lead marketer for a high-profile marketing company and needed to prove my worth to my boss, so I always went the extra mile even though I was already working 12+ hour days. I took medications and underwent lab tests for months, but still suffered from symptoms.
One evening, I was having dinner with my now-husband and experienced the worst flare-up in my life. He wanted to take me to the hospital, but the mere thought of moving sent me into excruciating pain.
After going to the hospital the next morning, I swore that it wouldn’t happen again, that I could keep my cool, and not let my disease or stress get the best of me. Yet, I wound up in the hospital three more times. After my last visit, I concluded that the medication failed and decided there had to be another way and I had to find it.
First, I quit my job. I knew the stressful environment was making my ulcerative colitis worse, so I gave my body a much-needed break. I took back control of my life and started a marketing agency.
Eventually, I came across alternative healing and discovered a new idea: using food as medicine. I adjusted my diet and cut out all dairy, wheat, sugar, soy, and processed foods. Miraculously, my symptoms were gone after only a few weeks! I couldn’t believe it. I’d spent so much time in pain due to medications that did nothing for my body, yet a holistic approach solved my problems quickly.
My newfound love of alternative medicine and my finely-tuned marketing expertise led me to one conclusion: I needed to start a business combining both those skills.
Da Costa: What was the “aha” moment in your career?
Thomas: As I saw a significant transformation unfolding within me, I knew I could never go back to that same lifestyle of working long hours and constant stress.
First, I became a certified health practitioner and started a health coaching business for others who also suffered from the same condition as me. I focused on helping people recognize and treat their conditions and quickly filled out my coaching practice. I didn’t want others to go through what I did. I knew that early treatment could prevent years of constant agony and pain.
I spent many years building my coaching practice into a successful six-figure business. Eventually, health coaches and practitioners began reaching out to me for advice. That’s when I decided to fuse my two expertise to solve the exact problem those practitioners were facing.
So, I started the Health and Wellness Business School. I combined my marketing and entrepreneurship expertise with my passion for wellness to help holistic practitioners market themselves and reach more clients who need their advice. I quickly realized this topic went beyond passion. It was my purpose, and I had to dedicate myself to it.
Da Costa: What has been your biggest takeaway as an entrepreneur?
Thomas: I realized that my health journey took me exactly where I needed to be. My only wish was that I had paid attention sooner. I ignored my intuition and the signals from my body. Instead, I allowed the outside world to tell me who I was and what to do to the point that it made me physically sicker.
The turning point in my life was when I realized that the symptoms my body was sending me were showing me the exact lessons I needed to build a heart-led company and help others transform.
The more important lesson here is to pay attention to your body when you have symptoms. Ask yourself what’s really going on, and what might be causing the imbalance in wellbeing. The sooner you can tune in, the sooner you will realize your condition is not random, and you can do something about it.
My ulcerative colitis was one of the most painful experiences I’ve lived through, but it’s the one thing that got me to where I am today. Dealing with this illness forced me to change my lifestyle, so I prioritize my health above all else and still do to this day.
Da Costa: What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to create a heart-led business?
My advice boils down to three main points:
"The turning point in my life was when I realized that the symptoms my body was sending me were ... [+]
1. Learn from the hard times in your life.
It took me years, but I finally saw my ulcerative colitis diagnosis for what it was: an opportunity to help others find their path to healing. I wouldn’t be where I am today without that lesson.
I saw that this wasn’t happening TO me; it was happening FOR me. The same goes for you in whatever problems you’re facing.
How can you take a tough situation and make something compelling and impactful out of it? Maybe you’ll end up starting a blog, writing a book, or founding a business. These stressful situations often give birth to the best ideas.
2. You need to put in the work.
No business has overnight success, no matter how sparkly their brand may seem. Every successful business takes determination, hard work, and passion, even when things are challenging.
One habit I’ve implemented since my very first business was to create a vision of what I’d love to see come true in my business and life as if it was already happening. Because I knew what it already looked like, it became much more comfortable to put the pieces together and see it all fall into place.
Create a vision for what you want and get clear about your goals.
3. Don’t be afraid to share your story and own it.
Even if it’s not the most charming story, people need to hear what you have to say.
My story through ulcerative colitis was far from pretty, but I decided it was too important not to share. Do you know what happened next? Many of my clients worked with me because they were attracted to that story! It wasn’t because I was knowledgeable about gut health; it was because I had gone through what they were going through firsthand.
What you’ve learned and experienced through your journey is incredibly valuable, and people will choose to work with and invest in you because of that. Don’t hide it away.
