Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I remember reading a quote from Richard Branson’s book that said something along the lines of, “treat your staff well and put them first and the customers will automatically be taken care of”.
A big part of opening Ohana was to build and grow a clinic whereby the practitioners could enjoy what they love doing, whilst also enjoying work-life balance. The idea was to nurture the practitioners first so that customers/clients/patients got the best treatment and care.
For me personally, my balance comes from an enormous amount of help from my family. Having school-aged children that lead active extra curricular lives, I only manage what I do with the help of grandparents and friends. I really cannot do it all and don’t pretend that I can. In business and in my personal life I have made sure I surround myself with a village of genuine and caring people who love and support each other in all endeavours, so that we can all live our best lives.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
I like to think all the challenges have been growth experiences. 2019 was a huge year of growing.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Being a very new business, less than 12 months old, the biggest con is the financial hit you take on whilst setting up a business of this kind and it is very time intensive.
In saying that though, there are far more pros. I loved the challenges in that now I have far greater knowledge in areas I once had none. I have learnt my life is filled with family and friends that genuinely care for me. I have an office with a view of palm trees. I have a work family that I do love seeing every day and I know eventually I will be able to sit back a little more and trust everything can run on its own due to the amazing team that has become Ohana – my work family.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Interestingly, we did a little team building exercise soon after opening that helped profile our strengths and weaknesses. Turns out I am the big thinker and ideas person. No big surprises there really. So less then 12 months in I am already dreaming of adding in an integrative medical doctor to really provide the community with a clinic whereby you don’t have to choose between western and complimentary medicine, but can choose the best of both worlds. More and more I am finding families really trying to find both medical and complimentary practitioners that work together.
On a more humble level though, I just want all practitioners living their best lives so that they can help their patients live their best lives as well. Happy healthy families is what the core of it all is – both work families and the community family at large.
Head to the Ohana Health and Wellbeing website to find out more, and join their supportive communities on Facebook and Instagram.
