Having a holistic career before starting a business in natural medicine is a good idea. To start your holistic business, decide how your knowledge, education, and training in one or more areas of alternative medicine can best help others. Whether you have much experience in holistic subjects or not, you should research your potential customers and competition thoroughly. Consider what services or products you'll offer and which marketing channels you'll use. For example, you may decide on an e-commerce option and sell holistic products over the Internet, or instead choose to open a walk-in business that offers natural therapy, nutrition, or healing.
Your holistic business must abide by the laws in your area and country. You're likely to require licenses or permits, so a trip to your town's city hall to get information about starting a company is important to do early on in your planning. You may need specific credentials if you're going to be a holistic doctor. If your holistic business plan is to become a coach or motivational speaker to inspire others to treat the body, mind, and soul as one, you many not need any licensing or special credentials.
It's important to consider your strengths when deciding on the exact type of holistic health business you'll be operating. If holistic healing interests you in general, it may be difficult to decide on one aspect of it with which to start your business. You may be able to combine different facets of natural healing for your holistic business, however.
It's a good idea to investigate some existing holistic businesses in your area, or on the Internet if you plan on having a web-based company. Examine the pros and cons of each business and let that information influence your decisions on what type of company yours will be. Of course, the main thing to remember is that you'll need paying customers, so customer research is crucial as you finalize your business decisions.
Whether you'll offer holistic coaching, massage therapy, or both, make sure you'll have interested customers. You could attend community events focused on holistic healing and speak to potential customers to get feedback. Find out what kinds of holistic products and services people seem to want and the price range they're willing to consider. Get your name out there as an expert by publishing articles, and perhaps even books, about the holistic topics on which you've chosen to base your holistic business.
