As a former professional dancer and yoga instructor, Kaylene Joseph has a good understanding of the mechanics of the human body. Although she always wanted to work for herself, her interest in business didn’t go much further than that. “I was teaching the odd class, handing out business cards on the side, and posting about my services on Facebook,” she said. But after graduating from school and traveling abroad, she came back with the strong intention of practicing as a Manual Osteopath in her community.
She decided to go all-in and launched Happy Bones Osteopathy and Wellness Clinic, based in Newmarket, Ontario. Happy Bones is a wellness clinic that is focused on collaborative rehabilitation and pain management. Their services include Registered Manual Osteopathy, Registered Massage Therapy and Holistic Nutrition. But the path to success wasn’t so straightforward. She knew how to help people, but she didn’t know enough about running a business. “I slowly started gaining a small clientele by networking, but I genuinely had no idea about how to grow my business or even how to run a business in general,” said Kaylene.
So when she heard that the York Small Business Enterprise Centre (YSBEC) offers free business support, she jumped on the opportunity. “I initially came to the YSBEC because I had no clue where to start with marketing and growing my business,” said Kaylene. After meeting with a Small Business Consultant, she got to work on developing her business plan and took advantage of the many free seminars, workshops and webinars offered through the YSBEC.
“Originally my plan was to rent space as a sole practitioner, and wait a few years before opening my own clinic,” says Kaylene. “But during my business plan development with the YSBEC, I decided it was viable to launch a full clinic in Newmarket and officially opened Happy Bones!”
Kaylene now runs Happy Bones on a full-time basis, and has even subcontracted five other practitioners. She has recently tripled her clientele and is seeing a steady increase in revenue. She credits the YSBEC for their support and guidance through the stressful days of launching her first business. “The YSBEC literally changed my whole career path,” she said. “I learned all the ins and out of business, and I feel confident running my clinic.”
Her story shows that through hard work – and a little bit of guidance – you can be a successful entrepreneur. When we asked her what her future plans are, Kaylene says it’s all about growth. “I want to continue building an elite team of practitioners, and potentially expand into a bigger space in the coming years.”
To learn more about Happy Bones Osteopathy and Wellness Clinic, visit happyboneswellness.com
Did this story inspire you? Do you have a business idea, or an existing business you want to grow? The York Small Business Enterprise Centre is your one-stop shop to help start and grow your business. Get in touch with a Small Business Consultant today.