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For the past few months, I have been hard at work starting up a new venture. I realized that the only way for me to learn about the ins and outs of business was to start one up myself. But what kind of business reflected who I was, and where I wanted to go in life?

The answer was simple and difficult. Simple in the fact that I knew I wanted to start something low cost, and something that would challenge me to learn something new. This way, I would keep my interested piqued in a positive way. Difficult in the fact that I had to do some introspection on who I was and what I had to offer to others.

In searching for my self, I realized that I belonged to several categories. For instance, I am a college graduate (3-time grad to be exact), I belong to two healing and helping professions (nursing and psychotherapy), and I am a creative dude.

With those things in mind, I decided to start an online store that reflected who I was and how I wanted to go about doing things. The outcome:

Pro Healing Tools and prohealingtools.com
Professional Healing Tools, By Professional Healers, For Professional Healers

Prohealingtools.com

This is basically an online catalog of professional tools and resources geared toward the professional user. The professional user in this case being any professional of the healing arts: counselors, psychologists, other mental health pros, hypnotherapists, etc. Right now it's mostly books that I think any professional healer would consider having as part of their professional library, as well as hypnosis and relaxation CDs that professionals can use with their clients. I've even got my stress book for sale at the site (hey, it's my store, why not?).

I'm adding more items every day, including some exclusive combo packages that you won't see for sale anywhere else. Prices are competitive with other major online outlets, but in the future my customers will see some special deals that they can't get anywhere else. At least that's the plan.

Lessons in business

Starting your own business, and doing things from scratch is a real learning experience. I've learned how to make cold-calls to distributors to ask for partnerships, opening up business accounts from banks and lenders, and dealt with the bureaucracies of government.

There are lots of things that most people, perhaps, don't think about when starting a business. Everything from getting a business license to choosing your merchandise can be a hassle. But above all, I am learning what I want and what I don't want in life, and that's the best thing about this whole venture, so far.

I'll be focusing on advertising across the web, and then somewhere down the road I hope to put some ads in printed periodicals like some health magazines, but mostly in the trade papers of mental health professionals.

The biggest obstacle, and the most challenging component of starting and running a business has to be the taxes. I'll be organizing my records and receipts and getting with my accountant to make sure everything is kosher.

Geez, of all the things in the world that could hurt a business the most, it has to be taxes. Taxes are by far the biggest hinderance to business. Why does a product cost X amount of dollars? A big reason is taxes. Why are businesses structured in weird ways? Taxes. Ugh!

For now, prohealingtools.com is open for business. Stop on by, pick up a CD or a book, and make this blog author one happy business man! Also, if you know of anyone who would benefit, pass on this info. Or if there is a book that you are looking for but can't find, go to the site and request it.

Thanks.

-RY