Introducing the tenacious, heart led Marilu. Based in West Buckland, Marilu from Hera Holistic is passionate about helping female entrepreneurs balance their lives, maintain their vitality and confidently run their businesses through mentoring and kinesiology.
A forward thinking approach of support and one that is very appropriate for our less than normal year of 2020, combines the use of seminars, one-to-one sessions and podcasts to educate and improve physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing for women to help them reach their full potential.
Tell us about you!
' Life started in the South East, I worked in London in my early 20’s trained to be a secretary and worked in admin in an estate agency, marketing and also PR. I married my first husband at twenty five and dipped my toe into lots of work projects from Chair of the local NCT branch, to working with horses and starting a second hand children’s clothes shop from home.
Fast forward fifteen years, I’m re-married and have four children. My husband had a hard landscaping company and was the sole bread winner. He suffered a spinal stroke during neck surgery and was out of the game for a while. It was time for me to step up and make a difference.
Initially I started a company called Ocky Olly and designed a children’s top called a Smocka which was a waterproof fleece play jumper. It won best junior fashion brand in the Loved By Parents awards in 2013. For four years I wore many hats and learned a TON! From design to manufacture, wholesale to retail, marketing, trade shows and crowd funding. I loved the company and the concept of helping little people. Despite winning awards for myself and the product, having a lovely selection of retailers and being on the cover of Devon Life magazine, the niche was too small, financial input too great and the profit not big enough to warrant continued investment.
We then started The Devon Beach Company in 2014 which had a wider product range. I designed and manufactured home furnishings using vintage nautical signal flags. We produced cushions, beanbags, dog beds and bags whilst also providing quality items for the beach. After a year we grew the range into coastal interiors to retain relevance all year round. We sold the products on our website and at local events. We also opened a shop in a local business park two years in, which I loved and we had a wonderful client base that I really enjoyed selling to.
I was approached in 2018 to help a friend, who recognised my previous experience was relevant for the role of co-director and so I helped her set up a Coastal Holiday Lettings Agency. I worked exceedingly hard on this for a year, doing all the admin and processes required creating a beautiful, powerful brand. The prospects of this company were so great, I sacrificed The Devon Beach Co in order for it to thrive.
Unfortunately due to a breakdown of relations between myself and my business partner, I chose to resign for the sake of my mental wellbeing and walked away from the company in 2019. I was bruised and fragile for months afterwards. Giving so much of myself to this business and my previous two as well, I was exhausted both physically and emotionally. This led to a long time of self-healing and reflecting as to what I really wanted to do. I had learned in the process of setting up and running my businesses that I was incredibly creative, capable and confident and that I could turn my hand to all aspects of business, but I had to ask myself where my heart really lay. '
What is the story behind HERA Holistic?
' I had followed a passion of mine in 2017 by studying Touch for Health Kinesiology under a friend and mentor and had been treating friends and family ever since. After my Coastal Holiday Lettings Agency resignation, I decided to complete my training in the summer of 2019 and properly qualify as a Touch for Health Kinesiologist. Following a summer of healing, it felt right to move forward with my new qualification and start a business where I could actually help people, something I had wanted to do for a long time.
I became HERA Holistic in February 2020 when I realised that not only was Holistic Health and Kinesiology my passion, but having worked closely with Female Entrepreneurs, it ignited my old passion of setting and running businesses.
I decided that I wanted to use my wealth of experience to help other Female Entrepreneurs in the early days of setting up their businesses. I recognised that I had felt lonely in my business journey and would have loved to have a mentor I could relate to who would be able to offer me sound advice, business acumen and support where I needed it.
Over the summer I have been working with a friend who is an Angel Channeller and Healer. I am podcasting* with her and also helping her to edit and self-publish a book that centres on her life, it is also an introduction to leading a Spiritual Life. This journey with her has been amazing and my own personal spiritual growth has been profound as a result.
I wish to take what I’ve learned this summer and my new energy, to inform and support my work further and I now see myself as a 'Soulpreneur' with the intention of working with heart based Female Solopreneurs and am super excited about growing into this new role. There is talk of doing workshops and retreats, so the future is definitely something to get excited about for me! '
What is Kinesiology?
' TFH Kinesiology is a gentle, non-diagnostic, non-invasive holistic therapy by using muscle monitoring to tap into your bio-computer and help address any physical, emotional or biochemical imbalances. It increases your energy levels whilst improving your health and wellbeing,
Within a treatment, I focus firstly on creating a goal statement for my client and then using muscle monitoring. I am able to deal with any physical, emotional or biochemical energy imbalances within my clients body, using a variety of powerful techniques. These can have a profound emotional and physical impact. It is a wonderful discipline and is able to deal with many things such as mental and emotional stress, postural issues and physical tension. It can also accelerate recovery from illness, injury and offer relief from acute and chronic pain.
What drives you?
' I realised in early 2020 that I had previously been driven by fear in my business. The financial pressure to provide had always been great, as although my husband, who suffered from Chronic Neuropathic Pain (severe pain all of the time) was working and providing just enough to keep our heads above water, I desperately wanted to take the financial pressure off him.
Having now moved into Holistic Health and uncovering an aspect of my character that had always been very personal and private for me, I felt able to work and grow my business with love and not fear. I was able to actually make a real difference in people’s lives and be my authentic self. Tapping into my spirituality and holistic skill set in order to guide my decisions and help me move forward knowing that I was on purpose and working with true integrity and grace in all a did. '
What do you think makes HERA Holistic unique?
' I think the depth of my experience, not only in the business world, but also my life experiences, give me a grounding and wisdom that I am able to draw from, in order to help my clients.
The one word that keeps coming up from clients when describing my work is 'calm'. I look to hold space for my clients, I then have the honour of hearing their stories and problems and am able to apply both my training as a Kinesiologist and my life experience to help them.
I would say that I now work with heart. I am able to sit with my intuition and whilst I rely on my training to a large degree, I love how finally I can sit with my innate inner knowledge on an emotional and spiritual level. To able to use my years of creative business experience to further mentor my clients is exciting and feels totally natural.'
Do your personal life philosophies support how you work at HERA?
' Absolutely! They are a HUGE part of what I do, which is what I love about Touch for Health, that it reflects and supports my love and respect for energy medicine and holistic living. To finally be able to work from a place of authenticity and love is such a relief and feels amazing!
I work from my home in West Buckland, which is in a beautiful peaceful valley. Moving forward, I will be focusing on building an online community as well.'
How are you adapting for the current Covid situation at HERA Holistic?
' Over the past months, I have tried to focus on what I can give, in order to help the people I’m not able to physically see. So I have been giving away a lot of free content in the form of videos, showing some simple but powerful techniques that can help people ease any feeling of overwhelm in the current climate and to also be able to support their bodies and immune systems.
Parts of TFH can translate very well into the online arena, which is very exciting. Now that my kids are back at school, I’m really excited about having the time to create some fantastic online support for my clients both individually and in groups.
I have also been able to continue with my Podcasting which I really love doing as the people I interview truly inspire me and hopefully my listeners! '
Why are you passionate about HERA Holistic ?
' I truly believe in the magic and power of Touch for Health and how it is able to deal with such a wide variety of issues. I love the goal setting principle that makes it so flexible, so it is ideal to manage any personal or business concerns that my clients have.
I’m really looking forward to being able to reach more clients online and super excited about the guests I have in mind for my Podcast*, which will hopefully inspire and support women on their own journey. I am also studying to be a Stress Management & Holistic Life Coach and hope to be qualified by the end of the year. I felt these would be really valuable and relevant qualifications that would deepen my knowledge and expand my skill set going forwards.'
So if you are a female entrepreneur after heart centred holistic mentoring and business support, look no further! Book a consultation appointment with the wonderful Marilu.
* Marilu's podcast can be listened to via her website.
Instagram - @hera.holistic
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