Running a Small Business: A Living, Breathing Thing

After a decade of running Owl Chiropractic, I’ve realized something unexpected: running a small business feels a lot like caring for a living, breathing person. It’s not just about numbers, schedules, and systems. A small business has a heartbeat. It grows, it struggles, it needs nourishment—and if you want it to thrive, you have to treat it like something alive.

The Heartbeat of a Small Business

For us, the heartbeat is the flow of patients, the laughter in the waiting room, and the rhythm of our team working in sync. Like checking a pulse, tuning into your business’s daily energy tells you what’s really going on. Is it strong and steady? Or showing signs of stress?

Nourishing a Small Business for Long-Term Health

People don’t thrive on junk food, and neither do businesses. A healthy business needs quality input: clear communication, sound financial practices, inspired leadership, and constant learning. Just this past weekend, we hosted a Results Chiropractic Foundation seminar. Our doctors spent two days learning from other brilliant practitioners—proof that ongoing education fuels long-term vitality.

Growth Stages in Running a Small Business

No one goes from toddler to adult overnight. Businesses, like people, grow in messy, beautiful stages. There are chaotic toddler years, discipline-demanding adolescence, and the maturity that comes with consistency and reflection. I often step back and ask myself: where is Owl Chiropractic in its life cycle right now, and what does it need next?

How Small Business Stress Shows Up

They get overwhelmed. Things change fast—staffing, regulations, patient needs—and just like a person under too much pressure, a business can burn out. But stress doesn’t mean failure. With the right adjustments (streamlining systems, supporting your team, realigning your vision), stress becomes a catalyst for growth.

Relationships Keep a Small Business Alive

People need connection, and so does your business. Our patients, staff, colleagues, and community are the relationships that keep Owl Chiropractic alive. They’re the oxygen in the lungs of the business. Nurturing these relationships doesn’t just help us grow—it keeps us human.

Preventative Care for Small Business Success

Just like you wouldn’t skip your regular adjustment (😉), your business needs consistent check-ins. That means reviewing finances, assessing goals, checking on team wellbeing, and adjusting course when needed. Preventative care isn’t just a health philosophy—it’s a good business strategy.

Running Owl Chiropractic has taught me that business isn’t mechanical—it’s organic. It needs care, compassion, and commitment. When you nurture it the way you’d care for a person, it thrives. And the impact? It ripples outward—touching every patient, every team member, and every part of the community it serves.

Ten years in, I still love coming to work every day. I’m proud of what we’ve built, grateful for our incredible community, and excited for what’s next. Here’s to nurturing the next decade of growth, connection, and chiropractic miracles.