Denise Christie
The Story
My business is called Health and Harmony - because it's all about helping people improve their health in serene and harmonious surroundings.
Best advice given
The whole point of being in business is to enable you to create a life of freedom. The money you earn from your business is "energy" and that energy can be used to give you the life you truly desire.
Business day
I spend at least one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening on "office hours". I list the three most important things I need to do - i.e. follow up with clients, research networking events, check emails and work on social media.
Mind yourself...
I meditate twice a day - I have the Calm App on my phone so its the first thing I do in the morning and then I usually listen to a sleep meditation before bed. I switch off the wifi when I go to bed to reduce EMF exposure. I see a physio once a week for a massage and treat myself to a different relaxing treatment roughly once a month.
My dad was very wise, patient and enlightened before his time!. He always said that there is no such thing as a bad decision because we make decisions based on the information we have at the time. So never regret a decision - it was the best move at that time!
Best advice outside business
Proudest moment
That's a difficult one! I have had so many. I have won two business awards and so proud of those but really my proudest moments are when I get a message from a couple with a picture of their new born baby. I know their struggle so well and understood just what it took physically and emotionally for them to achieve a pregnancy.
Funniest moment
Allowing too many women at the same time in to my hot tub!! Women in equals water out!!! Flooded my spa cabin and had to use jugs to scoop water out and throw it out the window. The women thought it was hilarious though - they were over from UK for a hen party. They were asking me to call the fire brigade to help pump out the hot tub!
I have been taken for a ride by several builders and contractors over the years. These were people I had taken on in good faith, mainly because they had been clients previously and I felt I had a relationship of trust with them. They were very expensive lessons at the time but if I had it to do again I would do my homework, get at least three quotes for work and ask for testimonials from people they previously worked for.
A younger you?
Inspiration
Controversial one here!! I grew up in Thatcher's Britain and admired greatly her dogged determination, fearlesness and refusal to be bullied by the men in grey suits! She's a bit like Marmite - you either love her or loathe her but I saw her take a country from a three day working week with regularly electricity blackouts to a financial powerhouse. I remember those blackouts well - my dad was an engineer and worked out how to hook up lights and the TV to a car battery! Thatcher is still the longest reigning PM over the last 100 years.
anthem for business
Roar - by Katy Perry. A common thread with women in business - especially I believe those in the wellness industry - is a controversial and/or painful history that drew or pushed them in to the business they are now champions of! Roar just says it all for me - if you push a woman down they will come up fighting!
"why" For business
My original why was the loss of my marriage - my miscarriages and my husband leaving broke me. I refused medication, counselling did not work and eventually aromatherapy gave me back my ability to cope. I remember laughing out loud when a friend suggested aromatherapy to help me but in fact it's effects were so powerful I left a career in law and retrained in a career in holistics. Working with a client who had suffered 13 miscarriages made me realise I had buried my emotions about my own losses. My retraining in fertility and helping so many couples to get pregnant has helped to heal those wounds.
other jobs
I was a Legal Executive in London for 18 years before I retrained in holistic therapies. It's a career I am proud of, there were very few women Legal Execs when I trained - I was one of only three women in a class of 21.
mission
For me it's all about the numbers - how many couples can I work with and how many of those can I help get pregnant and have a healthy baby. My number stands at 42 babies born to date - reaching 100 would be phenomenal!! And then I would have to set another target!
My history and empathy with my couples - I have walked their shoes so I know their dreams and their heartbreak which I believe puts me in a strong position to be able to guide them through what they need to do.
Unique selling point
causes or projects
passionate about
passionate about
I am very concerned about "Period Poverty". This affects homeless women who cannot afford sanitary products and also school children who are missing school because their family cannot afford to buy them sanitary products. I get so cross about this - how can such a wealthy country allow this to happen. For a start tampons and towels should not be VATable and there should be a specific fund available for children/teenagers from less well off families. I cannot begin to imagine the shame these girls and women experience. There are charities that you can donate sanitary products to and in 2019 I plan to raise some awareness around this issue.
get into your industry
Do your homework on your course before you study with anyone. I have discovered there are a lot of what I call "Mickey Mouse" courses in the holistic and wellness industry and it really gets me on my soapbox! You need a qualification that is covered by the major industry insurers, that is recognised by the governing bodies and also that allow your clients to claim back for their treatments through their health insurer. Do not be afraid to do your research.
People can find you
dog-cat
Two dogs, two cats
movie
Truly, Madly Deeply - Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman
song to tell your story
Don't Stop thinking about Tomorrow - Fleetwood Mac
interesting facts
I have a gold medal in line dancing!
I used to belong to a parachute club
I am a disaster in the kitchen and have been know to burn water.
1,000 euros!
I would put it towards flights to an Infertility Symposium I am determined to get to in Canada in April!
unaccompanied concert
Fleetwood Mac