How closing my dream wellness center taught me the difference between being busy and being profitable—and why investing in coaching changed everything.

The Moment Everything Changed

Yesterday, I made a decision that terrified and thrilled me in equal measure: I signed up for a three-day intensive coaching event called Hell Yes Live in Lexington, Kentucky. My business mentor Mariah suggested it, and after days of deliberation, I knew I had to go.

But this wasn’t just about attending another business event. This was about finally saying yes to the version of myself I’ve been secretly plotting to become—the successful entrepreneur who helps more people, makes a bigger impact, and creates real wealth.

The Rise and Fall of My Wellness Center Dream

Five years ago, I was living a completely different reality. In 2017, I achieved what felt like my biggest dream: opening my own wellness center. After ten years of renting rooms from other practitioners, I finally had my own beautiful 1,500-square-foot space.

The dream was happening. I rented out two of three treatment rooms to other therapists, built a thriving practice, and even funded two bucket-list trips to Thailand to study Thai massage. On paper, I was making more money than ever before.

But success and sustainability aren’t the same thing.

The Harsh Reality Behind the “Success”

What I didn’t realize until it was almost too late was that my business was barely scraping by. I was so focused on keeping rent reasonable and rooms filled that I forgot about profit margins. My income still depended entirely on my one-on-one client work—if I got sick, I didn’t make money. If I didn’t work, bills didn’t get paid.

On top of that, I was running myself into the ground. I was getting burned out seeing 6 clients a day. After that first year of going nonstop, I hit a wall and was ready to quit. But I had bills to pay and clients to serve, so with some adjusting to my schedule and client load, I made it work.

The final blow came in 2020. COVID hit, rent increased substantially, I was ending my third marriage and simultaneously losing the home that I’d lived in for twelve years. I faced a heartbreaking choice: close the doors on my dream or go into debt trying to save it.

I chose to close.

The Middle-of-the-Night Lesson That Changed Everything

One of my biggest wake-up calls came when a tenant literally moved out in the middle of the night. I arrived at my office to find his room completely empty—no notice, no explanation, no goodbye. Later, I discovered he’d disagreed with something I’d posted on social media and decided to disappear rather than have an adult conversation.

That’s when I realized I’d been wearing my “friend cap” instead of my “CEO cap.”

I was so afraid of hurting feelings or stepping on toes that I’d let my lack mindset and limiting beliefs about money run the show. I wasn’t charging what I was worth, I wasn’t setting proper boundaries, and I wasn’t thinking like a true business owner.

The Corporate Detour That Reminded Me Who I Am

After closing the wellness center, I briefly considered returning to corporate life. I remembered my days working for a hand surgeon—pencil skirts, ruffled blouses, matching pumps. I’d felt important with my first “real” job after college, complete with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science and a minor in Psychology.

But even then, I knew something was off. I’d run to my kids’ football games after work in high heels, getting stuck in the grass, feeling completely out of place. This wasn’t me. I wanted to wear Vans, jeans, and baseball caps.

The universe had other plans anyway. One day, I got a message from my boss: I was being laid off. They were hiring back their previous employee.

Standing there with a box of my belongings, tears in my eyes, I had two choices:

1. Find another corporate job and start climbing someone else’s ladder again
2. Burn the whole ladder to the ground and become the CEO of my own company

You know which one I chose.

The Game-Changing Power of the Right Mentor

For the past year, I’ve had the incredible fortune of working with business coach Mariah Johnson (@heymariahanne on social). Hiring her was one of the best investments I’ve ever made, and here’s why:

What the Right Coach Actually Does

• Sees your potential when you can’t: Mariah believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself
• Challenges your limiting beliefs: She helped me tell my inner critic (I call her Gertrude) to take a hike
• Provides practical strategies: She didn’t just give me motivation—she gave me actionable marketing advice and business systems
• Supports your wildest dreams: When I shared crazy ideas like becoming a vanlife healer or opening a bigger wellness center, she said “GO FOR IT!”

The Difference Between Busy and Profitable

Working with Mariah showed me that my at-home business, while successful, wasn’t creating the profit I really wanted. I was still helping people one-on-one, but I wasn’t reaching the wider audiences I felt called to serve.

I realized I was meant to be a teacher, leader, and mentor—not just a service provider.

Why I’m Saying Hell Yes to Hell Yes Live

When Mariah suggested this intensive coaching event, I could have come up with a million excuses:

• Finances are tight
• I don’t have time
• What if it doesn’t work?
• Why Lexington, Kentucky, of all places?

But I’ve learned something crucial: If we really want something, we’ll find a way. If not, we’ll find an excuse.

The Vision That Sealed the Deal

I closed my eyes and imagined myself in a room full of powerful, successful women—multimillionaire CEOs, small business owners, big business owners, and people with dreams as big as mine.

It felt good. REALLY good.

It felt supportive, exciting, and like a major opportunity for transformation. I started smiling just thinking about it.

The Real Investment: Betting on Yourself

This event isn’t just about three days in Kentucky. It’s about:

• Breaking through my invisible income ceiling
• Stepping into my role as a leader and mentor
• Creating systems that work without me
• Building a business that creates real wealth
• Helping more people than I ever thought possible

The Rebirth That’s Coming

I’m getting ready for rebirth. I’m ready to shed the comfortable blanket of playing small, thinking inside the box, and settling for “good enough.”

I’m ready to become the version of myself that exists in the ethers—the successful, powerful, impactful entrepreneur who creates what she wants and manifests the life of her dreams.

The Lesson for Every Aspiring Entrepreneur

Whether you’re running a wellness center, a consulting business, or any other venture, here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Success isn’t just about making money—it’s about creating sustainable profit
2. You need to wear your CEO cap, not your friend cap
3. The right mentor is worth their weight in gold
4. Investing in yourself is never a mistake
5. Your limiting beliefs are the only thing standing between you and your dreams

Your Next Hell Yes Moment

What’s the scary, exciting opportunity that’s been calling to you? What’s the investment in yourself that you’ve been putting off? What’s your version of saying “Hell Yes” to your future?

The difference between successful entrepreneurs and everyone else isn’t talent, luck, or timing—it’s the willingness to say yes when it matters most. 👏

Stay tuned for the aftermath of my Hell Yes Live experience. Something tells me this is just the beginning of a much bigger story.

Ready to transform your own business mindset? Join my business coaching mindset group for spiritual healers, The Sacred Medicine Circle. 

Follow my journey on Instagram or Facebook @prismbodywork and @thereikimedicinewoman as I document the lessons, breakthroughs, and strategies that turn dreams into profitable realities. Your future self is waiting.