53 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com/CharlestonWomen medical sales rep is the real reason why I wanted to go virtual — the flexibility and freedom to manage the business on the side.” Now, Fisher has clients all over the world due to the ability of having her business online. This is the benefit of having a virtual business. “Some of the cons of having an online business is the technical aspect. I am not tech savvy, so I do have to give myself time to upload my content.” Fisher has herself on a schedule, so it gives her the time and not the pressure. She promotes her business through word-of-mouth, online ads, Google SEO, social media and reviews. Customers access Fisher through an app made especially for her business. The largest expense building that app was when Fisher took a leap of faith and invested in herself. “I had a God-wink moment. A company that does app development reached out. It was a large investment, but I did the math and I needed so many subscribers to have a baseline — and I already had that. I went all in.” Betting on yourself is the important key to take your dream to a business. COURTNEY HARRIS, onsite physical therapist Dr. Courtney Harris, PT, CIDN, CKTT, owner of Recovery-N-Motion, is a physical therapist. Owning two brickand-mortar locations, Summerville and Mount Pleasant, Harris is driven by her mission. She lives by the idea that “you can’t feel better tomorrow if you don’t take care of yourself today.” That’s an ideology she wanted to share. However, running a business with two locations isn’t always easy. Harris stresses one of her cons is dealing with the hiring process. In this environment, it can be hard to find quality people who continue to show up and work. Candidates must understand Harris’ core values and culture, and this is something those looking to add employees in an office setting should consider. “They are representing your brand and who you are. So, you must find the right person,” advised Harris. SHANELLE FIELDS, onsite/virtual counselor Dr. Shanelle Fields is a licensed professional counselor with a brick and mortar and virtual business model accessible through her business, Taking the First Step Counseling & Educational Services. Fields is passionate about her clients and wants to make this type of care available to them whether they are able to come in or not. However, she offers something to consider when establishing these types of services. “A virtual business requires a lot of selfdiscipline and time management. Clients are not coming to my office, so I need to use a HIPAA client video system and be prepared to begin session on time,” she explained. This example stands as a reminder to have not only the proper tech in place to run a virtual business, but also the appropriate requirements for client ease and confidentiality. JENNIE BROOKS, onsite fitness club owner Sometimes when starting a business, the ability to offer more options under one roof is the driving factor. Located downtown next to MUSC, business owner Jennie Brooks has created a space that focuses on Pilates, personal Charleston Women in Wellness
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