Sandra Delgado Quist is a homeopath and founder of The Hague Natural Health Centre, where she gathers many natural health practitioners to help clients find balance the holistic way. In this interview, Sandra shares the challenges she faced and the lessons she learned as an entrepreneur, her thoughts on health in business, as well as tips for reconnecting with ourselves.
What shaped you into the entrepreneur that you are today?
I have to chuckle at this question because I feel like I’m still stepping into being an entrepreneur, even though it feels like I’ve been doing it forever. Both professionally and personally, many things contributed to the entrepreneur I am today. Years ago, I was working for one of the largest banks in the US. I managed half-a-million-dollar budget events, often several at a time, dealing with everything: the hotel, the travel, the logistics, you name it, all the nuts and bolts of it. It taught me to multitask. It also taught me to manage sudden changes. This prepared me for the first year at the Health Centre, because you never know what you’re going to encounter when you set up a business, and you have to know how to be flexible.
The job was a lot of fun, but highly stressful. In my younger years, I found it exciting. But when my son was born, things changed dramatically. I could no longer work so hard at a job, especially if I didn’t believe in it. I got to a point where my body would revolt if I was doing something that was against my values. When my son was 5 or 6, I got a job that started out two days a week. Then it became three days, and before I knew it, I was working six days a week and taking work home. It was madness. One day I drove into the parking lot, and I felt nauseous. I knew I couldn’t do this anymore. I walked in and I quit.
There were many signs that I was done – getting sick more often, feeling constantly tired – but I didn’t listen to my body. I wasn’t always into natural health; it was a long journey. Then in my late 40’s I realised how powerful it is to listen to your body, to take care of yourself and nurture your soul, especially in the work you do. Now, I’m almost 60. And who starts a business at this age? But the Centre is my passion. It’s about positive change. If the Health Centre helps five people, that’s five communities we’ve touched, and I think that’s a powerful thing.
What was the biggest challenge you encountered when setting up the Centre? How did you overcome that challenge?
You might have a great business plan, but what you really need is to know how to go with the flow. While we were setting up the Centre, my husband lost his sight in one eye, and we had two deaths in the family. These personal things in the background were stressful and made me question whether I was doing the right thing.
You might have a great business plan, but the most important thing you need is to adapt to changes and be able to go with the flow.
You can never really plan for what’s going to happen around you – you can only try to make yourself stronger. In that regard, it was about having the right support system. When I felt like I was tearing my hair out, when I was too tired or tense to think clearly, I would confide in my friends. I also turned to acupuncture and Reiki.
Another reason I’m so passionate about the Centre is that it offers a whole range of therapies that help release tension. I see it as a sacred space, it really helps to ground me. When I’m there in the morning before anybody arrives, I burn some incense, I meditate, I help create a relaxing space where people can feel like they’re being held and listened to without judgment.
We sometimes underestimate the impact of our personal life and health on our business. It’s our responsibility to make sure we are in a strong place within ourselves in order to be a strong business person. Let’s face it, we cannot expect to manage all the inevitable twists and turns of daily life if we do not build self-care into our business model.
We cannot expect to manage all the inevitable twists and turns of daily life if we do not build self-care into our business model.
You’ve gone from being a solopreneur homeopath to building a bricks and mortar business. What one piece of advice about mindset and strategy would you give other entrepreneurs?
We really need to be able to be in balance, to go with the flow and be flexible when unplanned things happen – as they always do – but also to be able to remember our own values and mission so that our business stays a reflection of who we are and what we’re doing it for.
I’ll give you an example. I have treatment rooms for rent in the Centre, and a therapist wanted to rent two of the rooms. My first thought was: great, that takes a load off, I don’t have to find any more therapists, I will have more time to spend on my own practice. But his method of working didn’t really fit the Centre’s energy and values. Despite it being financially convenient, it was going against my principles. So, establishing your own ground rules and deciding where you can be flexible and where you can’t, that’s important.
From your perspective, what qualities make an effective leader, especially in the context of running your own business?
Being a good leader is about understanding that everybody is going through their own journey; you have to be able to see them and meet them where they are without judgment. At the same time remembering to be true to the values of the business.
For example, some people are so excited about being a therapist and being part of the Centre, but not everybody works well together – the energy needs to feel good within the group. In the beginning, I let everyone in that was interested because I just thought ‘yes’ let’s do this! But later I realised that sometimes I was doing people a disservice. It’s heavy work, dealing with clients’ emotions on a day-to-day basis. You have to be able to take care of yourself to do this kind of work. This is very important. These days, I’m a little more careful about who I allow to work at the Centre. As a leader, you want to help, and sometimes that means asking: “Are you sure you’re ready for this? Does this feel good for both parties?” A leader has to be able to recognize what each person in the business is looking to achieve and see if they align. That comes with time, and experience.
How has collaboration contributed to the Heath Centre’s success?
You never know people’s hidden talents until you connect with them. When we collaborate, we uncover those hidden gems. For example, one of our practitioners used to work in radio, so she’s bursting with ideas on how to promote the Centre. One of our acupuncturists used to run an elementary school, so she has an entirely different perspective on how we can organise things. One of our reflexologists used to be in finance, so he gives us another angle from which to look at the financing side of things. My mother-in-law is a homeopath, and even though she’s almost 80 years old, she works at the Centre two days a month and really enjoys giving back to the community in this way.
The beauty of collaboration is that we all have something to bring to the table. When we take the time to get to know each other and our different skills, we can build something really special.
What role do you think organisations like Female Ventures play in shaping the future for women entrepreneurs and professionals, and how can our community better support initiatives like yours?
Each time I go to a Female Ventures event, I make a connection – you never know who you’re going to run into. I love the collaboration that takes place there. It’s a little like the holistic aspect of care – like when you refer a client to another practitioner to help them address different aspects of their health. I am part of a few women’s groups, but what I like most about Female Ventures is the diversity of the women who attend. Somehow, you’re managing to attract a big and diverse network.
You never know what skills someone else might have and how you might help each other. Those connections, that’s how we grow. In the olden days, when we lived in tribes, everybody had a role, and we worked together on projects. Nowadays we’re so separate, trying to do everything ourselves, locked away in our phones, which doesn’t work. We each have our own special way of existing and doing things and contributing – it’s important that we get to know each other. Female Ventures gives us a platform to do that.
I am part of a few great women’s groups, but what I like most about Female Ventures is the diversity of the women who attend.
With regards to how Female Ventures can support initiatives like the Centre, that’s a hard one. I’m on the healthcare side of things, and few women’s groups want to engage with that because they are more focused on the business side of things. They will have a healthcare speaker only if they offer a business twist. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to support your own health, especially when you are an entrepreneur or business person. Connecting with yourself, your body, your spirit is essential to be successful. We have to constantly take care of ourselves so that we’re able to take care of our business. For example, as a therapist, you cannot hold space for someone unless you’re also holding space for yourself in your own life. It’s the same whatever the business, yet it is something most organizations and entrepreneurs lack. So, my suggestion would be to include more of the healthcare element in your group.
In your opinion, are corporations doing enough to address the mental health crisis?
I think some companies are trying, but it’s a bit like the green-washing we see with sustainability. We’ll have a Mental Health Day but we won’t actually delve into the reasons why people are struggling nor change the conditions causing the struggles. Part of that might be that if you acknowledge there’s a health crisis and that employees are struggling, then you acknowledge that the company is overworking people, or not giving enough time off. I think if companies took a bit more responsibility and truly supported their employees, it would be a start. Some of them do. Like the bank I worked at – the work was intense, but at the same time I could take four months off when I gave birth, so there were perks. But companies could do a lot more, and I think that’s why we’re seeing such a high burn-out rate.
Do you have any tips for people who are struggling at work but feel unable to leave their job? What can they do to find balance?
Find whatever grounds you. It might be as simple as taking your shoes off and walking on the beach. Find that one thing that gives you the inner space to remember what you’re doing it for.
Then, it’s about reconnecting with yourself. When you’re disconnected, you might not even recognize that you’re stuck. Ask yourself: “What would make me happy?” Most people can’t answer that because they’re so used to being on the go. You have to take time to reconnect with your feelings. You can do that with energy medicine, talk therapies, whatever resonates with you. Some people want to talk, others want to look at the nutrition part of health, others might want to learn a new skill like yoga or Reiki, or something else entirely like music or painting. Do whatever stimulates the creative side of your brain. Find little moments of joy and revel in them.
It’s never too late to chase your dream, but don’t be so hard on yourself if it takes a bit longer than you would like, or if you need to have a side hustle to achieve what you want. We live in a material world, and we must do what is needed to satisfy our basic needs – do not kick yourself for being human. Everything will fall into place at the right time. If you are taking steps to connect with yourself, your intuition will grow and you will know when it’s time to make changes, and what changes to make.
The truth is we often know, deep down, what we need – we simply have to start listening to ourselves.
It’s also about finding balance in your life – and that’s a constant thing. After all, we are only human, having a human experience. If you’re tired, sleep. If you’ve eaten a little too much or had too much wine over the holidays, then make a few changes. The truth is we often know, deep down, what we need – we simply have to start listening to ourselves.
Thank you, Sandra, for sharing your thoughts with us!
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Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn or through her website.