Location: Goleta
Established: August 2006
Number of Employees: 1
Chiropractic services
www.dr-cc.com
Dr. Crystal Galvan was born and raised in Goleta, California. As a young girl she spent many hours in her father’s chiropractic office in old town Goleta. She was inspired by the joy her father felt in helping his patients - and by a particular case when a young girl who was unable to walk without assistance, was able to walk again and have a normal life under her father’s care.
After practicing locally for many years, she wanted to start her own practice, where she could realize her own expectations to serve the community as a health leader and educator. Owning Crystal Chiropractic allows her to be in control of her professional and personal passion - to bring the benefits of prenatal chiropractic care to women.
What prompted you to go into business for yourself?
Both of my parents were small business owners, and after interning with another chiropractor I decided I would be happier on my own (until recently, I shared office space with other chiropractors but was my own entity). I’m now in my own space as a sole proprietor, with the power to run my practice how I see fit.
What has been your biggest business challenge?
Establishing a patient base is an ongoing business challenge. Also, working with established doctors who have their own way of doing things has been particularly challenging; this is why I have created my own chiropractic space.
What has been your biggest business success?
Working with WEV has helped me to see how much I have grown in the last year and our potential for growth.
Who is your ideal customer?
Women ages 30-45, who are really interested in improving the quality of their families’ lives.
What has been the biggest surprise about owning a business?
No surprise, but a business does take up a lot of your time and attention. When you stop attending to your business, it stops working for you.
How do you juggle all the pieces of your life (family/work/self/volunteering) to make it all come together?
Balance and present time consciousness are so important. When I am at work, I focus on getting as much done as possible. When I am with my family, I try not to think about work.
What advice do you offer other women who might want to start their own company?
WEV’s Self-Employment Training program really helps you get started, and introduces you to great business contacts and friends. Find a mentor or someone who is willing to share/help you with all the little things.
Santa Barbara is a word of mouth town, and networking is the way to go. I network with different women’s groups and organizations. This is really where you get to connect with women and other people and they really get to know you and feel comfortable using your services. This town has unlimited amounts of networking possibilities and opportunities.
Finally, be prepared to give it everything you have. What you put into it is what you get out of it, as in most businesses. You get to decide what you are going to do each day. You can decide not to do anything, but you don’t get paid! I get to choose my own hours, choose where I want to be, and provide for my family.
How did WEV help you to achieve your goal or dream?
WEV helped me to write a working business plan that in turn got me a loan to grow my business. I have made great contacts in the business world with WEV’s help - WEV is a great support system! Also, getting some working capital and support through funding from the Small Business Loan Fund has been very beneficial.
Is there something you learned from WEV that you use every day?
To stay positive and keep on keeping on (I try to remember this everyday).
What does ‘success’ mean to you?
Success to me is being happy and prosperous in all aspects of my life, knowing that I have the opportunity to help people improve their health and provide for my family.
What is the biggest reward you get from your business? What makes it all worthwhile?
Knowing that this is my business, I am the boss, and I can create or recreate the business how I see fit.
How do you picture you and your business in: one year? Five years? Ten years?
I have great expectations for my practice to serve a large part of the community, as a health leader and educator. In five years I see a wellness clinic with multiple disciplines of healing physically and emotionally, a place where people feel safe to heal. In ten years we will be serving a great majority of the pregnancy community as well as their families. I want women to know that if they are pregnant, one of the first things they think to do is to get chiropractic!
If your business is being affected by the economy right now, how? And what are you doing to deal with this challenge?
The health care industry is not hit as hard by the economy as most businesses. However, chiropractic is still thought of by some to be a luxury instead of a necessity and people are using their medical benefits more than going outside of their network (where they have to pay cash) to get care.
To deal with this challenge, I have started participating in more educational programs to spread the word about the benefits of chiropractic. I want people to see the true value of preventative medicine and how it can save them money and pain in the long run. So my business has continued to grow even in these challenging times.
Photography courtesy of Maria Carreras Photography: www.mariacarrerasphotography.com |
