Nursing Entrepreneurs, Nurse-Owned Businesses
California Nursing Entrepreneurs
Cynthia Howard RN, CNC, PhD, Vibrant Radiant Health,

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 Your Name, Degrees Licenses: Cynthia Howard RN, CNC, PhD

Diploma in Nursing (1977)
BS in business Administration (1989)
MA Clinical Psychology (1992)
PhD Human Development (1998). Research for both degrees Stress & Burnout in Nurses
CNC: Certified Nutritional Consultant (1999)

Many certifications in Healing Arts

Reiki Master, Master Energy Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Reflexologist, Master Tapping, EDxTM, TAT, BSFF

EMDR, Certified in Advanced levels, Trained with Francine Shapro (1992)

Certified in EQi 2.0 Emotional Intelligence Assessment

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? I was a nurse (Clinical Specialist) in the early 90's when healthcare first went through restructuring and was laid off. Hospitals at that time did not want to hire nurses with masters degrees and I could not find a job. I was denied unemployment because I was a nurse! Most people did not know what was happening in hospitals. I was supporting myself and did not have family or anyone to help me. It was then I was thrown into being a consultant.

Rent was due as was my tution. I was in the PhD program. I had been working in Performance Improvement and was very good at systems thinking. I had been through many JCAHO surveys and did very well. So I knocked on doors and presented myself to area agencies and organizations and was hired as a consultant to help with accreditation, surveys, performance improvment.

It was interesting because I always wanted to have my own business. I also knew I wanted to have relationships with people in that business. I never dreamed I would open my own Wellness Center or practice Energy Pscyhology and Integrative Health.

I continued to freelance and completed graduate school not without also being certified in Reflexology, Hypnosis and Aromatherapy. I opened a practice while working night shift and finishing graduate school. When I finished my PhD I expanded my practice and opened my Wellness Center.

Since then I have worked with thousands of people using these integrative and energy modalities focusing on stress, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression and immune problems. I specialized in trauma and was hired by the local boards to work with children in the foster care system since my approach eliminated trauma so quickly. I lived in Maryland most of my life and recently moved to Central Coast CA (2012).

My sweetheart retired and this was where he grew up. It is interesting that in my graduate program for my MA, a group of us were studying on the beach of NJ and I saw a magazine of Santa Barbara. I remember thinking how beautiful it was. I always knew I wanted to live in CA just did not know where or when. I began visualizing myself living there. I actively used deliberate thought and visualization so even though I did not not have a full time job after being laid off, I always had exactly what I needed to live and expand my business. Twenty years later, after a blind date, I was introduced to my sweetheart who was from Santa Barbara which is where I now live. After that time on the beach in NJ, I never planned or plotted to move here. I love the power of synchronicity.

What Attracted You To The Field of Nursing? My mother wanted both my sister and I to become nurses. She was taken to the labor camps in Auschwitz when she was 16. Fortunately she was smuggled out and had to find her way through the then countries of Czechoslovakia to find somewhere safe to live. She got on a train to go up to Germany. There were Red Cross doctors and nurses on the train. Shortly after she got on and the train started to take off it stopped and Nazi soldiers came on the train and were headed right for my mother and her traveling companions. The American doctor told them she was one of his nurses. She did not speak English and he did not speak German however they understood each other. After glaring at them both the Nazi's left the train. My mother shared that story and said she wanted us both to be nurses. I was always interested in well-being and curious about why people do what they do. It was a natural fit for me although secretly I always wanted to have my own business. I went to Nursing school and ended up working as a Critical Care Monitor tech (this was 40 years ago!!!) and loved technology and immediately went into ICU where I worked for 10 years before going into Mental Health. I was struck by how nurses and physicans would take care of everyone else at their own expense. I went to graduate school and chose degrees in Psychology as I wanted to understand how to change behavior.

What is your experience and background in Nursing?: My nursing background is Critical Care, Mental Health, Education and Management. My experience as a Coach/Consultant is in providing natural solutions to problems associated with chronic stress.

Would you recommend Nursing as a career? Absolutely. Nursing provides a great educational background and encourages individuals to develop themselves as a person as well as a professional.

Your Business Name: Vibrant Radiant Health

Business Organization?: Limited Liability Corporation, LLC. I was a D corp at some point and LLC makes more sense now.

Please describe in detail your business/services you provide (or if you have an elevator pitch): I work with business owners and professionals to move beyond barriers that keep them stuck, whether that is due to fatigue, negative limited thinking or a lack of clarity around their business idea. My practice is primarily national with a few international clients. Most recently I rebranded myself and want to focus primarily within the nursing community and provide coaching and consulting service for individuals and organizations to build resilience and emotional intelligence for stronger leadership. I have a competency based training program called the Resilient Leader. I have founded the Live Well Community Network and want to build a community of nursepreneurs and nurses (healthcare professionals) who want to move beyond burnout for an exceptionally full life. I have an online membership program and will be holding live events around the country bringing together nursepreneurs with individuals who need their service. This site is www.workplaylivewell.com The first event is Ocean city MD September 27 2014

Business Address: 237 Town Center West Suite 322 Santa MAria CA 93458

E-mail Address: drh@vibrantradianthealth.com

Blogs: http://www.vibrantradianthealth.com/blog

Social Media Accounts:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/vibrantradianthealth

Facebook: http://facebook.com/livewellleadwell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/transformyourstress

Twitter: http://twitter.com/masterwellbeing

Homepage Address: http://www.vibrantradianthealth.com

http://www.workplaylivewell.com

Type of business categories would you would like to be listed: Coaches, Life Coaches, Reiki Master, Retreats For Nurses, Leadership Coach, Consultant, Master Energy Therapist, Speaker, Stress Management

Keywords, Phrases that describe your business, experience, services: Master Energy Therapist, Burnout, resilience, stress relief at work, work related stress, fatigue, online leadership training, retreats, emotional intelligence, overwhelm, natural solutions

Contact person(s): Cynthia Howard RN, CNC, PhD

Phone number (how/when do you prefer to be contacted): 866-300-6360 PST I provide a complimentary discovery session http://www.vibrantraedianthealth.com/discovery-session-app

In what date (month/year) did you start your business? 1992

Can you describe some challenges you had to overcome in starting your business? There have been so many challenges from first being laid off and thrown out there to having the roof cave in on one of my wellness centers. When the male contractor did not like having to deal with a woman to having male partners threatened by a strong woman to having people not value "energy methods" because it was new and different to jealousy and competition from people close to me to my own self doubt at times as I wondered what am I doing? Then I would remember my business plan and reflect on my values, mission and my true purpose and remember that I am doing this to serve so to expect it to be easy is simply unrealistic. Once I embraced the challenges, it was almost like a game - almost!

How did you hear about the Nursefriendly, NursingEntrepreneurs.com?: I believe I heard about you a few years ago when I started looking at the nurse community on Facebook.

The year were you first licensed as a nurse? 1977

What school(s) of nursing did you attend? Union Memorial School of Nursing in Baltimore MD

Do you recommend that nurses join professional organizations? Absolutely. As a critical care RN, I had gotten my certification - it was in the very early years of certification. I felt proud I had accomplished this and also respected by peers and physicians.

Professional organizations you have belonged to: National Nurses in Business Association, NNBA

ACEP (Association of Comprehensive Energy Psychology)

American Nurses Association (ANA)

American holistic Nurses Association (AHNA)

Local Chamber of Commerce

What made you decide to start your own business? I saw a need in the area of holistic health. While it was easy to navigate through conventional medical channels if someone wanted to have resources that were natural, they were not easily accessible especially 25 years ago. I wanted to educate, inform and inspire people to understand their body, mind and spirit were true partners in health and to provide resources and services to positively impact their whole person health.

How many times have you changed employers in your career? 6-7

What specific qualities and traits do you feel make nurses especially qualified to operate a business? I believe the nursing process positions nurses to think through challenges and to respond to needs. Nurse are realistic and practical and at times you just have to step up and get it done!

What exactly is a nurse entrepreneur in your own words? A problem solver and an individual who is willing to do what most people will not - risk the security for the chance to make a difference.

Do you currently practice as a nurse? If yes in what type of setting? Not in a traditional way.

Your most pressing concerns with the profession and healthcare: My most pressing concern is nurses inability to see beyond the status quo. We have a crisis in thinking and leaders need to develop their ability to truly lead and not lead by way of authority or position. I believe that nurses have to develop a profound appreciation for themselves and to love and care for themselves in the way they would love and care for their most vulnerable patient.

How do you feel the coming nursing shortage (as babyboomers enter the healthcare system, and nurses retire in droves) will affect patient care? I am not sure there will be a shortage. Healthcare is shifting and there needs to be more homecare and telecare. I see the real shortage in leadership.

Other areas of interest and expertise: I love to cook and recently have been uncooking - preparing Raw foods and dishes. I am a connoisseur of wine although I do not drink much wine - love to visit the beautiful wineries and learn about the process smell and taste... and I enjoy water activities, kayaks and boating.

Nursingentrepreneurs.com is a networking and resource directory for Nurse-Owned businesses and nurses looking for an alternative to working at the bedside. Start here on your road towards nurse entrepreneurship.

If you explore the site a bit, you'll find profiles of hundreds of nurse entrepreneurs around the country. We encourage you to browse around, find a business category you are interested in, then contact the nurse directly. We're available for questions as well. This website is Owned-Operated by Andrew Lopez, RN a Medical/Surgical/Telemetry nurse.

Has your Nurse-owned business been written up in the news? Do you send out a newsletter or regular press releases? We'd like to hear about it!

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