Chamber Insider Blog

To see the FULL list of SBA Finalists, click here.
Thanks, Susan McCormick of The Wellness Connection, and congratulations on your nomination! 
Click here to see all of the “Meet the Finalists” posts.  
The 22nd Annual Loudoun Small Business Awards is Friday, November 4th!  Register Here

1.  Tell us your story of how your company got to where it is today?
I felt a strong pull that this is what I was supposed to be doing – I had lost my husband in a car accident, I had a 10 week old son, and I was a red hot mess!  Therapy literally changed my life, and I knew it was what I was going to do.  And when I say I knew, I just knew.  It was a God thing and my course was set in motion.

The Wellness Connection has grown as the result of finding clinicians who truly believe in what we are doing and are committed to doing whatever it takes to help people heal and be the best versions of themselves they can be.  It really is that simple.  The company started as the result of my own tragedy and the struggles of my son with ADHD and SPD, but it has evolved and grown because we are changing the landscape of how people are getting well.  We focus on prevention and true integration of services to treat the whole person – emotionally and physically.  

Our clients respond to us because we understand it takes a tremendous amount of courage to walk through those doors and be vulnerable, so the most important thing we can do is fully listen, have their backs, and create a plan to get them well again.

2.   What would it mean to you and your company to win a Small Business Award?
We love being a part of Loudoun County and we love serving the communities around Stone Ridge, Ashburn, and most recently Leesburg.  To win this award would let us know that we are on to something…..and that all the thoughtfulness and love we have put into this business is understood and appreciated.  It’s hard to put to words, but we all like to receive positive feedback, to know that what we are doing matters, and to believe that it is having an impact in the lives of others.

3.   If you weren’t running your own business, what would you be doing?
My husband and I are a little obsessed (okay a lot!) with Chip and Joanna Gaines from Fixer Uppers….it is the only show we will watch together and we are pretty sure we would be BFF’s if we lived in Waco, Texas. John and I love renovating things and I really like decorating, which is probably why I keep opening up new centers so I can keep decorating them!  I have visions of a farm house, with chickens, and big fat truck that I use to go around collecting treasures to create a space that makes me happy!

4.   What book are you reading right now? / What is your favorite book?  
I am not a big book reader – I never really have been because I have ADHD and I really can’t sit still for very long.  I am super interested in all of Brene Brown’s work, but I tend to listen to her books on tape (“The Power of Vulnerability” and “Rising Strong”).  My favorite book was actually a very small book I read while I was pregnant with my son.  It literally planted the seed that I wanted to drastically change my life and profession, and I told my then husband, Paul, that I wanted to be a therapist of some kind.  Little did I know my life would drastically change in a matter of months, and becoming a therapist literally saved my life after my husband’s death.  The name of the book is “Tuesdays with Morrie”, by Mitch Albom and my signed copy is prominently displayed in my office.  It is proof that when something stops you in your tracks….you should probably stop and listen.

5.   What is your favorite app (computer/phone)?
My favorite app is my Google Maps app – I have no idea how anyone ever arrived anywhere before this app, but I travel a lot and I literally can’t live without it.  I also love all music apps.

6.   If you have 24 hours off, and your family was out of town, what would you do?
Sleep….a lot!  Okay that is probably not true.  I would call my friends, go to an amazing brunch, hit a winery, laugh A LOT, find some good music locally, and then Uber home!

7.  What is the smallest thing that has made the largest impact on your business?
Focusing on service to our community.  We believe that if we expect people to come to us for care, then we better take good care of them with no expectation in return.  It is why we host the farmers market, sponsor free lunch & learns for LCPS counselors, and provide free scholarships to families in need who can’t afford our services.  We have knowledge and individual gifts that we like to share to make our community a better place to live.

8.  What did you want to be when you grew up? / What was a childhood dream that you had?
I wanted to be a singer and I was certain that Donny Osmond would want to marry me some day.  Man I miss those Variety Shows!  Unfortunately, God did not grace me with a voice, although I still embarrass my husband and son whenever the opportunity arises.  I am in love with all the singing shows on television – I literally get so excited when a singer finds their voice and realizes they have this amazing gift.  

You may not believe this, but I went to Virginia Tech to be an Aerospace Engineer with the only hope of traveling to outer space.  What I didn’t know was that you had to know all this technical smarty pants stuff to get there so I tapped out and went the business route! 

9.   Who is the one person that has influenced you the most in your career?
My husband….it may sound corny but owning a business is hard work….at times really hard work. There are ups and down, and insecurities and lack of funds at times, and HR challenges….but my husband has been a rock.  It was his idea for me to take the leap to open my first center, and he has never stopped believing in me….even if I was having a “moment” where I didn’t have faith in myself.  We all need that someone who has our back and will do whatever it takes to support our dreams.  He has sacrificed everything because he believes in what we are doing and he believes in me – this support is the best influence I could ever ask for.

10.  What is your favorite thing about living/running a business in Loudoun County?
I think Loudoun County is not only a great place to live, but it is the best place to open a small business. Very soon after I opened my first location, local businesses stopped by to see what they could do to ensure and support our success.  The chamber was inviting and super easy to get involved in, and I have met some of my best friends though various partnerships and collaborations.  We truly are a group of people with a genuine love for where we live and commitment to make it the best it can be….it doesn’t get better than that!

Thanks, Susan McCormick of The Wellness Connection, and congratulations on your nomination! 
Click here to see all of the “Meet the Finalists” posts.  

The 22nd Annual Loudoun Small Business Awards is Friday, November 4th!  Register Here