Based in Miami, Michelle Wilshire is the founder of Wasabi & Well, a wellness company for Black women.
Photo credit: Terrance Purdy Photography
Michelle Wilshire, Ph.D., a young mother who grew up in the “Rock City” of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is now the proud owner of a thriving Black women’s wellness business in Miami.
Although she has never been in the military, most people may be surprised to learn that she lived in Japan for two years. In addition to Japan, she has lived in Florida, Georgia, California, North Carolina, Illinois, New York, and Quebec.
Another surprising truth is that she didn’t want to go to college. “I was told I had to do it and I did my best, but without the pressure I would have chosen a different path in life. I’m very happy about that,” Wiltshire said.
She cites her family, especially her mother, as the biggest influence in her life, especially when it comes to college. Her mother encouraged her and reminded her that her discomfort was temporary and gave her the confidence to continue her education in this country. Her other influences include dance as a form of therapy and the community that surrounds her.
She knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur, but knew that a corporate life wasn’t for her as a career path. “Officially, I started my own business in 2017 before getting my PhD, getting my license, gaining work experience, and leaving New York. I started my business again after settling in Florida. – Founded in the fall of 2018,” she added.
Things moved pretty quickly for her company, Wasabi and Well, after it took Wiltshire about four months to secure office space in Miami and list her professional profile in therapy directories.
The next day she received her first inquiry, followed by another the next day. These customers, both black women, became her first clients in January 2018. Mr Wiltshire said the response was beneficial to both parties.
“Having a therapist they can trust is huge and I feel it has a positive impact on their lives. I can see the decisions I’m making. And honestly, I’m stronger and more confident because of the communities we serve,” she continued.
Wiltshire received a grant from The Future Collective Black Business Program this year and is grateful for the experience. Online marketplace Fiverr created the program.
She credits the program with providing mentorship and business materials that helped her and her team of Black therapists develop short- and long-term plans for their business.
The short-term goal is to offer more services once the wellness courses already in place are well established. The long-term goal is to operate entirely with a focus on wellness for people of color by staffing and training her primarily POC wellness professionals.
“Providing culturally conscious and sensitive care is our way of filling a huge gap in holistic medicine. We want this business to outlive us, and we are strategic and , making decisions based on expert insight is just smart business,” she said.
Wiltshire said the biggest success so far has been staying open, operating and continually growing. As a result of Wiltshire joining the Future His Collective program, the business is in a better position both financially and strategically.
Additionally, Wiltshire said: “Not only did they provide us with Fiverr credits to help us improve our social media presence, but their generous cash grants also saved me the stress of paying my staff as a founder. The guidance the program provided helped me make intentional decisions like rebranding, hiring veterans, and starting a newsletter. It also meant putting it down.”
Additionally, she says the challenge going forward is the cost of service. She sees too many black/brown women coming into our clinics, struggling not only with family issues but also society’s harsh treatment, and that’s why people are healing old wounds. This is why I emphasize that I need to work.
In terms of influence, Wiltshire hopes Wasabi and Well will demonstrate strength in numbers within the black community. “I want so many of us to feel that we deserve love, respect, and rest so that we can stand up (peacefully) with confidence and break down the systemic roots of these injustices. “I think so,” Wiltshire said.
Wiltshire wants people to know. The company’s courses/community make it less scary and more possible. “Your true self is on the other side of being truly honest with yourself. It’s also the scariest thing you’ve ever done.”
She added, “Besides being a great mom, I want to see people who look like me do more than just survive. I want to see them grow.” ” I saw families “hustling” so hard for just the basics. We believe we deserve more than that in our lifetime. ”
