Today we’d like to introduce you to Tessa Bowman
Hi Tessa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve loved learning about food and fitness since middle school but health was just a hobby until I was diagnosed with multiple food allergies in my early 20’s. I had been experiencing intense mental and physical side effects. After struggling to get a correct diagnosis, I finally found help through holistic doctors. Back then avoiding gluten, soy and dairy free options wasn’t nearly as easy as it is now. It took a lot of leg work on my part to find recipes and safe foods that I could eat. Researching was a blessing in disguise and the incredible integrative health world I was exposed to propelled me on this path of empowering others to live more holistically.
Once I got into the groove of this new, whole-foods diet, I felt the best I ever had. I had great energy, my skin cleared up significantly and my PMS improved. I was so amazed by what I learned and experienced first-hand that I went back to school to become a nutritionist and later a health coach! I knew I wanted to help others get back in touch with real food and feeling their best, looking at health from a “whole-listic” perspective. Health isn’t just food, but managing stress, habits, exposure to toxins, nurturing healthy relationships, and more.
Becoming a nutritionist coincided with me getting married and I naturally took an interest in how to optimize my health before getting pregnant. I learned even more how important reducing our exposure to environmental and industrial toxins is during pregnancy, and how little the government does to help protect our health. It was shocking how ubiquitous chemicals that are known to be harmful are in everyday products like car seats and even makeup. As I was making changes in my home and swapping out products to safer materials, it was a natural fit to share what I was doing. That was about eight years ago and I’ve been helping families create safer homes ever since! I’ve been a regular blogger on websites, frequent podcast guest, and even do corporate talks. I am now primarily focused on offering virtual and in-home Healthy Home Consultations to help families create a healthy non-toxic environment.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Becoming an entrepreneur is very alluring and awards much time-freedom. But there are also a lot of really challenging parts about building a business on your own. The back end of creating a business can be incredibly time-consuming. There are so many menial tasks that I would spend hours on like figuring out what kind of business to file as, trying to resize pictures to the right resolution, etc. Now I’ve learned to outsource what I’m not an expert at to my online business manager to save myself time and money.
It’s been challenging navigating all the technology changes over the years and pivoting to keep up with where people are spending time online. From blogs, email lists, to Pinterest, to Instagram, X, TikTok…there are a lot of platforms to have a presence on.
I am also in a field that is becoming even more increasingly saturated with wellness influencers and it can feel like a lot of work to stand out. Luckily my focus now is more niche and I don’t know anyone else in San Diego offering what I now offer.
Additionally, I started my business as I was having children so the past eight years, I have been juggling becoming a Mother of three boys while running my business. I don’t have 40 hours a week to work on my business so I’ve had to get really clear on what my goals are and what the best use of my time is each week to help me meet those goals.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We spend a large majority of our days in our homes. While we think of our home as a safe place, many times we are unaware of the health of the home and bring in everyday items that have chemicals that can impact our health negatively. Studies have shown that indoor air quality is twice as worse as outdoor air. We are seeing a huge rise in many serious health issues and diseases and many of them can be helped by lowering our exposure to environmental toxins. Common items like furniture, rugs, paint and even electronics can all off-gas chemicals into the air and into dust. Plastic and non-stick pans used in the kitchen can leach chemicals into our food. Cleaning products can contribute towards asthma. Laundry detergent and scented candles contain artificial fragrance, a known carcinogen. Makeup and personal care products can contain ingredients that affect our hormones negatively. Many people are aware of some of these dangers but investing in more non-toxic options can feel overwhelming. There are so many choices and many people give up out of confusion.
I help families create safer homes through education on how to reduce their exposure to these toxins. I do this through a comprehensive assessment of their home. My clients save time by not having to research everything on their own. I save them money by helping them avoid buying subpar products since I know what the best options are out there. After working with me, clients will feel confident in choosing safer products going forward. They receive a personalized list of recommendations, links, resources and have access to me for additional help.
I do a room-to-room approach and we go through textiles, commonly used products, home maintenance, indoor air quality and more. I offer in-person consultations throughout San Diego County and virtual consultations for people not in San Diego. I teach easy everyday habits that can be implemented to keep toxins out of your home. You will learn strategies to keep your air clean and how to help avoid scary things like mold from growing in your home.
My goal is to take the stress out of creating a healthy home for your family. Small changes make a world of a difference. I empower families to focus attention on nourishing the health of their home. Just like we dedicate time to upkeep our own health, our home also needs maintenance and attention.
What’s next?
Right now I’m focused on my Healthy Home Consultations and on building out my website to be a comprehensive resource for all things non-toxic living.
Pricing:
- Free – 15 minute consultation
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.balanced-to-a-t.com
- Instagram: balanced.to.a.t
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balanced.to.a.t
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/balancedtoat/
Image Credits
Jenna Gilmer
