Company: Wellness for highly sensitive people: Counseling and yoga for highly sensitive people
Founder: Sandra Agel
Founding date: January 1, 2025
Industry and company: Mental health and exercise

What drives you? What is your motto?
I accompany others as I would have needed to myself. I borrow a phrase from Mahatma Gandhi: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." This quote resonates with me because I know from my own story how healing real support can be.

What is your start-up about and what is special about it?
"Wellness for the highly sensitive" combines psychological counseling with exercise, yoga and relaxation - a body-oriented approach that is unique in Wiesbaden in this form. As a highly sensitive author and consultant, I help people to better understand their sensitivity and develop sustainable self-care.

What are your initial successes?
Shortly after starting, my consultation slots were already full without any active advertising. I was particularly touched by the fact that people even traveled over 100 kilometers for a consultation.

What is your professional background?
I had long wanted to become self-employed in the field of psychology. My interest in bodywork and inner development led me to numerous training and further education courses. The path to counseling was then a natural step.

What was the trigger for you to start your own business?
The turning point came when I realized that I am highly sensitive. For the first time, everything felt right. I understood myself better and knew immediately: I want to accompany others on this path. This realization was my starting point for self-employment.

Who advised you, who are your helpers and mentors?
I received support from BerufsWege für Frauen e.V. and attended several training courses there. I still use their services today.

How did you experience your first days as a founder?
My current business is new, but it's not my first step into self-employment. I was already teaching yoga and giving advice on high sensitivity during the coronavirus crisis - under difficult conditions. The uncertainty back then taught me a lot and encouraged me to keep going.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge was and still is marketing. As a highly sensitive person, I find it difficult to express myself in a fast-paced, noisy world. The pressure and pace often overwhelm me, but I'm learning to find my own way and keep at it.

How do you draw attention to your company? What is your best marketing idea?
I use Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube to draw attention to my services and am currently working with a marketing expert on a new website. Many clients now also come through recommendations.

How did you finance your start-up?
I financed the start-up with my own funds. As I had my first clients right from the start, I was able to cover my running costs quickly and expand my services step by step.

What dream would you still like to realize?
My big dream is to work completely independently and from any location - with more online offerings that allow freedom for creative work, such as writing books.

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I would ...
... write even more.

What is your special tip: What would you recommend to founders?
Get advice and support early on, especially for topics such as marketing, accounting, business plan, etc. And: Network with people who are already further along.