Back Story: Love and Peas Health Coaching

This "interview" about Love and Peas Health Coaching at 68 Tolland Tpk., Tolland, was conducted by the owner, Iwona Leger, filling out this form for Patch and submitting it. It's part of Tolland Patch's new series of business profiles, "The Back Story."

How did you come up with the name?
Combining Love and Peas seemed like a very logical thing to do in the name since my motto is "Let the Food Love and Back."

I used the play on words Love and Peace in order to tickle the brain a bit and bring a smile on people's faces.  I often get: "What a clever name for a Business."

Why choose that location? Why start a business in this town?
I teach Nutrition classes out of Breath More Yoga studio.  I love the environment there and I believe there is a huge need for services like mine in our town.

Briefly, what business are you in?
Health coaching, nutrition  classes, cooking classes and corporate wellness programs.

What's the most difficult moment or challenge you've faced as a business owner?
Having to postpone all my scheduled classes in order to take care of my dad who fell ill.  It turned out to be a great experience and a great learning opportunity, but the moment of having to turn people away was difficult.

Were there any challenges that made you second guess your decision to be an entrepreneur?
No, everything is unfolding exactly as it should.

What's been your favorite moment or proudest achievement since opening?
My proudest moments are those when I get Emails, phonecalls or text from previous students telling me how much better they feel, how their health improved and how much they have improved their quality of life since taking my classes.

That's what feeds my soul and that's what reminds me that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing right now.

What's the most innovative idea your employees or customers have had that you put into practice?
Cooking classes.  I wasn't planning on teaching cooking, but my students asked for help and ideas for cooking healthy meals, and now cooking classes are a regular part of my program.

I think they are informative, fun and motivating.

How do you deal with difficult customers?
I don't have any difficult customers.  People to find me are excited to take their health into their own hand and we focus on positive aspects of empowerment.

How does your business give back or get involved in the community?
I provide very affordable classes in order to allow anyone who is interested to take the classes.  As more Tolland residents learn and understand abut nutrition and health, the more we will support local farmers and healthy foods in supermarkets, the healthier our community will become.

I am looking into setting up classes in the summer for kids and teenagers.  I offer free movie screenings (health-related) followed by a discussion for the community to come together and support one another on this great journey.

Love and Peas Health Coaching