What happens when broad experience and passion meet an entrepreneurial itch? A gutsy little company called Aihu Essentials for Healing.

The company grew out of Ann Walker's years of experience as an occupational therapist in three very different facilities:

1. A depression and stress unit in a psychiatric hospital where 99 percent of the patients were women
2. A burn unit, as a burn therapist, which taught her about working with skin
3. A physical rehabilitation unit where, again, the majority of her patients were women who exhibited an astronomical increase in autoimmune conditions.

Her experience taught her that many of these problems could be managed, avoided or even cured if the women took adequate time to take care of themselves. There was no way Walker could ignore the connections between women, emotional stress and physical distress.

Walker set about to make a difference in people's lives, encouraging them to pay attention to the balance between their mind, their body and their spirit. She is passionate about encouraging women to take care of themselves because she has seen the terrible effects when they do not pay attention to what their bodies are telling them. Thus, Aihu Essentials for Healing was born. As the company took shape and the products were developed, Walker conducted an extensive search for a word or name that would express the essence of her vision. Aihu (pronounced "I-hu") is Chinese for "to cherish and protect." It also refers to a reverence for the inner person.

Walker had her products and she had a name. Now she had to determine how best to bring the products to market. She gave it a lot of thought. Her products are pure and chemical-free. Used as designed, they can facilitate stress relief and healing. The story of how they came to be, the benefits of the products and the additional, critical benefit of making a commitment to living chemical-free could not be adequately conveyed on a label or a box. With education such an important component in the Aihu line, Walker chose a challenging business model--direct sales.

She was drawn to the opportunity to educate her customers so they could achieve the best possible results, take time for themselves, de-stress their lives and promote self-healing from within. In the beginning, she did the educational spa evenings herself. Now she has more than 500 sales consultants across the country.

As the company has grown, so has Walker. She has learned to be a motivating leader and has taken her place as a businesswoman in the business community. As the CEO of her company she develops new products and new programs for her consultants. One of her greatest pleasures is helping the consultants reach their potential.

What she finds most challenging--and often frustrating--is women who are afraid to step into their strength, to get over their fear of failure and their need to be perfect, and learn to handle rejection. She is constantly working to help consultants face and conquer these challenges. As they do, Walker feels a sense of satisfaction at helping others professionally, as well as physically and emotionally.

What lessons do Walker and Aihu teach us?

1. Build on what you know. Walker was a practicing occupational therapist for more than 20 years before she started Aihu. She knew what kind of challenges her patients and clients faced. She understood the causes and effects of stress and lack of self-care.
    
2. Based on her experience, she knew how to treat the problems she continually encountered. She knew what worked and provided relief.
    
3. Accepting the challenge of launching a complex product, Walker explored different business models until she found the one that would be most effective in marketing her company--even though it is also complex.
    
4. She devoted the time and energy necessary to master the direct-selling model. She continues to stay abreast of the industry by hiring consultants and being active in her industry trade association, the Direct Selling Association.
    
5. Her products support her passion for helping women enjoy a less stressful, chemical-free life.
    
6. She finds having her own business a source of constant personal growth. Walker receives enormous satisfaction helping other women grow into their dreams.