Editor’s note: For our annual Women in Business issue, we invited women in our local business communities to share insights they’ve gained through their work in Western North Carolina. The first three questions were asked prior to Tropical Storm Helene.
Jesse Rosenblum is the owner of Liminal Sōma, a business that strives to reconnect individuals with their bodies through mindfulness-based somatic therapy.
Xpress: What was the path that led you to founding your business?
Rosenblum: I help folks feel safe enough in the here and now to move beyond what keeps them stuck and reach for their best, most authentic lives with Hakomi mindfulness-based somatic therapy. I saw a need to pair my work in nutrition and health with a body-based therapy that explores the root of habits and beliefs we have about ourselves and the world. I noticed a profound shift in my own healing journey when I tuned into my body; it changed how I relate to myself and others. I want to offer that kind of peace and freedom to others.
What’s been the strangest aspect of running a business in Asheville?
I would say it’s strange, in the most wonderful way, that so many people are open to “nontraditional” therapies and healing modalities. I am grateful that folks recognize the word “somatic” and, even if they don’t, they’re curious to learn. I also love how I get to show up fully and legitimately as myself in my business as a queer, nonbinary femme who doesn’t always neatly fit into one category or another. The fact that it is celebrated here, and isn’t a negative thing, is a strangely beautiful thing indeed.
How do you define success, and what should every entrepreneur know before launching a business?
Success equals growth, small wins and peace. I’ve learned that entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Owning a business is a spiritual experience that’ll challenge all of your beliefs and sense of self. It’s imperative to mark the little moments when you have a great networking lunch or your very first client books you. And lastly, there is no success worth having without peace. I want my life to feel spacious and soft, to have time for my loved ones and tending to my own well-being. I’m grateful for my somatic tools, my support team and my own somatic therapist that keep me grounded.
Follow-up question in the aftermath of Helene: How are you doing, and what is the greatest need for local business owners at this moment?
I am heartbroken and more committed than ever to my communities across WNC. This is home. I want to be of service however I can, whether that’s with somatic therapy sessions, interpreting for Spanish-speaking folks or lending my physical strength.
The biggest need for local business owners is capital investment. We have good systems in place from COVID to send money. Buy services/goods for your people or purchase gift cards. Recommend us to your out-of-town friends! There are some really unique and talented businesses and business owners in WNC, and I hope folks will invest in keeping that reality alive.
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