Staying healthy requires us to eat well, exercise, take the right medicines and supplements, and regularly visit our doctors. But these aren’t all things that we do consciously. If we had to check our schedules every time we ate an apple or ran a mile, we’d never do any of that stuff. In reality, of course, health is built on habits.

Our habits are incredibly powerful. They’re what we do when we’re not thinking. And when we’ve managed to shape our habits in a positive way, we achieve a healthy long-term lifestyle.

That’s a gift that we can share. We can dedicate our lives — and our careers — to the healthy habits and products that have made such an enormous difference in our own lives. Here’s how.

The health and lifestyle industry

Businesses are started with purposes. If you’re a health nut with the mind of an entrepreneur, your calling may lie with the health and lifestyle industry.

You can’t take other people’s supplements for them or do their exercise routine for them, but you can help them — while also making a few bucks for yourself. In the health and lifestyle industry, you can guide customers to great healthy products, supplements, and solutions.

The health and lifestyle space is a great choice for small-business owners and entrepreneurs. These sorts of businesses are things that you can run out of your own home. Start-up costs and overhead are manageably low. And the potential for real earnings is definitely there. Americans are waking up to the consequences of years of unhealthy living, and we’re seeing more and more trends that indicate just how drawn people are to exercise options, diet choices, health supplements, and other related solutions, services, and products.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, then you’ll want to read on.

Getting started

Starting a business is never easy. Health and lifestyle businesses are no exception.

Before you get started, you’ll need a business plan. You need to work hard on your plan and do your research carefully and extensively. Before you put your money and your future on the line, you need to know your business’ target customer base, long-term goals, and immediate financial situation.

Work with an attorney to set your business up properly. Making your business a legal entity can help to insulate you from potential financial stresses your business could encounter. It will also make life a whole lot easier — and whole lot less expensive — at tax time.

You’ll also need the right business partners. Running a store that offers supplements or branding products online does not require you to make your own vitamins in your basement (please don’t do this). You’re going to partner with supplement manufacturers and suppliers. They’ll keep you stocked with healthy products and, in many cases, can even help you brand your products. Your customers will know your brand, and you’ll know that they’re getting the finest supplements and health products.

Finding your purpose

The health and lifestyle industry is a unique place to be in. You’ll be working to make money, just like everyone else, but your purpose will be greater than that. For those of us who dedicate our lives to helping our customers live healthier, each day on the job matters. You’ll still have tough days, of course, and regular business concerns. But the entrepreneurs, managers, manufacturers, and others who make their living in health and lifestyle products can know in their hearts that their work is making life better for others, and that’s a truly wonderful thing.