From an Alopecia Diagnosis to Tripling Her Online Business in 12 Months with Johanna Dahlman

[Kathryn]: I am super stoked to have Joanna Dahlman on the show today to share with you her story of how she's taken her Alopecia diagnosis and tripled her online business in 12 months.

[Johanna]: Thank you, Kathryn, so much for the warm welcome. To all your listeners my name is Johanna Dahlman and I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata over five years ago now. And at that time, I didn't even know what Alopecia was, the term was so foreign to me and probably foreign to a lot of people until you are actually diagnosed with it or know somebody who is diagnosed with it.  

[Kathryn]: Totally! I’m sure it was a shocking thing to learn and even more so to realize there isn’t a known cure for Alopecia. 

[Johanna]: Exactly. I spent three years trying to figure out a way to heal my Alopecia and when I eventually did I decided I wanted to help others do the same. That is why I started my online business. I was determined to get my hair back because I’m known for my mane of hair. 

[Kathryn]: Right, and our listeners can't see you, but you have beautiful hair. So I can imagine how devastating it was to hear from your hairdresser that you had Alopecia. And why you’re so passionate now about helping people through your online business.

Is this why you are so passionate about helping others with Alopecia? Because some people would just say, “Yay I healed my Alopecia. And move on.” Why start an online business helping others?

[Johanna]: I think it's because I suffered so much from Alopecia. And granted, it was only three years, but there was tons of anxiety and depression. It really affected my mental health, emotional health, which I thought was pretty solid. And I thought I was pretty healthy. I was going to the gym, I had a personal trainer, I was eating very well. And yet, I still got Alopecia. And so as I look at my clients, I see that they could be a personal trainer, they can be a registered nurse, they can be a pharmacist, they could be a school teacher, or, you know a stay at home mom, or even their children get Alopecia. It can happen to anyone, and that is why I started my online business. To help people heal Alopecia holistically, from the inside out. I’m a high-achiever so I wasn’t taking no for an answer when doctors told me I couldn’t heal Alopecia but keep it at bay with harmful medication. 

[Kathryn]: It’s so interesting that you said, you know, you didn't take no from the doctors as gospel. So where were you in your online business a year ago? 

[Johanna]: In 2020, I started writing my book, and I didn't think I was going to create an online business. I was just going to write a book about Alopecia. And I'll put it out there, the world needs to know my story of how I healed Alopecia. But I finally got a push from a friend who said, create an online business out of this, you got everything you need, just move forward. So she gave me encouragement to start my online business helping people with Alopecia. So I started looking into mentors and to really strategize and to understand how to create an online business. I wanted an extra boost, like a fast track of my online business, so to speak. And then I hired a coach. And then from there, I hired you. And then from there, I hired a Facebook ads person and it just kind of all melded together like the more I invested in myself or in the company, the more return I got out of my online business. 

[Kathryn]: I love how you say fast track because I think getting the support in your online business and knowing that somebody else is going to be able to see your blind spots for you is gold. It’s what you do for your Alopecia clients too. How many people have you served with Alopecia now? How much growth have you experienced in your online business?

[Johanna]: It was quite funny, because the other day I was talking to my husband, and I was trying to rethink when I actually started my online business. I had an LLC before but just threw Alopecia Angel underneath this LLC. So I guess I’ve been in business since 2017-2018. But really nothing really propelled me forward, allowing me to invest in all these experts, until this past year, so this past year from, let's say, July of 2020 till now has been huge in terms of my online business growth. I've more than tripled my online business in terms of launches. And I've helped hundreds of people with Alopecia. And this work is life-changing, especially for a child with Alopecia. 

[Kathryn]: I know that a lot of entrepreneurs that I work with have this deep purpose that inspired them to start an online business. And it usually comes from either something they've experienced in life, or they're really passionate about it. But they also feel guilty sometimes because they’ve made an online business out of helping people so it’s hard to make money doing it. on something that I'm passionate about or Did you ever feel any guilt about starting your online business? 

[Johanna]: No, I never felt guilty about starting an online business in this way. No, just the opposite. I want to get my message out, to as many people as possible, and help as many people with Alopecia. Because there is another way to get your hair back then what the doctors are saying. So for me starting my online business means helping people. Giving them another way to heal their Alopecia and ultimately stop the suffering they are experiencing. 

[Kathryn]: And working with you to write your copy for your launch I got that from you. What’s also interesting is how you approached your Alopecia the same way you approach business. You’re going to get to the root and build it from the inside out versus putting bandaid solutions on things. Are there any things that you'd like to share with our listeners about starting an online business or Alopecia?

[Johanna]: That's a great question. I think some of the takeaways is believing in myself that I could make my online business successful. To me writing a book about Alopecia was plain and simple. I'll write a book and that'll be fine and fun. And then my girlfriend who has an entrepreneurial spirit as well, we met at Apple encouraged me to turn this into an online business. It was the push I needed. What your listeners don’t know is that in the midst of having Alopecia I moved to Europe. I’ve now had a baby. Like everything in life, your online business is a learning process. It's a journey, in essence. But getting the help and expert support will fast-track your online business or you can spend years trying to figure it out on your own. Like I did with my Alopecia.

[Kathryn]: I love that you were sitting on a beach in Hawaii with your friend and she gave you the push to start your online business. Sometimes all it takes is someone believing in our mission and vision before we fully do. So what has contributed to your online business success?

[Johanna]: Learning and implementing the experts. You, the Facebook ads person, the communities helping me with strategy. Because of that, I’ve tripled my sales in under 12 months. 

[Kathryn]: So amazing because you are a new mama and you were launching your online business, while you were nine months pregnant. You’re such an inspiration for other online business owners who have young kiddos, and those suffering from Alopecia. So is there anything else you would love to share with our listeners today about your online business? Where do you see it going in the future? 

[Johanna]: Continue to outsource everything, so that I can expand my online business and help more people with Alopecia. I also want to offer my business in other languages. I speak Spanish and Portuguese fluently, but my Alopecia program is only offered in English. So the next step would be to offer it in Spanish. And then expand and grow from there.

[Kathryn]: So beautiful. I love how big of a vision that you have for your online business, and how many people with Alopecia that you want to reach and that you're thinking beyond just serving the English-speaking community. The final question that I always ask people is, what is your definition of success?

[Johanna]: Living the life that you design and create on your own terms.

[Kathryn]: Amazing! As simple as that! So where can people find your online business? 

[Johanna]: Alopecia Angel dot com. You can also find me on Instagram at Alopecia underscore Angel, Facebook, YouTube, and also Pinterest. 

[Kathryn]: It’s been such a pleasure hearing your story of how you turned your Alopecia diagnosis into an online business that is impacting 100s of lives so far.