Dr. Kerry Boyle: Small Business Person of the Year
by Small Business Administration Dr. Kerry Boyle became interested in natural health care while working at health food stores in the 1990s. She then pursued education at Bastyr University in Seattle, graduating with a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 2003.
Five years later, Boyle founded Integrative Acupuncture, a practice that combines traditional healing with evidence-based medicine. Her passion for her patients and leadership in the field have allowed the business to grow and thrive — and contributed significantly to Boyle being selected as Vermont’s 2024 Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Photo: Dr. Kerry Boyle, owner of Integrative Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Photo: Baldwin Photography
Integrative Acupuncture now has three clinics, in Montpelier, Williston and Colchester, employing a team of acupuncturists and massage therapists. Its services include herbal medicine, acupuncture, cupping, massage therapy and, most recently, floatation therapy at the Montpelier clinic.
Acupuncture, which research has shown to be beneficial for many pain conditions, comprises the largest part of Boyle’s business. Most of these are covered by medical insurance.
After Boyle graduated from Bastyr, the options for starting a business were few and far between. Still, she was determined to return to Vermont and start her own practice. But not before pursuing another enticing possibility: Celebrity Cruise Lines’ fledgling Acupuncture at Sea program.
“I heard this rumor that people were trying to launch acupuncture on board cruise ships internationally, and that was enough for me,“ Boyle said. “I jumped on a cruise ship without even a training manual or an introduction and set sail to South America.
“It was a trial program,“ she continued. “We had a couple of massage tables in an old conference room, and I would give lectures.“
It took a while to get the program off the ground and to successfully market its services.
“We didn’t have the education in place or the networking on board the ship, but I got pretty good at that,“ she said. “I love to advocate for and introduce people to acupuncture. That became my focus on board the ships. I ended up being quite successful at getting people to try acupuncture.“
After a period of time, Boyle was pulled into the company’s corporate offices to help expand the program to other cruise ships. She ended up on the team that hired, recruited and trained new acupuncturists. Today, acupuncture therapy is available on 150 cruise ships around the world.
“My work in the cruise industry inspired me to want to not only expose as many people as possible to acupuncture but also to provide jobs for acupuncturists,“ Boyle said. “What I found from hiring and training acupuncturists for the ships was that not everybody wants to own their own business, and not everybody has the skill set to be an entrepreneur. There are some amazing healers out there who need jobs to provide services. I was motivated and honored to be part of that movement.“
Boyle, as it turns out, is one of those practitioners who does possess the necessary skills to be a successful entrepreneur. Her drive, determination, creativity, persistence, resiliency and persuasive qualities set her up nicely to be a practicing acupuncturist while simultaneously owning and operating a successful business.
When she finally returned to Vermont in 2009, Boyle put those skills to work. She set up shop in Montpelier, inside the office of Integrated Family Health — a primary practice of Central Vermont Medical Center — with the idea of integrating her services with the primary care practice. She initially teamed up with another acupuncturist, but eventually took over the entire business.
Owning a business is challenging at any time, but never more so than during a pandemic, as Boyle soon learned. Clients weren’t eager to share a 10-foot by 10-foot room with another person during much of the two-year COVID ordeal, so Boyle had to get creative and figure out what other kinds of services she could offer.
That’s when she took a risk and invested in a flotation tank, a giant bathtub filled with 92-degree water and 1,400 pounds of Epsom salts. The tank is programmed to stay as quiet and dark as possible to reset a patient’s nervous system.
“It was the perfect service to implement during the pandemic, because people could be alone in a room and still get the of benefits of stress reduction, pain reduction and relaxation,“ Boyle said.
Photo: Dr. Kerry Boyle, owner of Integrative Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Photo: Baldwin Photography
The Small Business Administration’s COVID relief programs also proved invaluable during this time. Boyle availed herself of an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan, which could be used for working capital and other normal operating expenses, such as the continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities and fixed debt payments.
The pandemic wasn’t the only time Boyle turned to the SBA for assistance. She also participated in organization’s THRIVE program, an executive-level training series designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses across the United States.
“The program was like a crash course in being a CEO,“ Boyle said. “I learned a lot at the time and implemented many changes in my business that were helpful.“
As she continues on her journey as a successful business owner, Boyle offers this advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs: “Starting a business deserves a lot of time and energy before opening the doors. As entrepreneurs, we get so passionate about our vision that we might be ready to open before the foundation is set.“
Boyle recommends formulating a business plan, understanding your financials and clarifying your niche in the marketplace before hanging out one’s shingle. Once established, these plans will help you weather any tough times ahead.
“When you are working at growing your business from a start-up to a 13-employee, three-location business, having that groundwork and foundation in place is invaluable,“ Boyle said.
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