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Kaitlin Muller-Cusack, Owner, Taking Root
Taking Root Finds New Paths to Growth with SCORE

Taking Root, Kaitlin Muller-Cusack, M. Ed.

Title / Role: Owner
Location: New Hampshire
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What do you do?

When not teaching children the wonders of science, you can find me in the woods surrounded by nature.  I am a science teacher, yoga instructor, and owner of Taking Root.  Taking Root is a nature-based education and mindfulness enrichment program serving the Seacoast area providing nature and mindfulness sessions. Our programming helps students reduce stress and anxiety, and build resilience in areas of self-confidence, body awareness, and emotional regulation while obtaining many other benefits. I guide students of all ages to connect to themselves, each other, and the natural world through meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, mindfulness activities, nature walks, and journaling.  I strongly believe that learning outside, in nature, stimulates the mind allowing students to focus and live in the moment – off-screen. 

What inspired you to start your business?

Nearly fifty percent of men and women have experienced at least one trauma in their life. Trauma-informed teacher training has helped me better serve my students. I create a safe and inclusive learning environment for my students providing choice and voice, a predictable environment, and language that encourages agency.

What is your relationship with SCORE? SCORE client How SCORE helped.

Since working with SCORE, I have further defined my sales and marketing approach. I have also invested heavily in Instagram and Facebook and use digital marketing to promote my programming. 

What's great about my mentor?

Mentors Stephen McCarty and Valerie Plante provided excellent coaching on sales and marketing. They also introduced me to new connections that were helpful to my business and have provided continued support.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting a small business?

Go for it! You should listen to your intuition and follow that hunch; you can always go back to what you were doing.

What have you learned from your experiences as a business owner?

Getting Taking Root off the ground was never easy, but it was a natural evolution.  While studying in New Zealand for a field study program during my undergrad, my professor influenced me to become a teacher. I worked as a wetland scientist for three years and then as a naturalist and really loved the teaching aspect of the job. I  decided to go back to school and earn my M.Ed., and a certification in yoga as well. Yoga is an example of practicing mindfulness, says Kaitlin. My yoga practice allows me to tune in and bring self-awareness to my physical, mental, and spiritual state without judgment or attachment.

Additional media
Taking Root Students Practicing Yoga on a Beach
Taking Root Students Journaling in a Field
My mentors
Valerie I. Plante

I am a SHRM certified professional (HR) with 15 years sales experience working for IBM, HP, Dell...

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Stephen McCarty

Areas of assistance: A wide variety of human resources issues including recruiting, redeployment...

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CONNECT
230 COMMERCE WAY SUITE 102
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PORTSMOUTH, NH, 03801
(603) 433-0575

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Funded, in part, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

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