Small Business Saturday with Stacey Donadio: Central NJ Acupuncture & Wellness!

This week’s Small Business Saturday with Stacey Donadio features Central New Jersey Acupuncture & Wellness! Stacey sits down with Dr. Yuliya of CNJA&W to learn more about the great story behind what made her switch careers paths and go into acupuncture, her passion for helping women conceive, and her favorite things about running a business in Monmouth County! Read more below!

Where are you from and where do you live now?

Originally, I came from vary far away, Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1993. Since then I’ve been living in New York and Connecticut. Right now, I live on Staten Island, NY and planning to move to Monmouth County in near future.

Tell us about your business!

I’m a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture. In our clinic, we provide customized treatment solutions for three main problems:

Fertility issues. We help women who have difficulties to conceive or are in the process of IVF to get pregnant and to stay pregnant.
Neuropathy. We successfully treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel, and Bell’s palsy
Chronic pain and failed back surgeries:

What’s your background? What made you go into what you’re doing now?

My main goal is to help people become happy moms. However, being a doctor was not my initial intention in life. I grew up in a family of engineers. In school, I always excelled in science and math. Therefore, once I had to choose a major – Computer Science was the most logical one. I always loved to study, and it took me only 3.5 years to receive my bachelor’s degree majoring in Computer Science and Economics and minoring in Math. I was hired straight from college by a telecommunication corporation, Bell Labs, and started my career as a software engineer. At that time, corporate benefits were great and one of them was a fully paid tuition for master’s degree in Computer Science from Columbia University. I happily wrote programs for 4 years until the Recession 2001-2002 hit us. Being spiritual but not associated with any particular religion, I’ve always been interested in personal experiences of people who had some sort of religious revelations. The common theme among all of them was that when you were in trouble or felt lost, just ask help from a Higher Being. That was what I had decided to do one day while walking my dogs along a seashore. Without addressing any particular deity, I asked “What should I do?” Immediately, a thought came back: “Go to an acupuncture school”. I knew it was not MY idea because at that time I wasn’t familiar with acupuncture; had never had it and just knew a word as a part of my passive vocabulary. In the next 15 minutes, I was driving home. In the next hour, I knew what school to apply for; and the next day I was accepted into a 5-year program. 18 years passed since I was given guidance from above and have never regretted this choice. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine are not simply a set of skills that you learn in a medical school. It becomes your inner philosophy; it changes your life perspective; it becomes your lifestyle. However, the most valuable aspect of being an acupuncturist for me was to find my life’s purpose. I was blessed by being guided into this highly emotionally and spiritually fulfilling career where I’m able to make enormous

impact on people’s lives – what can be a more powerful than to help a woman to become a happy Mom when nothing seems to work? My heart fills with joy every time when my clients tell me they got pregnant and we celebrate as a family every newborn!

What do you love about having a business in Monmouth County?

Coming from New York City, where everyone minds their own business and not that open and friendly, I enjoy interacting with Monmouth County residents who are very warm-hearted and friendly.

What has been the most challenging part of running your business during COVID, and how did you overcome it?

The main challenge was to figure out how to operate in-person business during highly contagious virus outbreak. I had to do a lot of modifications in the clinic. First of all, I had to reduce a number of people I see to prevent clients bumping into each other in the waiting area. Then I replaced all fabric chairs to vinyl chairs. It allowed me to sanitize everything between each client. I installed UV lights in all treatment rooms and a restroom. We implemented an enhanced cleaning procedure between each patient that included cleaning with Clorox wipes every handle, a light switch, chairs, and tables. Although, we do trust our patients but we check everyone’s temperature before letting them through.

What are some exciting plans you have for the business in 2021?

“Expansion. Expansion. Expansion.” I’m new in the area, therefore, I’m actively interacting with the local community by sponsoring a local high school scholarship and youth sports team.