Marlena Cunningham, Founder of Balanced-ish Health Coaching, on Redefining Realistic Wellness Beyond All or Nothing Extremes

Marlena Cunningham is the founder of Balanced-ish Health Coaching, a health coaching practice focused on realistic wellness for people who are tired of all-or-nothing health extremes. As a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Marlena supports busy individuals who want sustainable habits around food, movement, sleep, stress, and mindset without turning their lives upside down.

Built from her own personal journey with health and rediscovering herself after motherhood, Balanced-ish was created on one core belief: wellness does not have to be extreme to be effective.

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

My name is Marlena Cunningham and I am the Owner and Coach behind Balanced-ish Health Coaching, a health coaching business that focuses on realistic wellness for those who are sick and tired of the all-or-nothing wellness extremes.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No, this is completely not what I envisioned myself doing!

Are you a mamaprenista?

Make time for both and be reasonable about it. If you do too much, you'll burnout in one area or another but both areas affect your family.

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

I used social media and at first it worked, but died down.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

Passing the board exam and being featured in our local Women's magazine.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

I am just beginning my journey and so far, it is great! I wish I had found this sooner!

What did you do before starting your own business?

My background included my own experience with health and wellness after having my son and trying to lose weight and find me again.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

Balanced-ish started because I was tired of watching people blame themselves for systems that were never designed to work in real life. I saw smart, motivated people stuck in cycles of restriction, burnout, and “starting over Monday,” thinking they were the problem when the problem was the all-or-nothing approach to health. I wanted to create something different, a way to support people in building habits that actually fit their lives, seasons, energy, and responsibilities. Balanced-ish was born out of the belief that health doesn’t have to be extreme to be effective, and that feeling better comes from consistency, compassion, and progress, not perfection.

Do you have any recent wins?

I was just recently featured in the Syracuse Woman Magazine as an "Inspire" feature!

Who are your customers?

Balanced-ish customers are busy, real-life humans who want to feel better without turning their lives upside down. They’re tired of extreme diets, burnout cycles, and the pressure to do wellness “right.” They want realistic support with food, movement, sleep, stress, and mindset that actually fits into work, family, and everyday life. They’re not chasing perfection, they’re looking for sustainable habits that help them feel more like themselves again.

What's your top productivity tip?

Drink your water!!

What's your favorite business tool?

My favorite business tool is health coaching itself. It’s not an app or a platform, it’s the process of asking the right questions, listening without judgment, and helping people turn clarity into action. Coaching creates real, sustainable change because it meets people where they are, adapts as life changes, and focuses on progress over perfection. It’s flexible, human, and rooted in behavior change, which is why it works long after the program or session ends.

What's your approach to work-life balance?

Plan it. Write it down and plan it. Don't expect it to just happen.

How do you avoid burn-out?

Self-care, planning, and rest.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Trust in the community - there are people who genuinely want to see you succeed and help you do that. Trust it, let your guard down.

Marlena Cunningham’s work centers on consistency, compassion, and progress over perfection. From passing her board certification exam to being featured in Syracuse Woman Magazine, she continues to build a business rooted in realistic, human-centered change.

If you’re a woman founder looking to surround yourself with a supportive network, gain perspective, and grow alongside other ambitious entrepreneurs, Entreprenista connects you with the relationships and opportunities that help you move forward with confidence. Learn more about joining Entreprenista League.