I want to challenge you with a question to start this off…

How badly do you want it? 

To grow your business to the next level?
To step up and show up as a leader?
To get out of your own way and make it happen?
To create the life that’s on your vision board?

Because in the most compassionate way, I want to call you out.

It’s time to get really honest with yourself.

What are those thoughts in the back of your mind that keep showing up?
What patterns do you recognize that keep repeating?
Where have you made excuses, changed course, and bargained with yourself to get out of something you didn’t want to do? 

I know these questions are uncomfortable AF, but this is where the magic happens. 

When my clients stop and usually curse a bit at the question I just asked them, I know I’ve struck gold. 

Because in our heads, it’s easy to talk yourself out of something, make excuses, and get away with the things you don’t really want to do.

But when a good coach shows up to really listen, see your patterns, and call you out, you are able to gain an understanding why things aren’t working and how you can redirect your behaviors, thoughts, and actions to move you toward results. 

Do-It-Yourself Warning

Let’s be real, with the internet and so much information available to you these days, you can pretty much learn how to DIY everything. (Not that you should…)

And believe me when I say, I’m as DIY, I’ll-figure-it-out, independent as they come. Seriously, ask my Grandma -- who will never let me forget how my two-year-old self with a hot pink, full-leg cast would insist, “I do it,” and crawl over to the TV to put the next tape of Winnie the Pooh in the VCR. That has just always been me. 

When I started my photography business, I had no idea what I was doing or what I had gotten myself into, but I was just as persistent as I was back then. “I do it.”

I spent countless hours, days, weeks, and months researching every business detail. How to start a business, how to price, how to start bookkeeping, business 101, the list goes on.

My biggest teacher, of course, became trial and error -- throwing myself into the fire and learning as I go. And from that, I learned A LOT -- mostly, what not to do.

Eventually, I figured it out. Most of it at least. It got me started, up-and-running and actually making some money. 

But it took forever. 

Even though I was going to Business school, I had so many other questions. All my hours of researching and DIY-ing eventually led me to figure out another strategy I could try. The problem was how much time and energy I was investing and having little results or income to show for it.

And can we talk about what I invested in Business school?

Seven years, two degrees, and $97K later, and I still had questions. Because that’s Entrepreneurship. Period.

Let’s Talk Numbers

#FullTransparency 

No, I didn’t have $97K burning a hole in my pocket, and I still don’t now. 

I chose to invest in myself because I believed (and still do) that the return will be much greater in the long-run. 

As for my business...

My first year (technically 6 months, since I started in July), I made just $520.
My second year, I made $2,300.
My third year, $5,900.

I’m proud of those numbers, because that was fully me DIY-ing and figuring out how to run a business doing what I loved.

But it was a slow and unsustainable process.

I was frustrated. I could see that there were so many other people who were able to do it so much quicker and had the success that I wanted… What was I doing wrong?! 

Fast forward to starting my second business where it took me almost 4-FREAKING-YEARS just to get it started. 

Let me be uncomfortably real with you...

The Problem Was Me.

It’s really difficult to see that in the moment when you’re working your ASS OFF trying to make it happen. I had no problem diving in and doing the work, continuing to research what I could possibly be doing wrong, and even though it felt hard, still showing up and trying again and again.

But I was getting in my own way. Keeping myself spinning on the hamster wheel, going nowhere fast, and working extremely hard on the wrong things. 

I didn’t see the back then -- I was too busy keeping myself busy.

After all these years working with a coach and learning how to coach, I get it.  

What I want you to take away from this…

I want to let you in on what I had wished I knew back when I was getting started in business:

• You don’t know what you don’t know.

• Just because you can DIY, doesn’t mean it’s the best option.

• Working harder doesn’t always lead to results.

• If you’re frustrated and feel like nothing is working, it’s probably not a business problem -- it’s a mindset problem. 

I want you to know how NORMAL this is.

Business IS challenging. It has been the most challenging AND rewarding journey for me, both personally and professionally.

All those emotions you’re feeling around your business, I get it.

Which is why I decided to pursue coaching -- so I could help business owners build their business, life, and mindset and not make the same mistakes I made.

I’ll be honest, there are a lot of “coaches” out there who don’t coach. They might have a 5-step process that worked for their business and tell you what you should or shouldn’t be doing… but that’s not coaching. More importantly, if you’re already doing a lot in your business, you don’t need to be doing MORE or working harder. That’s only going to lead you to feel more frustrated and burn out.

Coaching is a relationship -- A confidential safe-space to facilitate growth.

It is the work of a good coach to listen and, in between the lines, discover your patterns, limiting beliefs, fears, opportunities, and then help you gain insight and perspective to shift, learn, and grow.

Yes, we go through your business to build and refine your systems so you are strategic and working on the right things. But it’s more about who and how YOU are in your business that will help you move forward to the results you want.

It’s uncomfortable at times. But that’s what will give you long-term transformation and results. 

It’s Time to Take Action

Coming back to our question… How badly do you want it? 

I want to leave you with this:

I challenge you…

• To not settle for anything less than you deeply want

• To not let fear or doubt hold you back

• To trust yourself even when doubt is sitting on your shoulder

• To empower yourself with the tools and support that will allow you to reach your true potential 

I empower you...

• Permission to be you

• Permission to grow

• Permission to invest in you

• Permission to go after what you deeply fucking want

Because your time is now! 

To finally launch your first (or second) business.
To empower yourself to make life-changing decisions.
To leave your unfulfilling job and do the work that inspires you.
To overcome imposter syndrome and get out of your own way.
To get out of the frustration and overwhelm and focus on growing your business.

And if you’re not sure where to start, I would love to help you.

My 4-month Success Coaching program with personalized one-on-one support was created to help you do just this.

If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you! Book your call with me here.

If you know someone who needs to hear this, it would mean the world to me if you would share it with them!