Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amelia McHenry, Owner of Dodona Coaching, located in Brentwood, TN, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a business coach that specializes in Goals and Process Documentation. I help women entrepreneurs to stay conscious of, focused on, and accountable to their dreams and dream life. I teach women entrepreneurs how to systemize and document their businesses so that they can delegate tasks that can be done by someone else in order for them to focus on their zone of genius.

Tell us about yourself

I am a 20+ year veteran of the corporate world working as a Business Analyst and Technical Writer. One day, as I was heading to work, I saw a dump truck driving down the street and thought it might be a good idea to pull out in front of it so I wouldn't have to go to work. I didn't, but as it passed, I knew I had to do something different. I quit my J.O.B. that day and have worked diligently on my business since. I don't want women to get to that point. I want EVERYONE to be able to live their Dream Life and shine their light. People know what sparks their interest but tend to play small so they don't disrupt their environment. They have been told that what they want is "crazy," "stupid," and "unobtainable." They have been told, "you can never do that!" or "why would anyone want that?" and they have stopped in their tracks. It's time to dust off those dreams, fill the air in the tires, get out of the rut, and start heading for that mountain. It's time to make those dreams a reality. Go for the Big Hairy Audacious Goal…but go for it in a realistic, planned-out manner. Break it down into baby steps, even MICRO-baby steps, and start to take action. The plan may adjust, and the end goal may shift a bit, but you will continue to move forward instead of sitting in the same place, in the same box, doing the same thing, and feeling unfulfilled. My goal is to see the spark of excitement and possibility in the eye of everyone I meet…and to know that it will continue to shine after I'm gone.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The success of my clients! What they've made possible for themselves by my holding space for them. I've been able to hold and create space for people to process and then take inspired action from that safe space. Creating the space for people to reach their goals, no matter what they are. Being able to honor and recognize individuals, that each person's need is different, but there is a core process to come back to no matter what the individual's goal is. There is a fundamental pattern that you can come back to support and inspire confidence and action. Seeing my clients achieve and succeed in THEIR own perspectives is what lights me up and excites me the most.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Getting over your own fears. Having your own business is a long-term therapy session! So many things come up in so many different ways, and clearing out the head trash can be a daily occurrence. Being willing to keep moving forward through the tough times is essential, even if it's just one action completed each day. Being willing to take an action that utterly scares you, even though you know it's what's best for you and your business. Being willing to learn, make mistakes, and possibly be embarrassed is how you learn to stand confidently in what you do. Eventually, those fears will become a memory, and you'll look up and see that you are doing what you once thought impossible. But don't worry; new fears will crop up and challenge you again…I did say this adventure is a long-term therapy session, right? Having a business is a perpetual journey of self-discovery and self-improvement…and it is SO WORTH IT!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Find what lights you up and do that. You can start with what you know but keep moving towards what lights you up. You might find a magical correlation between the two. When that happens, it just puts fuel on the fire. This is YOUR life, YOUR dream, YOUR business. You are in control and can do what you want. Anything less is just humdrum, for humdrum's sake.
  2. Find a group of people who are working towards the same thing you are. We are social beings, and we need people to talk to who understand what we're going through and trying to accomplish. Family and friends can be wonderful, but if they don't understand your vision, they can become unwillingly toxic. They may sow seeds of doubt and question the probability of your dream and adventure. This comes only out of love and concern for your safety. Though it might also come out of concern for THEIR safety as you are changing, and they may not know how to live within your new world. So, they'll want you to come back to the world they know in order to maintain their comfort. Having a group that understands what you are trying to accomplish gives you the support to maintain your heading even though the winds of conformity are trying to blow you back into the safe box of the comfort zone. Don't do this alone.
  3. Find mentors and role models. Find someone, or multiple someones, whom you look up to and say, "I want to be like them!" Someone who inspires you and encourages you. Someone who will teach you the ways of the "master," even if it's just from videos on YouTube. Find them. Join their community. Take their trainings. Invest in yourself and learn all you can from them. You cannot navigate the sea of business ownership alone. Every Captain was once a lowly deckhand who listened, learned, and practiced. Find your Yoda, Professor McGonagall, and/or Mr. Miyagi.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://dodonacoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DodonaCoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dodonacoaching/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dodona-coaching/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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