Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jacquelyn Tyre-Perry, founder of Coached By Joc, located in Manassas, VA, USA.

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

I teach black millennial women how to redefine the "strong black woman" by taking themselves off the back burner and prioritizing their healing and SELF-work. My customers are women that are tired, burnt out, and ready to retire the "strong" mentality in the way they know it to be. No doubt, I want black women to be strong, but not at the expense of their mental, physical and emotional health. Strength shouldn't be determined by how much shit...stuff you can put up with and not break. (At least not that anyone can see on the outside.) I want them to embrace their emotions, ask for what they want, share the weight of the world rather than carry it alone, practice guilt-free self-care, and break down without feeling like they've somehow failed. I don't want them to continue to respond to life's hardships by portraying strength and burying their hurt and trauma. I want to help unpack the emotional baggage black women carry and reveal the soft black woman. The vulnerable black woman. The emotional black woman. The black woman can break down. The black woman that can openly express, "I'm tired. I've had enough. I need a break."

Tell us about yourself

I kind of got started by accident. I took an online quiz that suggested careers based on my answers. A life coach was one of the suggestions. I had never heard of it, so I did some research and realized I was basically already a life coach. I was the unbiased support person for most of my friends. Never taking sides. Listening and offering different perspectives. So I got certified in 2016 but quickly realized it was not as fulfilling as I thought it would be. Fast forward a couple of years.

I learned about the niche and ideal clients. That completely changed the game for me. I realized my work hadn't been fulfilling because I wasn't relating to my clients. Once I decided I wanted to work exclusively with black women, that gap was filled. I related to my client's stories, backgrounds, their day to day struggles, thoughts, feelings....everything.

What motivates me every day is the shift I see in the women I work with. The fact that not only am I helping them redefine the way they show up in the world, but also creating a ripple effect so that their children or grandchildren, niece, and nephews can also show up and do life differently than the generations before us. My personal motivation is my two girls. They get to see me shift, show up differently, and create impact, and they too get to benefit from my growth.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When my clients tell me how I've changed their lives, sometimes I don't realize just how powerful the space I cultivate and the transformations I facilitate are. I've heard this from women that have worked with me during a free challenge and women who work with me in my paid group coaching program. No matter what capacity, I'm always creating a safe space where women feel vulnerable enough to allow change.

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

One of the hardest things is balance. Especially because when I was first getting my business off the ground, I was still working a full-time job, raising a toddler and a teenager, and wearing all my many other hats. There was no structure in my business, no one to delegate to. I was all the things.

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

  1. Be authentic- People will naturally gravitate towards you if they feel like you're being real and genuine.
  2. Delegate- As soon as it's possible to do so, hand off some responsibilities, so you have more time to do the things you actually enjoy doing in your business.
  3. Surround yourself with people that can see your vision. It's so easy to get discouraged by people that can't see your vision. Surround yourself with people that have their own vision and can support you and yours.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.coachedbyjoc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachedByJoc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachedbyjoc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coachedbyjoc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coach-joc-9a860523a/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.