Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Craig Chavis Jr., founder of Cre8ive Craig LLC., located in Grove City, OH, USA.

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

I am a business strategist that helps coaches become better business owners. And when it comes to coaching, a lot of coaches identify with just being a coach, and they neglect to learn how to run, operate and manage their businesses. That's because by placing their vocation (coaching) above their profession (entrepreneurship), many coaches get trapped working in their business and never take time to work on their business.

This ultimately leads them to be disorganized, underpaid, and overworked as a coach - AKA being burnout. And the only way to extinguish this burnout is to build a coaching business model that allows the coach to make profits in a more synchronous manner. So, by helping others to grow their coaching business, I can exponentially create a more positive impact in the coaching industry.

Tell us about yourself

I started my first business at the age of 15 when I was a teen DJ in Ohio.
From there, I would launch a t-shirt company in college and later open up a distillery in Peru after serving in the Peace Corps. Moving forward, I got really into blockchain and launched a startup (which I exited from), and then decided to become a business strategist/coach and help people avoid the mistakes I made earlier on in my career.

As a serial entrepreneur, I've been through the ups and downs of launching, building, and growing a business. What I've learned is that time is gold, and money is silver. That's because my life is a business, and I am the product of that business. And these observations are what inspired my philosophy of helping my clients "to become the entrepreneurs of their lives ."Being an entrepreneur is not easy, but once you create a business that works for you, then you now have the power to start living life on your terms - which is priceless.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was the opening of my distillery. Having the audacity and courage to immigrate back to Peru on my own, execute my plan, and manifest my dream into reality was completely life-changing. That experience proved that I was capable of doing whatever I set my mind to. And even though I had to close the business, the lessons learned were absolutely priceless.

So much so that I captured my story on paper and wrote an award-winning book entitled "Burdens of a Dream - 33 Actionable Nuggets of Wisdom for the Creative Entrepreneur". It's sold thousands of copies on six continents and is used in middle, high-school, and collegiate classrooms. And the opening line of the book is as follows. "This book is dedicated to all those who'll dare to abandon the status quo, follow the road not taken, and discover the person they're truly meant to become ."As I said before, your life is a business, and when you understand this truth, you'll start living with more purpose, passion, and intention.

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

Discerning and deciphering through all the misinformation and disinformation about becoming an entrepreneur. The internet and social media provide intoxicating illusions about entrepreneurship. Too many people mistakenly believe they can get rich quickly without much work.

Oftentimes, the answers to your questions will only be revealed through faith by taking steps into the unknown. Creating a profitable business is simple but not easy. But if you are willing to stay the course and not give up, you will become a successful entrepreneur no matter how much money you make or lose.

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

  1. Plan, execute, adjust, and repeat.
  2. Ask for feedback, but not for approval.
  3. Create processes first and hire people second.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Resourcefulness is probably the number one skill that any entrepreneur should develop. And one of the key traits of being a resourceful entrepreneur is knowing when to seek help from others. Creating a business in a vacuum by yourself is one of the quickest paths to failure, and it's critical to obtain feedback, advice, and direction from people who have already been where you're going.

Working with multiple coaches from different ethnicities, genders, and perspectives have helped me to expedite my personal and professional growth. Every entrepreneur needs help, and I highly recommend that you also find people to help you on your entrepreneur journey as well. As an old proverb says - "you can go fast alone or far together." And that choice is yours...

Where can people find you and your business?

Website:
https://www.cre8ivecraig.com/
https://members.jointheacc.com/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cre8ivecraig
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cre8ivecraig/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cre8ivecraig
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cre8ivecraig/

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.