Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mathilde Boyer, Founder of Gift for the Mind, located in Hutton, England, UK.

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

Gift for the Mind's mission is to democratise access to coaching and personal development to enhance our individual impact, well-being and happiness. We offer gift certificates that can be redeemed with a choice of over 120 coaching experiences delivered by 40+ experts with various areas of expertise (relationship, parenting, career, nutrition, sleep, business, anxiety/stress, mindset, etc.).

Our coaching gift certificates are a great alternative to materialistic gifts and create a unique opportunity to offer a transformational experience that the gift recipients will benefit from in the long term. As Bill Gates says, ''everyone needs a coach,'' so it's a gift that everyone can benefit from, especially because the recipient can pick which area of their life they would like to enhance by choosing the best match for them amongst our selection of experts.

Tell us about yourself

Discovering the world of coaching really changed my life for the better. Before that, I constantly doubted myself, I felt like some of my ambitions were bigger than my potential, and I was operating in burnout cycles. Coaching raised my awareness and allowed me to step out of autopilot and take back control of my life. Coaching has given me the awareness, tools, and techniques to uplevel my mindset and transforms my way of approaching challenges and difficult situations.

It has improved my relationship with others, especially the connections I have been able to build (I am more authentic, confident, etc.) and, most importantly, my relationship with myself (inner talk, boundaries, etc.). It gives me a sense of inner calm and well-being that I never experienced before. I feel in control of my life, decisions, and response to the situations I face, which is a really powerful thing for me.

I want other people to experience this transformation and benefit from an upgraded mind. That is why I started Gift for the Mind in the first place. Seeing what people are able to achieve once they stop getting in their own way is a priceless reward and definitely a source of motivation each day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I am proud to have built a community of talented personal development experts who believe in and support Gift for the Mind's mission. They have put their trust into an original concept that has been recognised in the Women's in Business Innovation Award this year. I am very grateful for their support.

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

One of the hardest things is to keep taking consistent steps forward when things get hard or when we don't get the support or response that we expect. Essentially, being our own cheerleaders even on days when motivation and self-belief are low.

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

  1. Don't underestimate the power of the Mind. Of course, it's important to get the practicalities of starting/growing a business right, but the mental fitness that's required to be successful in the long term is just as important, so my first advice would be to ensure that you have some practices in place to develop your awareness and tools, techniques or external support to shift your subconscious thinking patterns when they're playing against you.
  2. Remind yourself regularly that your unique background, experiences, and personality are the most valuable assets to run your business. Tapping into these will allow you to attract people you actually want to work with or collaborate with or have as customers. It's also a good way to grow a business that feels aligned with your values.
  3. It's easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to other entrepreneurs, how they do things, how ''fast'' they achieve something, and how many connections they have. We live in a world where we are surrounded by vanity metrics (likes, followers, etc.). They can easily make us question ourselves or our ability to be successful in business. When we start doubting our capabilities, it's important to focus our attention back on our own journey, our wins, and the resources we can tap into to move forward.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.giftforthemind.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083083134542
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giftforthemind/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gift-for-the-mind/

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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