Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in counseling but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alanna Knobben, founder of Carry You With Me, located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

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

I am the founder and author of Carry You With Me (CYWM). My journey to becoming a grief mentor and parent advocate started over a decade ago when our son, Marshall James, passed away in our arms at two weeks old in 2010. All of our products and services were created to support bereaved parents in transforming their grief and cherishing the love that remains after pregnancy, infant, and child loss. To me, healing is acknowledgment, empowerment, and integration. Learning to live in both joy and pain. It isn’t an endpoint or a checklist. We are never finished grieving because we are never finished loving. We can work with our grief without giving it the power to control our lives.

Tell us about yourself

Losing a child changes you forever. After surviving a miscarriage in our first pregnancy and then losing our second son at two weeks old, I felt a calling to support others walking this path. In the beginning years after my losses, I continued working in the Energy sector, building internal communities and new ways for teams to work better together. But I felt a calling to explore my grief and healing on a deeper level.

I spoke openly about my experiences and began organically supporting other friends, family, and colleagues experiencing loss or looking for ways to support a loved one navigating perinatal loss. It lit me up inside like nothing ever had before. To reflect, learn, and heal my own experiences and then share that with others to help normalize, acknowledge, and inspire them as they take steps forward in refining their own lives after loss.

Every person I meet on this path inspires me. It is a true honor to have them share their stories, their child and their hearts with me. It motivates me to continue exploring new ways to work with grief and highlight ways to carry our lost loves with us in a safe and loving way.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When our son passed away, I wished I could be the "official hugger" of people going through similar losses. That I could somehow beam into the room and just hold space and empathy for the parents as they walk through the darkness. To shine a little light so they can find their way. My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is hearing from individuals how my support, community, programs, or the storybook feel like a "good deep hug." Knowing I've positively impacted another human's life is an intangible reward that lasts longer than any accolade or KPI.

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

Soloprenuership can be lonely. Creativity and collaboration benefit greatly from the ideas and energy of multiple people. When starting up a business, many entrepreneurs begin as solopreneurs, which can be quite isolating at times. Whether small or planning huge leaps of faith, the decision-making process sometimes misses the deliberation and celebration experienced in a team environment. Finding a shadow team or trusted support people one can reach out to bounce certain ideas off. Tapping into alternate skill sets and generating broader perspectives is important at every stage.

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

  1. Be clear about your why and what your intentions are. It is important to truly understand what the driving force behind your business is. What is your "why" AND the "why" or motive for your customers? Knowing your customers' intentions can help you focus your offerings and make sure they have the impact you set out to achieve. Alignment and flow are crucial to building momentum and success.
  2. Understand your talents or strengths and what areas you identify as something you will need to find support with. The truth is we all have things we naturally excel in and that we gravitate to in our work. The tough part of running a business is that we can sometimes lose track of important areas that are less appealing, whatever those may be. For some, it is sales. For others, it's accounting, inventory, or social media. Each business has key elements that are required for it to succeed. There aren't many parts that can be skipped over or neglected for long periods without it becoming a bigger problem. Take a pause to reflect on where you are spending your time, what parts you love, and what parts fall off your plate each week. Look at the data, and it will help you see where you have gaps and where you might want to schedule more time or reach out for support in some capacity.
  3. Balance is important, even if it isn't equilibrium. Part of the pleasure of being an entrepreneur is flexibility. Not to be confused with endless free time or lack of input. Starting my own business has been the most challenging part of my career thus far and the most time-consuming. It also has brought me the most balance in my day-to-day life and personal time. I have realized that a long coffee or walk in nature throughout the day sometimes brings my most valuable ideas. Shuffling things around to attend my children's sporting events or participate in a social gathering is possible because I can choose to find another time block in the week or shift priorities when it makes sense to do so. Don't be afraid of slowing the pace to do things that fuel you personally and, in return, fuel your inspiration. Adjust your deliverables and expectations to be realistic about the time and energy you are in exchange with.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

It is possible, and it will look different for everyone. Find your way and learn from others along the way. Believing in your vision and capability is so important. Never let yourself get too far away from it. Write on your wall, your mirror, a reminder on your phone, whatever it takes, but keep being your biggest champion, not your biggest critic.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://carryyouwithme.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carryyou.withme/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carryyouwithme


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.

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