Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alexandra Gudereit, Founder of Holistic Empowerment, located in Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany.

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

I work as a mindfulness trainer and personal development coach. Mostly when I work with private clients, I do individual mindfulness training or coaching, for example, as a 4-5 days private retreat in Majorca (Spain). I love to take my clients outdoors to some of the most beautiful sites on the island. This way, they can really disconnect, relax and free their mind and emotions. If the client is open to it, I also integrate mindfulness- or coaching- walks into the program. This way, we combine the flow of movement with the flow of thoughts and emotions and take advantage of the training to enjoy even more of the beauty of the island.

I also work with corporate clients. These are companies that want to introduce mindfulness into their work life. Often I do an inspirational workshop with the leadership team or support them with a specific workshop or training, e.g., in the field of self-empowerment (growth-mindset-training). With my corporate clients, I also work on Majorca (Spain), e.g., when they do an offsite there, I will join them for a day or two. I also do online conferences with multi-national clients, which work well. I also do in-house-trainings, mainly in the Frankfurt (Germany) area.

Tell us about yourself

I strongly believe that people can change, and if they are reflective, know their motives and goals and act in accordance with their values, they can increase their well-being. Sometimes change comes into our lives from the outside; sometimes, we almost unconsciously initiate change ourselves. Sometimes we are already in a phase of change and are not yet fully aware of it. I believe that if we reflect on our values and goals, reconnect with their intuition, achieve clarity and choose a clear focus, we can manage these changes well and not be overwhelmed by them. For this process, or instead of these steps, mindfulness training and coaching offer very helpful and valuable tools.

I did experience the same change a few years ago, around 2016. I felt that I kind of lost the connection with myself. So I ran through a structured coaching process and discovered that my values had changed over the years. I became aware of the premises and goals in my most important areas of life. I found a way to realign my life holistically. As a result, I did quit my job in the corporate world. I invested in further training to become a certified coach and also a certified mindfulness and meditation trainer. This way, I was able to work with people on a personal level, which is extremely fulfilling for me. Also, I now work with diverse clients (individual and corporate), which leads to new challenges and motivates me to educate myself further constantly.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

After the trainings and coaching, I always offer my clients a follow-up. This way, I create space to reflect again and keep up my clients' motivation. As my biggest accomplishment, I often, in these follow-ups, see the impact which my work has on the improvement of their well-being and the contribution to their journey. My business being a coach and trainer has constantly grown since I started a few years ago. During the pandemic, of course, there was quite a dip, but in return, now after that time, I have the impression that more and more people are interested in mindfulness and also open to working with a professional coach to tackle the challenges of their lives.

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

When you go solo as an entrepreneur, I think it is very important to be aware of your resources. And as resources, I don't only mean financial backup for the first phase or difficult times. Especially in the beginning, there are so many decisions to make. You ask yourself, who is my ideal client? Which services can I offer at which prices? What is my marketing strategy, how does all the tax and financial stuff work, and so on... So I am also talking about resources for motivation, self-care, and energy for the start-up phase. You often are aware of so many things that still need to be done that you have to be very careful that you also respect time for friends and family as well as your hobbies and recharging batteries.

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

This is really hard to answer as I think there are no general rules. When you go solo, I think you are the most important aspect in all of this, as you are doing this for yourself.

  1. Before you start your new business, I would advise you to take the time and reflect on the impact of this step on your most important areas of life. Ask yourself what will change and what will stay the same. Which compromises will you have to make in which areas? Which obstacles might arise, and how can you deal with them? What will your family and friends say, and who will support you? How will you feel about it? And last but not least, what will be the indicators for you that you are on the right way?
  2. Do your homework: there are loads of free materials and tutorials which can help you start your business today. Try to find out which is the best for you and stick to it. Break down your goals and make time for reflection in your agenda.
  3. "Check-in" with yourself regularly. Rituals and routines can help you so you don't lose connection with yourself. You don't win anything when your business is picking up speed in the end, but you are completely worn out.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.holistic-empowerment.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachingbyalexandra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/private.retreats.mallorca/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandragudereit/

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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