Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dayana Cadet, founder of I See You, Sis, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

As a certified Clarity Coach, I help Women, Femmes, and Non-Binary folks get "unstuck" and start living life with purpose and confidence. I use 1:1 coaching to help them gain the emotional clarity they need to combat self-doubt, confront limiting beliefs and commit to living the life of their dreams.

Tell us about yourself

Between the ages of 15 to 30, I worked in 21 roles at 11 different companies across three different industries. For the vast majority of that time, I felt overlooked and underpaid. Despite my years of experience, my unique set of (transferrable) skills, and the type of strong work ethic that only comes with constantly having to prove yourself because you're the only Black person in the room, I was consistently made to feel like I wasn't enough. By 2020, I was burnt out, traumatized, and beginning to wonder, "are my horrible work experiences happening TO me or BECAUSE of me?"

It wasn't until I read somewhere that, "Racism doesn't happen because you're Black. It happens because someone else is anti-Black," that something finally clicked. I came to realize that, as a Black Queer Woman in the corporate world, I was trying to fit into a system that simply wasn't made with me in mind. Not only was the weight of being underestimated, undermined, and underrepresented bad for my mental and emotional health but burning out every year (sometimes twice a year) was taking its toll on my physical well-being as well.

As someone who strives to see every experience (good or bad) as a teachable moment, I was determined to help others with similar stories dig themselves out of the same hole I'd found myself in. So, after taking time to heal, reflect, and reassess my life and values, I stumbled upon my true purpose: coaching.

I created I See You, Sis as a way to show my community that, even if they felt like no one else did, I saw them, I heard them. I valued them because that's exactly what I needed for the 15 years that I was struggling to find a proverbial seat at the table (in a room for a meeting that I would, ultimately, never be invited to).

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Every client has been my greatest success story. I had so many hopes coming into this business, but I completely underestimated what impact I would (or even could) have on others. I've worked with people much older, wiser, and more accomplished than me. To hear them say that I've made a fundamental change to their life or how they view themselves blows my mind every time. A client of mine is listing me in the acknowledgments of her book! I'll cherish that forever.

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

My biggest struggle, both as a Black woman and as someone who started a business during a pandemic, is finding that balance between charging my worth and being sensitive to the fact that folks in my community have been some of the hardest hit financially. Sometimes I fear that the people who need me the most are the least likely to be able to afford to spend a good chunk of change on a life coach (of all things). But, my hope is to be successful enough that I can pour right back into my community. Free services, sponsored sessions –– whatever helps.

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

  1. Just start. The next time you feel that swell of excitement in your chest, pick something to do and just do it. Even if it's piecemeal at first. I started with all the fun, branding stuff first.
  2. Seek opportunities for support or mentorship. Once I knew I wanted to start coaching, I immediately started looking up other coaches. This led me back to an old acquaintance of mine who was a business coach. I took the leap and invested in her accelerator program. It was scary, but if I hadn't taken that leap, my business wouldn't be where it is now.
  3. If you're struggling to find clients or leads, there's nothing wrong with piggybacking off of someone else's audience. That looks like: guesting on podcasts, hosting workshops, and doing interviews –– those things are a cheap, easy, and (IMO) fun way to put yourself in front of people who would have never heard about your business otherwise.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Remember that you're allowed to change your mind. I had a much stricter view of what I wanted my business to look like when I started. In the end, I realized that everything is fluid –– people, the world, ideologies, everything. You can change your opinion based on new information, even when it comes to your business. Because at the end of the day, your passion is what will keep you going on the days you want to stop. And if you set those aside for things that ultimately don't matter or don't make you happy/fulfilled, you're only doing a disservice to yourself, your business, and your customer.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.iseeyousis.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.see.you.sis/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/i-see-you-sis/

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.