Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Katrina McGhee, Founder of Katrina McGhee LLC, located in Asheville, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
As a career break expert & certified life coach, I provide resources and consulting services that help mid-career professionals take life-changing breaks. Using proven tools and the RSVP Framework, we design a fail-proof plan for their time off. Ultimately, their break becomes the catalyst for a happier, more fulfilling life.
I work with mid-career professionals who are craving a change and in serious need of restoration. Often they're suffering from burnout and feel like their current life, and career path doesn't feel aligned with the life they want to be living. They're well accomplished and struggle to let go and stop sacrificing for a job or situation that is draining them. Through our work together, they shift into a new way of thinking and experiencing life while also gaining clarity on their next career move.
Tell us about yourself
In 2011, I hit a wall in my corporate career. I had an MBA and had started career #2, but something still felt very off. I wasn't living a life that made me feel good, and I realized something (big) needed to change. Once I owned my dream to travel the world for a year, I went on to save $40,000 in 18 months and quit my job for a 20-month career break. It was life-changing, and when I returned from my break, I landed 5 job offers in just 5 weeks. It was at this moment that I realized the true power of a break, and I decided I wanted to help others experience the same mind-blowing benefits of extended time off.
I became a certified life coach and put my MBA to use as I launched my own business in 2017. Since then, I've professionally supported 50+ career breaks and in addition to helping many more clients shift their career paths. I love what I do! I get to help people see that quitting their jobs to reclaim their time and live their dreams is just the beginning. It's never too late to rediscover yourself and alter your path when the one you're on is no longer working for you. Having clients share how empowered and excited they feel to go out and live the life they really want definitely keeps me motivated!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I've provided coaching and support for 50+ clients with a 100% success rate! And that doesn't count the messages I receive from those I've inspired just by sharing my story and free resources. I feel proud of the scale of impact I've had (i.e., changing 50+ lives). I'm equally proud to know that anyone who works with me and makes this leap is completely satisfied with their career break experience.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Encouraging and supporting people through an unconventional and controversial change can be challenging. While there are a lot of benefits to having a unique niche, there is also a lot of education required before most people feel ready to engage. I'm asking future clients to face a lot of fears all at once (money, job uncertainty, perception, etc.), so my nurture and conversion period is longer than the average service-based business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- My first tip is to get out there! It's easy to think, especially in the beginning, that you have to wait until you have all your ducks in a row before launching your business. But the sooner you get out there and start sharing what you do and how people can work with you, the sooner you'll start making money and building your reputation. Don't wait for perfect, or else you'll be waiting forever.
- Tip #2 is don't underestimate the power of connections. Have as many conversations as your schedule allows. You never know where your future collaborators and clients will come from. I've received many exciting opportunities that began with a simple 30-minute conversation.
- My last tip is to stay in your own lane (as much as you can). It's human to want to use others' experiences as a barometer and guide for how you should grow your business. But following too closely will leave you in a perpetual state of "compare and despair" while also creating a business that doesn't feel so good to run. You've got to find a balance between consuming information for inspiration and tuning out the noise so you can hear your own intuition.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Running a business that aligns with your passion is such a blessing - it helps you keep going on the hard days. I'm grateful to be showing people how beneficial, restorative, and life-changing a well-planned break can be. And when I reflect on the work I get to do every day, I'm overcome with gratitude... If you're able to tie your business to something you're passionate about, it makes this rollercoaster of a journey a million times more fulfilling!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katrina.mcghee.50
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmcgheecoaching/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinamcghee222/
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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