Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in pet care but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Maia Kincaid, Founder of Animal Communication World ~ Animal Communication School, located in Sedona, AZ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Animal Communication School ~ Animal Communication World. I help animal lovers worldwide become successful animal communicators by teaching them how simple it is to have two-way dialogs with animals. Nature's wisdom inspires my business in how to live a life of purpose, doing what fulfills us deeply, living a life we love, and making our most significant impact in the world.
Tell us about yourself
I have always loved animals and wanted to hear what they had to say. In my twenties, I discovered a simple way to have two-way dialogs with them. Being in communication with animals transformed my life. What I learned from my conversations with animals brought me from feeling out of place in life, like I didn't belong here, to an experience of peace, joy, and purpose.
Animals encouraged me to teach others how easy it is to communicate with them. At first, I didn't see teaching as my path, so I resisted it. When I finally began hosting classes, to my great surprise, I experienced the deepest sense of fulfillment ever. Experiencing my students' delight in communicating with animals and their profound satisfaction in making a difference for animals and their people touched me like nothing else.
I saw how I could make a bigger difference in the world by sharing what I knew and empowering students to create their unique businesses. Like me, they could have a profession doing what they love, make a difference, experience the freedom and creativity of being an entrepreneur, and earn a good income. The possibility for me to make the biggest, most beautiful impact in the lives of people and animals became clear to me with the very first class I taught and has been my driving force in my work each day since then.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As one individual person, I created a thriving international business out of something entirely unknown in a time long before the internet or social media. My goal was to give animals around the world their voice and people the beautiful opportunity to experience their natural ability to converse with animals. More people are discovering animal communication every day! There is no stopping this movement now! Knowing that I did this has me know anyone can accomplish what may seem impossible if they are willing to go for it! If I can do it, so can you!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
At first, I found it challenging to stay motivated and in action when things were not going my way. I also had lots of doubts and fears that had me want to stop and give up. I would go back and forth, excited about my business and in action, and then doubtful and stopped. It was exhausting going back and forth like this. I was wasting my energy and wearing myself out for no reason. As excited as I was about my business, it was natural also to have fears and doubts, but I didn't need to let them stop me. It occurred to me that my fears and doubts had no connection to my abilities, nor were they in any way related to whether I would be successful or not. It was as if these doubts and fears were just there with me as a part of being human. I made a point that anytime I had doubts going forward, I would remind myself it meant nothing. I would bring my focus back to my passion for the project, and then within minutes, I could be back in action. This made a huge difference for me!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Celebrate your business as if it already is a growing enterprise, even if you have barely begun planning it. Allow yourself to feel good about what you desire to provide others through your enterprise. Have your dream present in your mind, heart, and your environment. For instance, have reminders of your dream, and why it's important to you in places, you can see around your home and office. Take a few minutes each day to do some brainstorming and exploration. Take some kinds of steps, even if they are small ones, each week.
- Think of your dream business as your main purpose or job, even if you are working full-time at something else to pay the bills while you get things up and running. This is what I did. At one point, I was working full-time as a case manager at a school for at-risk youth. Eventually, I was able to step away fully and have animal communication be my full-time career.
- Don't give up! Be unstoppable. Having doubts means nothing about your ability or whether you should go forward with your business or not. Doubts are simply thoughts. Keep your dream alive by feeding it good thoughts and actions each day. Don't give a lot of thought or energy to doubts.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.animalcommunicationworld.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maia.kincaid
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maiakincaid/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaiaKincaid16
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maia-kincaid-ph-d-466606b/
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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