Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jehanne Marie Burns, Founder of Pocket Ninja Strategies, located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

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

The name is Pocket Ninja Strategies, and our services empower people in business, their career, or their life. PNS specializes in coaching and training on themes such as vision, values, strengths, and goals, giving our clients the mindset, toolset, and skill set needed to achieve their dreams.

Who are our customers? Our customers are NINJAS! What does that mean, "NINJAS"?

NINJAS ARE:

  • BIG DREAMERS — they have a sense that there's more possibility for themselves, their life, and/or their business.
  • WISDOM SEEKERS —they are on a journey to acquire the wisdom that will allow them to achieve their dreams on their own terms.
  • TRANSFORMERS are consistently integrating wisdom and truth into their being and transforming who they are to reach their full potential.
  • ACHIEVERS — they set their sights on their targets and aim until they achieve their goals.

Ninjas like to work with PNS because we don't only coach them, but we train them, meaning we teach them how to use the tools, so they are empowered to make them their own and to use them after our work together.

Tell us about yourself

What motivates me each day is my values. Teaching people how to harness the power of their values is at the base of most of PNS's services, and they are the fuel for my life and my work. My values are what I want in my life and what I want to give to everyone else via working with them.

The values that drive me and what I want to give people are:

  • FREEDOM: The clarity and confidence to do business and life on your terms.
  • LEADERSHIP: The power to make a difference when and where it matters to you.
  • ADVENTURE: The mindset to have joy along the journey in business and life.
  • CONNECTION: The passion for profoundly connecting to what matters most to you.
  • SUCCESS: The ability to achieve your goals and to feel your accomplishments and success.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is when a client says, "because of our work together...".

For example:

  • A business client shared that after the manager's workshop on giving feedback, they were getting lots of positive comments about how people feel empowered to give feedback and how much they appreciated getting feedback.
  • An interview coaching clients shared that they got the job and, more importantly, they feel confident going into the job.
  • A business owner shared how empowered they feel now running their business according to their clarity, and now that they've had this feeling, they can't ever go back.
  • A leadership/manager client shared that they've never had a coach that taught them how to bring out their own leadership style (instead of just copying the coaches), but now they know how to lead in their own way.
  • A business client sets ambitious goals and surprises themselves by achieving them.
  • A career client achieves their goals and says they actually feel proud of themselves and they enjoyed the journey.

Seeing my clients clear, powerful, bold, happy, and successful is my biggest accomplishment.

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

I love to work with clients so much — it's everything! The hardest part is just the behind-the-scenes details like tech issues and administration — the rest is pure ease and joy!

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

  1. EXPERIMENT TO START — you can start your business by talking about your product or service before you even have it. When someone agrees, start putting it together and see how that goes. Don't develop everything and then go to the market. Be in the market, offer little things, and see what happens.
  2. MAKE YOUR OWN RULES — when you start a business, everyone is going to offer advice about what you "have to" do and what you "should" listen to, but don't ever substitute someone's judgment for your own. You get to decide how your business is going to go and what the rules you play by (even if everyone else is doing something different).
  3. READ — you don't have enough time to learn everything through experience, and there is so much information out there from everyone who has tried things you want to do. So read, read, read and read (or listen to audiobooks) — this will help your growth tremendously. Ask me for book recommendations as I've read over 150+ business and personal development books, and I love providing recommendations.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

One of my favourite quotes (although I have many): “You will always be too much of something for someone: too big, too loud, too soft, too edgy. If you round out your edges, you lose your edge." ― Danielle Laporte

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://pocketninjastrategies.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pocketninjastrategies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askpocketninja

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.