Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sara Smeaton, Owner of Sara Smeaton Coaching, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a certified coach who works with mostly women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. I help them reclaim the term 'midlife' and embrace the power these years offer us. That's a radical act in a culture that reveres youth. Instagram will have you believe that we're at our most powerful in our twenties and thirties, but I believe midlife is when all our experience pairs with possibility. That's why these years are our Power Years™. I help my clients navigate the joy and challenges of midlife on their own terms.
Tell us about yourself
Many years ago, when I was first starting out in life and career, I was told by a career counselor that I was best suited to be a coach. At the time, I felt like I was too young and inexperienced to help anyone. I almost immediately talked myself out of it. After years in advertising, project management, raising my kids, freelancing, and working for an online magazine in a variety of roles, it felt like time to come back to this calling that never quite let me forget about it. It took a lot of courage to make that change in my forties, and it's part of why I felt so drawn to helping other people make significant changes and live powerfully and authentically in midlife and beyond. Now at fifty, this work continues to get richer and deeper, and I attract clients that I love working with and supporting. I have never been more motivated or happier looking at my work calendar.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Honing in on a perspective that resonates and inspires people. I am often taken aback by how impactful my message is and how it directly supports people to live differently, even if they have just seen something I've posted on Instagram. Creating a business that supports the life I want to lead, honouring my own pace and rhythm, and being clear about what success means to me now also feel like huge accomplishments. And I suppose that being on national live television, national live radio, and being featured in a national newspaper and internet article all within the first few years of starting my business is something I'm very proud of!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is the loneliness of not having a team to bounce ideas off of. As my business has grown, I've been able to get more of that kind of support, and it's game-changing. I also appreciate delegating some of the things I'm not interested in doing to someone who excels at them so that I can stay focused on what I do best.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
I can only comment on a business like mine that is service-based. So keep that in mind.
- Recognize that it takes time to build a sustainable business - probably more than you think. Make sure you have a means of financial support outside of your business to pay your bills.
- Don't wait for everything to be perfect to start. Just do something and learn as you go. Reflecting on what you've learned and adjusting is important. You'll be amazed at the body of work you'll amass quickly if you do that.
- Don't be afraid to have a unique perspective. I think especially coaches want to appeal to everyone. There's no way to stand out if you're doing that. Drop the "coach-speak" or whatever speak your industry uses, and say something new.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Don't let your age or how you've thought about yourself in the past stop you from starting a business or learning something new! Trust that the timing is exactly right.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://sarasmeaton.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarasmeatoncoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ssmeaton/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraSmeaton
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-smeaton/
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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