Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Centrella, Founder of VIVIAMO, located in Portland, OR, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We provide innovative personal development coaching to corporate teams. Companies who understand that happy, balanced, motivated individuals make better employees. We work with companies of all sizes, teaching employees how to create a life they love on a holistic level. Our coaching provides skills and tools to help them up level at home, mentally, in their personal lives, and at work.
Tell us about yourself
I started life coaching clients around the world, including college and professional athletes, in 2011. Initially, it was just a "side passion" that turned into a "side hustle" and eventually became my full-time job in 2017 when I left corporate to start my own coaching business. I've taught my methods in three best-selling books on my blog, social media, and podcast. In 2021 I founded VIVIAMO (formally Centrella Company) to teach my tools to corporate employees, leaders, and teams. I love my work because every single day, I know that it changes lives. The results clients get when they apply the methods I teach are truly transformative, and nothing feels more rewarding than that.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being certified as a Women Owned Business was a great accomplishment that I've extremely proud of; it was a difficult and long process, but it was worth it. In 2017 when I started my private coaching business, I knew NOTHING about owning or operating a small business, but I did it anyway. I built it from scratch with no money, training, help, or idea of what I was doing. I've grown it at a rate of 3X year over year since then. The same was true when I founded VIVIAMO, I didn't know anything about being a founder and CEO of a corporation or how to transfer my small business knowledge into running a corp, but I assembled a rockstar board of directors to help me. In 18 months, we'd launched and had clients on board. If you have a clear vision and a strong work ethic, you can do anything, and don't forget to surround yourself with people who know more than you!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The constant understanding that you will just never know enough or be prepared for anything in the way you expected. It's a constantly evolving process and an ever-changing landscape, and you must be willing to flex and bend as needed. But it's also important to be clear on your "why," why are you doing it in the first place? If that mission stays strong, you can adjust as needed without sacrificing your values and vision.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be ready to LEARN! It's a constant learning process.
- Be open to feedback from people you trust. Take their advice if your gut tells you it's sound, even if it isn't what you wanted to hear.
- Surround yourself with smart, capable, honest people who can tell you the truth and who you can trust to get the job done right. Don't be afraid to lean on the people in your circle or on your team; giving up control is initially hard when it's something you've built from scratch, but you can only take it so far; let them help you take it to the next level.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.centrellaco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahcentrellafan/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahcentrella/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahcentrella/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcentrella/
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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