Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michael S. Seaver, Business Owner of Seaver Consulting, LLC, located in Cary, North Carolina, USA.

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

I support people in becoming the person they needed when they were younger. I do this through executive coaching, team training, public speaking, podcast guesting, online courses, media interviews, free downloads, social media posts, my website’s blog, a mastermind/roundtable, a members-only newsletter, and a book I published in early 2021, I Know. I’m certified by TTISI to administer the DISC, 12 Driving Forces, and Emotional Intelligence assessments, and I often coach clients through a core values activity as well. I started Seaver Consulting, LLC in February 2011 and have spent thousands of hours in the arena helping people navigate loss, overcome fear, communicate powerfully, lead with emotional intelligence, and become a coach to themselves and others. I’m most known for designing a multi-step process to help anyone discover themselves, learn to trust their intuition, and define their life’s purpose.

We uncover meaning in life when we clearly see the challenges we navigated in our teenage years and early 20s, how we overcame them in our late 20s and early 30s, and how we can heal others (and ourselves) by sharing our lessons learned with those who are overcoming the same challenges today than we did years ago. It means so much to me to be able to provide ideas, resources, and client examples that guide others to trust that answers to life’s most difficult questions are already inside them.

Tell us about yourself

From age 12 - 24, I cut grass, shoveled dirt, and plowed snow in my family’s lawn maintenance business. In 2003, I moved from Michigan to Arizona, where I worked in the hospitality industry. In the fall of 2008, I started a full-time MBA program at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, where I was assigned a career coach. After multiple personality assessments, deep conversations with her, and self-reflection, I decided to accept a human resources internship the following summer at a healthcare organization. Before I started the second year of the MBA, the school invited me to serve as a career coach to incoming students. In those long nights writing resumes and interview coaching, I realized how meaningful it’d be to me to coach others.

Upon graduation, I took a full-time role with the healthcare organization and slowly prepared to launch my coaching practice. In October 2011, I resigned from my position and began coaching via my business by teaching classes at a local college and later working as a career coach at Arizona State University and Thunderbird. In January 2015, I transitioned to running my business full-time. My business has morphed over the years, and I am so grateful for the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had. When I was young, I didn’t have a mentor, so I promised myself that I would be that person for others as an adult. I feel deeply motivated by helping others through their life’s most difficult circumstances and know my life’s purpose is to unlock human potential.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Remaining in business after 11 years. Society is radically different than it was in 2011, and I am so proud of how I recognized societal trends and transformed my service offerings to appeal to changing demographics. I began by writing resumes and cover letters and crafting LinkedIn profiles. I then delivered communications training. I designed a personal branding process and guided many through it. I was then asked to coach executives and did that, learning much about change management and organizational dynamics. I delivered a series of in-person workshops and converted the material into online courses. I wrote I Know and then launched the You and I Know Circle, a mastermind/roundtable for finance executives. And last month, I started my members-only newsletter. Each step of the way, I’ve grown, my skills have expanded, and the way I serve people has evolved. In the coming years, society will change even more, and I feel ready for any opportunities that fall in my lap.

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

I don’t think anyone can properly prepare you for the emotional turmoil. I’m a Pisces, so I experience emotions deeply. But, what strikes me most is the roller coaster of feelings and not being able to predict when they’ll hit or how they’ll affect you. Each month, you have to do something that challenges your mental models and your long-held beliefs. You have to be focused when things around you are disintegrating. It’s lonely at the top. I strongly encourage you to engage a therapist, a reiki master, an exercise routine, a prayer/meditation practice, an emotionally intelligent romantic partner, and time each week to identify patterns in the events that led you to today. Choices made from emotion are usually wrong long-term, but choices made on objective patterns usually empower and bless you.

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

  1. Surrender how something occurs. Business owners often like to control operations or public perception, but the real key to success is remaining wildly focused on why you’re doing what you’re doing. As long as the objective is accomplished, how it gets done is less relevant.
  2. Two, take calculated risks. Society is transforming at an alarming rate. What was perceived two years ago as viable may no longer be, so be okay with experimenting with new internal processes, revenue lines, marketing strategies, etc.
  3. Last, trust your intuition. It’s good to collect external data and perspectives when making key decisions, but try to avoid making decisions that feel out of alignment with your gut instinct. Running your own business is scary and risky, but it’s one of the most fulfilling things you can do.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

To uncover the deepest purpose of your life, pick up the absolute heaviest burden you can carry to reduce others’ suffering. Then carry it… every day is uplifting someone in need.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://michaelsseaver.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelScottSeaver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelsseaver/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelsseaver
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsseaver/

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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