Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Boris Pavlov, founder of Boris Pavlov Coaching, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

I am a coach with a degree in life, executive, and agile coaching. My style or niche is holistic coaching or coaching with an overall holistic approach. What I do, I would never call "my business, a job, or working." In fact, it is a calling, a passion, a mission, something that comes from my soul and that I do because it is who I am. The people I work with, the so-called clients, are people who perceive life as a journey of growth and have a growth-oriented mindset. They are usually people that like to face challenges and improve themselves through the growth that challenges and obstacles provide.

Tell us about yourself

I have been interested in exploring the human potential and the power of our soul, mind, heart, and body since I was a teenager. Ever since my early days, I have been an avid reader. I loved expanding my mind with knowledge, ideas, and perspectives coming from different cultures and different times, then finding the common threads to lead an inspired life. I am not someone "going through the moves of the business," but I am actively participating in my own self-growth and self-exploration by partaking in my own "Hero's Journey." One of the keys to happiness and success is opening your heart and sharing your light, passion, and creativity with others. This is how I discovered my calling: people simply came to me wanting help in various areas in their life. I discovered that I have a natural empathy that facilitates a deep trust and connection with others. When this empathy is combined with proper knowledge and skill, people are able to rise to the occasion. They have their life blossom in ways they could not have imagined before. I must admit that helping others and seeing them grow, heal, transform and soar through the currents of life gives me great joy and fulfillment. This is why I do what I do.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I measure my accomplishment by the following factors:

  1. How much of a shift did I assist my client in the making?
  2. Is my client doing better in life after working with me?
  3. Are they now open to even more growth in other areas of their life?
  4. Has working with me been a positive experience?
  5. Have they recommended me to others?

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

For me, the hardest part of being a business owner had to learn and focus on marketing. I was raised to believe that success comes from quality work, honesty, and integrity. As the years rolled by, I had to face the truth that although being knowledgeable and skilled at what I do and providing the best experience to my clients that I could, this had no direct relation to how much people knew of me, how much my business could grow. Learning about marketing, the "what's" and "how's" of marketing as applied to the coaching industry is something I am still focusing on, especially since there are always new apps, tools, and platforms coming out at an incredibly fast rate that enable coaches to promote their services in ways that reach modern-day people.

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

  1. Only do what you are passionate about. If there is ambivalence about a certain area/topic, if you are only interested in how much money you will make, then walk away from that path.
  2. Once you have found your calling and passion, devote yourself to a lifetime of growth and learning in that area. There is no such thing as "I now know everything about this, and I can sit and relax." There is always something new, someone else behind the corner pushing the limits of what is possible in your line of work, so you must grow and learn to be relevant in the world. This is only accomplished if you fulfilled point 1.
  3. Never, ever give up. No matter how much you love your work, no matter how good you think you are, the world is not going to just open up to you simply because you are alive on this grand stage of life. You will go through ups and downs, and there will be dark periods in your life. Develop spiritual endurance and a heart that has faith, hope, and optimism. These qualities will get you through the darkest storms.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

A drowning man never appreciates the beauty of water! Learn to make decisions about your life only when you are feeling good and positive about yourself and your life. When you are going through a period of turmoil, you will almost by default feel, think, and behave in ways that don't support your inner truth.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://borispavlovcoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Boris-Pavlov-Coaching-101029261480861
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticboris/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/boris1pavlov1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boris1pavlov1/

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.

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