Moms Letting Go Without Giving Up

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michelle Weidenbenner, founder of Chief Hope Builders, located in Winona Lake, IN, USA.

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

I help moms of addicted loved ones let go of the shame, blame, and chaos so they can recapture their identity and purpose.

Tell us about yourself

Over 500 people a day are dying of a SUD (substance use disorder) or alcohol-related death. So many parents don't know what to do. My son and daughter-in-law were ensnared in the clutches of addiction for years. I thought they would die, or their daughters, my granddaughters, would die from neglect. I lived in fear every day. Along my journey, I learned what I didn't know about SUD and how to connect with those who are struggling. I felt called to help other moms who are going through a similar journey.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment has been to bring moms of addicted loved ones together for sisterhood and support in my subscription membership. I see how healing happens in our community and feel grateful that I've been called to this mission. I've been blessed by the women in my community.

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

Juggling all the different and moving parts in a business is a challenge. For instance, I love the creating part --books, marketing, and connecting with people. But I don't like working on systems, taxes, and profit margins. Until I'm making enough of a profit to hire outside help, I have to manage everything. The problem is that so many people expect me to create courses, memberships, and support meetings for free. There are many expenses to run things smoothly, so it's a challenge to price my services, so they're affordable but also help those moms who need recovery the most.

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

Find what you're passionate about because in the morning when you would rather lay in bed, you need to have something greater than yourself to get you out of bed. Put your passion where your pain is -- search for what you love to do, who you want to do it with, and how you can get paid to help others. We find our greatest reward when we help others get where they want to be.

If you're a mom (or sister, aunt, grandparent, brother, or uncle), spend time on YOUR recovery instead of waiting for your children to work on his/her recovery. Sometimes we can be addicted to the chaos that our loved one brings into our lives. Change is difficult, but until moms embrace the way they respond to their addicted loved ones, things won't change. It's difficult to see at first. Studying family dynamics and how to stop patterns and cycles can be super effective. First, we have to do our own work.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://michelleweidenbenner.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/momslettinggo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleweidenbenner/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mweidenbenner1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/momslettinggo/

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.