Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sonia Petecka, Founder of Coaching with Sonia, located in Miami Beach, FL, USA.

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

I'm a Life and Business Coach, Healer, Subconscious Reprogrammer, and Human Design Expert, as well as a Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Teacher. I help people let go of the limitations they picked up throughout their lives to experience more well-being, fulfillment, and success. I help clients address the emotional root cause of whatever is out of balance in their life, whether that's experiencing stress and anxiety, uncomfortable physical symptoms, illness or pain, extra weight, financial lack, issues in relationships or careers, or an overall lack of joy. I assist people in going from suffering and burnout to thriving by using their energy effectively, connecting to their intuition, and feeling empowered. I want as many people as possible to experience the freedom to be authentic and live abundant lives doing what they love. I believe in building a new world based on love and not fear one person at a time. I want everyone to know they have the power to heal themselves and create the life of their dreams.

I work a lot with the subconscious mind - most of our subconscious programming happens before we are 7 years old and then directs 95-99% of our lives, while the conscious mind controls only 1-5% of our awareness. This leads to us repeating certain patterns that don't serve us unconsciously later in life. I help people reprogram stressful situations, triggers and limiting beliefs subconsciously so they can reach their goals faster and with more ease. I work with clients one-on-one over Zoom for an hour a week and offer coaching and support in between sessions over voice messaging. I've seen that clients who commit to at least 6 months of working together receive the most benefit. I also occasionally host group workshops and retreats, as well as teach at other practitioners' events.

My clients are people who are ready to transform their lives, to move towards their goals and desires in a sustainable way. I help people make lasting changes by helping them reprogram whatever is subconsciously blocking them from having what they want, which creates permanent shifts instead of just making changes in the physical or conscious thought realms, which are often temporary. For example, if a client wants to lose weight, just dieting and exercising can produce results, but they likely won't last if they don't address the underlying issue. This could be past trauma associated with feeling unsafe when receiving attention (for example, a history of sexual abuse). It could be beliefs the client holds around food and exercise, for example, that they have to be very strict with their diet or spend hours at the gym to be at their ideal weight or that it's hard to lose weight at their age. My clients are courageous, open to trying new things, and ready to invest in themselves not only financially but also to commit time and energy to transform their lives. They show up for themselves and practice new ways of being in between sessions.

Tell us about yourself

I was born and raised in Poland, and I moved to the US with my mom when I was 16. The unsafety and trauma I experienced in my childhood caused me to develop chronic physical symptoms as well as depression and to attract painful experiences in my relationships later in life. This led me trying to please everyone around me and attempting to escape my pain and discomfort through alcohol and looking for love and approval from men or through achievement. I now believe that my soul chose the painful experiences I went through as a child so that I could heal myself and then help others heal. It was my own long and non-linear journey of overcoming my personal struggles with low self-worth, depression, addiction, and various health issues that led me to start my coaching practice in 2015.

In undergrad, I studied Biochemistry and French at Tufts University and was pre-med. After college, I worked in immunology research for 2 years before I realized I didn't want to be a doctor (at least in the traditional sense, as now I'm a healer in a very different way). I went on to do my MBA at New York University Stern School of Business. After that, I worked for a Technology Services company for 5.5 years in sales and relationship management while I started my coaching business. In 2020 I lost my corporate job and decided to dedicate myself fully to my coaching. Along the way, I gathered the tools I now use with my clients. In 2013, I started practicing Kundalini Yoga and Meditation, and in 2016 I did my teacher training and started teaching. In 2018 I found Human Design, which helped me let go of a lot of self-judgment, taught me to listen to my intuition and use my energy correctly. Shortly after, I started using Human Design in my coaching. In 2021, I found Subconscious Reprogramming with Psych-K, became a Facilitator, and incorporated this powerful technique into my coaching.

I'm inspired by the results my clients have experienced from working with me - healing panic attacks, anxiety, and chronic pain, losing weight, improving their relationships, building their dream businesses, and experiencing less stress and more joy overall. What motivates me to keep going is helping people create lives they love so that they can bring peace and joy to those they interact with, which is how we create positive change in the world. I want as many people as possible to feel powerful, free, healthy, and abundant.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

One of my success stories comes from my soulmate client Lia, who was referred to me in February 2022 after experiencing daily panic attacks for 8 months. We worked together and did Subconscious Reprogramming on several stressful situations that happened before her getting the panic attacks (this means we bring peace to these situations on a subconscious level). We also programmed some empowering beliefs around feeling safe and trusting her body. Lia hasn't had any panic attacks or experienced intense anxiety since our first session. A few months later, in June, I traveled to Greece to help Lia facilitate her women's retreat. I had the pleasure of doing Subconscious Reprogramming, leading Breathwork, and teaching Kundalini Yoga and Meditation there.

A big achievement for me is also being less driven by my mind and intellect, becoming more present in my body and connected to my heart, and allowing my intuition to guide me in my business. I think the biggest accomplishment is caring about my clients and their results deeply and serving from a space of pure intention in whatever way is in their highest good.

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

I believe running your own business is the biggest personal growth journey. I acknowledge myself for taking risks and preserving in the face of fear and seeming failure. I celebrate my courage of going all in on my business and trusting that I could support myself with it when not many people believed I could or even understood what I was doing. Staying centered during times of uncertainty and feeling uncomfortable emotions like fear, anger, and sadness without reacting or running away from them has definitely been difficult. I've had to learn to cultivate a sense of safety and peace within, regardless of what's going on externally. It's taken some practice to know that my services are valuable even if things are not going as I'd like them to. It has also been a journey to come to the realization that anything that is happening that's uncomfortable or challenging is happening for my growth and evolution.

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

  1. Serve people in a way that's easy and fun for you. You don't get rewarded for struggling. Be brave enough to do things your unique way and share the gifts and talents that come naturally to you. Know that you can make money while having fun. Let go of proving your worth through hard work. Stop comparing yourself to others and pay attention to what they are doing. No one is you, and everyone's path is different.
  2. Invest in a coach who believes in you, sees your potential, and keeps you accountable for moving toward your dream life and business. Receiving coaching helped me stay committed and keep taking action when I didn't know where to start, when nothing seemed to be working and when I felt lost. It helped me let go of the limitations I had adopted throughout my life. My coach seeing me as powerful helped me to practice seeing myself as successful and create the life I had always dreamed of - living in Miami, near the beach, and focusing on my coaching.
  3. Practice things that help you to be present in your body and tune into your intuition (like Breathwork, dancing, yoga, etc.). Know that you have the answers within; you just need to get quiet and still and practice letting go of overthinking and overanalyzing. Don't listen to people who are not doing what they love and who try to project their limiting beliefs onto you. Surround yourself with people who have a growth mindset, who are living or working towards their dream life, and who believe that every challenge is an opportunity.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://soniapetecka.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachingwithsonia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniapetecka/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonia-petecka/

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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