Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Claire Muller, Founder of Communication Collab, located in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

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

Leadership, Executive and Business Coach. My clients are business professionals and entrepreneurs. I help my clients to Personal Mastery and Mindset work to succeed.

Tell us about yourself

I worked in corporate for 23 years before finding the courage to venture into my full-time entrepreneurship journey. I was retrenched in 2015 and was fortunate to take a year's sabbatical to invest in my growth. I did my 1st few coaching courses in 2015 Life coaching, Executive and Business coaching. I was on a journey of self-discovery and development. I found my purpose. I worked in corporate for five more years, working with a few clients after hours, most of whom were referrals. In 2020 my dream came true of being an entrepreneur and doing what I love, coaching.

My love for coaching grew with each breakthrough my clients achieved. I also accumulated hours and success stories to build my confidence for my coaching business, as building a business takes work. I needed to fine-tune my niche, which started falling into place after a few months. My referral clients were great, but my niche changed, and it was a huge learning curve to market and attracted my ideal clients.

It knows who I serve and how I can help them create more flow in my business and build my confidence with all the mini milestones. Getting something right that was an initial struggle brings an indescribable sense of achievement. Still, nothing brings more joy than seeing my clients' faces happy - having realizations, gaining insights, and delight in experiencing breakthroughs.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is receiving awards from Brainz Magazine in 2021 and 2022 - The Brainz CREA Global Awards is a prestigious list of top entrepreneurs, influential leaders, and innovators. The list of awardees is recognized for their innovative ideas, resourcefulness, or accomplishments in sustainability and mental health. It's huge for me as it's one step closer to accomplishing a big goal.

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

There were a few things initially that were challenging for me. Still, I've become better at not being distracted by outside occurrences and focusing on the tasks I need to complete. I also wanted to help everyone, as I hate seeing people suffer, and a solution-finder. Some mindset work helped me decide to help those within my area of expertise and find alternative assistance for those who need it.

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

  1. Be intentional and consistent in your actions, and don't give up. It takes a while to build momentum and find your rhythm. It's easy to lose motivation. Become your best cheerleader, and remember that every small step is progress. You can start small and keep your big vision in mind for growth at a later stage.
  2. Ask for help. We want to be able to do things ourselves. It's an outstanding achievement, but you could progress faster with help. If a task is not your forte, you can find help and delegate the task so you can focus on your core function.
  3. Find a good coach or mentor. You will have a business best friend with your best interests at heart. They will point out blind spots and help you open your perspective to make better business decisions. It fast-tracks your growth and success.

Where can people find you and your business?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claire.muller.leadership.executive.coach
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comscollab/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3W40BRJ

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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