Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Crystal-Marie Sealy, Keynote, Author, & Consultant, located in Montreal, QC, Canada.

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

"Authenticity for Gentle Resilience" and "Mindful Entrepreneurship" are my main keynote talks, and these are the core of everything else I offer. An MBA, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and strategy consultant, today I am focused primarily on writing as a stay-at-home mom focused on homeschooling. My first children's book, "The Brave Little Puffer Fish: Authenticity for Children," begins the conversation around authenticity with little one's ages 3-8 and continues to spark insights among the adults around them as well. Look for more books; one is currently in progress soon.

Tell us about yourself

For much of my career, I'd felt like I'd always had to jump through hoops. Growing up as I did, I always felt I wasn't doing enough to inspire confidence, and that led to working ridiculous hours and going too far beyond the call of duty. One day, a Finnish Director pulled me aside and said, "listen, it's because you're a girl, you look young, and you're a different colour. Full-stop". I'll never know if he'd have said anything if I hadn't put my foot down, but I'm eternally grateful. I finally realized I wasn't the cause of everything. What a weight off. Beyond that, I really just wanted to see the fruits of my efforts. I was tired of bureaucracy, egos, and bulky processes getting in the way of actual service. Not to mention the many different types of a toxic culture.

So I began my business in 2009, in the midst of completing the MBA in strategy consulting. Coming from an ecology and environmental sciences consulting background, I was sure I'd go back into that field to bring a more efficient and integrity-based approach to business.

My health took a turn for the worse with a blackout that left a dent in my head in 2007. I got serious about not being a workaholic, going back to dancing and living outside of work for a bit, but then in 2009, I took a more serious hit. I was on my way to a class when my energy literally left my body, and I collapsed. A neighbour got me home, brought me groceries (RIP Tina), and once she left, I was literally paralyzed for over 5 minutes, and, again, doctors didn't know what was wrong. It was then that I stopped paying lip service to self-care, and self-care became the basis of my business and everything else.

I shifted from training, speaking, and arms-length consulting in process, entrepreneurship strategy, and social media strategy. Instead, I moved into speaking and consulting around mindful strategy, which allowed me to be fully myself with clients. It also allowed me to hold space for them instead of what has become grossly common today, ramming advice down everyone's throats. Focused on pricing, process, and personalized feasible schedules, I began to invite clients to step back and rebuild from their own needs so they'd have something to offer from the overflow of self-care. I, myself, began to live in my feminine energy, slowing down, honouring the empath and introvert that I am. Honouring my energy profile, as well as that of my clients, making a world of difference. Self-acceptance is easy to say, but when you make that shift, support isn't always there. That was where "Authenticity for Gentle Resilience" was born. Each of the books, or chapters in books, that I have written speaks to the importance of living authentically, beyond the buzzwords. A part of that authenticity, for me, has been to step back from speaking and to consulting to homeschool my daughter. I still wrote and did videos when the energy and inspiration for those arose. Visit my blog, my about pages, and my books to learn more about my philosophy and to see if it resonates with you and yours.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Honestly, my biggest accomplishment as a business owner was the growth it afforded me, professionally as well as personally. I've spoken across the world, I've had large government and corporate clients, as well as exceptional entrepreneurs, and I am thankful for all aspects of my journey, but before becoming a mother, nothing made me grow and learn as fast as this business has.

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

The hardest thing for me - and this is personal - has to be delegation. :) I found it completely liberating to own all aspects of my business. I have become a lot better today, but it's still an area I continue to grow. Delegation becomes easier when you find more people you can genuinely trust, but it really does require a willingness from within that has nothing to do with anyone else.

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

I'll share what I hold as the root of my consulting practice. As I always do, I invite you to embrace what resonates and release what doesn't sit well.

First, get very, very honest about the best schedule for You. Learn when you have energy, and the best times of day for different types of activities, then build your business around the resulting schedule. A morning person and social introvert, I enjoyed productive solo processes during the day and connecting with clients on afternoons. I ended my day at three, so I would get time to unwind, and later on, I'd learned to take the week off during my period. Develop your streamlined process based on that schedule. As a mother, I have no schedule, so I only work with clients now who are fine with that.

Second, compatibility. Honoring yourself means you'll honor clients too. Work with those genuinely compatible with you, and release those who aren't. I've found it almost never worth the stress and the energy of the interaction isn't healthy for either party.

Finally, set pricing you can Live Well on After all business expenses and work with clients who are fine with your pricing. As long as we live in a financial system, we need to remember that a drowning person cannot save another without going under as well. You'll meet vampires, some knowingly and some unaware, who will want all they can get for as little as possible. Again, compatibility comes up. Suppose their budget and your price aren't aligned. It's fine. You simply cannot work together at this time. And note, friends and family should know better than anyone else that you need to eat. So they won't ask for a discount once they understand that.

This approach has been key for empaths, often drawn to give too much, those in the feminine who thrive when the community thrives, and introverts who do not often have energy for debates born of misalignment. It also fosters a gentle resilience, as you'll truly be able to "live and let live." May you find peace, ease, abundance, and a warm community on your entrepreneurial journey!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://crystalmariesealy.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystalmariesealy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalmariesealy/

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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