Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Donna Dahl, Owner of Empowerment Coaching International, located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

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

There is nothing that compares to the joy I experience from seeing my clients soar to higher levels of success. Whether I am working to foster inspiration or build critical skills with a team, a board, an entire staff, or a single client, change is sure to take place. Unsolved problems become challenges. What problems am I called upon to address? I have dealt with low levels of engagement, waning levels of productivity, low morale, performance culture deficits, intra- and entrepreneurship training, as well as onboarding needs…and more. Success begins with clearly describing the problem and then aligning your talent assets for maximum results.

My executive leadership empowerment coaching has a worldwide reach. It utilizes a next-generation individualized implementation process founded in neuroscience. It is only for those who are ready to move from stuck to start in as little as 90 minutes. In this new era where so many are unsure of how to gain traction in their role, empowerment coaching makes perfect sense whether you come from a perspective of addressing performance culture, creating team engagement, or increasing productivity.

After one 90-minute session with staff, the last thing on a Friday afternoon, one of my CEO clients said, "I can proudly tell you that we have had two consecutive record months!!!!! I have now hired salespeople who are able to handle English, Spanish, Italian and French clients!!!!"

As a master executive empowerment coach armed with a master’s degree, I have maintained a long-standing successful track record and authored six books.
I am a professional listener who particularly enjoys working with members of the C-suite, entrepreneurs, and groups to build confidence, communications skills, and strategic systems for growth.

Tell us about yourself

It is no secret that the whole world around you can change when one person believes in you. That’s what happened to me. Someone believed in me in a way I had never believed in myself. That belief gave birth to a book. That book gave birth to an executive coaching practice. That practice put me in a position to significantly influence the lives of clients and teams while moving them from “Stuck to Start” in 90 minutes or less. It is their growth and success that motivates me to continue.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

There is no greater reward than being acknowledged by one’s peers for the contribution one makes. As an internationally recognized servant leader, I have been honored as the recipient of multiple awards since 2005, including listings as 2022. Top 20 Empowerment Coach and a 100th Anniversary International Women’s Day Award for outstanding service to the business.

I must add that there is a distinct amount of pleasure that comes with having successfully self-published six self-empowerment books in support of entrepreneurs. In fact, the eBook I have on Amazon, Lessons I Learned from the Tortoise, has received numerous 5-star reviews, and readers share that this book has been life-changing. One reader described it as a classic.

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

The hardest? That was coming to the unwanted discovery that there are only 24 hours in a day. When I am on a roll, I like to keep working until I have reached a satisfactory stopping point or a welcome conclusion. Self-care matters. Knowing when to rest is an eye-opener. It is more difficult to let go of the umbilical cord that connects me to my keyboard when there is so much joy in what I do.

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

  1. There are three ingredients I recommend you install in your entrepreneurial mindset. These start with your “why”. Your why tells how big you intend to grow. The second ingredient is the average amount you need to be adding to your bank account daily in order to build profit. It is a mission-critical number. The third ingredient is developing your exit strategy from day one.
  2. Create a standout and purposeful brand.
  3. Hire a coach. Seek professional counsel. It’s your mentors and your coaches who can help you build effective processes and strategies and avoid costly mistakes.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

The recommendations about my work on LinkedIn written by people I have served really say it all. Their descriptions include words like a thought leader, coach’s coach, intuitive, impactful, compassionate, inspiring, creative, insightful, gentle, and caring. One wrote, “willingly imparts wisdom in an easily digestible form.” Another wrote, “Donna is one of the most knowledgeable, down-to-earth, and kindest persons I know. Her power through the written word is incredible.” Her mission is for you to “empower yourself and believe in yourself.”

What if you could create new episodes for your life or your business with the aim of fulfilling your hopes and aspirations? What if revisiting past installments isn’t serving you? Do you have a dream? In my Tortoise book (http://amzn.to/1kvqgki ), I wrote, “Challengers inspire us to take giant steps long before we might ever become giants.” I would be honored if you hired me to be your challenger and your coach.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://donnapdahl.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaDahl
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnadahl/

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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