Relinquish Control, Live Life Fully

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dr. Toni Warner, Founder of Authentically Me Psychotherapy and Bold & Balanced Coaching, located in Bucks, PA, USA.

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

I run two businesses- a psychotherapy business and a high-level mentorship, consulting, and speaking business. My psychotherapy business focuses on clinical treatment for teens and adults managing trauma, anxiety, or bipolar-type symptoms and toxic relationship challenges. My mentorship business focuses on inspiring, teaching, and guiding parenting professionals on how to enhance their success and well-being as multi-faceted individuals- both at work and at home.

Tell us about yourself

I have had my own personal experiences navigating things like toxic relationships, self-esteem issues, mental health challenges, and burnout too. As much as I loved providing therapy, I felt pulled to support individuals in other capacities. I have such vast personal and professional experiences that allow me to support in really profound ways, and I wanted to be able to share that with more people. That is what brought me into the world of coaching. As a mom of 4, however, it is essential to me that I don't just teach about how to live a more balanced and fulfilled life but that I actually practice living it myself. So, that's what I do. Every day I challenge myself to learn, grow, heal, evolve, and share my learnings, wisdom, and tools with my clients in a way that is customized to them.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Creating a business structure that aligns with my values and chosen lifestyle as a present, involved mom. I don't buy into the sacrifice, hustle, or burnout paradigms anymore. Getting to create a business and life that are integrated in a healthy, sustainable, and values-based way means everything to me. It also serves as inspiration for those I interact with, to help them see that it is possible to be a present and involved parent while also feeling fulfilled and successful in their chosen profession.

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

Initially, two things felt really hard to me. The first was a belief that no one really cared about what I had to offer, let alone pay for it. The second was fearing I'd be missing out on serving people I could help if I niched too much. Honestly, both of those challenges were things I struggled with for years when I started my coaching business specifically. I had made movement on them over the years, but they were still a challenge I found myself butting up against. Over time, I accepted that there would always be those who valued working with me and those who did not- and that would be okay. If I focused on those who did not value working with me, I'd be doing myself and my future clients a disservice.

As far as niching is concerned, I learned that focusing on simply showing up as who and how I wanted to show up tended to give me and those following me enough clarity on what I was about and how I could help. This helped me reduce my concerns about niching too narrowly, and my messaging naturally became more and more clear over time. Now, I can say that I am grateful for those challenges because they really served as an impetus for me to explore some things within myself that I didn't realize needed to be explored and shifted internally. They helped me to learn and grow.

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

Be willing to dream as often as it feels good. When it doesn't feel good, don't force it. Dreaming is powerful in and of itself, but only if it feels good to you while you do it.
Be intentional. Intentions are set behind nearly everything I do, including my daily schedule as a mom, business owner, wife, homeowner, self-care, etc. If there is no clear intention behind it, you can quickly lose track of what you're doing and why. This can lead you to spend your time, efforts, and energies in unhelpful ways.
Have grace. Grace for yourself and grace for others. We live in a world where stress and entrepreneurship are both at all-time highs. But an entrepreneur who is too stressed too often is unlikely to feel fulfilled or successful in their ventures. And one who does not practice having grace for another who may be experiencing stress is one who may struggle to build and sustain trusting relationships, which is vital for networking.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://authenticallymepsychotherapy.com/
Website: https://www.boldandbalancedcoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drtoniwarner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldnbalanced_coachingwithtoni/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authentic_drmom
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtoniwarner/

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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