Discover Your Fittest and Healthiest Self

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Elly McGuinness, Founder of Elly McGuinness Holistic Health and Fitness.

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

I'm a freelance writer for the health, fitness, and travel industries. Alongside my partner, an SEO specialist, we create search engine and reader-friendly content for businesses. We also have three websites of our own. Mine is a holistic health and fitness site where I share tips on a sustainable, whole-life approach to health. My partner Colin has his SEO site for business owners looking to create search-engine-friendly content. And together, we have a website for families interested in slow travel, world schooling, and the digital nomad lifestyle.

Tell us about yourself

I have around 20 years of experience working in various roles in the health and fitness industry. I've always loved writing but only dabbled in articles and blog posts until 2017. Everything changed when we left our home country of New Zealand on a one-way ticket to pursue a location-independent lifestyle. With that, our businesses evolved and became remote. I gradually moved away from health and fitness coaching and combined my passions by becoming a health and fitness writer. Since 2021 I've also been deeply involved in the travel writing industry, creating the perfect combination for me to help others with a lifestyle I'm truly passionate about.

Our business allows us to (slowly) travel full-time with our two young unschooled girls. We desire to live life, and we're driven by experiences and the personal growth and freedom our lifestyle offers. We love to inspire others to live their best life and enjoy more quality time with friends and family while doing what they love.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Starting again after a failed business in New Zealand, taking everything online, and discovering a new lifestyle we would not have even considered 10 years ago.

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

Growing our business while raising a family full-time (our girls are not in school), which is not always straightforward. Colin and I tag-team work time so that one parent is focused on the children, and we must be flexible regarding who is working at any given time. We must be very careful about spending time on the most critical things in the business that will make the biggest difference. We must be patient with our business growth and remember that spending time together as a family is a top priority.

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

Be diligent in your market research before deciding what avenue to pursue. People often start a business because they think it's a great idea, but that doesn't always match what people are looking for.
Do what you love doing. Do the things that play to your strengths, and find others to do everything else.
Niche down as much as you can. This is something that has taken us a long time to do as we gradually started understanding more about what we do, what we don't do, and who we help. I'd recommend getting clear on this early on!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://ellymcguinness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parenting.passports.profits
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parenting.passports.profits/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EllyMcGuinness
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellymcguinness/

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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