Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nicole Du Guay, founder of Holistic Synergy Coaching, located in Perugia, PG, Italy.

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

I'm a Holistic Transformation Coach who helps women align body, mind, and spirit to improve the body's functioning, gain more clarity of the mind, and provide a greater sense of awareness and connection with the Divine Self. Drawing from yoga, reiki, nutrition, psychology, and meditation to create a more passionate and fulfilling life.

Tell us about yourself

Ever since I discovered yoga in 2006, I’ve been on a path of wellbeing. Through a regular practice of self-care and continual personal development, I realized that I’m a nurturer and therefore thrive in a role of service to others. I love helping women and connecting with the Divine Feminine, something that is deeply needed in this age where masculine energy is strongly embedded into many of our cultures, and I love watching women reclaim and harness their power. It’s truly powerful and inspiring when women come together and support one another’s growth and success.

I always felt restricted as an employee and never quite felt like I could live fully up to my potential. I wanted to do something meaningful and impactful, and I struggled to find my way to fulfill this on someone else’s schedule and business. Entrepreneurship was, therefore, the most logical option for me and the greatest act of self-love. It’s not been easy, but it’s been and continues to be deeply fulfilling and something I advocate for passionately.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Oooh! Well, I think my biggest accomplishment as a business owner is building my business from the ground up internationally. I’ve built and rebuilt my business in New Zealand, Canada, and now Italy over the years, learning what I needed to know along the way. From graphic and web design to digital marketing, and from international import laws to hosting retreats abroad, everything I learned through self-taught, research, coaching, education, and by simply doing. Mistakes are how we learn, and I’ve made many!

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

Self-doubt, I think, is one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner. Especially in the beginning, the overwhelm of realizing that YOU are responsible for everything from finance to marketing to sales to customer service can be a heavy and terrifying prospect if you have no schooling in one or many of those areas.

Imposter Syndrome is real. Feeling like you’re not good/don’t know/aren’t smart/aren’t skilled enough creeps in at every opportunity when we’re not paying attention and can sabotage our growth and success. To make things more challenging, when we first start, we often don’t know many other entrepreneurs, and so there’s this gap that grows between us and our employed loved ones who don’t quite understand the work and time that goes into building a business.

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

  1. Remember to breathe and take time for self-care. This one I really struggled with for a long time. Giving myself permission to rest was incredibly hard, and I would feel this sense of guilt around “I should be doing something right now.” However, this just increases stress and negative vibrational energy, which works against all the good work you do. Instead, give yourself the time and space to breathe deeply and fully and to rest.
  2. Make S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals and break them down into smaller tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed. This helps you stay organized and focused on what's really important so that you don't become so easily distracted by busy work and self-doubt.
  3. Just go for it. Don’t wait until tomorrow to call that client or research that marketing strategy. Don't wait until you finish just one more course or you learn that one more skill. Just get started and keep moving forward, step by step. Stay focused on what you're working towards and resist the urge to judge where you are. Remember, everyone was once exactly where you were (even the most successful business), and you're an expert to someone, so what you have to offer is valuable to others now.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Invest in yourself. Whether it’s in business coaching or personal counselling, it’s all connected. If you don’t grow, your business can’t grow. If you don’t thrive, your business cannot thrive. You are worth it, so make time for yourself and commit to your personal development along with focusing on the growth of your business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://holisticsynergycoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holisticsynergycoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticsynergycoaching/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-duguay/

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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