Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amy Gillespie Dougherty, Founder of Illumination Station Press, LLC., located in VA, USA.

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

Irigenics® Ancestral Eye Reading - This is a new method of self-discovery. Using a macro photograph of the eyes, I help people to understand the treasure map their ancestors left them of gifts, talents, abilities, and unresolved traumas. Also, images of your ancestors are visible in the eye photographs. Depending on the texture and structure of the eyes, some ancestral images are very visible and recognizable. You can see examples in the gallery on my website.

Tell us about yourself

I was doing survival skills training for children in Mozambique. When I returned to the U.S., I wanted to continue working with kids and wondered what the threat was to American children. I soon realized that answer, unfortunately, was self-destructive patterns and suicide. While taking a course on conscious language, I was introduced to the idea that behavior patterns, visceral memories, and the in-utero experience were indicated in the eyes. I studied with four methods and finally came to realize that what we were seeing was epigenetic patterning. The visceral experiences of our ancestors - and how they impact our own (very specific) evolution. This work has been an amazing experience for thousands of people but particularly those who are adopted, who feel they can't know their origins - it is a gift beyond measure.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The creation of Irigenics® Ancestral Eye Reading and The Ancestors Within Book Series. While I had been doing eye reading since 2010, it was in 2017 (my first New Year with my then boyfriend) that we decided our New Year's resolution was to make a new word... We decided on Irigenics® with Iri (meaning iris or rainbow) and genics (meaning the study of, or pertaining to genetics). Since then, I have trademarked Irigenics® trained and certified people in this method of self-discovery and created My Eye Mag©, which won the silver award for visionary product of 2019 at the international COVR (The Coalition of Visionary Resources) awards. I'm wrapping up publishing six books in 600 days (The Ancestors Within Anthology Series), including self-publishing the Ancestors Within Journal (which won the Gold Cover award in Anthologies and Journals - with 10,000 international voters). Created The Ancestors Within Community on Facebook, am in the process of launching an ancestral eye reading app and a podcast, and have the Ancestral Summit coming up Nov 7-11, 2022 (101 Voices & Perspectives of Ancestral Connection). We set out on January 6, 2021, to change the way the world experiences their ancestors, and I feel we have done a very good job of it.

  • The Ancestors Within 1 (Reveal & Heal the Ancient Memories you Carry) May 2021 (Amazon Best Seller)
  • The Ancestors Within 2 (Discover & Connect With Your Ancient Origins) Oct 2021 (Amazon Best Seller)
  • The Ancestors Within Journal: A family Keepsake & Companion Guide (Double Gold winner COVR - Anthologies and Journals)
  • The Ancestors Within 3: Recognize & Embrace the Gifts of Your Origins (May 2022 - Amazon Best Seller)
  • The Ancestors Within 4: Celebrate & Honor Your Sacred Origins (Coming September 2022)
  • The Ancestors Within Journal II: A 52-Week Family Activity Guide & Keepsake (Coming August 2022)

All in, that's six books, 74 authors, six artists, and 101 chapters of ancestral connection, activities, and interactive experiences inside of two years!

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

Balancing work and family. I'm a solopreneur, and my husband still works an hourly position. In some ways, it's had advantages as I can get pretty close to working his same schedule, and that's wonderful! At the same time, balancing running a business with an hourly employee who leaves work at work --- has had some challenges. We both have aging parents - we came through some bizarre COVID moments - in fact, almost all of The ancestral work has been through COVID. Our parents are aging and live a day's trip away -- so there have been challenges to keeping "life" balanced with work.

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

  1. Get started! - if you can imagine it, you can have it! Even if you have to start just drawing, journaling, and imagining in your free time - imagining your day and starting to think of what pieces you will need to create your business - get started!
  2. Set up your family balance immediately - if it is "No work Sundays," then there is no work on Sundays -- be sure to create your self-care and family balance from the start and do not ever waver on it.
  3. Make your first step the creation and manifestation of something income-generating - and if it's a passive income generating (such as an online course), then that is even better!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Your ancestors have waited your whole life for THIS moment -- and you are next! (and that's not you're next -- it's -- your next moment) If you're looking for more information on the books, podcast, etc., it's at https://illuminationStation.org

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://irigenics.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ancestorswithin/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amygillespiedougherty/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-gillespie-02167318/

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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