Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Melissa Holland, Founder of Inner Wisdom Parenting, located in Boulder, CO, USA.

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

I started Inner Wisdom Parenting to provide online courses, 1:1 and group coaching, and live workshops to support parents who are struggling with their young child's big, baffling, and very challenging behaviors, from tantrums and meltdowns to defiance (and more!) and are seeking more ease, joy, and connection in their parenting journey.

Tell us about yourself

I am a teacher, coach, and facilitator, and I used to work with people around their career and life transitions, as well as positive psychology. Then, when our son was four, we went through a very intense, challenging period of time where his behavior went off the rails in a rather spectacular (and horrible) way, which we now refer to as "The Undertow ."This experience led me to a book recommended by a friend, which led to a five-year+ journey of learning about self-regulation, neuroscience, the biology of the stress response, and the Autonomic Nervous System. I am now in a very different - and much more positive - place in our parenting journey, and I am inspired to share what I learned... and what I wish I had known! I'm providing the support and expertise I so desperately needed. And if it wasn't hard enough before, after this global pandemic (!@?!?!?!), our kids are really struggling...which means then our parents are really struggling. I know that life can be a little less stressful and a little more fun - and I want to help parents believe that, too, and get there.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I hired a lovely bookkeeper who is intuitive, empathic, and kind, so she helped me master QuickBooks. Well, I wouldn't say MASTER, but I kind of almost know what I'm doing in there, and she helped me create the systems I need to have in place, to keep that part of the business in order. This is not my "wheelhouse," but thankfully, I knew that about myself and found the right person to help me, at least make sure that disorganized finances were not going to get in the way!

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

I have found that being an entrepreneur is a lot like parenting... in that what I THOUGHT would be so hard about becoming a parent was true...but it was what I didn't even KNOW that I didn't know turned out to be so much harder. So, the same thing has been true about becoming an entrepreneur. I thought the tech and financial learning curves would be tough (they are) and that working by myself with no colleagues, no IT dept, etc., would be hard (it is). I thought the financial stress and uncertainty would be challenging (it is). But surprisingly, it is the more intangible things about being an entrepreneur that is so much harder than I could have known: like mastering the imposter syndrome, coming up against my perfectionist tendencies (which is really just procrastination), and facing the fear of both failure AND success - those are harder to name, but the harder things I've experienced on this journey.

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

  1. Know thyself. Do an inventory of your talents, strengths, blindspots - what you love to do, what you hate to do...because as an entrepreneur, often, in the beginning, we have to do it ALL - but if we don't know or can't accept what we are NOT good at, we might just ignore it, procrastinate or do it so badly, it actually gets in the way of our success. And we need to know our talents, so we can lean into those to increase our likelihood of success.
  2. Find your colleagues. I was lucky enough to take a big, long training and the best thing that came from that was a mastermind group that we co-created, all entrepreneurs, and our bi-monthly Zoom meetings, we could support each other, share resources, share feedback, push each other and just have fun together. That was so helpful. So find your resources and support!
  3. Take action. I love to learn so much, so I spent SO much time learning how to create online courses and online coaching/teaching businesses. And I would find completely conflicting information on the "best way to do it ."One day, I was taking a walk and thinking about that, and then I realized that the one thing they all had in common was that they all took action. They did things, they created things, and they just kept going. There are so many ways up to the top of the mountain, so learn along the way and keep going - one step at a time.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.innerwisdomparenting.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnerWisdomParenting
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inner_wisdom_parenting/

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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