Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kara Czerniak, CEO of Kara Czerniak Coaching Solutions, located in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

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

I work with mothers of teenage daughters who are in pain over their current relationship to reestablish their connection, strengthen their bond, and build a close relationship that they never thought possible. The moms I work with aren't willing to follow the prevailing advice from society to "wait it out." They know that they only have so much time with their daughter to fix what's broken, and they're not willing to just roll the dice of fate and hope that their daughter comes out the other side of it unscathed.

There are so many things that can happen, and they want to be their daughter's secure base from which to leap into the unknown. They know that there are many things competing for their daughter's attention (and attachment), and they have a burning desire and commitment to make sure that THEY are front and center in their daughter's trusted circle.

Tell us about yourself

I have been working with children for more than 26 years. I originally built my first successful business based on child development principles. I wanted to expand that into helping parents understand the building blocks of this success and how they could replicate it at home. That desire led me to get my Master's Degree in Positive Psychology in 2019. I wrote my thesis on building confidence in children. The plan was to activate this in my first business.

Along the way, I started having challenges in my relationship with my own daughter. I started using principles that I learned in positive psychology, as well as coaching principles, with my daughter, and it worked. From there, I wrote and built a program that would help other mothers going through the same challenges that I was. That's how the LYTE program was born. It stands for "Love Your Teenage (Daughter) Enthusiastically."

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I love fulfilling needs that are out there that the market has not yet addressed. I did it with my first business, Kinder Karate®, where I created an exclusive environment for children to grow not just physically but socially, mentally, and emotionally. Up until the time I created that, no one in my industry served this population or their parents. I found the same thing when I started searching for solutions to the mother-daughter dilemma.

If the situation does not warrant therapy for a clinical issue, then there is just not much out there for moms in this situation. I love creating solutions that will ultimately create better lives for those that I serve.

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

Knowing that you have an amazing service, and yet feeling like not enough people either know about it or have access to it.

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

The top tip is to work on yourself first. Personal development and all that goes with it is so undervalued and overlooked, but really the first answer to many problems that business owners have. Many business owners are concerned with business processes, techniques, and strategies, but if they don't have the right mental game, they will ultimately end up derailing themselves.

The 2nd tip is to make friends with the idea of marketing. To think of it as ultimate storytelling. If you think of it that way, then it becomes fun. It becomes a challenging yet creative way to connect with an audience who NEEDS you.

The last tip would be to design your business, its structure, and services around the life you WANT. Most people start businesses because they want FREEDOM from being locked into a job and all the permission-based living that goes with it. Yet, they end up setting up a business that ultimately locks them into a prison, just a prison of their own design. So going back to tip #ONE, knowing yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, and what you really WANT long term will allow you to set your business up to bring you the most happiness in the future.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://karaczerniak.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaraCzerniakOriginal/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kara_czerniak/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karaczerniak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karaczerniakpittsburgh/

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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