Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karen McAllister, Founder of The Mindful Money Coach, located in Fort Steele, BC, Canada.

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

I work with entrepreneurs, business owners, or this who have a leadership position in a business who feel they are not energetically able to receive as they would like and put blocks up to prosperity consciously or unconsciously and can't name why. Because of that, they self- sabotage. They are frustrated, feeling they are blocking their way into prosperity and limiting the development of themselves, the business, or the organization.

Tell us about yourself

I have dedicated my life as an apprentice of awakening and have studied with my spiritual teachers closely for over 24 years. The business started when I began the journey of starting up a meditation center called Clear Sky with a few partners in 2004. when you start to build something, you wear all sorts of hats - cooking, taking down fences, managing, budgeting. It is like a hands-on MBA. As the center developed, we entered the second stage of growth, and my talents led me to raise funds to create the financial structure for the center. However, I got burned out because I was carrying the financial load of the center along with two other people. I noticed particular patterns in the organization around money that limited our growth and kept the membership in a place of conflict and gridlock. I made it my mission to find ways to alleviate this unnecessary suffering and studied the emotional and psychological blocks to prosperity. I started the mindful money business then, and my first clients were the staff and board members of the meditation center. Little did I know that these issues were common everywhere. Today my organization is thriving, and people have very open and transparent conversations around money. Decisions get made faster, and people have the language to call out the emotional and psychological roadblocks before they become a big problem.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is the results I bring clients. Some of my client's business revenue is solidly six figures now, and some of them have tripled their personal income. For most of them, their income increased, and business has grown and is prospering. The business/organization has been freed up to be of more benefit to the world. They have changed their mindset and/or organizational culture to grow to the next level and feel they are handling money well.

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

I am a solo entrepreneur. Everything is on you. I have people I contract parts of the work to. But on the whole, I sometimes find it quite lonely. I like being small and do not what to scale up to be large. But I would like to grow a small team around me.

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

Starting, running, and growing a business is like having and raising a child. It takes all of you. I encourage you to have it be something you are really passionate about. Second of all, you need to have persistence as you cannot grow a business overnight. It takes solid, consistently applied effort. It is important to have a regular mindfulness practice to build resilience to the ups and downs and unpredictability of creating and building a business. You got to like change and chaos and be able to be flexible in your approach to business. I would liken the journey to getting skillful and becoming a master at riding the dragon.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

If you are used to being an employee and receiving a salary and want to transition to running your own business, take a really close look at those who are already doing it. It is not a hobby. I love it because it grows me and helps me to become what I am not. But it is not for everyone. Many people like the idea of it, but the constant hard work, unpredictability, and uphill learning curve can be overwhelming and stressful for some.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://themindfulmoneycoach.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenawaken/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_moneycoaching/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karen_mca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-mcallister-she-her-78b4b823/

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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