Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health & wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kelli Walker, Founder of Kelli Walker Coaching, LLC, located in Newfields, NH, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm Kelli Walker, RN, MSN, CHWC, and I own Kelli Walker Coaching LLC, which is a nurse health and wellness coaching business. As a Nurse Health and Wellness Coach, my role is to support, provide education and resources, and, probably most importantly, facilitate growth and change for people who are feeling stuck in any area of their health and well-being, whether it's in anxiety, burnout, a job, numbing (with drinking, food, social media, t.v., etc.), a chronic medical condition (i.e., hypertension or diabetes), and more. I incorporate my nursing knowledge, coaching psychology, and human experience to help clients bridge the gap from where they are to where they want to be. However, my niche and personal passion are working with clients experiencing anxiety, stress, and burnout who are looking for support to take steps toward mental well-being.
Tell us about yourself
We all have a story. My story starts when my life ground to a halt with crippling anxiety and panic attacks more than a decade ago. I went from traveling internationally, finishing grad school, and working as a registered nurse to being completely agoraphobic in a matter of weeks. I often refer to that time in my life as "the hiatus" because life, as I knew it, stopped quite abruptly. While I had always struggled with intermittent anxiety, OCD, and panic attacks, this was different. I was completely consumed. While that was the most trying experience of my life, and like most humans, I've experienced other hardships, my story didn't end there. In fact, my career path as a nurse health and wellness coach was largely born from that hardship because a coach is what I needed - someone to support me in bridging the gap from where I was to where I wanted to be.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I consider the positive feedback that I receive from my clients and listeners of my podcast (Not Another Anxiety Show) my biggest accomplishment. Nothing makes me feel more fulfilled or in alignment with my life's purpose than hearing that somebody felt supported and heard for the first time or that a resource that I recommended really helped them push past a stubborn barrier.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being a business owner is wonderful when it comes to autonomy and living in alignment with my values and views on what healthcare should look like. But, like most things, it comes at a cost, and that cost for me was guaranteed work/paycheck. When I was working in the hospital or community health center, I knew exactly how many hours I was working each week and what my paycheck would look like. However, with more experience and connections, I've found work as a business owner to be more predictable and dependable.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Take it one step at a time.
- Try to tune into your values and inner voice; there's a lot of crap on social media about what you "have to do" to launch a successful business. I didn't follow many of the "rules" when launching my own business because they just didn't jive with me, and I'm still exactly where I want to be in my business.
- Imposter syndrome and self-doubt will likely come up; that's just part of being human and putting yourself out there to try something new, but lean into your strengths and what you can do!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://kelliwalkercoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notanotheranxietyshow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/not_another_anxiety_show/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anxietycoachNH
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliwalkercoaching/
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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