Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Edward Pike, Founder of LightWarrior.Pro, located in Apokoronas, Crete, Greece.

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

My business is called LightWarrior.Pro. I'm a mentor and consultant for mission-driven professionals, freelancers, and entrepreneurs: I help them find their unique purpose and gifts (what I call their 'magic') so that they can create successful and impactful work that they love.

My customers are open-minded professionals and entrepreneurs who want to live and work according to their uniqueness: the sweet spot between who they are as a person (their life experiences, challenges, and struggles) and what they do as a professional (their methodology, philosophy, and perspective).

I'm also the co-founder of the Find Your Magic Studio and Find Your Magic Retreats: Find Your Magic Retreats help people rediscover their uniqueness and their zest for life while the Studio helps freelancers and entrepreneurs to share their story and create a mission-driven business they love.

Tell us about yourself

What first got me started to become self-employed back in 2010 was a desire to be free and to do what I love. At the time, that was personal training in Central London - despite getting a BSc. in International Management from Bath University! My parents have always been entrepreneurial and have worked for themselves as far back as I can remember, and I had this intense desire to be free to follow my own heart and passions. At the time, that was fitness; however, over the years, it led me down a path of personal growth, creative freelancing, business, and leadership, to what I do today.

What motivates me each day continues to be the same: the desire to be free to create a successful and impactful business designed around what I love the most (personal growth, creativity, business, fitness, and travel!).

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is actually getting to where I am today after 14+ years of following what I love (even when it didn't make much sense financially!), I have created a business where I get to work with clients I love and do work I love alongside my life partner Rob Sykes. Quite a few times, I could not see how things could come together and work out the way they are!

I tried many things along the way, from creating a social enterprise for people living with HIV in London to running fitness retreats in Barcelona. And every single step, failure, and mistake brought me so much learning to where I am today: helping people own their unique path. It's always an honour to witness people show up in that way, whether that's putting themselves out there in a more confident and clear way or simply choosing a better life for themselves.

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

One of the greatest difficulties I've had (but at the same time one of the biggest realisations) has been to integrate my personal growth with the growth of my business. They really do come hand-in-hand, especially when our business is based around ourselves and our unique gifts and talents! So to continuously work on me, recognising and accepting my failures and imperfections, and do my best to improve myself - that has not been easy! For example, I've really had to deal with my relationship with money, my own sense of self-worth, and my fear of standing up and being visible. But over time, and with effort and a lot of external support, anything can be surmounted, I truly believe.

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

  1. Really take your time in the beginning to understand yourself, your unique gifts and experience, what you love, what brings you joy, etc.. and then do your best to create a business around that. That is what will fuel you and give you momentum - even throughout the challenges.
  2. Ask for help! Get a mentor or a few people around you that are either where you want to be or can offer feedback and guidance in specific areas, like business, relationships, creative expression, etc.
  3. Trust your gut. There are so many different marketing ideas, business gurus, etc., out there. And while you can definitely find inspiration from these, at the end of the day, you have to find your own unique way of doing things, your own unique angle on the problem that you're solving for people. And that comes by learning to listen and trust your gut instincts.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.lightwarrior.pro/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamedwardpike/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamedwardpike
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-pike-3541b323/

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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