Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michelle Guo, Founder of MAGICAVE Media, located in New York, NY, USA.

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

MAGICAVE Media provides actionable steps and accountability to independent creators who want to regenerate their motivation to create content, so they can serve and connect with their ideal clients more deeply. Recognizing we work in both a B2C and B2B space with many different service providers, we offer coaching and copywriting services to kickstart our clients’ progress when it comes to creating new offers and marketing existing services.

Tell us about yourself

I started MAGICAVE Media in May 2021 to fulfill a long-standing desire for autonomy in my work as a visual creative and writer. I had just graduated from the University of the District of Columbia with my Master’s Degree in Computer Science, and while I could have dived straight into the tech industry, my desire for autonomy caused me to step back. I wanted to take more time for myself to explore my personal interests, and I wanted to build more flexibility into my schedule to help my family recover from health issues. So I moved from living with my boyfriend in Washington, DC, back to my family in New York, NY, where I founded MAGICAVE Media. That year was a big transition in my personal life!
Why coaching? In another life, I probably would have been a therapist because I enjoy analyzing people’s problems and thinking about psychology all day. I view coaching as an exciting new avenue that allows me to explore that interest in an accessible way. That being said, as someone who deeply values empowerment through education and learning, I completed a professional coaching program to hone my skills and ensure my industry knowledge was up to par.

At MAGICAVE Media, I initially focused on career coaching for folks with non-technical backgrounds who wanted to enter the tech industry. I provided guidance to those who didn’t like or were intimidated by coding but found the tech industry exciting and wanted to explore a variety of career opportunities. Since then, I have expanded the scope of my coaching to serve clients who do not necessarily want to enter the tech industry but want to explore their own career and personal creative interests while building their own businesses, as I did when I first started MAGICAVE Media.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was taking the leap to hire two friends to build the MAGICAVE Media community together with me. Empowering our team of three to work towards this common goal was the most fun, challenging, and rewarding endeavor I have undertaken in my business so far! Through this experience, I have become a better friend and communicator, which is so important for standing out in today’s digital world and creating personal connections.

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

For me, one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner has been developing and maintaining a healthy sense of self-esteem. Without healthy self-esteem, it can be very difficult to know when to trust your own intuition, and this can lead to clouded judgment, especially when it comes to rejections, whether you are on the receiving or giving end. Not everyone has good intentions, so it’s important to protect yourself! After noticing that people straight-up lie about their successes sometimes, even in testimonials, I have learned not to compare myself to others superficially. Cultivating a healthier sense of self-esteem has helped me get better at sussing out the B.S.

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

  1. There’s no one right way to start or do business, assuming one is doing honest business: by doing things differently, you can create your own path to success.
  2. Sometimes, it pays not to listen to other people—literally! There’s a difference between being close-minded and setting healthy boundaries, both for yourself and others. Not everyone will understand your whole journey or agree with every choice you make, and that’s okay.
  3. Remember to have fun! You can be self-disciplined without cutting yourself off from the things that genuinely bring you joy: it’s all about creating your own version of balance.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.magicavemedia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magicavemedia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magicavemedia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/magicave-media/

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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