Advocacy Through Education - MentHERship
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Isabell C. Camillo, Senior Leadership Mentor of MentHERship, located in Niagara Falls, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Eudaimonium Research and Innovation focuses on driving human flourishing by supporting human development through semi-structured training. We work on a "whole person" approach. We offer training, mentorship, and coaching for everyone via Eudaimonium. Through our mentHERship project, however, I am taking the lead on advocacy through education. We aim to provide professional development and resources to empower and support women and girls.
Tell us about yourself
I chose to work on operating my own business because I wanted to have more control over my professional life. I wanted a flexible schedule, for example. I also wanted to have the freedom to be creative and adventurous in my approach to helping people. I wanted to make an impact on a more personal level. We have focused so much on leaders, leadership, and team building that we've forgotten the individual along the way. Through our mentorship services, we hope to work at the micro-level. We hope to support and develop the person, the individual, before advancing to the team and the organizational levels. I currently mentor several professionals who are looking to develop themselves as a whole, well-rounded people. They're feeling overwhelmed and, with that, are also feeling a severe sense of loss and confusion. I've been working with them to build a way forward. Seeing each of them progress towards a place of hope, love, and, best of all, balance inspires me every day to show up for them and others who need me.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My greatest accomplishment is perseverance. Sounds funny, I know. Let me explain. What I mean is I've started several small businesses and failed more times than I'd like to admit. But I can't stop. I really do want people to flourish, and I know I can help them.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, it's a lack of sleep. My mind is always racing, thinking about what's coming next. I'm always on the go, planning, strategizing, learning, and exploring innovations, making it difficult to shut down at the end of the day. I'm working on ways to change this.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My tips will sound like clichés, but they should be taken seriously.
- Follow your passion. I've tried working in industries and on projects that I knew were lucrative but didn't necessarily align with what I had in my heart. It took me decades to finally allow myself to follow my passion, having wasted so much time and effort.
- Start. Just start. Don't hesitate, don't doubt yourself. Start planning. Start networking. Write it down and make it happen.
- Get up, dust yourself off, and try again. You're definitely going to fail and often. When it happens, look for the lessons. Reflect, be accountable, and pull forward. Perseverance is your best friend.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I designate a pocket of time every day for self-reflection. I keep notes in a little red book that I carry with me always. I allow myself to sense everything around me and then analyze those experiences by exploring my feelings, emotions, and moods. I believe that being fully self-aware and understanding who and what I am helps me to be a better mentor to my clients. In other words, I try to practice what I preach.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/menthership/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sacred.phoenix
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isabellccamillo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/isabellccamillo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellccamillo/
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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