Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michelle Martinez, Founder and CEO of MM Virtual Resources, located in Hayward, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is in personal growth consulting. I specialize in working with busy and overwhelmed women. Many of my clients feel like they constantly put themselves last and struggle with balancing multiple responsibilities in their lives. I aim to identify and understand my clients' desires and goals and then tailor an action plan to help them reclaim their sense of self and restore their well-being while managing their responsibilities.
Tell us about yourself
Right when I was trying to start my business, the pandemic and life happened. I had to put everything on hold when my father's battle with stage 4 lung cancer took a turn. About a month after his passing, I started to develop a series of symptoms for ten days straight, from a dead arm and leg on my left side to shadowing in my left eye. That led me to reach out to my ophthalmologist. She was transparent with me and said that she ordered an MRI because I was showing early signs of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My MRI did confirm that I had an early onset of MS.
Going through all of the emotions you can think of while taking care of my father and then being diagnosed with a chronic illness led me to really sit down and reflect on my life. I took my diagnosis as the ultimate wake-up call to start truly taking care of myself and putting myself as a priority. Before taking care of my dad, I'm like many women who wear many hats - mom, wife, caregiver, while managing various household tasks, and possibly holding down a job.
I felt like there might be other women who have gone through something similar or are overwhelmed and feels burnt out and anxious from trying to juggle it all. I created my business because I wanted to help provide a solution to reduce overwhelm and anxiety for women who wants to prioritize their own well-being and personal growth.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is helping my clients reclaim their sense of self and restore their well-being.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I believe the hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is knowing where to start and getting started. Also, for me, it was getting out of the corporate brain and into the CEO mindset.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start small and keep things simple - You don't need to buy or download all of the courses or templates you come across. They will take up space on your hard drive and cloud.
- Create structure and boundaries early - This will be mostly for yourself but also for your clients/customers. Don't take on every single client, and let clients know what your hours and guidelines are.
- Be focused and disciplined - Manage your time and prioritize your daily to-do list.
- Share your story - Use it as the foundation for the messaging and brand of your business.
- Build a support system and community - These will be the people you can go to for advice, support, and guidance.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.mmvirtualresources.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MMVirtualResources/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmvirtualresources/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.