Health & Wellness Coach/ Fitness Influencer

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Monika Rodriguez, Founder of SMART Method with Monika Paez, located in Miami, FL, USA.

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

I am a Functional Hormone & Nutritionist Coach. I help women who are chronic dieters balance their hormones to keep the weight off and have a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying food with a holistic & functional approach using my SMART Method.

Tell us about yourself

I have always been someone who loves the arts and showing my creative side. When I was smaller, I took Tap, Ballet, Flamenco, Jazz, and Choir. Then when I was around 18 years old, I woke up one morning and realized I couldn't make a fist. as days passed, it got worse, and I finally went to the DR, and they told me I had Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus. I was dancing and singing at that time, and the doctor basically told me to give up on all my dreams because I was going to end up a vegetable in a wheelchair and not be able to walk. I was devasted. Thankfully, I didn't let that stop me, and I found a new doctor who told me I didn't have Lupus and I most definitely could be active and have hopes and dreams. I was working with a coach for physical therapy and training, and she spoke to me about running. I ended up doing various 5ks and half marathons, but that wasn't my passion. I loved lifting heavy weights at the gym and the way you can transform your body. So I ended up competing in Bodybuilding competitions for a couple of years, but unfortunately for me, I did not have great luck with coaches. They ended up messing up my hormones and metabolism really badly. For years, I have had metabolic damage and hormonal imbalances, and I was not aware. At the start of 2020, I found my mentor and coach, Allen Cress, who completely changed the world of fitness for me. I was a personal trainer, but I felt like I was doing my clients any justice if I couldn't find answers to my own issues. Well, right there and then, my career took a shift, and I was introduced to the world of Functional Health, and I have never looked back. I went back to school for Dietetics and certifications in functional health and medicine. I have taken courses in fertility and hormones and just absolutely love how intricate the female body is. I love working with women knowing that I am making a difference in their lives. It's not just about telling them to do 100 squATS AND EAT AN APPLE; it's so much more than that. I am changing their lives. Teaching them about their own body. Working with women who have PCOS and infertility and seeing that they are feeling "normal" again, their body is functioning properly, and those who have infertility are finally getting pregnant is amaZING.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Helping over 100's women using my SMART Method and knowing that I am doing something to better their lives.

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

Ahh, there are so many, but for me, finances would have to be the hardest. Let's just say budgeting is not my forte.

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

Have a specific goal and never lose sight of that.
Make sure this is something you are passionate about and can talk for hours about it.
Success is NEVER linear but focuses on the positive no matter how small you may think it is.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.monikapaez.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonikaPaez25/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monikapaez/

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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