Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rachel Morris, Co-Founder of Motion Learning, located in London, United Kingdom.

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

I am the co-founder of an executive coaching company called Motion Learning. My fellow coaches and I work with leaders in C-Suite roles.

Tell us about yourself

If I look back to my childhood, I can see that from a very early age, I was driven by a sense of learning and a desire to grow. I could see that my ticket to experiencing the world was to become curious and open-minded to change and development. I used this to drive my early decisions, to travel, and once at university and beyond, I was able to access valuable resources around learning, psychology, and human interaction. As a result, my belief in the power of the mind only continues to deepen as I journey through life! Needless to say, this is an intrinsic motivator.

In my professional career, one of my standout experiences was working for a globally recognised name in the luxury sector. I saw how exceptionally talented people were being trained and managed in such a way that the natural spark which made them so unique became totally diluted. This jarred immensely with my own values and ignited a flame in me to set up a coaching firm with my co-founder, where we could help people become more skilfully themselves. And be the best in their chosen careers.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I take enormous pride in the fact that more than one client has given us feedback that we are their secret weapon. My co-founder and I set up Motion Learning in 2004. Running a business certainly keeps you on your toes, and the fact we have created a business that is 100% aligned with our values and run it for 18 years with great clients is an accomplishment that I am extremely happy with.

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

As a business owner, you think you’re going to grow a business. Then you realise your business is growing you! Having started our business in 2004, we were still a young company when the 2008 recession landed seemingly overnight. To pretend this was not frightening at times would be dishonest. But the recession also once again taught us the influence of our mindset - especially at the most difficult times. I often quote, ‘If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right,’ and this internal belief has helped us weather a lot of different storms. Clearly, you have to be talented and work incredibly hard too, but the power of your mind is an incredible force and strongly linked to outcomes. We created a belief in our business of “we’ve got this,” and that ultimately got us through it. The truth is entrepreneurship is about getting comfortable with the unknown. And that can be tough.

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

  1. Well, it’s not going to surprise you to hear me say, get your head in the right place first. This goes way beyond saying a few affirmations. Connect to what you are doing, connect to why you are doing it, and this will enable you to connect to how you do it. There is such power available to you as a business owner or executive leader when you really cultivate a winning mindset. That doesn’t mean obstacles disappear, but it does mean you’re equipped for the inevitable headwinds that will keep coming your way.
  2. Get clear on your values and make all your decisions from that place. I put our company’s longevity down to a non-negotiable stance on our values.
  3. Resource yourself. When I coach my executive leader clients, we often work together to create a “bench of supporters” for them. This is a concept you can implement in your life too. Success is a team sport.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.motionlearning.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmorrismotionlearning/

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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