Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Penny Payton, author and an emotional wellness coach, based in San Diego, CA, USA.

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

It’s twofold, really. And it’s all very personal. I’m in the business of sharing my story to inspire others to share their own and be fearless in the pursuit of their own truths. I’ve authored and published my story and am in the process of co-writing a second with a colleague in higher education.

I’m a certified energy leadership coach focusing on conscious lifestyle transitions and a speaker educating people about the importance of expanding emotional self-awareness and understanding the impact of childhood experiences. I create safe spaces for increased personal awareness. I coach, write, and speak about ways to unearth things people would not normally come to terms with.

Tell us about yourself

This all first started with a near-death experience, which led to the unexpected loss of a long-term career. Somehow a power greater than myself must have decided to pull every single rug out from under me and push me onto a completely another path. From there, I turned inward and began to become aware of just how emotionally self-aware I was not. I used hypnotherapy to locate a lot of repressed pain and release it. I had dozens of shocking realizations about my own parenting.

The things I learned were not being discussed anywhere when I was discovering them. Childhood experiences hold the answers to almost all of our issues. Once I realized that the things we all desire, such as sustainable change, happiness, and inner peace, were all easily available, I had to find ways to start sharing. We easily move into more conscious and mindful lifestyles by clearing those subconscious blocks.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

This may be the last thing you’d expect to hear for this answer, but it truly was the work I did on myself to get where I am today. My passion is centered around guiding others on that journey themselves. I’ve coached many people who’ve wanted to work on other aspects of life and sought sustainable growth and improvement. Each time our conversations led back to the core reason for the blocks that were impeding them, always rooted in childhood experiences. Too often, we spin our wheels trying anything else possible when the answer is right there within each of us.

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

For me, it’s the emotional component that leads to a vulnerability that is blocked by hidden fear. I had been stuck in a dysfunctional loop I did not understand. When we get on the adult roller coaster unprepared, we tend to focus on financial success and forge ahead without looking to ourselves for answers. We give away a lot of our own personal power. We’ve been taught to ignore ourselves emotionally and focus like this, which is why we can easily become out of balance.

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

Be very open-minded and flexible because our best paths are often not ones we’ve even thought about. Be willing to see failures as lessons on the path to success. Be kind and respectful of yourself and others, and don’t fear your own emotions.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

The future leaders will be the emotionally intelligent who have fearlessly excavated their trauma and done the healing work necessary to remove all things blocking them. The cornerstone of this leadership will be founded on those solid internal foundations and driven by empathy and compassion for all of humanity.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website:
https://unpackingemotionalbaggage.com/
https://www.pennypayton.com/

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3xckVp4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealpennypayton/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-payton-46b3b49/

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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