Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Susan Ortolano, Owner of Radiant Pathways, INC, located in Canyon Country, CA, USA.

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

I am in the business of saving and transforming struggling marriages. My clients are struggling married couples with significant issues, who may be staring down the barrel of divorce but want to save the marriage but don't know how.

Tell us about yourself

I was a High School Teacher who got very ill 14 years into teaching and couldn't teach anymore. I knew I wanted to do some type of counseling type work and initially was going to transition to being a Therapist. The profession of coaching was relatively new, and it fascinated me. I needed to work from home due to my health and virtually got the certifications and training. I already had an MA degree, so I felt prepared. I chose to work with singles searching for love and couples wanting to save their marriage and did both for a while. I physically had mobility issues, so working from home doing this work was a dream! My own relationship experience guided my choice to focus on relationships. I had been in a toxic marriage and didn't have the tools I needed to shift it. I also had an unwilling partner, so I chose divorce. Divorce is also a very steep fall, and I knew I needed to make changes in myself to attract the love I really wanted. A few years later, I did and had the most amazing marriage since 2001. It not only inspires and motivates me daily but was also the inspiration for choosing to work with marriages.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

  1. Being a business owner while living with an illness. Most people wouldn't bother and wouldn't think of starting a business. The purpose is very important to me; making a difference in people's lives is a high core value, so I had to find something, and I found something I love.
  2. Impacting the love lives of so many single women and couples. Helping single women attract the love of their life and helping couples save & transform their marriages is an accomplishment for my clients and me.

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

Marketing! The world of online marketing is complex, costly, and ever-changing. What works one year may not work the next as online marketing continues to evolve.

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

  1. Mindset - Do your own inner work. Your mindset has to align with success; your old stories, beliefs, and patterns need to be cleared as much as possible to have your business work for you.
  2. Skillset - be skilled in what you are doing. Get the training you need to do what you do. The worst thing to do is choose an area because you like it but have no training to work in it.
  3. Guidance - Understand the business you're in and find a model that works for you with mentors/coaches that you trust.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.susanortolano.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachsusanortolano
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanortolano/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanortolano/

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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