Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and career development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michelle Raz, Owner of Raz Coaching, located in Steamboat Springs, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Raz Coaching specializes in helping professionals who are neurodivergent and have executive function challenges optimize strategies and habits to meet the demands of a fast-paced corporate environment. My program helps to develop executive functioning skills, including time management, organization, prioritization, and emotional regulation in the workplace.
The clients that I work with are usually identified as high potentials that need coaching around specific executive function skills. I work closely with them to create strategies, routines, and work boundaries that help them feel empowered and worthy of their potential advancement. They may have received feedback that they would like to work through or have entered into a new role where they need guidance and support. This high-accountability coaching approach draws on one's strengths and interests to create a balance with their career ambitions while considering personal life matters such as self-care.
Tell us about yourself
Oh boy, this is a long story, but I will try to give you the short version. My daughter struggled with ADHD throughout school, and it was taking its toll on her mental health. I was beginning to see her lose that natural spark of curiosity. So, I began researching how I could help her reach her dreams and ambitions despite her diagnosis of ADHD. This was at a time when information on how to work WITH this executive function deficit was minimal. It broke my heart to see her struggle when I knew she was smart and capable. The mama bear in me came out, and I became one of the first trained ADHD coaches to help people find their strengths within the diagnosis in the academic setting.
Executive Function Coaching became my passion, and I eventually moved into working with clients through their career goals as well. My clientele grew and diversified, and so did my focus. As a serial entrepreneur with strong family roots in the business environment, I shifted my concentration to the field of business coaching. It fuels me to be a part of someone's success journey in life, especially where there is unrealized potential or confidence. To see people grow into their true passionate chosen career path inspires me. The tools and strategies we personalize for them to reach their goals are as empowering to me as it is for them! I am happy to report that my daughter is a very successful young entrepreneur today!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I wrote a book called, Happiness+Passion+Purpose that is selling on Amazon right now. It is geared to help people with a step-by-step guide to help them find a career path and land it despite life's challenges.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Self-care. I find so many business owners forget to take the time they need to be the best version of themselves. Without tending to your own needs and nurturing what you need to deal with life stressors, you are not putting your best out there. This impacts all aspects of your business and personal life. I practice what I preach and prioritize my mental and physical health above all else. If I miss a day of it, you would not want to present me with a work problem!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
These three things should all align in a positive way before you start your own business:
- Check in with your head - does it make sense logically? And do the math.
- Check in with your heart - is it a passion that will bring you great joy because it needs to pull you through the hard times?
- Check in with your gut - does it FEEL like it is the right thing for you? Trust your intuition. What does that inner voice tell you?
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.razcoaching.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/razcoaching/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachmichelleraz/
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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