Emotional and Psychological Resilience

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Simon Lee Maryan, an international speaker, author, coach, and trainer based in Aberdeen, United Kingdom.

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

My business is all about emotional and psychological resilience. I developed a process and teach this through courses and workshops, speaking engagements, coaching, and therapy, as well as writing blogs and articles.

My corporate customers are spread across various industries, such as government, military, police, banking, oil and gas, mining, training companies, charities, healthcare, chemical, shipping, and security. My personal clients are from all walks of life, which is amazing as it means I am constantly learning.

Tell us about yourself

I was born in England, the son of a Royal Marine Pilot, grew up in the Far East, Middle East, and Africa, and studied at a boarding school in Somerset. I joined the Royal Marines as a boy soldier, and my career led me to become a very adept Human Intelligence Specialist operating across the globe in hostile and extremely stressful environments. Now an international speaker, author, trainer, and coach, I utilise lessons from a life of action along with many years spent training in psychology and psychotherapy to help people prepare for and overcome trauma and other stressful situations.

I survived three separate kidnappings which developed an extremely strong psychological and mental resilience which I now share with people through my training courses and well-attended speaking engagements. I deliver a compilation of keynote, motivational and inspirational talks for a wide variety of clients internationally. Some of these include the UK Military, FBI, New York Police Department, NYPD Hostage Negotiation Team, oil and gas, other energy companies, global banks, and various UK Government departments in need of my expertise.

I have provided voluntary charitable services in mental health for the serving UK Military, Veterans, and all Uniformed Services through the charity I cofounded called Icarus. I have struggled with my own mind from time to time, including PTSD from military and government service, and I know all too well how debilitating it can be. This is what drove me to develop my process, and it is what motivates me to keep pushing to change the way people can access mental health treatment and the options available to them.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I developed a therapeutic treatment process to help people overcome stress and trauma called The Immediate Care Process that builds emotional and psychological resilience. I began this in 2007, researched, developed, refined it until 2010, and used it in my private practice. In 2017 I annualised the process and created the first training course.

This has now expanded into two courses, with the original ICP being for personal use and the more advanced version, now called the Somato-Limbic Metacognitive Process (SLM Process), available as online, self-paced training as well as face-to-face.

The SLM Process is for therapists, coaches, and select individuals in organisations who are responsible for mental health and well-being. It is the next step in Mental health First Aid because it teaches tangible tools that can be used for proactive self-maintenance as well as reactively to help someone struggling. It has been taught to over 1,000 people as students and delivered to almost 9,000 people as clients/patients to date.

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

I think one of the hardest things is the responsibility of having people rely on you for their livelihood. There is always a constant pressure to maintain consistency of business and cash flow to pay the bills, but there is an extra pressure to ensure your people are paid consistently and on time every month. I would hate for that not to happen.

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

For me, I think having clarity of vision from the outset is essential. You have to know what it is you want to achieve before you can get into the planning.
Know your outcome, what will creating your vision bring to the world, and how will it benefit.
Surround yourself with a mix of good people who challenge your thinking, some to keep you grounded, others to fan the flames of your creativity, passion and vision, and all who are in tune with your vision and outcome.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://simonmaryan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimonLeeMaryan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SimonLeeMaryan/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimonLeeMaryan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/SimonLeeMaryan/

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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