Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Steffi Black, founder of Steffi Black Coaching, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

I am a life and career coach who empowers people to make a transition in an authentic and heartfelt way. We bring in daily rituals to support change one step at a time and allow the holistic steps to become part of a person’s life and career in a natural and sustainable way.

I am also a Spring Forest Qigong certified practice group leader and have the honor - and it is one - to share twice-weekly online Classes in this ancient healing practice which combines breath, posture, mindful movement, and meditation.

I train and share through Spring Forest Qigong, which is a practice of breathing, focusing your mind, doing simple body movements, and meditating. Qigong helps the qi (energy) in the body flow freely, so it stays healthy and in balance, preventing energy blockages or alleviating them when the body is sick. Qigong is widely practiced in China, where health professionals teach their patients healing exercises and postures.

We focus on the Five Elements theory, a cornerstone of Chinese medicine. Emphasizing the positive emotion associated with a specific element can transform the energy in the system.

Tell us about yourself

I’m a person who believes in continual self-growth and helping others realize their own potential too. I found coaching after I realized that I loved helping people feel good about themselves and honor their own raw and real selves. We all have broken pieces, and that’s why I love the Japanese art of kintsukuroi, which melds broken pottery pieces back with gold or silver, and they are all the more beautiful for having been broken. I love empowering people to honor their idiosyncrasies and love themselves in the sometimes challenging process of transition.

As a qigong practitioner, I love the incredible energy high I receive when I do this ancient practice. I know it is not only healing my body, mind, and spirit but those of others too. Personal coherence leading to group coherence. It feels incredibly healing, and the founder of Spring Forest Qigong believes we are all our own healers. When we raise our frequency/vibration, I believe we help this planet.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I feel good about the fact that I am continually learning and developing so I can bring my best self to my role as a coach and teacher. For coaching, I take courses through wbecs, and for qigong, I continually learn through Spring Forest Qigong and reading. In my work, I would say anytime someone feels good about themselves and takes better care of their inner world; I feel their outer world reflects that too. I feel good knowing I am doing my part to give to others. We all could use more self-love and much-needed breaks from our inner critics.

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

The finances and administration and proper systems are in place. I am more of an ideas communicator, and I dream about being able to hire an amazing virtual assistant to help one day!

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

  1. Follow your intuition, believe in yourself, and arm yourself with a great system. Be consistent with messaging and authentic. Listen to people wiser and more experienced, but always follow what feels the best to you.
  2. Your innate intuition knows what is the best decision for you, so get connected with it more and more through meditation and peaceful living, including walks in nature. I love the work of Trevor Blake and Marie Manuchehri for sharing this philosophy around connecting with the right energy before making an important decision.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Making time for inner world development helps all of us work in more conscious-driven businesses and contributes to the energy on this planet. We all play a part, and I hope in my small corner of the world, I contribute what I can. I am grateful for teachers/mentors in my life who helped me believe in myself. I thank Master Lin for starting Spring Forest Qigong and for my teacher/mentor Sue Crites for teaching me and sharing with others. I am grateful for the love, and wisdom others share continually.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://steffiblackcoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteffiBlackCoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steffiblack99/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/steffiblack
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steffiblackcoaching/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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