Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lindsey Frank, Founder of The Butterfly Within, LLC, located in Chicago, IL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The Butterfly Within, LLC empowers teachers and leaders to discover their potential through heart-centered classrooms and lives. Together, we develop creative approaches to support the resilience and well-being of school learning communities through Mindfulness-Based Social-Emotional Learning (MBSEL) which starts with educator wellness. We consciously ask, "What kind of teacher/leader would you be if you taught from a place of (F)irst (L)oving (Y)ourself?" We want to embrace the change process like the butterfly, spread our wings, and F.L.Y. When we are well, then we can teach and lead well.
Educators and leaders can experience well-being coaching (virtual or in-person depending on the location) for their personal journeys or for holistically improving their school's climate and culture. The Butterfly Within, LLC facilitates professional learning workshops, as well as opportunities for wellness classes to support the well-being of education professionals and children. For educators who are looking to integrate wellness into their students' lives simultaneously, I have written interactive children's books that integrate mindfulness and social-emotional skills into daily living. My books include "Big Change, Better You, Beautiful World" and "The Superpower of Your HEART." The books develop a foundational heart-centered framework that instills lasting practices.
Tell us about yourself
Being an educator, the thought of becoming a business owner never crossed my mind…until experiences sparked the inspiration to expand beyond my current sphere of influence. I have been in education for over 12 years. I have worked with students ranging from early learning through eighth grade as a teacher, interventionist, special educator, and climate and social-emotional learning coach. Around my fifth year of teaching, I noticed a shift within me where my passion was not ignited, and I was feeling the effects of teacher burnout. My body was signaling that I needed to make a change to my lifestyle by prioritizing myself. Anxiety and panic attacks were becoming a recurring pattern, and my heart was beating irregularly to its own unique rhythm.
By the end of 2016, I made the commitment to myself to F.L.Y. (First Love mYself) and began my wellness journey. As I did, my inner and outer worlds began aligning. My heartbeat became within a normal range, as evidenced by my doctor's EKG/ECG report, my anxiety drastically reduced, and my passion turned into a burning fire to share wellness with educators. In 2018, I became a certified yoga teacher through Breathe for Change. I began infusing wellness into all I did as an educator. My own transformation continued with receiving my trauma-informed yoga specialty, children's yoga certification, and other growth experiences.
Then, the pandemic… In August 2020, I published my first children's book, "Big Change, Better You, Beautiful World," to support children (and adults) through the pandemic and the changes that life brings through the lens of the butterfly. The book and the butterfly are what inspired the wings of my company to unfold into what it is today and continues to grow into. The skills I learned on my personal wellness path connected to a desire to help our world, especially in education. It is with gratitude to the pandemic and the challenging world events that the necessity for teacher and leader well-being can no longer be ignored and is a call for systemic transformation. My intention is for well-being to be at the foundation of education, where teachers/leaders are actively seeing, honoring, and valuing the butterfly within themselves so that children can discover their own possibilities and value, too. With well-being and mindfulness at education's core, integrated with the social and emotional skills we need in society, we can create a more heart-centered, socially just, equitable, and resilient world.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a business owner, I wanted to create a company that allowed me to embed all of my passions into actions of service to others. Where I can be who I am and stay true to my vision and values. Often business owners lose sight of who they are, but for me, becoming a business has been an empowering accomplishment. Publishing my first book, making it on Amazon's Best Seller list, being invited to present at conferences to support educators, being a guest on podcasts, and receiving impactful stories from my clients and readers all connect to my why and success.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The biggest challenge is also the biggest possibility: the unknown and uncertainty. Especially as a solo "edu" preneur at this time, every layer of my business I do on my own, and I never truly know where the path guides me. There are always elements of unknown and uncertainty, like the logistics of running a business, knowing the number of clients per month, and exploring how your services will be discovered and received. You must become comfortable with the feeling, befriend it, and trust the process. Additionally, the self-doubting voice of the imposter likes to come up to protect you, and you need to learn to step into your courageous power and not let that voice stop you.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Align your business to who you are, your values, and your passions. Allow for the possibility of getting paid for being you!
- Even as a solo entrepreneur, there are many people, resources, and supports available to help your business to thrive. Have the courage to reach out and make connections. For me, I connected with SCORE Mentors (a free resource for small businesses www.score.org), which has been a wonderful asset in helping me get started and continue to refine my business.
- Embrace the power of relationships; you never know where your next client may be. It can be the person you are connecting with or someone they know. Perhaps that person may not be interested at the moment but may be a client in the future. Keep your heart open to the possibilities, nurture relationships, and follow up consistently. Creating a Client Relationship Management "CRM" Tool has been essential; www.Trello.com is a great resource to help with business and client flow. My book shares a powerful message to inspire us as business owners to take action and do what we love:
"Whether there is a small change or there is a big change,
There is a chance to become a better you.
When you look within and love the journey,
You can make a more beautiful world!
Be ready to transform—It is a gift waiting for you!"
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thebutterflywithin.me/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheButterflyWithin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseyfrank88/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindseyFrank88
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-frank-m-ed-6452a6157/
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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