Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in career development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dagna Bieda, Founder of The Mindful Dev, located in Indian Trail, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
A Career Coaching Business that helps Engineers level up in their careers. I help my clients reprogram their Engineering Mindset for Success, spot the skill and mindset gaps, fill them in, strategically plan the next steps and reach for their potential in life supported by their career.
My engineering clients have various backgrounds - from working at small companies to FAANG+ companies. And their experience ranges from 2-20+ years of experience, and their educational background goes from self-taught devs, through career-changing Bootcamp grads, to college grads, even PhDs, some with a military background.
The results my clients have experienced range from a significant reduction in anxiety through skip-level promotions to doubling salaries within a couple of months while increasing their fulfillment in life daily.
Tell us about yourself
I'm an ambitious, hard-working woman who always wanted a successful career and, at the same time, always wanted to have a big family (my husband and I want four kids and be the type of family who travels and experiences life to the fullest). I want to have it all - a successful career and a big loving family.
Making a move into entrepreneurship was what made the "have it all" possible. So not only do I get to be an entrepreneur doing what sparks my fire - helping people create a foundation for a fulfilling life - but also, I have the kind of flexibility, freedom, growth, and money that would not have been possible if I continued working for somebody else.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My clients' successes - I've had people that massively reduced their anxiety, skyrocketed their confidence and gotten skip-level promotions, doubled their salaries, or moved on from toxic workplaces, and improved the overall quality of their life. I'm incredibly proud of the growth they've experienced and humbled to be a part of their journey.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Initially, the hardest part for me was getting out of my head and executing. That's why I hired a business coach—someone who had a similar journey but was ahead of me. My coach had a proven blueprint and helped me get clear on what exactly needed to be done and what was essential to get my business to the next level, provide massive value, and become profitable.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
The hardest part of escaping the 9-5 was getting myself out of my head and out of my way. There were two very specific things I did to get past that:
- Work with a therapist on my past baggage to understand "why am I holding myself back from doing things for my business, even though deep down inside I have a very strong drive and desire to be an entrepreneur?".
- Hire a business coach who guided me and showed me the ropes of the business.
So that's my advice to anyone looking to start, run and grow their business:
- Figure out how your past is holding you back and let go of it.
- Get a proven blueprint instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.
- Execute and make your dream a reality.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.themindfuldev.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dagnabieda/
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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