Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tetiana McLemore, Founder of TM Coaching, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

My mission in life is growing and equipping others to do remarkable things and lead significant lives. There's no higher goal than to help others realize their worth and potential. I serve people and help leaders understand the importance of self-growth. I believe that each of us is a leader - whether by choice or by default. A transformed individual can transform the world and make it a better place for all. Transformation is possible: one only needs to be ready and willing to transform self first and then others. My customer is any individual or organization that is looking to transform so that they can become their best and most favorite versions of themselves.

Tell us about yourself

I started my business in 2013. First, it was more of a hobby. I helped my friends and family members, and colleagues I worked with to overcome the feeling of being stuck or frustrated. I really began to view my hobby as a business when I heard from the people I worked with. They told me how their lives and careers had changed since they started working with me. They felt they were living up to their values and took control of their own lives. Positive feedback, words of gratitude, and my clients' success stories made me think of becoming a full-time Life & Leadership Coach. My previous clients inspired me to help an even larger number of people. There are so many individuals in need, and it makes me feel fulfilled when I help one person at a time to remember who they truly are.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

While I do have some awards and get invited to present at workshops and seminars, I believe that my biggest achievement is always the next success story of my new client. To me, it is all about my clients' feelings of achievement. When they succeed, I succeed, too.

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

When one works for oneself and is one's own boss, it comes with increased responsibilities and even greater insecurities. If you compare working for an employer and working for oneself, each option has pros and cons. I don't have all those perks which a company offered me when I was working for someone (e.g., health insurance, paid sick leaves, etc.). However, the lack of those perks made me continue learning and finding the ways to get what I was missing. In short, working for myself is associated with doing a lot of learning, which equals finding the time to learn.

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

I know it is super scary to walk away from a secure job (although I would really doubt the question of security). Hence, if you are looking to start and grow your own business, I would remind you that certainty is an illusion. Go ahead and make that leap of faith. Imagine yourself ten years from now and see if you feel regret about not going for it?! If you do feel that regret, then it is a sign that going on your own is worth trying. Starting your own business means living by your own values. What can be more awesome than that?! Life is too short to live it the way someone tells you to live. Working for yourself is a great way to say that you have lived a fulfilling life. The obstacles will come, no doubt, but there are always options for how you can overcome those obstacles. Asking for help and doing research are two great methods to push through the walls of running your own business.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

If you want to have a strong sense of who you truly are, then starting your own business is the most effective approach to getting to the bottom of that sense.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://tabsoft.co/3PSOdle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tetiana.mac
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mclemoretetiana/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tetiana-mclemore-phd/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.