Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ly Smith, Owner of UpCycle Coaching LLC., located in Reno, NV, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a certified Speaker Confidence Coach and Neuro-Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner. I guide entrepreneurs and coaches who want to use speaking to grow their business but struggle to recognize their amazingness and teach them how to stand in their power so that they can shine with dynamic presence, certainty, and confidence.
Tell us about yourself
I have been speaking in public since I was 8 years old. After fulfilling my dream of being a stay-at-home mom to my amazing daughter, I moved on to striving toward my dream of becoming a world-renowned leadership speaker. What motivates me each day to do what I do is the unlimited potential to help other speakers craft their stories into memorable frameworks, use their voice and their bodies to connect with their audiences, and give them the confidence they need to own their stage so that they can make their impact in a world that needs them so badly.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is being on track with retiring my husband from his career after he has supported me through years of being a stay-at-home mom and now the pursuit of my speaking and coaching venture.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things for me as a business owner is the loneliness that can happen as a solopreneur and working from home. I am an extrovert, and my interactions with people have been mostly over the Internet instead of in person. Also, there seem to be few people who understand what it is that I do, so having a circle of friends who get me can be challenging.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Understand and know the purpose that transcends you because it is that purpose that will carry you through the moments you don't feel like getting out of bed, the obstacles, and the times that you think you failed.
- Have a clean and clear message about who you serve and the problem you solve. If a 5-year-old doesn't understand it, most likely, neither will anyone else. This is essential to getting your marketing right.
- Borrow the belief of others when you fall short of believing in yourself. If you were given a dream or calling, you were also given the capabilities and resources to see it through. There is at least one person who believes in you, even when you don't. Borrow their belief until you grow into your own belief for yourself.
Where can people find you and your business?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ly.smith.speaker
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ly.smith.speaker/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ly-smith-speaker/
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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