Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alyssa Poggioli, founder of Uplevel with Alyssa, located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

My coaching practice focuses on helping corporate professionals to increase their emotional intelligence so they can lead with intention, love with impact, and improve their level of connection and intimacy.

Coming from a decade of managing corporate fitness centers, I discovered that the missing link to achieving success is when a person focuses on their mental and emotional wellbeing. So much of what we do physically is driven by our mindset (conscious and subconscious) as well as our ability (or inability) to be self-aware and regulate our emotions.

In my work, I can help individuals lose weight, reduce inflammation, increase energy, build better work-life integration, improve relationships (with themselves and others), create healthier boundaries, establish habits that empower an authentic style of living, and uplevel their mindset to a more positive space, so they avoid burnout and overwhelm.

Tell us about yourself

I got into working for myself as a life, leadership, and connection coach because of the experience I was having in my former profession. I managed corporate fitness centers for nearly a decade, and the themes within the conversations or the problems people were struggling with were all too serious and repetitive to not start questioning my true purpose.

I loved being in the fitness industry, but after a while, it became very clear to me that the support people (especially corporate professionals) need is mental, emotional, and relational support.

Providing for a family, managing a team and/or project, navigating through becoming an empty nester, and/or having to take in your elderly parents to give care is stressful. Within that stress and transition, people start to lose sight of how to take care of themselves due to lifestyle responsibilities. That is where I come in. I provide you a system with support and accountability to ensure that you are taking care of yourself so you can take care of others or businesses.

My motivations, first, are my partner and son. Second, the results and benefits that come from my clients' results. There is no greater gift in the world than to see a person increase their quality of life, excel in their profession, or create a more connected dynamic in their relationships.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Being able to serve clients successfully while doing 9-countries in 9-months through Latin America and Asia.

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

The delicate balance of being present. As a business owner, there is always something to be done, and if you are not careful, it can consume you. Being a business owner can ruin a person’s health, home life, and relationships if they are not careful.

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

  1. Have strong boundaries around what you deem important (your top 2 core values). A lot will come up, and if you are not connected to your core values and living them out with a sense of integrity, you will not like who you become.
  2. Know your value per minute. This will save you a lot of grief in knowing when or when not to hire out a task.
  3. Join a community or hire a coach. Having someone that understands and ‘gets’ what the entrepreneurial life is like is crucial. Being a business owner can feel isolating and defeating at times, so get someone in your corner and not be afraid to rotate different support styles along the way. As you grow, so does your support system.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Being a business owner is a choice. It comes with consequences, sacrifices, and rewards. Aside from the three steps I gave you above, another helpful thing that has proven to provide me a lot of success is reading books. Commit to reading 1-2 books per month: personal freedom and financial freedom books specifically. It will allow you to realize how fast things can grow while keeping you in a space where you are compassionate and give yourself some grace.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.alyssapoggioli.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alyssapoggioli
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssapoggioli/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alyssa_poggioli
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-poggioli/

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.