Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Vivien Hudson, Founder of Whealth, LLC, located in Inman, SC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I work with business leaders and their teams in the small business sector to grow happy and engaged teams through effective communication and positive work culture. In my practice, I focus on helping leaders to create team environments that foster employee collaboration and job satisfaction while meeting the organization's objectives. Through customized workshops, one-on-one coaching sessions, and speaking. I have had the privilege of working with many mid-level managers and often find they aren't given the skills, training, or support from their managers or organization to be successful. If you are great at your job - yay, you get to manage people, but they don't tell you how. The tools I use help align business strategy with team and individual behaviors, which enhance communication, productivity, and alignment.
Tell us about yourself
Back in Australia, I owned my own business as a pharmacist for many years and got super interested in what gets people out of bed and coming to work with a great attitude. This led me on my journey of self-discovery, training as a coach, several different behavioral assessments, and more. I also believe life is a journey, and experiences are what give life texture. This empowered me to travel a lot in previous years. I married an American and moved from Australia to the US 10 years ago. This was one of the many experiences I have goals for. My ultimate goal is to live wherever I choose while being able to work with inspiring and engaging people... because my motto is 'life is too short to live it any other way.' Had I not built self-awareness and carried a positive spirit with me, I could have easily fallen into a big hole at different times in my life. Running my own business at times was incredibly stressful, especially financially, due to being in a high-rent Westfield center and increasing competition. During this time, I wore multiple hats as a mother of 3 kids trying to keep all my balls up in the air. What kept me going was fuelling myself with self-belief and positivity and having the love and support of my family.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Working hard to build up my first business to a 7 figure business, keeping my 2nd business alive despite all the challenges, and reinventing myself when we moved to the US to become a highly regarded coach, trainer, and speaker. Being self-made!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The loneliness that comes with success, or I could even say perceived success. We often put on a brave face when we feel like our world is crumbling inside through the challenges we face in business or at home. This can leave you feeling incredibly alone as you don't know who to turn to for the right kind of support. Also, stress sometimes made me feel like my teeth would fall out! With my background in healthcare and since leaving the world of pharmacy, I have learned a lot about stress and how much of it we create in our own minds. Additionally, stress is responsible for many diseases. One of the reasons I often speak to audiences on how much they can control stress through their own thoughts and actions.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- When starting a business, research your niche and listen to your gut. There were times I followed my gut, and I really believed in myself, and things worked out. The times I didn't listen to it were usually decisions that weren't for the best. I hate to say regret because I don't believe in living in the past.
- Your daily and consistent habits will define your success. As you grow a team, if you are inconsistent and uncertain, then your team will mirror that. Provide strong, clear leadership, have fun and help them thrive, and your business will too.
- Have a team of support people - coaches, mentors, people who can guide you, be a sounding board, share their experience and help you feel you are not alone. Don't be too proud!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.brainbodyandbusiness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viv.hudson/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vjhudson/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivhudson/
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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