Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Char Newell, CEO of Your Healthy Reality, located in Bowie, MD, USA.

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

Your Healthy Reality's mission is to help organizations take a holistic approach to corporate health by utilizing a strategy that takes into account the "whole person" showing up to work. We are a professional development firm that aids organizations through coaching services.

Your Healthy Reality coaches will help analyze your existing people strategies and practices, help align your people strategy with your business strategy, and coach you through developing a positive work culture. We do this by taking a unique approach to coaching. We provide (1) Culture Assessment & Development, (2) Leadership Development & Executive Coaching, (3) Virtual & On-site Soft skills Training, and (4) Talent Optimization.

All our services will help cultivate a positive organizational culture and introduce practices capable of significantly making a positive impact on the employee's mental health and the overall organization's corporate health.

Tell us about yourself

I grew up in a community where financial struggles were the norm. Born in Jamaica and raised in Brooklyn, I've always had the drive to achieve generational wealth for my family. I've struggled to make my mark in business, pioneering many businesses that didn't end up on the other side of success, but my failures have helped me to build the resilience to persevere, right from my first business venture when I was 21 till the actualization of this new venture. I realized all those other businesses I've started I wasn't passionate about, and I wasn't solving a problem. Fast forward to 2017, and I am happy to announce I am passionate and I am solving a HUGE problem in organizations.

In my 15-year career as a Human Resources Executive, I served in several nationally recognized organizations and was involved in several high-volume mergers & acquisitions. From these experiences, I identified a consistent flaw predominant in most organizations, the unequal difference in the professional and personal development of its employees, which created a domino effect of a toxic culture. What concerned me the most was the mental health of the employees in the organization, and I wanted to do something about it.

Having spent several years witnessing the same problem, I eventually resolved to implement a solution, starting from the department I headed. This solution is what is now known as Your Health Reality. I came up with the idea that every employee needs access to a coach, and managers should be coaches to their employees. If we applied a little empathy in how we communicate, we would have happy high, performing employees. My Life Mission is to Empower, Educate, Motivate and rekindle the hope of many, especially people of color.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is Your Health Reality has helped professionals attain success in their personal and professional lives through our published "30 days to a new your journal".

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

I have discovered many, many hard things. It's so hard to pick one. But, if I have to, I am going to say it is a one-person organization in the beginning. You don't get to really be strategic because you are wearing all the hats, and with that, it's just not enough time. So I found myself feeling overwhelmed and non-productive in the early stages. I still wear many hats, but I've gotten better at managing my time wisely and incorporating self-care routines into my daily activities.

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

I have tips for days! Lol. The things that I know now are:

  1. Allow your business to take on a direction of its own. Don't get tied to one vision because as you begin to move, your universe will definitely guide you on the path you really need to go because, along that path, the resources are already there waiting on you.
  2. Trust the process and your intuition. You will never go wrong when you follow your own spiritual guidance.
  3. Give yourself grace when you invest in the wrong areas of your business in the beginning. I spent a lot of money hiring the wrong talent just trying to figure it out. The loss is all part of the learning process; eventually, you will get it right, and you will see a full return on your investment. DON'T PANIC, AND DON'T GIVE UP!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

When thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, ask yourself, am I willing to do this for free? Can I spend the first year providing my services for free? The reason I say this is that when you are able to work without seeing the monetary gain, and it doesn't feel like work, this is how you know you are truly passionate about something. I spent the first six months in business providing free services. Yes, it was frustrating because I needed the money, but I realized joy didn't come when I got the joy was in the transformation of my clients. If I wasn't able to help them, I wasn't feeling fulfilled. There isn't a price attached to me watching other people glow. I love what I do, but most importantly, I find myself operating in my mission now, which is to empower, educate, motivate, and give hope to many. Remember, your purpose is not meant to be found; you create your purpose.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://yourhealthyreality.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dearlifewarriors
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boszilla/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_healthyreality
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charnewell/

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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