Power Versus Softness? Or Can A Successful Businesswoman Utilise Both?
Power Versus Softness?
Or Can A Successful Businesswoman Utilise Both?
I was 35 a vocal coach and singer, coaching people of all ages to find and develop their voices, for some realise their dreams of singing in the Westend. I had over 100 clients and had just started to employ my own staff yet I felt I had outgrown my current role and the type of work I was doing and rather than moving upwards I wanted to challenge myself and move in a different direction.
At the time I was a vocal coach and singing teacher, helping people of all ages to find and develop their voices. Whilst I found this rewarding, particularly when I was able to encourage my students to discover the joy that singing could bring, somehow I knew deep down, that this was not my true calling. I needed to be true to myself and I knew that his feeling was not going to go away, so I became curious and decided to explore it further, making vision boards, asking myself questions and then questioning the answers too. I took a journey inside myself, exploring the silence, listening to the stillness, searching for my inner voice. One thing that had always been clear to me was that I wanted to be able to help people to be the very best versions of themselves, but that this must also apply to me. I needed to push beyond my own boundaries, or, to quote internationally renowned yogi, Ganga White, to “Stand on the shoulders of the past to find out how to see further into the future”.
I remember how excited I felt at this point. I had found my calling. I had determined how I wanted my life to be, how I wanted to be different and how I wanted both my business and the way I do business to be different. This business was going to be an expression of who I am.
But it was not all plain sailing, as I felt that I was bringing opposing sides together - the strong, powerful, no-nonsense, straight-talking businesswoman with the serene, balanced and softer approach of the yogini. Yet even as I wrestled with this, I found there was common ground:
· Commitment to achieve
· Drive
· Ambition
· Determination
· Focus
So in 2017, Yummy Yoga Girl was born and the time had come to make my dreams a reality. But there was much to learn, so I surrounded myself with experts and drew on my NLP and hypnotherapy training to help draw out my self-belief and discard any doubts which were consciously or unconsciously holding me back. I utilised skills from my previous career and experiences and broadened my horizons by travelling extensively, eventually training and qualifying as a yoga instructor under the tutelage of Ganga White.
Everything was going according to plan, but there was still one piece missing, one more dream yet to become a reality. I wanted to design and launch my own range of active-wear, because, for me, keeping fit and looking good at the same time are two parts of the same whole. I don’t believe in not doing something just because you don’t happen to have the right clothes at the time. My vision was to have an active range of sportswear that would be comfortable, durable and practical enough for the activity, but also stylish enough to be dressed up and worn throughout the day. My problem was that I had no idea where to start…
Then came a cold, grey, snowy day in January 2017. Whilst standing outside a yoga studio waiting for it to open, dodging the slushy spray thrown up by passing cars, I met Sue Mee Maudsley, a fashion designer who, it turned out, lived just a few streets away from me. The class was snowed off, so we went for a coffee together to warm up. As we talked, it soon became clear that Sue understood what I wanted to do and had the experience and expertise to help make it happen. In September, eight months after that first meeting, I launched my first range of active-wear and almost sold out.
Looking back now, part of me still can’t believe it. Since then, I have brought out a winter range and have plans for further collections in 2018. My learning journey has been phenomenal, not just because I have had to educate myself about the clothing manufacture and production process, but the sales and marketing side as well. I am currently working on setting up an online shop. So far, my roles as a CEO include coach, project manager, buyer, communicator, advisor, writer, seller, creator, presenter, producer, financial analyst and probably more. Phew…
Overall, I think the hardest part for me has been the technical side of the business – learning how to produce and edit online videos and how to use email marketing software and online payment systems. And planning… I have learnt that planning is vital in business and I have become a better businesswoman as a result of investing in improving my planning and organisational skills. Forward planning helps me to remain calm in the face of demands and deadlines, to stay focused in meetings and on track to making my dreams and visions a reality.
My top tips to share:
· Your dream is more than a dream. It’s a devotion to who you are and the belief that you can achieve more than you can dream
· Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Employ people who are amazing at what they do, learn from them and enjoy the process and connection of creating something together
· Be kind to, and look after, yourself. If you feel tired or stressed, STOP and step away. Find some time and a quiet place to reconnect with yourself and rediscover who you truly are. Take a few moments to empty your mind and just breathe, it will restore a sense of calm and control
· Reassess. If you feel you are pushing or fighting against something, don’t hesitate to question yourself and be prepared to make changes. I believe that this is of huge importance for your personal development
· And finally - meditate regularly. Build it into your routine, maybe at the same time each day.
Check out Natalie’s 1-2-1 business coaching at our Cosmic Soul academy