Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Stella Loichot, owner of Allon-Z Coaching, located in Seattle, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and I specialize in Weight Management and Diabetes Prevention Coaching. I work with health-conscious food lovers who are tired of struggling with weight issues and dieting and are ready to achieve optimal weight, health, and vitality – while enjoying guilt-free eating.
My methodology combines nutrition science and physiology together with the French mindset towards food and lifestyle – because I'm French, even if I have been living in the US since 2000. I know from experience that we don't need more willpower or painful daily routines to achieve wellness. Food lovers deserve wellness without sacrifice, and my mission is to help them discover how they can enjoy food again without always worrying about weight gain or blood sugar levels.
Tell us about yourself
I love helping busy adults conquer their food cravings and unhealthy eating behaviors, and many of those I have the pleasure of working with are astounded by how their relationship with food becomes balanced and harmonious. But I gained this expertise the hard way.
For many years, I was in a constant battle with myself, trying to break out of the yoyo dieting and emotional eating. Grief had sent me into depression and binge-eating - especially sweets! I gained 50 lbs. within six months! Trying to fix the problem, I was starving myself all day but then caved into binge eating at night, sneaking food, obsessed about the next meal, and feeling ashamed of myself. I had gone from happy and social to isolated and withdrawn - feeling completely hopeless.
Fast forward a few years later, I leaned into my problem-solving skills and created a lifestyle that gave me back my health and self-respect. It took me ten years to create a do-able system that was reliable and effective but also adaptable to life events, such as getting married, moving from France to the US, having three kids, going through wacky hormones, and slowing metabolism due to aging, and even a rare genetic glycemic syndrome. I've been able to naturally keep my blood sugar balanced and my weight under control. The only things I've gained are self-confidence, energy, and inner peace.
In my mid-forties, witnessing the distress that so many people are facing in their efforts to establish healthy eating habits that support their wellness goals, I decided to become a health coach and help others win their battle with food. I became voracious about gaining expertise - acquiring three coaching certifications and four specialties within health, wellness, behavioral change, and coaching so that I could confidently fulfill my new purpose.
I created my own health coaching practice and have been dedicated to helping more and more people once then, working full time as a coach, but also teaching in the community, facilitating workshops, offering affordable coaching programs to organizations… it's been a wild road, but I have never regretted my decision to follow my heart!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Honestly, the success of my clients is my biggest achievement. I am not saying that I am doing all the work, not at all! My clients are amazing, and their success is entirely theirs. But knowing that I am able to guide them, support them, and encourage them along the way makes me feel so profoundly happy. When they tell me that wellness is not a chore anymore and that they lose weight or manage their blood sugar without depriving themselves and without much effort, that is such a big win; it makes my heart sing.
On a personal level, one thing that made me really proud was when my recently published book "Sleep It Off: A Revolutionary Guide to Losing Weight, Beating Diabetes and Feeling Your Best Through Optimal Rest" hit #1 best-seller in 10 different categories on Amazon, among others, Women's Health, Preventive Medicine, and Type 2 Diabetes Health.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, the toughest part is not knowing what is going to work and what is going to be a waste of my time when it comes to growing my practice. It applies mostly to marketing. There are so many different ways one can promote their services, whether it's social media, podcasting, in-person networking, blogging, talks, etc. In order to find what will work best and what will also bring joy, one has to experiment. I have spent countless hours trying things out that never gave any results or were not enjoyable… I don't mind the hard work, but I find it hard when my time is not optimized, so having to experiment with all the different marketing techniques has been frustrating sometimes. And since I want to keep my prices as low as possible, it's not always been possible to hire someone to do the heavy lifting for me.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Follow your heart: don't go into an activity that you are not super passionate about because being your own boss is a lot of work, and you need to be really motivated by what you are doing every single day. I make a living from coaching, but even if I didn't need to pay for my kid's college, I would still coach. Ask yourself: would I do this as a volunteer if I didn't need to make money? If the answer is yes, chances are it's a good choice!
- Start working before you have figured everything out. You don't have to know everything and have everything ready and perfect to start practicing your activity. Just get going, and you will learn a huge lot along the way. Don't waste too much time at first on a logo, a beautiful website, high-quality business cards, etc. As you gain experience, you will want to make changes anyway, so wait for a little for all that stuff, and you will save yourself a lot of time, energy, and expenses.
- Ask for help and support, and don't assume that you know who will help you and who won't. You might actually be very surprised that some of the people you would count on the most will actually not provide the support you need, and others will be extremely happy to help you once they know what it is that you need. Explain to others what would be helpful to you, and try not to be attached to your own expectations. There are so many people who will surprise you in a positive way; it makes the journey really intense and will help open your heart in a new way.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Make sure you take care of your health and well-being. It is very easy to be sucked up in work and take care of everything and everybody else but never time for yourself. You are the engine of your business: if you collapse or get sick, your business is in jeopardy, so make sure to prioritize your wellness and your health because you are the only one who can do that. No one else can do it for you.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://allonzcoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stellahealthcoach
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellaloichot/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-loichot/
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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