Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rhonda Britten, the founder of Fearless Living Institute, a destiny coach in the US.
Tell us all about your business...
Our mission is to support destiny seekers to live the life their soul intended™ (and certify the coaches that help them do it!)
What's your background and motivation to grow as a business owner?
For 20 years I was loster than lost. Alcohol. Suicide attempts. DUIs. For good reason. When I was 14 years old, I was the sole witness to my mother's murder and my father's suicide. As the only one who could have physically intervened (and didn't), being happy was no longer an option for me. Within hours, I knew what I had to do. I had to pretend. I had to be “fine”. That’s the least I could do for my mother. But inside I was riddled with guilt for being alive, self-hatred for doing nothing to stop it, and shame because I was the daughter of a murderer.
During those same 20 years, I was doing everything I could think of to "heal" myself: read every self-help book, attended every spiritual workshop, worked with every type of therapist. You name it. I did it. Inner child work, rebirthing, shamanism, journaling, vision boards, Reiki, dream analysis, and so much more. But it wasn't until I walked into the door of my studio apartment very much alive after my third suicide attempt that I realized something. If I wasn't going to die (and oh, how I wanted to be dead), I had to figure out how to live.
Don't get me wrong. All the work I had done to "heal" myself was helpful but it wasn't taking away the underlying feeling that I was not good enough, that something was wrong with me, that I was flawed in some way. That night I sat on the floor and said, "I have to start at the beginning. I have to start over." I grabbed some stars and a calendar and for the next 30 days I kept track of anything and everything I did that was good. I had to prove to myself I was worth saving. And thankfully, and just barely, I was.
It was that moment when I started to see fear differently. My fear. The fear I didn't know I had. I just thought I was the problem. I didn't know fear had anything to do with it. It was with that realization that I decided I had to know fear intimately. Not theoretically but how it worked in our everyday lives. How it tricked us. How it stole our light. How it stopped us from living powerfully, authentically, and free. And, most importantly, how to thwart it.
From that moment on, I devoted myself to understanding and mastering fear. And now, that's what I show others how to do. Because when you know - what I call - your unique Wheel of Fear, fear no longer will have a hold on you and you discover the true, fearless you. And nothing. And I do mean, nothing will ever stop you again.
As an entrepreneur, what does success ultimately mean to you?
My ultimate accomplishment is having the privilege of changing lives every single day of mine. Accomplishments along the way: Being the first life coach changing lives on television in the world with 600 episodes (3 tv series) under my belt, receiving the largest advance for an unknown self-help author ever for my first book "Fearless Living" with 3 more published with Penguin Random House, and my Emmy Award for the work I did on the hit reality show, "Starting Over."
By the way, writing my first book scared the crap out of me. The second one was worse. The third and fourth? Easy. Now I'm on number five and guess what? Scary once again.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being an entrepreneur?
Leading and running a team. It takes humility, patience, and a whole lot of love to create a team that works. It has been by far one of the hardest and most rewarding things I've done as a business owner. This includes my internal project team as well as my two faculty teams that run two of my programs: Fearless You membership and Fearless Living's Life Coach Certification Program. Leading and getting out of the way at the same time is an art and one I've had to learn and keep on learning.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run or grow a small business today?
1. Trust yourself. You know more than you think you know. When I started my business in 1995, I trusted myself completely but when my "dark night of the soul" descended in 2010, I didn't trust myself a wit. I went to masterminds, hired mentors, took courses, you name it. I did everything but trust myself. When I listened to all the expert advice I always heard the same things I already knew I had to do, I now had to trust myself and do it. By the way, I love masterminds and courses and mentors. But don't join to be fixed. Join to build networks.
2. Outsource. The first thing I did when I opened my business was hire an assistant. I figured that we could get twice as much work done, and I was right. Be on the lookout for good resources. Ask people who they use. If they have a team member they love, ask them if they freelance. Keep a list of recommendations. It's amazing how often I hire someone who has been on my list for a while. Trusting someone with your baby can be hard but you will not grow if you don't. It may take several tries, but you will eventually find a match.
3. Ask for help. This is easier said than done. And it must be done or you will not grow. Humility is essential for your ultimate success. So use your voice, ask for help and let people help you. I belong to two masterminds that I regularly reach out to even though it's the last thing I want to do (that's fear talking). Asking for help, and then accepting it, has helped me own my power, grow in my confidence, and build a support team that believes in me.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Owning, running, and growing your business is a spiritual calling, whether you know it or not. It will force you to clean up your mindset and own your energy. It will cause you to get beyond your limitations to discover what's possible.
There will be times you'll wonder if it's worth it and you'll probably find yourself on your knees more times than you can count. But at the end of the day, we're the lucky ones. We have a place to channel our creativity, create solutions people desperately need, and provide livelihoods to those we hire. We're contributing to saving the world in the way only we can. We're needed. You're needed. Never forget to keep answering the call.
Where can people find you online?
https://fearlessliving.org/
https://www.facebook.com/rhondabritten
https://www.instagram.com/rhondabritten/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondabritten/
https://www.youtube.com/user/RhondaBritten
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as an entrepreneur or business coach that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.
