Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Matt Thieleman, Founder and Executive Coach of Golden Bristle, located in Lakewood, CO, USA.

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

I'm a transformational coach who supports individuals to create the impact and lives they're alive to have. My clients are visionary leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, and coaches committed to supporting others powerfully.

Tell us about yourself

I spent the first part of my career in digital marketing and strategy. There, I saw toxic leadership and broken cultures across clients' and friends' lives. That inspired me to begin teaching mindfulness as a tool for improving leadership, and eventually, I started coaching leaders individually.

I'm motivated every day by the infinite power, creativity, and love each of us has and the potential I see for us to tap into it for a more beautiful world. We all want it, and I just try to make it happen.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Owning and operating a business since 2015 is itself a tremendous accomplishment, and the amazing things my clients have created are what I'm most proud of. Everything I do is for the bigger mission I serve, so what others might consider accomplishments are simply steps toward the world I want to support in creating. Along the way, I delivered a TEDx talk, was CEO of a coaching organization for a year, and published my first book, 'This is Coaching' in 2023, among other things.

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

Being a business owner means we get to be confronted with the patterns and beliefs we put in place at a young age that will ultimately keep us from having the success we want. That's because running a business means coming up with the destination ourselves and the strategy for getting there. Everywhere else in life, we've looked to others for those answers.

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

  1. Think ecologically. How can you create a business that supports you, others around you, and the world at large? Understand that how you make decisions will impact many others, and you have the power to make positive change.
  2. Have a What For. Get clear on the change you seek to make with your business. What are your foundational values and commitments? Make decisions from those.
  3. Work with a coach. We all get in our own way, and starting a business requires us to grow beyond our current capacity. A coach is the fastest, most effective way to uplevel.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://goldenbristle.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.thieleman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thieleman1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thieleman1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattthieleman/

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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