Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in coaching but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jenny Barkan, a Business Coach, based in Vaughan, ON, CA.

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

My main focus as a business coach is supporting middle-level managers. They carry a double weight on their shoulders. On one side, they are pressured by executives to get results; on the other - they want to protect and help their team members. It's not an easy place to be! But it can be a very rewarding and fulfilling place too. Through team coaching, exchange of ideas and experiences between participants, and a lot of fun, these managers get to experience what psychological safety is, how to ask the right questions, and how to see underneath the surface and recognize people's feelings and behaviors. The program I facilitate, "The THRIVE: a Leadership Journey," runs for six months for a reason. No change happens overnight; we all need time to wrap our heads around new concepts. But when it happens, when the light suddenly turns on - this is when all the magic begins! And I consider myself lucky to witness this transformation in my clients.

Tell us about yourself

I hold degrees in Law, Psychology & Management, but my passion always was to help people live better lives while at work and outside of work. That is why I received formal training as a Life and Business Coach at Erickson Coaching International Institute, Vancouver, Canada, almost ten years ago, and became a member of the International Coaching Federation.

Many years ago, Steve Jobs said: "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." I want to think I am one of them. And this is why I left the comfortable corporate world and opened my coaching practice.

I am a huge supporter of science-based coaching and a big fan of neuroscience. In my spare time, I am a devoted dog mom, a bit of a bookworm, and a wine lover.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I consider my clients' achievements as my business accomplishment. I won't lie; the financial success of my practice is important to me, and being able to thrive in the last two years through the turmoil of the pandemic, means a lot. But when during the coaching session, group one or an individual one, I witness this amazing "A-HA" moment in my client, when their face gets lit up, and they appear a little taller and confident, for me - this is what keeps me loving what I do more and more every day.

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

The hardest thing about being a business owner for me is also the best thing about being a business owner - having no boss. No one tells you what to do and how to do it; you have to make all the decisions and take all the risks. It is incredibly rewarding and very scary at the same time.

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

  1. Gather a lot of information and ideas, and talk to other people but stay true to yourself and what is important to you. Following someone else's footsteps might seem easier, but if you turn back on yourself, nothing good will come out of it.
  2. You will make mistakes, have doubts, and feel hopeless. It's not a grim prediction; it's a fact. Every business owner goes through that. But feeling down doesn't mean that you can't succeed. It means that you care about what you do and the people you do it for. Have a little pity party once in a while, and then pick yourself up and keep going.
  3. Being different is scary and uncomfortable, but it also means that others will notice you faster. Embrace your individuality and be proud of who you are.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.jennybarkan.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennybarkan/

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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