Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kathy Nelson, founder of On Track Success Coaching, located in San Diego, CA, USA.

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

My business is On Track Success Coaching, and my clients want to make changes in their life, whether personally or professionally. As a CTI Certified Master Coach, I like helping business owners and people of all ages and walks of life create a balance between home, work, and play – helping them live their dreams. Therefore, I am known as the "Big Picture" coach. I have more than 23 years of professional experience as a business and life coach.

Tell us about yourself

I was a successful Vice President in the Title industry and found myself looking for more in my life. I started taking self-development classes on the weekends. The courses inspired me to help myself and make a life-changing decision to quit my corporate job and step up and take professional coaching classes. In 1996, I was Certified by the Coach Training Institute as a Co-Active Personal and Professional Coach. I founded my solopreneur business, On Track Success Coaching. Through actively networking in my San Diego community, I joined an organization called BNI – Business Network International, where the members saw how coaching would help them grow their businesses or help them advance in their careers. Referrals from the members were a great way to expand my client base. To this day, my website and referrals fuel my business. What motivates me the most is seeing lives change and businesses grow. It's all exhilarating to me to partner with people to help them discover what it is that would bring them joy and happiness.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

In addition to the satisfaction that I gain from watching individuals grow and live their "best" lives, I believe the awards and media visibility I have received over the years helps me be able to change even more lives for the better. Therefore, this worldwide recognition is my biggest accomplishment as a business owner. Recently, I was named one of San Diego's 2023 Best Career Coaches, and the 2022 International Elite Magazine recognized me as an IE 100 Winner—where their merit-driven process ensures their awards are deserved. In addition, over the years, I've been interviewed on national TV and radio, and my coaching success covered Good Housekeeping, the San Diego Reader, Daily Transcript Women Who Mean Business, and more.

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

Managing your own time is the hardest part of being a business owner. Unfortunately, It's one of the biggest challenges. Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities, significantly increasing effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. Many entrepreneurs are great at ideas to generate their products and services, yet when it comes to balancing the day-to-day business operations with their personal life, they need to be equipped with strategies to manage and balance their time.

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

  1. Find resources to educate yourself on how to build a solid foundation for your business to grow systematically. You will need to address finances, accounting, legalities of the entity, sales tax planning (if necessary), messaging, marketing, sales, staffing if needed, and more.
  2. Put time management practices in place. Look online for resources on organizing and prioritizing your daily work activities and personal life commitments.
  3. Hire a life and business coach. A coach can see the big picture of all the pieces you will be dealing with when you start your business. Working with a coach for six months would save you time and money in the long run.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.ontracksuccesscoaching.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnTrackSuccessCoaching
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathynelson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ontracksuccesscoaching/

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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