It’s that time again: the latest in our Entrepreneur Empowerment series.
Today, we’re catching up Rachel Whittaker, Founder of Indie Beauty Delivers, the Indie Rockstars Group Coaching Programme and the innovative and fresh 360 Visibility Protocol. We’re getting the lowdown on translating in business (no language skills needed), believing in yourself, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and never being afraid to ask for help. Oh, and why external strategies are not enough, and instead, you’ve got to look a lot closer to you – at honing your positive mindset.
Take it away Rachel…
A bit about the founder, Rachel Whittaker
I’m a trail running junkie and like nothing better than throwing my fitness gear and trainers on and heading off into the middle of nowhere to see where my feet take me and what beautiful, remote and magical scenery I can find.
I’m also a gardening geek. I’ve been gardening for 15 years and particularly enjoy growing fruit and veg. My garden is pretty full, so I’ve recently got into houseplants and have a collection of over 50!
A bit about her business, Indie Beauty Delivers
Indie Beauty Delivers is all about coaching creative founders to drive sales by raising the visibility of their business. I’ve got a passion for all things beauty and a fascination with entrepreneurship. Put these together and you’ve got a lively expert who offers a unique insight into how you can provide your customers with an incredible customer journey.
I teach creative founders to raise the visibility of their business, so they can reach a bigger audience, sell more products and make the difference in the world they desire. I do this by sharing 360 Visibility Protocol, a system that consistently attracts, converts and nurtures customers without making them work harder or give up any more of their precious time.
Why did you set Indie Beauty Delivers up? What were you looking to do both on an entrepreneurial and personal level with running your own business?
I got very comfortable and very safe in a very “easy” job. I’d done it for 13 years and I loved it, but, in my heart and soul, I felt dull. I knew I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing, what I was super good at and I knew my job wasn’t making the impact in the world I wanted. Just under eight years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer which although not great resulted in giving me the courage and the opportunity to leave my ‘safe’ world and take the risk of setting up my own business.
I knew I was a coach, I knew my area of expertise was in visibility and sales and I knew this was an area many indie founders struggled with.
It was a complete calling – I just had to do it and now I have my dream business, coaching founders as part of my membership and one to one programs. I teach my 360 Visibility Protocol, a unique framework of touchpoints that nurtures every business’s customers across their complete lifecycle, guaranteeing a consistent flow of sales and an ever-growing community of loyal and repeat customers.
What do you remember about those early days and how have things changed for you since then?
My overriding memories are how working for yourself is nothing like you expect. All that freedom, all that extra time to yourself – they don’t exist. In fact, I worked more hours than I ever had, I felt quite lonely and was faced with having to learn a whole load of stuff I hadn’t experienced before like techy things and social media.
I also remember being afraid to ask for help. I thought admitting I didn’t know everything was a sign of weakness, that it would show everybody else I wasn’t really in the entrepreneurial club. I felt people would laugh at me and say: “I told you she wouldn’t have what it takes”.
One of THE pivotal moments in my journey was when I reached out to my first coach.
What a game changer!
It was so refreshing, empowering and motivating to build my skills and knowledge. My business began to scale and grow and perhaps, more importantly, I began to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who over the years have become a solid network of biz buddies who are always there for me.
I have never been without a coach since!
What/Who has helped you along the way continue to grow and evolve?
Recognising that me, and my mind, are central to the success of my business has really made a difference in the growth and scaling of my work. All the strategies you need to build your business are out there; you can read books, do courses, work with coaches and improve your skills and knowledge base. But that isn’t enough.
The difference between someone who establishes a competent business and one who exceeds all expectations and limits is MINDSET.
You have to coach yourself to believe and for most of us that doesn’t come easy.
Part of my morning ritual is to work on mindset growth every single day.
Do you have ‘mindset musts’ that you swear by?
I am so glad you asked!
I focus on making sure I work in my ‘awesome zone’ every day because this ensures my energy is always high. For me, this means:
- Working hands on with founders
- Coaching them to build businesses that align with their skills and passions
- Helping them unlock the excitement and potential that lays ahead
I run my own business doing things I love. I don’t believe there is a right way to run a business – just your way. So I approach every challenge by thinking, how can I do this in a way that lights me up and feels good.
Every morning I start my day by asking myself: “What do my clients need from me today?”. When I approach work through the needs of my customers, I feel energised and inspired. It motivates me to bring my ‘A’ game every day.
How do you cope with and overcome barriers? Are there any that really stand out?
I believe everything is possible. So when I am planning and face challenges, I don’t focus on the HOW. I work on the idea. I reach out for help and support from my coaches and biz buddies. Every single time, without fail, the HOW just works itself out. So I guess you can say that I don’t recognise these things as barriers.
What do you define as success for you and how do you celebrate it? Are there any standout moments?
My success is in my clients’ success. My coaching style and passion mean I don’t teach and walk away. I coach and mentor founders to take their learnings, implement them in their business and achieve financial success. When I get the DMs and emails that say a founder has had their highest grossing month of online sales, that’s when I celebrate.
What are the top lessons you’ve learnt as an entrepreneur?
1. Don’t be afraid to do it your way
2. You have to believe
3. Ask for help
4. Invest in growth
5. Love what you do
What are your top tips for anyone dreaming of setting up their own venture, struggling with getting it off the ground, or equally, are in it, but finding it hard (particularly amid COVID-19)?
Know your ideal customer as well as you do your best friend. A successful business is always about solving a problem your customer is regularly facing. As long as you know what this is, you can create products they want, desire and need.
This is one of the reasons I ask myself every morning, “What does my customer need from me today?”
Selling isn’t difficult when you put your customer at the centre of everything you do.
For more info and inspiration from Indie Beauty Delivers, head over to Instagram @IndieBeautyDelivers
You can also find out more about us and our entrepreneur empowerment series @LionSpiritMedia
0 Comments