Petra dabbled in various business ventures due to her multiple passions until she finally settled on being a life coach. She was pushed into venturing out on her own because she was fired, but ironically it was the push that she needed! Read our interview with the lovely Petra below…
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I’ve always felt the entrepreneur bug and started my first business selling my handmade creations, but it didn’t sustain. I returned to college and earned my Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling and after 3 years of digging in people’s pasts, I realized that building a future was more my thing and made the transition to life coaching. Ironically, I was fired, catapulting me into my business.
Tell us about your business.
I am a mindset and life coach that helps you take inspired action on your ideas and dreams. It’s one thing to have this amazing idea, and a completely different thing to actually take action and all too often the beliefs we have about ourselves hold us back. So with consistent mindset work and inspired action, I help my clients move forward.
Where is your business based?
I live in Charlottesville, Virginia near the Blue Ridge Mountains.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
The first steps I took to get going was really understand what life coaching was and how I could best help my clients. I immersed myself into books and other business development readings. From there I started a blog and started writing content and telling people about what I do. Which then of course followed social media and connecting with people in Facebook groups.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Summits and interviews! I love them because they not only allow you to connect with other entrepreneurs, but you can show up as an expert among other leaders. It also adds to your visibility and your credentials in the long run.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Some of my challenges in the past is knowing what to do every single day, but when you are absolutely clear about what you are creating, the kind of impact you want to make, all of a sudden you wake up knowing everything you need to do during a specific day. Another challenge that came up for me is that I am multi-passionate and truly believe we all are in some way. My struggle was that I wanted to find a way to bring all of my passions together but couldn’t quite figure out how to make it happen, when everyone tells you to focus on that one thing. It’s a bit boring, personally.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I took to my journal and wrote out my frustration and what I was struggling with and developed a flexible routine and system, starting with my ideal week and made room for all that I love to do.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
I think it’s important to take time off regularly – one of the lessons I learned when I worked as therapist. You can’t be “on” every single day of the week. You have to take down time, make room for fun and if that doesn’t help you shift your thoughts, reach out to someone that at least in part can related.
How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I am a foster kid success and a special-needs parent all rolled into one. I think the one thing that people always ask me is “how do you do it” and it’s a simple matter of I decide what I want and I make it happen, despite the odds that at times were stacked against me. What gives me a little bit of an edge is that I can see challenges, frustrations and strategies from all sides, I call it the “hexagon perspective”. I can place myself into your shoes and other people’s shoes in order to understand what you are doing through and figure out how to work through it.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
Stay in your own lane! There are a lot of the same businesses out there but we all reach our goals at our own perfect time. But most importantly, you can only be true to you, speak your own truth and do things your way.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Be clear on what you want to create and who you serve. This will help you identify the programs and offerings you want to bring to your people. It will also help you figure out what to do every single day as you are sitting at your desk wondering what you should be working on. Oh and if it feels like a should, perhaps you can outsource it or not do it at all.
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
I am in love with Adobe! I am using Photoshop for the majority of my social media images, but also to edit images and then put workbooks together in InDesign.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @petra_monaco
Twitter @petramonaco
Facebook www.facebook.com/petramonaco
Website http://petramonaco.com
Hashtags #mindset #timeisnow #mindsetonfire
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brene Brown. It’s absolutely amazing on clearing some of the internal clutter.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
English is my second language so I am continuing my studies in grammar in order to further improve my language skills. I was diagnosed with dyslexia in my younger years which has brought on some challenges.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
My goals are to increase my visibility and create amazing programs for my clients. Of course, visibility means stepping out to be seen on various platforms through summits and guest blogging. And my programs will create a life on their own. I am always getting new ideas to do things and taking inspired action on them every single time, usually pays off in a big way.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
I am in the middle of producing new content for a workbook soon to be released so you may have the most productive, colorful and amazing year yet to come.