Risa Kawamoto was stuck in the 9-5 wheel and itching to break free so she devised a plan and decided to become a Yoga teacher! It was through Yoga and the conversations with her clients that she began to realize and understand what her true passion was – to help others, like herself previously, escape the 9-5 cycle. And that is how Clarity & Success Coaching was born.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I was born and grew up in Japan. When I was 9 years old, my parents sent me to the UK to a well-known alternative school called Summerhill. A place where lessons are non-compulsory and both adults and children have equal status. I didn’t speak a word of English. I was regularly homesick in the beginning, but learnt to adapt to the new environment and embraced the freedom during the 7 years I spent there.
When I graduated from school, I knew I was meant for something big, so at 16, without any hesitation, I decided to move to London alone and went to college and worked 6 nights a week so that I could pay my rent and study expenses. I couldn’t afford to go to university after college as I was classified as an “overseas student” and I couldn’t afford the fees. So I went on to follow what people would call a “normal” career. I worked hard and climbed up the corporate ladder quite quickly, but my heart was never there. I was itching to break free from the conventional 9-5. I wanted to be different again. This is when I decided to complete my Yoga teacher training, as I loved the way Yoga helped me stay positive, and was hoping that it will open up some new possibilities for me.
Through Yoga, I realized that I really love helping others, giving advice and coaching ladies through their transformational journey, so I decided to launch my coaching business. I started with health coaching as being a Yoga teacher, I felt it was natural for me to focus on health & wellbeing. But I started noticing, through the women I spoke to, that a major underlining cause of their health issues, whether it was depression, anxiety, weight gain, feeling lethargic, emotional eating etc, originated from the stress at work. Long hours, relationships with colleagues, feeling stuck in their job, office politics, bullying and so on. I felt really passionate about helping women making that transition from working in a 9-5 job to starting their own businesses doing what they truly love. So I changed my niche and rebranded my business to Clarity & Success Coaching.
Tell us about your business.
I am a Holistic Business Coach for aspiring online entrepreneurs seeking to break free from convention. I help people identify their passion and then works with them to grow their own unique business.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
I am starting a 5-Day Challenge on October 3, 2016 where I’ll be teaching how you can position yourself as an expert and stand out from your niche.
Where is your business based?
I live in London, but I work with women all over the world! One of the reasons why I wanted to set up a coaching business is because it can be an online based business. My parents live in Japan and I have friends all over the world, so having a business that allows me to work from anywhere and anytime has always been my dream.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
Before I started coaching, I already had my own website for my Yoga business and I was also blogging regularly. However, I didn’t know anything about starting an online business so I watched every free webinar and course out there before I decided to hire my own mentor to help me build my business.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Being visible online by sharing my story, journey and message. I love the personal approach by connecting with people individually and building a relationship on a one-to-one basis.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Finding my own unique selling point and creating a brand that stands out from my niche.
How did you overcome these challenges?
It took me a while to figure out what works best for my business. Working with different business coaches and mentors really helped me figure out what I wanted to offer to my potential clients, that are unique to me as I experienced being what is like to be a client. I discovered there are a few important “somethings” that are missing from other coaches out there. When I figured out my own unique selling point, I was over the moon and felt really excited about my business. Also yoga has helped me massively throughout my entrepreneurial journey, both physically but also mentally and spiritually.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
Revisiting my “WHY” I wanted to start my own business.
How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
Being “ME”. I believe that everyone has a different story to share and I believe that the story behind me and my business will inspire the people I want to reach out to.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
Give 3x more value than your competitors.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Never give up and never stop learning new things!
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
Social media especially Facebook.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
I’ve recently started reading a book called “Mindset: How You Can Fulfill Your Potential” by Carol Dweck.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I started using Pinterest as a new tool for my business so I’ve been learning a lot about it.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
I’ve just hired my very first VA to help me with a project I am working on. It’s an online platform for new & aspiring entrepreneurs and we are planning to launch in December.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @risabizcoaching
Twitter @risabizcoaching
Facebook www.facebook.com/risabizcoaching
Facebook Group www.facebook.com/
Website www.risakawamoto.com