We were lucky to catch up with Shayna Hiller recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shayna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
Thank you! I am grateful to be here and to share with your readers. When I became a health coach in 2008, I got serious about starting my own business. My training had equipped me with the skills to get clear with my vision and commit to the process. It was like a seed that has been sprouting and growing ever since. I didn’t know the first thing about operating a business, so I started small and took it one step at a time. Before Zoom existed, I was coaching most of my clients on Skype and a few in person. I tried to keep things as simple as possible.
After several years, it was difficult to manage everything on my own, especially since I started to offer online courses and trainings. I had taken several business trainings to help me figure out how to grow online, however I realized I wanted to focus on my zone of genius which is helping people, so I finally decided to hire professionals in the back end of an online business. This tremendously freed up so much space and energy for me to focus on what I enjoy doing most.
The thing is, ‘business’ to me is synonymous with personal evolution and empowerment, especially in the wellness field. If I were to allow limiting beliefs and self-doubt get in the way, I would not have been able to move beyond the inevitable bumps in the road. So I have chosen to view the entire journey kind of like a meditation of self-growth and discovery. My advice for those who are curious about starting their own business would be to, firstly, meditate or journal about what you love to do. What do others ask you advice for? When you are passionate about what you do, it becomes way more effortless. Secondly, remember that it is a process. Things don’t happen overnight, and most of the learning happens by trial and error. If you factor mistakes into the process, it becomes less frustrating when they happen! It’s all part of the process. Write down your goals and visions, and do the inner work to free yourself from limitations and negative self-talk to reclaim your worthiness of succeeding and making an impact.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I decided to put my college degree aside and began teaching yoga in 2006. My practice eventually expanded to include holistic health and nutrition coaching. I became a board certified Health Coach in 2008. Since then, my career has evolved from helping yoga teachers and wellness entrepreneurs build confidence and grow their business to supporting women in healing from trauma, finding their voice and awakening their sensuality, creativity and personal power. While these avenues may seem separate, they are ultimately deeply interconnected. My personal journey greatly inspired the evolution of my profession. After healing my womb naturally, I felt compelled to study and learn and eventually share the practices and tools to support women in remembering the wisdom and magic within their bodies. I currently host virtual workshops and courses for women which focus on cultivating pleasure as the gateway to healing, creativity, prosperity and personal transformation. I also host yearly women’s retreats and Embodied Wisdom Facilitator Trainings in Bali, Indonesia for women who feel called to hold space for others to rise, reclaim and remember their Divine Feminine essence.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Other than training and knowledge, what is most helpful for succeeding in my field is being able to meet people where they are at. I have been teaching corporate wellness seminars for many years and have many clients in the medical and military fields. These people tend to be new to the teachings and even new to anything having to do with wellness and spirituality, therefore it’s easy for them to feel intimidated or straight up confused if I don’t portray the value and benefits of the work in a simple, digestible way that directly relates to their life experience. In addition, building and nurturing authentic connections with students and clients and genuinely caring about the people I interact with has proven to be a crucial asset in sustaining consistent long-term clients and growing via word-of-mouth. I guess the overall answer to success is… LOVE!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Ultimately, I had to unlearn the idea that I ‘don’t know how to do business’ or that it’s ‘hard/impossible to succeed on your own’, especially in the wellness field. Coming from a family that never had their own business and followed a more traditional/mainstream career path, entrepreneurship was a mystery that seemed to only be attainable by ‘lucky’ or ‘privileged’ people. My limiting beliefs and excuses for why I was ‘not fit’ or ‘not able’ or ‘didn’t know enough’ to have my own business nearly stopped me in my tracks, yet thankfully my inner voice was so strong and it led me to believe in myself and trust in my ability to create a new reality, one step at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shaynahiller.com
- Instagram: @shaynahiller
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaynaBrielle
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayna-hiller-21757b90/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGon9sy2KtFwk7om8vHalfA
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/shayna-hiller-health-coach-venice-2
- Other: www.embodiedwisdom.academy/waitlist
Image Credits
@mariam_miss_m_photo