We recently connected with Andrea Shipley and have shared our conversation below.

Andrea, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

For the last 5 or 6 years, my life has been one risk after another.

When I realized I wanted (needed) to live nomadically, I first asked my employer to shift me into a remote position. It eventually became clear that wasn’t going to happen so I began my own businesses instead, first with life coaching and then with a private counseling practice.

Of course, every entrepreneur quickly learns that it’s not as simple as hanging up a shingle. My counseling and coaching work took a backseat to learning about marketing and sales for a while. Keep in mind that I’d dropped out of graphic design school in undergrad when I realized I didn’t want to sell things, and here I was, investing tons of time and money into learning how to sell. This was all part of a bigger investment into my own freedom and the nomadic lifestyle I craved.

Then I decided to sell my house and live in a converted school bus so that I could travel full time. There were so many things I didn’t know and I’m constantly learning about all the systems needed to live on the road in a moving home office with reliable internet connectivity. Think engine work, solar electricity, hotspots, and composting toilets!

I recall a fellow therapist saying “who’s going to want a therapist who’s living in a bus?” so living the way that felt authentic and exciting was also putting my professional reputation at risk.

It was risky to quit a good job and become an entrepreneur. It was risky to sell a real house in a rising market in favor of a home on wheels that’s hard to insure. It’s risky to live as a solo-female-dog-mom on the road. But the biggest risk that I was moving away from was the risk of living a small boring life that drained my energy and kept me waiting for a tomorrow that may never come.

There’s always risk, whether we live the prescribed ways or the bold ways, so I started living like my dreams could actually manifest and got busy making it happen.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been a seeker for many years which led me toward a fascination in personal growth and wellness. It could be one of those callings that’s hard to really name because you feel in in your guts.

I began as an artist, then a massage therapist, now a psychotherapist and a lifestyle coach. One thing led to another and now they all gel together into who I am today and what I offer my clients.

I have a private counseling practice called Soul Explorations. I’m licensed to help people in Virginia through mental health concerns and many of my patients are dealing with things like anxiety, existential issues, depression, and substance use issues. I absolutely love seeing my patients grow and become more resilient. I’ve been a therapist longer than I’ve done any other work and, while I’ve since added coaching to my repertoire, I don’t see myself letting go of my therapy work anytime soon.

I believe that life happens now and real change has to be embodied, so I utilize a lot of mindfulness in my work, whether through counseling or coaching.

My life coaching work has evolved with me and is currently all about helping service-based entrepreneurs design their lifestyles to fit who they are authentically so they can serve their clients better while enjoying themselves more too. Most burnout and misery is a result of being out of alignment with our true selves. I help people get back to their essence so they can design and build their lives around their north star. I don’t encourage most of my clients to become nomads (it’s not for everyone, trust me) but I do guide them toward what’s uniquely theirs and makes them feel most alive.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I learned early in life that it was safest to be relatively invisible. I may not have gotten all the positive attention I craved, but it would keep negative attention at bay. This doesn’t work as an entrepreneur. I’ve had to step way outside of my comfort zone in order to get seen as an entrepreneur. It’s helpful for me to remember that being seen allows me to help the people I’m here to serve. I have something to provide and I’m good at it, but if no one knows I’m here, there’s not much I can do for anyone.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I’m always learning more about this. What’s been the most helpful so far is determination and consistency as I move toward my vision. Even when it seemed like nothing was happening in my business and that no one was listening, I’ve continued to show up and take slow and steady steps toward getting my message out there, building an online presence and personal connections. It’s helped me clarify who I am and what I’m offering. I’ve also done a lot of work around showing up authentically in my business, which helps people feel connected to me. This is important because my work is all about connection.

Mindset has been really important too. If I expect things to go badly, they will. On the flip side, if I’m clear on my vision and what I’m here to accomplish, then more ease flows in.     

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aliveexplorations.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliveexplorations/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aliveexplorations/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-shipley-lpc-951600133/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aliveexplorations
• Other: https://design.aliveexplorations.com/wFL153 -free webinar.

Image Credits
I’m glad you asked. Annie Parent https://www.instagram.com/annieaphoto/ https://www.annieaphoto.com/