We were lucky to catch up with Carina Groombridge recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

I had a very slow start in my business. My first year I made about 900$ and the following year around 3000$ (not from a lack of trying). If I had known then what I know now things would have looked really different. This was a big driver as to why I chose to coach business moms on their mindset. When I started my business I knew I would need some help getting started so I read books, bought some courses, and had all the information, but I didn’t know how to get out of my own way.

How you’re thinking drives the results you get, with everything! I had all the knowledge but felt confused as to what to do first, next, etc. I had a story that I didn’t have time with a full-time job and three kids to really be successful in my business, so I perpetuated this result. If I were to start all over again I would invest in a coach to work on my mindset and business.

Managing your brain is the best investment you can make in creating what you want, before paying for a website, copywriting, or a logo. It can feel like a big investment but when you compare it to years of struggling it can take to grow that investment pays itself.

Carina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a business owner, mom of 4, lover of all things active and outdoors, and your future business bestie. I am a Mindset and Success Coach for moms looking to scale their businesses without sacrificing family time. I do this through working with my clients one on one in a 6 mth coaching container.

Some of the things I support my clients with are learning to trust themselves and taking care of themself first. Raising their prices, calling in clients, loving their business again, and figuring out how to balance business and family life in a way that feels good.

I help them double their income, cross the 6-figure mark, go full-time in their business and disconnect from work when it’s family time. Not only does this support my clients but it allows them to support their families and shift the cultural norms that say women can’t have it all. Yes, you can. I will show you how.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

I started my business as a side hustle when I was on maternity leave with my twins. I had to go back to my corporate job after a year of maternity leave. I knew I didn’t want to juggle a 45+hr/wk job I didn’t love, 3 kids under the age of 3, daycare dropoff, meal prep, and bedtime routine, and all the adulting things that would ultimately mean I would only get to see my kids for a few hours each day. This was not ok for me so my side hustle was born. There was a big learning curve, I put in nights, evenings, and weekends to build my business. Things were going well but I hadn’t built up the cash reserve I had wanted in order to quit. The company I was working for was going through layoffs and I had requested to be let go. This came with a severance package which allowed me to work on my business full time.

Today, I run my business full-time (on part-time hours) and I have baby number 4 home with me. I was able to take 3 months of maternity leave from my business and now take client calls and work around her schedule. I also get to be home for my older kids when they get off the bus.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I have learned that you need to cultivate the feeling of “enough” from where you are today, it comes from within not based on your external. When I started my business I always felt like I should be been farther along. I was embarrassed to admit that I wasn’t working with any clients. It felt like where I was was never good enough, I felt I had to “seem” successful to others because I couldn’t see it in myself. This slowed me down. Now I intentionally look for all the wins, I look for all the ways that what I’ve created and where I am is enough.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carinagroombridge.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carinagroombridgecoaching/reels/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carina.groombridge https://www.facebook.com/carinagroombridgecoaching. https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.mompreneur.movement.with.carina.groombridge

Image Credits
Chantale Arsenault