We were lucky to catch up with Emi Matsushita recently and have shared our conversation below.
Emi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
One of the biggest risks that I took in my life has been jumping all in on starting my business.
I’ve had this notion that I was destined to be an entrepreneur, realizing that I didn’t fit the mold of working for someone else’s dreams or doing the 9-5 hustle. It was not for me. Even as a small child, despite growing up in a traumatic household that told me to play small to be safe, I had a gut feeling that I was meant for BIGGER things.
But this decision to go all in on my business, meaning that I was going to quit my job, aka cut the safety net that was holding me, and commit to believing in myself and my ability to do the damn thing, was a lengthy process. It may have felt like the decision was made overnight, but I look back and see how with each small step and life experience I had, I was being prepped for that moment.
The smallest seed to start my own business started when I was in the last year of grad school. I was finishing up my independent research, typing up my thesis, organizing my first international dance event, performing/touring; and all while pregnant with my son. This was the year that solidified my own confidence in myself. I saw my power. I saw what I could do. And it spurred me on to keep this trajectory of BIG, world changing, make-it-my-ownness.
And once I made that mental connection that I was capable and deserving from what I saw manifesting around me, I started shifting towards things that aligned with my big vision and goals. I started seeking help; I invested in multiple coaches to help me develop and launch my business– and I don’t regret any of it. Because it helped me continue to develop the strong mindset that was needed to sustain me in the decision I made– to go all in on my business.
Yes, it was scary at the time but looking back now at ALL of the things I’ve learned and how much I’ve grown, I could not be any prouder of myself.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Having been a dancer for most of my life, creative expression and artistry has always been my friend. When I was young, I found dance as a means to tap into my body, a safe space to express and show up for myself. This was such a release for me as I navigated a troubled upbringing at home. And as an adult, I felt and witnessed the power of dance beyond it as just an art form; but rather as therapy, connection, empowerment, and endless possibilities. It was my greatest healer in the midst of redefining myself after a life changing divorce. Also at that time, I became a coach, choreographer, and founder of an adult performance team, which allowed me to see dance positively affecting others. Despite the strong influence of dance in my life, I made life decisions that were predictable, safe, and dictated by external standards that I thought were appropriate and necessary for me. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I finally decided to put dance as a priority for my life; in how I live life and for the legacy I want to leave. And ever since I started pursuing what truly lights me up, I’ve gone through extensive growth, found myself in amazing opportunities, and can say that I am actively living and creating my dream life. This is the same power and confidence that I want other artists (and all humans!) to experience through their innate abilities.
I now stand firm, as a mindset & business consultant for dancers, in advocating the power of dance not just for the artists who revel in the art but for the greater world that needs its subtle invitations to take us out of ourselves and into new ways of thinking and being. And as such, my life (and business) promotes the principles that dance has instilled in me– to own our innate power and creativity and to live life authentically on our terms. Although I work specifically in supporting dancers due to my experiences, I am expanding this year to help other creative-minded souls in the corporate world to tap into their fullest potential.
My current business offerings include courses and workshops (virtual and in-person) designed for dancers to strengthen their mindset when it comes to owning their power and being active creators in life and art. Mindset and intention setting is combined with practical tips on how to take action when it comes to creating a business that fulfills and sustains them as artists. I also actively create and share content on Instagram and YouTube to continue raising awareness, challenging current ways of thought, and encouraging dance artists to live boldly.
In our current society and systems, the power of art is severely downplayed, especially dance, as not having significant impacts on individuals and the greater society and therefore there lacks a nurturing of support and resources for these world changers to do their work and thrive. I am unique and bold in my work by taking great action to advocate for dance artists and empower them to stir up waves which they were destined to make. If only we, as a society, could truly understand how dance and art has created great movements in history, served as the glue holding ancient cultures together, and given us permission to connect with our bodies and each other so we can optimally experience the world, artists would be able to really do the work for which they were designed and the world could truly flourish.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I am actually in a dynamic shift right now in my business. In the early iterations of what I wanted my business to look like and what I wanted to do, I visualized my role and service to be coaching. Coaching seemed like the obvious path to me as I acknowledged my deep desire to nurture long lasting impact and change in other individuals. I loved supporting other people to thrive in other contexts of my life, so it made sense that the service I would offer would be 1:1 coaching. Of course, I gravitated towards my niche being dance artists because of the familiarity of struggles and the general experiences I’ve had in life, work, and education.
When I made the decision to launch my business and go all in, I built my business on the foundation of serving dancers via coaching. My content and sales pitches led people into funnels that would book them into a call with me where I ultimately, with their permission, pitched them my exclusive 1:1 services. It didn’t take long until I actually booked my first clients (which was very exciting!). Yet, over time of doing actual coaching with real clients, I realized that it was not really in alignment with how I wanted to show up in my work. I realized that being someone’s accountability partner, holding their hand through a demanding process of change actually felt draining to me. I was too invested in their growth in a way that my empathic self took on too much of the responsibility for changes to occur. And this energetic impact is very important to acknowledge for an artist, as we tend to be very sensitive, energetic beings. I went through a brief period where although I was still trying to gain more clients, I knew that I did not actually want them despite the income expected being ideal for business.
After seeking some support from my business coach and a few other mentors, I came to the realization that I wanted my role to be more of a “beacon of light”, truth teller, and educator rather than a coach, accountability partner, and intimate guide. This felt big not only because I had to come to terms with what I thought was best for me was actually not but to also give myself the permission to shift, to show up as something a bit more different to an audience that was still getting to know me. Looking at other entrepreneurs’ paths, I realize that you must constantly readjust, shift, test, trial, learn, and grow. A business can’t thrive without the constant adjustments. And once I understood this, I felt emboldened to honor what I’ve learned about myself so that I could ensure that my business was in true alignment with my strengths, passions, and abilities.
And since I’ve made that deliberate decision to shift, I’ve focused more on showing up for my niche via workshops, DIY courses, regular content online, and in offering one-off consult calls. As a result, I’ve had opportunities open up for me to take my services into a different, more corporate context this year. These opportunities will allow me to speak to a different audience while still being true to what I can offer to individuals regarding support. I am very excited about the doors that have been opened due to my diligence to keep finding what works not just for others in business but also for me as a unique soul. Because at the end of the day, if your business is not in alignment with who you are and what you truly want to do in the world, every day will feel like a struggle and that is not how we are intended to live and thrive in this world and life.
How did you build your audience on social media?
From the beginning, I always maintained reservations and a healthy distrust for social media. I saw how it pulled people in and fed on their subconscious tendencies for validation, escape, and mindless entertainment. I really felt myself distancing myself from social media, mostly focussing it as a factor in the demise of the general society. And I mention all of this to say that despite my own feelings about social media, I still recognized the power and influence it had to connect people, get your message out, and to open up opportunities that may never be plausible in the real world. And I knew it was important for me to get over my own limiting thoughts about it so I could really tap into its potential. This mindset shift was key for me to overcome regarding what I chose to focus on when it came to using social media for my business and also was key in how I showed up in creating the content that I put out there.
I paint the backstory of my own process of mindset shifting because with social media, there is a lot of “getting over yourself”. This is essential in actually showing up in the digital space. It’s natural for humans to be very worried about what others think of them and desperately wanting to create something valuable, good, and of a certain standard that feels in alignment with their business and brand. But staying stuck in this “perfection paralysis”, (“perfection”-which is also propagated by social media itself) means nothing ever is created or ‘put out’. Yet with social media, the key is to consistently show up, to be unabashed about saying what you want to say, selling your offers, and putting your name out there in a way that reflects the confidence that you have in your own business as providing a life-changing product or service that the world needs. If you come from this space everyday, it almost becomes fun. And to do it consistently, it allows you to figure out how to show up better in the digital space because true clarity cannot be gained without action being taken.
Consistent with my own mindset shifts with social media, I had to also commit to educating myself on the platforms and how they work. I read articles, watched other influencers and businesses show up, and did a lot of my own trial and error to see what my audience needed. And with everything I posted and shared, I did it with an attitude of service and experimentation which quelled my perfectionist tendencies, focusing on testing things to see how I could serve my niche better. I am proud to say that I’ve built a genuine audience over time by showing up consistently, choosing genuine service & connection, and not being afraid to fail a bit because I knew that the knowledge gained would position me better as I grew in business. So my biggest advice to people who are starting out in the world of social media, figure out what you wanna say (or sell), be unabashedly authentic in your posting, stay genuinely service oriented, and be consistent no matter what. From this, you will find your people, customers, clients, etc that resonate with your business and brand and you may have some fun along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilou.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/levelup_emilou/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emi.l.matsushita/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emi-matsushita/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@levelup_emilou/videos
Image Credits
Shira & Shena Pridgett Renuka Rajagopalan Corey Haynes Photos