We recently connected with Juan Smith and have shared our conversation below.
Juan , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
The idea for my business came from my life experiences and development. I own, MproveU Coaching & Consulting LLC, which is a subsidiary company of my enterprise, JSent Cos. (Juan Smith Enterprise Companies). As an adolescence and young adult I often wrestled with the thought that I was not enough. I was insecure and extremely self conscious about my height, smile, and stature. I was raised with six siblings who were slimmer and taller than I was. My dad used comparison and sibling rivalry to push us to complete task and such. I did not take to it well and it often left me feeling like an outcast. These insecurities carried over into so many other relationships and social endeavors. Fast forward to post college when I got married and things seemed to be going well until the separation. Once we separated, those unresolved feelings of inadequacy resurfaced. I started therapy and during one of my sessions with my counselor, who was a great counselor and became a mentor, he asked me why I spent so much time trying to prove myself to others. The conversation led to stories centered around my dad and his absenteeism. One thing my counselor said to me that changed everything was, “Juan, try to spend less time proving yourself and spend your time improving yourself. You can choose the version of yourself that you want to become. So let’s improve”. He knew about my passion to help others discover their life purpose and passion so he recommended life coaching and helped me get registered into my program. About a year later I created MproveU Coaching & Consulting and completed my program to become a certified master life strategies coach.
Juan , 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 specialize in coaching individuals on their journey of discovery. I have clients who are on a spiritual journey trying to discover their “God-given” purpose, clients who are in need of parenting tips and strategies for their teenagers, and clients who are seeking motivation with exploring career options and interview skills. The work I do with clients ranges from spiritual development to postsecondary and career exploration.
I found my way during my time of self-discovery when I was finishing my masters degree in Leadership Studies. I realized then that it takes intentionality and time to find yourself and the best life path. As a high school student, I did not have many conversations with my parent or counselors about who I wanted to become or what my interests or passions were. During my time of ideation about my business, I thought about the services I could offer that would have been helpful when I was in need and did not realize what I needed exactly. So as I have grown and worked with many companies and families, my services have advanced: one on one sessions, group sessions, college and career workshops, parent coaching and workshops, and spiritual assessments.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In 2015, I experienced a heart wrenching total property loss due to a home fire. Fortunately, I was away traveling with my daughter and then partner. Interestingly enough, I was shopping for new rental insurance at the time because my previous providers discontinued their affiliations with the property where I resided. I found the company but left the task undone on my desk and proceeded to pack and leave on my vacation. Honestly, I thought I had time and could take care of it once I returned but little did I know there was something traumatic on the horizon. I was gone for an entire week and while away a fire started in the unit next door to mine and somehow blew through my entire unit. Out of 8 units in my building, mine was the only one that was a complete loss. I lived in Knoxville, TN at the time but was visiting my family in Atlanta, GA when I received the news. On the drive home, I prayed and cried for 4 hours still in shock. Upon arriving I did not know what to expect once I saw the ruble of what once was our home. I was still in shock while I was walked around the caution tape. For 5 months, I pushed through the pain and anguish and looked for the silver lining in the clouds. What helped shift my mindset was gratitude! I was grateful that we were all away when it happened, as my daughter was 6 months at the time. My friends, school community (I was a high school counselor), and church community donated clothes, money, and furniture. A friend started a gofundme for $5,000 and ended up raising $10,000, also. Through it all, I learned what true community looked, sounded and felt like. My faith was shaken but I felt the love of God through people and believed that I could make it back and I did. Now there is anything that I face that I cannot overcome.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
When I started out my clients were my friends which meant I was not getting paid. I would listen and help them discover the steps to get to where they desired to be. Eventually, I received calls from friends of friends through word of mouth. I am a mentor as well, so the influence and impact with my students and their peers spread which drew more clients and opportunities to work with groups and nonprofit organizations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://juansmith.inteletravel.com
- Instagram: thisisjuanmarcel
- Twitter: mproveu
