We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laura Weiner-Kiser. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laura below.
Alright, Laura thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
In a weird way I’m pro risk. I fear looking back on my life and thinking, I wonder if or when or why. It’s lead to some ups and downs but I’d do them all again. However, I got a little spunky when I decided to start my business. Most people think about it for years, have a business plan, etc. Not me! I thought it was a good idea to start my business as the pandemic hit, while I was relocating from Chicago to St. Petersburg, Florida, in school, newly married and had become a vegetarian a month prior. When I read that, I feel crazy haha. I’ve said before, I didn’t choose my business, my business chose me and I honestly believe that. I don’t remember having the thought I should start a business, I do remember having the thought people need my help. When I was in school I was learning so much about why we don’t change and what makes it so hard to lose weight. I was empowered and enraged. I’d worked for a decade trying to help people and I had countless certifications, but none of them went into this. It felt selfish for me not to share what I’d learned. It was that special emotional cocktail (empowered and angry) that motivated me to jump. I didn’t know what the world would be, COVID was 2 months old (so to speak). I definitely made mistakes along the way, but with each one I learned something new. It was the perfect storm, there was so much change happening in my life, the future was so uncertain, and people needed to know how to be healthy and overcome their stress.
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 started my career as a personal trainer and along the way realized nutrition kind of matters so I became a nutrition specialist. I could help my clients lose weight, but they’d gain it back….I wasn’t satisfied with that. I expanded my curiosity and realized how instrumental our hormones and mind are when it comes to being healthy. I went on to get certified as a health coach, life coach, transformational coach, stress coach and master coach. Each step on my career has been a search for how to help the individual who is serious about building the lifestyle they want to embody a state of being healthy. As in how they think, act and feel. I have found that stress is at the heart center of our success and we have to retrain our mindset in order to truly achieve the lasting results we desire. I work virtually and offer 2 courses. One all about how to be stress free and healthy. It gives participants a while different way of thinking about food. Teaching them how to balance their body and lose the pounds WITHOUT RESTRICTION! But don’t forget the mind is very influential so included in the course is also the necessary mindset tools to help you overcome stress with food, build coping techniques, understand your emotions and build your recipe book. The other program is called Get To Know The REAL You. This is a journey into abundant confidence. So many people struggle with self doubt and feel unworthy. We get stuck focused on what’s lacking, where we’re not enough. The truth is we don’t really know ourselves. We learn to understand ourselves by what people tell us. But that is always based on THEIR perception. Get To Know The REAL You is an adventure into embrace your authentic self and teaching your mind how to let that version of you shine and guide you into the empowered life you desire. I also offer 1 on 1 coaching to help work with the individual where they are and meet their individual needs. I create plans very specific to the person and help them learn how to detect, accept and commit to the newest version of themselves and the reailty they want to live. It’s truly transformational and deeply empowering and rewarding.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to learn to trust myself. When I first became a coach I gave authority away. I beleived the people who’d been doing it longer over my authentic knowing. Even when I’d do what they suggested I would feel a wave of depleting energy. I’d get the urge to take a nap it was excessively draining. But I ignored it. I had to learn that it’s more important to honor my morals and the client than it is to be successful. I realized the whole reason my business exists is to help people and thus the intuitive instinct I’ve always had of helping people is what I need to trust to guide my choices. It’s scary sometimes. I want to help people and I don’t want to sell, so I “lose” clients sometimes. That’s when I have to accept it’s just not their time or they aren’t ready, and that’s ok.
Any advice for managing a team?
LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND! I don’t remember who said it but I remember reading a quote that went, ” Feeling heard is so close to feeling loves most people can’t tell the difference.” I’m not saying you want people to fall in love with you, but I am saying listening from a place of understanding, not a place of defending, allows people to feel valued and respected. Culture is incredibly important, and when you can lay down your ego, knowing that all humans have blinders and there isn’t only 1 right way of doing things, you’ll learn. Not to mention, different perspectives often help add value to the product you’re trying to sell. Creating an environment that values listening to understand cultivates a sense of safety and innovation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.changebychallenge.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/change.by.challenge/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Change.By.Challenge
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-weiner-kiser-b9a3011b9/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ6Sui_Vn0TNQE8qz10r8Hw
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/LaDeaW-GsUbKnPWWB7uUUw
Image Credits
Kat Fodor https://www.instagram.com/fodorfotos/