We recently connected with Sammy Knight and have shared our conversation below.

Sammy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I’ve always danced to the rhythm of my own drum, finding my own unique ways to rebel from societal norms and challenge the status quo. From childhood, I’ve harbored an entrepreneurial drive, constantly envisioning ways to transform my passions into viable business ventures. I’ve experienced the rigidity of the traditional 9-5 structure and knew it was very much not for me. I deeply appreciate the freedom and independence to craft my own schedule and prioritize autonomy over my time, which is ultimately what led me to where I am today.

The idea for my business and my journey into the world of life coaching were birthed at the same time as I approached the final stages of my clinical internship in the last year of my graduate program, circa early 2018. Three years prior, I had moved from the familiarity of the Midwest, where I had spent my entire life up to that point, to Rhode Island to pursue a Master’s in Holistic Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Initially, my sights were set on becoming a licensed therapist with aspirations of establishing my own private practice. However, despite my dedication to working with therapy clients, a lingering sense of discontent emerged. I found myself yearning for something different, a space where I could amalgamate various strengths and passions—a realm I felt constrained from exploring within the confines of the clinical, medical-oriented framework that therapy often adheres to.

I was feeling a bit lost, unsure that degree path was really something I could see myself doing in the long-term, when an incredible mentor of mine had a heart-to-heart with me. They suggested I explore the idea of starting a life coaching business, and it was like a lightbulb went off. Suddenly, everything clicked, and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

I remember starting to work on my first website at least 18 months before I even launched my business. As I reflect on those early days there are so many things I wish I could tell my past self, primarily though, I wish that she would have known she wasn’t in this alone. Being an entrepreneur can be an incredibly fulfilling and magical experience. It can also be really freaking lonely at times, and as someone who likes to figure things out for herself, I really really cut my work out for myself.

I spent days upon weeks upon months researching and exploring all things life coaching, social media, entrepreneurship, and starting a small business. I knew that I wanted to focus on the one-on-one coaching model, creating a virtual space where I could guide my client’s through their own journey of self-discovery, supporting them to identify their strengths and limitations, understand their behavioral patterns, and create the change and transformation they longed for.

It would be 2 more years until I ultimately launched my business in the midst of 2020, but aside from hiring a photographer for a branding shoot, I literally did every single thing independently. From forming my LLC, to finances and taxes, to building my website and social media strategy, and everything in between, I started from square one and taught myself each and every step along the way. Youtube truly became my best friend. While doing this may be possible, in the long run I will be the first to say I regret not seeking more guidance and support from other entrepreneurs, as well as not giving myself permission to outsource things to people who had more experience than me. It’s a common misconception that you have to wait for your business to reach a certain level of “success” in order to invest in your it in these ways. In fact, I could totally have saved myself a lot of time and money if I had done so, however I also deeply believe in the notion that things happen for a reason, especially in the sense that we learn and grow through every experience. I wouldn’t be the coach or business owner that I am today if not for these experiences, which I will forever be grateful for (and also, please learn from my mistakes).

Sammy, 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?

Hi, my name is Sammy and I am a life and relationship coach living in Rhode Island with my husband and two pups, MJ and Rupert. I have been running my coaching business for the past 4 years, in addition to also practicing as a holistic mental health therapist for the past 6 years. To me, personal growth and transformation lie in optimizing overall well-being by honoring and exploring the hard stuff and deepening your own personal connection to self through mind, body, and spirit. I truly believe that being a human is the most beautiful thing you will ever do. I also believe it is the most challenging and messy thing you will ever navigate. To me, one of the best and most difficult parts of this whole being a human thing is relationships, definitely with others, but most importantly with yourself. And although you can’t change or side step the hard parts (no matter how hard you may try), you don’t have to do it alone!

I help my clients break through cycles of unhealthy relationship patterns by healing their people-pleasing and codependent behaviors, developing more effective boundaries and communication skills, understanding how to utilize core values as a personal guide, and identifying ways to prioritize personal needs and desires. Essentially, my role as a coach is to empower my clients to reclaim their confidence and take their relationships from chaotic and dysfunctional to connected and secure.

For as long as I can remember, in all aspects of life, I have inherently desired the exploration of depth, connection and self-expression. I consider myself a multi-passionate person which, for a long time, made me feel a whole lot like there was no where I truly belonged. Through much (ongoing) soul-searching, I’ve actually come to recognize this as one of my greatest strengths to embrace. I could tell you all about my journey pursuing the study of psychology, human behavior, expressive arts, dance, holistic health, and mental health counseling, but really, I think the most important part of my personal journey has been the unraveling. It has been in the moments I’ve felt the most confused, the most raw, the most resistant to change, that I’ve found the most insight, healing and transformation. It was when I finally let myself realize that it was okay to not have it all figured out. That the world would not end if I did not do things “perfectly.” That perhaps I could lighten the weight I was carrying around created by self-doubt, expectation, and perceived limitations, if only I gave myself the permission to set it down once in a while.

I am committed to truly walking my talk and know that there is no way to ask my clients to meet themselves in their own trenches if I’m not doing my own work to meet myself in the depths of my own journey as well. It has been one of my greatest honors of my life to hold space for others in this work. I am endlessly fascinated with and in awe of the complexities that compose the human experience and am so grateful to play witness to the magic that is a human stepping into their power by doing the damn work and accessing their truest potential.

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

Reflecting on the myriad of lessons I’ve learned through coaching others and running my business thus far, I’ve recently come to realize that the most significant hurdle to overcome has been unraveling the misconception underlying what I long perceived was a fear of failure. In truth, it was an underlying fear of embracing success that I needed to unlearn. I know this can sound so backwards and I remember the first time my business coach reflected this to me I definitely didn’t buy into it, but she saw right through me.

Yes, failing can suck, however, you are truly going to get nowhere in your business (or life in general) if not for failure. It happens. It is inevitable. It’s not about avoiding it, but truly what you do with it and how you can grow through it. And somehow, I think this, although certainly not easy, can actually be easier than challenging a fear of success. Because of course, a fear of success is going to be accompanied by a fear of failure, but for me the question behind the question has consistently been “What happens if I make it and it all falls apart.” In other words, the more “success” I achieve, the more there is to lose or “mess” up on. Which of course is not untrue, however, this mindset has kept me stuck in a spiral of self-doubt and existential crisis many a time, and is something I have found myself continuously needing to deconstruct and unlearn.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Ahhh the wonderfully fickle land of social media. I feel like I, along with many other entrepreneurs, have a love/hate relationship with social media and all that goes into it. In today’s world it is absolutely an essential element of running a business, and yet can be an entire job and business in and of itself. Overtime I have learned that developing a fluid, yet solidified structure and strategy when it comes to social media has been the most beneficial in my business, starting with choosing which social media platform you want to focus on.

I am by no means an social media expert here, and I know this sounds so cliche, but my biggest piece of advice would be to just really be yourself. Yes, finding your niche is important and identifying your ideal client or customer can certainly be helpful in the process of curating your content so that you have an idea of who you are talking to, but first and foremost, focus on how you can show up authentically and share from a space so that your audience can truly get to know you and what you have to offer. I know this can obviously vary depending on what your business, service, and offering(s) may be, but I think regardless, it is so important to remember that you are a human behind a handle just as much as everyone else is. Connect with people. Express yourself in the way that communicates YOU and not just how you can copy the latest trend of what other people in your field are doing that is going viral. Certainly allow these things to be a source of inspiration, but remember to keep your mission statement and driving purpose at the center of all you do, share, and create.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sammyknight.com
• Instagram: @heysammyknight

Image Credits
Viki Stark (2 images)