We were lucky to catch up with Sheila Murray recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sheila, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share a customer success story with us?

When Ellie found me at the beginning of 2023 she was experiencing severe burn out. She found herself barely able to get out of bed each morning and opening up her laptop to start work felt like a Herculean effort.

As I do with all of my clients, Ellie and I spent our first 90 minute session together looking at all the different aspects of her life (love life, health and wellness, career, wealth, etc.) and mapping out her micro and macro goals. We learned that the majority of her time and energy was pouring into work and that the other areas of her life were starved for attention. On top of that, Ellie’s nervous system was absolutely exhausted after years of chronic stress and hyper achieving. This made it challenging to complete every day activities and to imagine planning anything outside of work, even things that would bring her joy. Ellie discovered that she needed to take a leave of absence from work in order to make any meaningful change.

While she was on leave, Ellie and I worked on building her awareness of her nervous system and developing go-to tools to not only survive each day but thrive. She started doing activities that brought the light back to her eyes and purpose back into days. I’ll never forget the moment, about two months into our working relationship, when she came to our session with a radically different energy. After witnessing a burned-out version of Ellie for so many sessions, I was witnessing a whole new version of her.

It’s not uncommon that I start working with someone who has lost their light. In a world that favors work over well-being. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget to fuel our bodies that are starving for joy and rest.

Here’s what Ellie had to say:

“I feel I have discovered a completely new language with myself that is not only healthy but loving and nurturing. I am caring for myself and my body in a way I never have and that care is pouring into shifts in how I speak to others, what I do with my time and how I show up day to day. The entire experience was a surprise to me as I came to Sheila in a state of deep depression and hopelessness which I felt I would never escape. I am forever grateful for Sheila guiding me back to my light and love for myself and my life.”

Sheila, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As someone who has many interests and a desire to make meaningful change in this world, I’ve carved out a career for myself where I’m able to bring together various modalities to serve individuals and groups!

Coaching: As an ICF Professional Certified Coach and Trauma-Informed Coach, and I am committed to serving my clients from a whole-person perspective. I work with individuals & groups to create positive shifts in their mindset, lifestyle, and overall well-being. I’ve helped clients recover from and prevent burnout, change careers, move countries, go back to grad school, start businesses, and so much more.

Corporate Wellness: I’ve witnessed the transformative power of integrating wellness into the workplace and I’m proud to offer services personalized for each company’s goals and needs. From engaging seminars + workshops, to personalized coaching anything is possible for your team! Well-being in the workplace is not a trend, it’s foundational for the health and success of the business.

Yoga & Reiki: I offer dynamic and rejuvenating yoga sessions to individuals, corporate teams, and private groups. Yoga classes provide a space for participants to get out of their busy brains and into their bodies, improve flexibility, build endurance, and relieve stress. I also offer Reiki to individuals and groups who are craving energetic support. Reiki can help relieve anxiety, unblock stuck emotions, and build a greater sense of self confidence.

Retreats & Experiences: My dedication to wellness extends beyond the office walls or virtual space. I curate transformational retreats and wellness events, providing individuals with the opportunity to disconnect from their daily routines, reconnect with themselves, and cultivate a deeper sense of well-being. My next retreat will be in Costa Rica in February of 2024!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I’d break it down into three prongs:

1. Getting clear in myself, my value, and my vision. I don’t believe it’s possible to effectively grow and sustain growth if I am unclear about who I am and the value I bring to the table. I see this all the time with my clients too. When we don’t believe in ourselves and our vision, we are at a huge disadvantage. Conversely, when we are in love with our offers and vision, other people get excited about it too! When looking to grow clientele, getting solid in who you are is the first step.

2. Showing up and talking to people. People cannot buy from me if I don’t show up and communicate what I do. “Showing up” can be different for everyone and for me it means being active on social media, occasionally writing blogs on my website, guesting in podcasts, teaching yoga classes, and attending formal and informal networking events. Showing up isn’t all there is to it though, as I find so much power in conversations. I ask my communities and clients what they need and I work hard to understand what’s really at the heart of their needs. When I talk to people, I learn so much about how I can best be in service. It’s not just about what I want to offer the world, it’s about what the world needs from me. Some days I will wake up and say to myself, “Okay, let’s see what the world needs from me today.” It may be leadership, patience, service, inspiration… I try to stay open to possibilities!

3. Getting current clients results. I want to be a no brainer choice for my clients to come back to, and to refer their friends and family to. I do my best to ensure this by giving current clients the best possible service they could imagine. I love surprising my clients with bonuses and going above and beyond to make them feel special. I trust that when I serve the people who are currently in my business ecosystem, my clientele will continue to grow.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Here are a few of the resources that come to mind that have impacted my philosophy and way I serve people.

Books on business/leadership:
Regenerative Business: How to Align Your Business with Nature for More Abundance, Fulfillment, and Impact, Samantha Garcia
Playing Big, Tara Mohr
Start with Why, Simon Sinek (Also the TED Talk)

Books that have helped me work even more effectively with clients:
Your Body is Your Brain, Amanda Blake
Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection, Deb Dana

Podcasts on business & leadership:
Dare to Lead, Brene Brown
Finding Mastery, Dr. Michael Gervais
How I Built This, Guy Raz

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sheilaanne.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheflowsandgrows/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-murray/

Image Credits
Photos of me in white shirt on computer/phone + me carrying yoga mat wearing jean jacket = Rachel Cox | Lumen Creative Co.