Jamila Tyson

I think for me, I feel like this is a calling. It's not just something I'm doing just because, or because it's fun. I feel like this is my soul work. And I think because I bring that passion to my work, people feel that. They know I'm not just trying to get their money. So I think it's connected to my calling, to my passion and purpose. And then again, creating those safe spaces for people, letting people know from the get-go, I'm not here to judge you. I really just want to meet you where you are, I want to support you on your journey the best that I can. And really, truly actively listening. Like, I don't talk a lot. I ask a lot of questions, but I really want to understand where my client is coming from. And I really think that is the root, that trust is the safe place, because then they tell me a lot. And I can understand, oh, okay, this is why we're having this problem, because you were eating donuts at 3 o'clock in the morning. You know, like, they finally shared it with me, because I didn't judge them, and they know they're not going to be judged, but that safe space, that safe environment has really, I believe, brought a lot of success with my clients.

Always have more than one stream of income. I've worked with a lot of startup companies, and you can't just depend on one company. They lay you off. Then what do you do? So I would say always have more than one stream of income.

I would tell them, if you can do this without making money, not saying that it's not good to make money, but if you can do this, like, truly support people on their journey without making money, I would ask them to ask themselves, would they still do it? Because in the beginning, it's very, very highly possible that your business is gonna ebb and flow, and that's just a part of the game. But are you passionate enough to stick it out and maintain consistency to see this through? If somebody's going into this industry working with a corporate company and they have a steady paycheck, I think similarly, it's true that how passionate are you about this, because you're supporting humans on their journey of health and wellness. Just make sure this is not just, like, I want to get a paycheck. It's not about the money. The money will come as you show passion, I believe. I feel like money will follow your passion versus you're going into it for the money. A lot of people want to give up if they don't make money the first year. They're like, this may not be it, I can't do this, which I get that. But are you willing to do this without making money? If you are, you're passionate enough to keep going, to see it through, and that consistency will reward you at the end of the day.

The biggest challenge is scaling my business. As an entrepreneur, it can be challenging finding the right client and the right support. There's so many different ways to market these days that you have to always be learning what's the new marketing plan. Every client's not the right client, so figuring out how to market to the right client, figuring out how to speak to the right client is a big one. And then all the social media platforms, it's like, do I post on LinkedIn and TikTok, or do I post on all of them? People say you should post 3 times a day, you should post at least once a day. It's so many different ways you could go, it's really experimenting a lot to figure out what works best for you. As for opportunities, I think an area of opportunity is to really understand and get some research on what is truly happening to a woman as she enters perimenopause and menopause phase, so that I can make sure I'm supporting them better. A lot of women in midlife are underserved or feeling dismissed in their doctor's offices. I really want to be able to support women in that phase at a cellular level as well, helping them understand what's happening with their hormones, even if the hormones look normal. What can we do to help you feel better in this phase of life? There's not a lot of research, it's starting to get better, but maybe doing some market research, just understanding what's happening to our bodies in this phase, so we can be supported better. I also think people understanding the importance of a health coach and how they can benefit them, how they can help shift their life, is a big area of opportunity too. It's a mindset shift.

Be a woman of integrity. If you say you're gonna do something, follow through. And that's not just in work, but even with yourself. It's so important to be a woman of integrity with yourself. If you say you're gonna go exercise and go do it, follow through. I think it's important not to be judgmental. Everybody has their own things that they may be going through that we don't know, perhaps that we don't understand. So, meet people where they are. And I'm also a woman of faith, so it's important for me to practice what I preach. I don't want to just tell people, you should do this, and I'm not doing it. I feel like that's hypocrisy. If I'm telling you to eat better, then best believe I'm doing the same thing. So yeah, I would say those are my top 3: be a woman of integrity, meet people where they are, and practice what you preach.