The business world is more competitive than ever, and it has become much harder for leaders to stand out. And when it comes to leadership, word of mouth is the best form of advertisement you can have. If your people love working for you and respect you, they will spread those good words and naturally grow your company. Thus, leaders with integrity don’t need to be feared because they know they are honest, genuine and are taking the world by storm due to this virtue.
In the following interview, Entrepreneur Coach Bri Seeley talks about the said integrity and why it makes a leader stand out from others leaders. She also explains why entrepreneurs are their own roadblocks alongside guiding us as to why every entrepreneur must hire a coach.
What according to you makes for a transformational leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?
Integrity. In order to facilitate transformation in others, we as leaders need to be willing to first facilitate it within ourselves. Long gone are the days where people want perfect leaders – they want leaders they can relate to. I approach life, business, and leadership with the courage to go first through the messiness, then show up for others and support them through their messiness.
What prompted you to begin your entrepreneurial career?
I didn’t actually want to be an entrepreneur after growing up with an entrepreneurial mom. I started my first official business at the age of 23 because I didn’t have the opportunity to get a job in my field of study. It began as a side hustle and a way for me to continue using my creativity, while working a full-time job. Year after year it grew and eventually became my full-time income.
What approach do you follow in ensuring optimal client satisfaction?
A combination of compassionate understanding and butt-kicking motivation! It’s important to have both because more than anything we’re humans and we need both.
What has the journey been like for Bri Seeley over the years?
It’s been a trip. The entrepreneurial journey in general is a journey of extremes. The best example I can give of this was the day I was interviewed on The TODAY Show when I had $0.25 in my bank account. What it has taught me more than anything is to cultivate a strong, courageous, and powerful inner resilience. At any moment in this journey, my world could take a 180* turn and instead of letting external factors have control, I rely more on my inner resilience to keep going.
Looking back, what would you have done differently when starting out?
I wish I would have hired a coach to help me from the get-go. I wasted so much time, energy and money on trial and error, with a focus on all the wrong things. My business and my journey would be remarkably different if I knew and trusted how impactful a coach would be in supporting me.
What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging women entrepreneurs?
Get help and set yourself up for success. The success rates for entrepreneurs are abysmal and less than 10% of women owned businesses ever reach the 6-figure threshold. If you’re going to take the risk to become an entrepreneur, don’t risk the success of your business on trial and error. Risk everything you can towards your success.
What makes you stand out as a business and leadership coach?
I consider myself an entrepreneur coach because I view business as inherently personal. One’s personal habits, mindset and belief paradigms impact the success of your business just as much (if not more) than your strategy. In order for my clients to succeed, I support them on a holistic level from the inside out.
What are some of the pre-conceived notions or stereotypes that you have faced being a women entrepreneur?
I’ve met a lot of men in the business arena who assume that my business is just a hobby or that I’m being bankrolled by a significant other. It’s unfortunate that in certain circles, women still aren’t taken seriously in business. But I don’t take it as my responsibility to change them, and instead just continue being the best to let my expertise and authority speak for itself.
What has been the biggest roadblock during your journey? What has been your biggest learning?
Myself. What I’ve learned during this journey is that I am the beginning and ending of my business – my business cannot surpass me. If I believe something is impossible, it becomes impossible. And if I believe something to be possible, it becomes possible. I (and every entrepreneur reading this) are concurrently our biggest roadblock and our biggest source of opportunity. Learning to navigate ourselves is a huge ingredient in business success.
What does the future look like for you in the coming years? What is your long-term vision?
Continuing to support entrepreneurs through starting, building and growing profitable businesses in my two signature programs “Monetize Your Vision” and “The Entrepreneur Accelerator”, writing my second book, starting to travel to speaking engagements again and launching my own women’s entrepreneur conference!
Finally, what do you think is the most important trait for a leader and why?
Not to sound like a broken record… Integrity. It’s important for leaders to be honest about their journey and what actually goes into building a brand and business. The days of Instagram perfection and sleazy “quick fix” marketing are thankfully ending. People want leaders they can relate to and they don’t want to be deceived. Those who are leading with integrity will rise to the top and continue to thrive in business because of this.
