Truth Telling From The Trenches With Personal Transformation Life Coach Bri Seeley
You know where you are + you know where you want to be…. But, HOW do you get there? Bri Seeley supports visionaries around the world to bring their ideas to life by creating their own unique path. A catalyst, speaker, and best-selling author of Permission to Leap, Bri is known around the world for her compassionate, yet tell-it-like-it-is guidance that creates massive and epic changes in everyone she encounters. Bri is motivated by a deeply-held belief that everyone deserves to live a life of excellence + greatness, and her work reflects this deep remembering that our desires are ultimately inevitable. You may have seen her on NBC’s The TODAY Show, Forbes, Thrive Global, Inc., Medium, New Day Northwest, PBS, and Huffington Post.
Where is your business located?
Everywhere!
Where did the idea for your business come from?
I was running my own fashion label in 2015. Day in and day out, I was getting worn down and slowly realizing that the fashion industry no longer sparked my heart + soul. During a meditation on Spring Equinox of that year, I received a very clear message, "Fashion isn't where you're supposed to be. It's not it. Shut it down." 72-hours later I announced the closure of my brand. With all of the open space and time ahead of me, I began to sit with what was next for me. In this openness I began to realize women had been contacting me for a year asking me to help them bring their dreams to life. They wanted to know how I turned nothing into something to create such success in my business. A week later, I answered the call of the Universe and began coaching. Since that time, it has unfolded to include private + group coaching of visionaries ready to turn their ideas into reality, a best-selling book, a podcast and regular speaking opportunities.
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Make tea and feed my cats (they will have it no other way!). Once that is out of the way, I spend 2-hours with myself, my soul + the Universe.
Each morning looks different depending on what I need that day. Some of my activities include: journaling, meditating, taking baths, coloring, yoga, gratitude, etc. What's most important about this time everyday is:
1. I'm connecting with the Universe and allowing myself to be guided. In the past, I pushed and forced life to happen. Not only did I feel terrible, it didn't work. Now, my priority is to show up where, when and how is best for the growth of the world.
2. I'm creating space to turn inward. Life is so noisey and busy. It can be really easy to go on auto-pilot and be distracted by the world around. I am adamant about tending to my inner space to ensure my life is purposeful and I remain in alignment with my vision.
What does your work day look like and how do you maximize your productivity?
I begin each day by asking, "what can I do with what I have and where I am to create XYZ?" I allow all the answers to filter through me and onto a list, then prioritize the tasks by which are going to create the most impact and momentum. I begin with the most daunting tasks first, then filter my way down to the more menial tasks throughout the day. And, I also try to prioritize some sort of mid-day fun!
How do you bring your great business ideas to the world to serve your clients?
My ideas all stem from listening to my community. I watch the words they use, I hear the problems they have and I look at how my philosophies, teachings and knowledge of life + business can be of service to solve the issues they are facing.
What is one trend in business that excites you?
More and more women are taking the leap into entrepreneurship! It excites me so much! I love seeing women take ownership of their lives, of their success and of their financial freedom!
What is one strategy that helped you grow your business?
Meditation + developing my intuition. I firmly believe that there is no silver bullet to business. No strategy or business technique will "make" your business if it's unaligned. I begin with alignment first through meditation and intuitive guidance, then apply strategies and techniques to execute.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Where do I begin?
I think the biggest "failures" I've experienced in the last 12 years have been the closing of two businesses. In 2015 when I shuttered the doors of my fashion brand, I experienced a full-on ego death. My identity was so completely wrapped up in being a 'Fashion Designer' that I found myself not knowing who I was without the title. Plus, I was grappling with the closure of a brand which I began and which had my name on it. I was asking myself questions of, "If that failed, what makes you think you can jump into another business and succeed?" and, "What does it mean about who I am in the world because I failed?"
The only way out was through. I had to face all of the judgements I held about myself, all the expectations I placed on my shoulders, all the ways I refused to honor myself, all the times I had abandoned myself, etc. I spent days and weeks (probably months!) in the fetal position crying, moving through my pain, shattering my beliefs and shedding my old skin to heal myself. Then began the rebuilding process to write new beliefs and create myself into the woman I wanted to be in the world.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to this community?
I have this brilliant idea for someone to create a support group/community for the parents of entrepreneurs! I know my parents really struggle to understand a lot of what I do, and I hear stories from other entrepreneurs whose parents consistently tell them to "just go get a job."
I think a lot of entrepreneurs (especially younger, female entrepreneurs) would have a better chance at success if they were surrounded by family that understood + encouraged more.
What is the best $100 you have recently spent? on What? Why?
I invested in Daily Harvest! When I'm on fire in my business, my personal health + well-being can easily take a backseat. I forget to eat, I don't leave the house and I go into full hustle mode. Which is great for my business, but not so much for my health. I have to put things in place to ensure I take care of myself - because without me, there would be no business to even speak of!
What is one piece of software or app that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I'm super old school - I use a paper daily planner. It helps me see my schedule every day for the week, plus I have space to keep track of my goals, connect with my vision, prioritize my weekly + daily tasks and do my weekly feedback loop to assess what is working and what I need to adjust.
What is the best business book you have read? Why?
The Alchemist. While this may not look like a traditional "business" book, it is the book which gave me permission to pivot my business and truly see it as a journey.
I know, deep within my soul, my coaching business could not be what it is without the experiences I had while operating my fashion business. Without the eight years of experience I gained (which I refer to as my "entrepreneurial training wheels") there is no way I would be achieving what I am currently.
The Alchemist helped me come to peace with remembering every experience I have as a business owner is for the good of my brand and myself, even if it doesn't look like it at the time.
What is your favorite quote?
"It's not about becoming better, more deserving, or smarter, it's about realizing you already are, and acting like it." - Notes From the Universe
Who inspires you in business and why?
Honestly, it's every woman who has a vision and commits to bringing it to life. I hear from women everyday who are unable to take the leap of faith into their dreams... I know how hard it is to commit to creating something from nothing and it inspires me to no end to see women out there doing it. Whether they're running a mom-and-pop shop or a multi-million dollar empire, seeing women lead with their power and take responsibility for creating something epic makes my heart sing.
What are your thoughts on work-life balance?
I don't see work and life as separate. Someone told me years ago, "Men are like apartment complexes - everything has a separate apartment and is categorized. Women are like spaghetti bowls - everything is all mixed in together."
Instead of seeing it as work vs. life, I approach it more from a holistic perspective. When I had a day job, I would turn parts of myself on and off. It got so exhausting trying to remember who I was in any given moment - I vowed to not do that in my business.
Now, I show up in my wholeness no matter where I am. That's not to say I don't have boundaries. I have a lot of boundaries to ensure all areas of my life are being tended to.
What are the 3 business lessons you’ve learned so far?
1. Carve out a minimum of 30-minutes a day for you. Just as I mentioned earlier in regards to how I start my morning, having the space to connect with yourself + the Universe is crucial to business success.
2. Mindset is everything. Your beliefs dictate your life. If you're not achieving the results you want, look inside to see where your beliefs are out of alignment with your goals. If you believe something is going to be impossible for you, it will be impossible for you. Get rid of the beliefs which don't support your growth + expansion, then write yourself a new rule book that will help you become the most badass version of yourself!
3. Get comfortable with money! Get comfortable talking about it, handling it, asking for it, managing it, budgeting it, thinking about it, receiving it, spending it and creating it. Without money, a business is simply a fun project. Work on your wealth consciousness, create a budget, schedule weekly money dates and tax plan!
What is your workspace like?
My workspace is my briefcase! I work from anywhere. I prefer to have variety, so I often work from co-working spaces, coffee shops, friends workspaces, etc. I try to get out of the house more often than not. But, as long as I have my laptop, cell phone, daily planner, notebook and glasses.... I'm set to work!
Last thing you do at the end of your work day?
My workday usually ends very similar to how it begins.... I feed the cats! They let me know it's time to eat, and that's my signal to stop what I'm doing. Some nights I will go to a cafe and keep writing, but I have been prioritizing personal time in the evenings more and more often.
What is the one thing you can't leave home without?
My apple ear buds! Whether I'm listening to music, walking around the lake, going to the grocery store, taking a call, etc. those ear buds are my everything. There's something magical about not being tethered to my phone by a cord.
What superpower would you love to have to use for good?
Teleportation!!! I feel as if I could be of such greater service if I didn't have to deal with travel + wait times (and, let's be honest, the TSA!). I could travel around the world to be of service to all women in a blink of an eye, and still be home to feed the kitties at the end of the day!
Number of unread emails right now?
399
Anything else you want to add?
Debbie Page was the first woman to ask me, "How can I support you?" She was the first to truly show me what it meant for women to support women. I attribute so much of what I do now to the opening this simple question provided me so many years ago. Thank you Debbie for all you do and how you so boldly raise other women up with you! XOXO
How can other entrepreneurs connect with you?
Email: bri@briseeley.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/bri.seeley
Instagram: Instagram.com/briseeley
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/author-briseeleylifecoach/
Twitter: Twitter.com/briseeley
Website: www.briseeley.com
If you are reading this and are interested in being featured in the Truth Telling from the Trenches series - apply here.
#truth #feature #women #business #debbiepage #lifecoach #transformation #author #speaker #visionary #huffington #entrepreneur #coaching #growth
