How 3 Business Owners Built Their Dreams

In this episode, we’re trying something a little different, and I’m so excited to share it with you.

We’re diving deep into something close to my heart – the origin stories behind building soul-led businesses. I’ve brought in three incredible women from different industries, all on the same journey of creating purpose-driven businesses. If you’ve ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of staying aligned with their North Star, even when things get tough, this is for you.

Throughout this episode, we explore the real, behind-the-scenes moments that often get overlooked. We talk about the times when things feel uncertain, how to hold onto your vision when the path isn’t clear, and what it really means to lead with heart over hustle.

You’ll hear how these amazing women stay grounded, continue to trust their journey, and how they’ve turned hardships into the foundation of thriving businesses. These aren’t just success stories, but reminders of the power of resilience, belief, and connection to a deeper purpose.

Tune in as we uncover the mindset shifts, the trust in the process, and the small yet powerful steps that keep the spirit alive even in the face of adversity. Let their stories inspire you to stay focused on your own path, no matter where you are in your journey.

And if you enjoyed this type of episode, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment or review to let me know if you’d like more episodes like this.

Where to find Nikki Morrison:

Instagram: @_nikkimorrison_
Linkedin: Nikki Morrison
Facebook: Nikki Morrison
Website: www.nikkimorrison.com.au


Where to find Anna Kim:
Instagram: @affranchism
Linkedin: Anna Ponsolle Kim


Where to find Shavojn McFadden:
Website: www.shesabundant.com
Freebie: www.shesabundant.com/next-sale
Instagram: @shes.abundant


MY LINKS:

• Check out my Flow Frequency Quiz here
• Get my 90 Minute Productivity Flow Track here
• Connect with me on LinkedIn here
• Join my Facebook Group here 
• Send me a DM on INSTAGRAM 📸 here
• Follow XORL here

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:47 The Power of Origin Stories
00:06:47 Nikki's Journey
00:14:05 Anna's Journey
00:21:43 Shavojn’s Journey

Transcript

Ruby:
Yeah. Hi guys, so I've never recorded an episode quite like this one before and I am so thrilled to be able to share with you some different perspectives and have multiple guests on this episode as to the why behind building their businesses. Today, we're going to be diving into the stories of three incredible clients of mine. These are women who come from very different backgrounds and industries, but they all are on this same incredible journey of building a soul-led business. What's always been so inspirational to me, no matter how long I've been in business and who I run into is hearing origin stories, where it all came from, how it got started, and also more importantly, the questions around how each individual entrepreneur holds themselves through hardships and challenges and also how they celebrate and their triumphs and how this all turns into building such a meaningful business field with the direction of their North Star. But let's be honest, it's not always easy. It does definitely take a lot of vision and holding to that understanding that you can move through the ups and the downs. And it's okay to feel a little wonky at times, even when things are getting really, really tough. So I asked my clients what they do to move through difficult situations and how they keep their heart really in check, how to keep their spirit really in the game, even when it feels like the path isn't all that clear. And that's why I'm just so excited to share these journeys with these women with you, because these are the conversations that I get to have in our coaching calls together, but just even as friends and soul sisters that are building companies that are so, so connected to that deeper purpose work. And when you're building companies, no matter how different perhaps their industries are to you, listen to the common thread and you'll hear it throughout the episode. One of these common threads revolves around staying focused to that real intuitive guidance and the energy, the focus, the flow, and choosing heart over choosing hustle and grind. I hope this episode really gives you that reminder that it's never about pushing through something just to say that you did it because that leads to such crazy burnout and all the stories that you hear about, you know, businesses failing and it not being sustainable, but instead it's about staying true to yourself even when the going is sometimes not as fun. and it feels really, really tough. These are the stories that I know for me personally, gets me really inspired even through its simplicity and through its connection. I feel less alone and that's often the elixir that we forget, you know, that there are so many people who are also doing it and when you find people who share the same values and have that same soul connection, it just propels me forward in such a beautiful way and I hope it does the same for you. I couldn't be prouder to call these three women who are on the episode today, not just clients, but friends. It's not easy, guys, to share a story. It's not easy to jump on and put yourself out there on a podcast. I know I've got a really, really big platform in terms of this podcast. It literally goes out to thousands and thousands of listeners every single week, so please do hold up these women as they are bravely and boldly sharing their part of their story. And what a true testament to the power of leading with intention and staying grounded through all of it. And I hope their journeys inspire you as much as they have inspired me. me. So let's get stuck into it. We have our first amazing guest. Her name is Nikki Morrison. Welcome Nikki to the podcast. Now you'll be hearing Nikki's story of how she got started. And what I love about Nikki's journey is that Nikki's always felt really called to do more. And I know so many of us listening in have that exact same conviction. Nikki's journey started as a teacher, but it was somewhat of a personal struggle that truly set her on this new pathway of what would it be like if I were to believe in myself and to start this business? And also the time that this really came about was when she was experiencing a lot of stress around Having a baby and if anyone listening is currently going through something like this and you just feel it's so difficult to focus on anything else, listen to Nikki's story because it is so empowering and how she stepped into her life rather than observing it and choosing to actually heal from a place of feeling really, really hurt. What really began as a personal practice for Nikki soon really blossomed into this thriving yoga business which Nikki now has. She talks about and reflects on those really challenging years of trying to fall pregnant, of not knowing really her key direction in life, of knowing that teaching wasn't going to be her main thing. you know forever and ever but really seeing these moments as a gift that leads her to where she is today. So I'm so excited to share Nikki's story and how she continues to also work on her belief system. Please tune into that bit that you know it's sometimes not easy to fully trust what's possible and to fully trust that you can earn really good money from healing and staying in alignment with your purpose work. I know a lot of us often ask ourselves this especially if you're a healer and you're an artist perhaps where you're like how am I ever going to support myself and this is what I really want to do but society tells us that you don't earn as much when you're doing these things or when you're under these sectors as much as you know being a money coach or a CFO or a business coach. I want you to listen to how Nikki stays focused on that and How for her, all these things have really created this excitement and this deeper trust in her North Star. Her personal mantra is so beautiful. She shares it inside of her interviews. So without further ado, let's jump into Nikki's story and how she serves as a reminder that even in uncertainty, there's always, always a way forward.

Nikki: Hello. The one defining moment that inspired me to take a leap into business. There was many moments, but I suppose it was a period of my life about 12 years ago. Over that time, for many years, my husband and I were trying to have a baby. And it was a really emotional and stressful time for me. I was a school teacher and I was really falling out of love with my job because it was becoming harder and harder for me to be around other kids and to be around other parents. And I guess I was doing a lot of yoga and a lot of energy healing at the time and a lot of Reiki. And a very special friend and mentor who I was doing a lot of that work with, she offered me this thought at the time, which was, you know, maybe this experience was calling me to do something more because it didn't look like at the time that I was going to have a baby. And so I was really lost. I was really thinking about, you know, what am I going to do next? And I didn't want to go back to teaching. And, yeah, she offered me, you know, what if I'm being called to do more? And that always sat with me. And I guess all my yoga practice at the time, you know, led me to a teacher training. And I was really just following the flow that I was in, looking and searching for that thing that was going to fulfill me at a really stressful time. And going back to a regular paid job, which I could have done, was just really not an option for me. And I decided to take the leap and follow my heart at the time into starting my own yoga classes and my own yoga business. I've been going ever since and it was really, honestly, the best decision I've ever made. And I can look back now and see what an incredible gift that really hard few years was for me because I could never have imagined prior to that, that I would ever be doing what I'm doing. I was a very structured person. I loved the routine of teaching. I loved the regular paycheck, all of those things. never have imagined that I would have stepped out of that had it not been for that, you know, personal experience that I was having and really following my heart into this kind of healing work, which I think deep down, you know, now I look back and think deep down, I always knew was a part of me, but I found my gateway to it, I guess, by just yeah, staying true to myself at that time and facing that challenge. And I think lots of healers really come to their work from their own personal challenge. So that was the case for me too. The biggest challenges I've faced since starting my business, probably one biggest, has really just been belief. Belief in myself that I could do it. Belief that I could do something other than school teaching. Belief that I could create a business that I love with the flexibility and freedom that I love and actually earn good money from it. And, you know, belief has been the biggest hurdle that I've always had to overcome. I love knowing how things turn out and I love knowing what's next and certainty. And I think sometimes you just can't have that in business. So trust has been the hugest strategy for me to get through that, trust the process. And I've always maintained this beautiful mantra that I got from a very special friend and coach at the time was, you know, leap and the net shall appear. And whenever I've felt the challenges of my business and not knowing the outcome, I've always just decided to leap and know that, you know, I will be safe and that I can really trust what I'm doing if I'm being really true to myself. I stay motivated and focused on my goals, even when things get tough. I guess for me, one thing that makes that easier is my business is so much a part of me now. Like it's almost like I can't do anything else. So even when things are tough, I have to keep going because I find it really hard to know where I end and where my business begins. I feel like I'm doing so much purpose work now in my life that I have to keep going because there's almost no other option. However, in saying that, it does get tough sometimes. And I think, you know, the energetic values work that I've done with Ruby just recently has been a really great way to formalize, you know, what I'm doing, what my business is about, what's really important to me. And when things are tough, I always come back to that now. And I just understand like why it is that I'm doing these things and what I'm working towards. And in terms of. Mindset, something that I always think about now is that when things are tough now at this level, there's something else tough at the next level. So knowing that there's always going to be things, there's always going to be work that needs to happen has been a really great mindset shift for me because I don't feel like I'm stuck and I, and it's like, something's wrong because I feel like this. I just know now that this is the stuff that you've got to do to have a really successful business. So that's been a really big mindset shift for me, that's work. And I think one of the ways I've approached challenges is to get coaching. Like I've had a coach on and off, but mostly on for the last 10 years. And I think you just cannot get past you know, having somebody there to help you, guide you, hold you accountable. And really, you know, I found my first business coach when I was Googling how to make more money as a yoga teacher. And I came across her and it just opened my eyes. And she was the very first person who helped me to really believe that I could do what I wanted to do and have a business that I wanted to have. So thank you so much for this opportunity.

Ruby: I'm so grateful. Isn't that just such a beautiful takeaway from Nikki's story? I just love how she's shown us what it means to really take a leap with full trust and belief, especially when the path seems so uncertain. It's such a powerful reminder that these tough moments in our lives can lead us to something so much greater. I am so excited to introduce you to our next guest, Anna. She's built a career on hard work, stability, and found herself in a job that by all accounts felt secure. She moved her life from France to South Korea, but you know what? Life as it does, it throws a curve ball here and there, and this one completely turned her world upside down. In that moment, she was forced to question everything, her sense of safety, her wellbeing. and what she truly wanted for her future. This was such a turning point for Anna, and instead of letting it define her, she chose to rewrite her own story. For anyone that has gone through something where it feels like the carpet has literally been pulled out from under you, this one you're going to really relate to. I won't give too much away, but what I will say is this. Anna's journey is such a testament to resilience and clarity. She's made the decision to take control of her life and start her own business, and it's driven by this newfound understanding of what really matters. You'll definitely want to lean into this one and hear how she navigated that major shift.

Anna: why I take the leap into business. Actually, in 2019, I faced an odd reality that pushed me to rethink everything in my life. I was thriving in South Korea with a high-level position that I loved and an apartment provided by my company. Life seems very secure, I was very happy, and I worked tirelessly, believing that my dedication and hard work would ensure my stability. But one day, without warning, my boss decided to take away my company apartment, leaving me without a home while still kept warm my job. So I was like in the street, in the foreign country, nobody to help me and I sleep like my maybe one week in a motel. Pretty good. So this moment I shattered my perception of security. I realized that no matter how hard I worked, how loyal I was, my safety and my well-being were never truly in my control. They were tied to the decision of my employer. That experience made me question everything. I understood then that working hard for someone else's company would never guarantee my future. It was a difficult lesson for me, but it became a turning point in my life. I decided to take full control of my destiny. I started exploring the world of online business that I Don't knew at that time, I was determined to build something that aligned with my values where I could be 100% responsible for my success. Over the next two years, I balanced my corporate job with my side hustle and taking every step necessary to regain my independence. It was quite tough at that time. But by 2021, I was ready to fully commit to my business and I leave the corporate world behind for eternity. That moment of losing my home was a wake-up call for me and pushing me to build a business that gave me freedom and control. It wasn't just about entrepreneurship at that time. It was about reclaiming my power and living life on my own terms. One of the biggest challenges I have faced was shifting from an employee mindset, where I was focused on staying busy, getting through endless tasks, to a CEO mindset, where my focus is on making strategic, high-impact decisions that drive growth. In the early stage of my business, I fell into the trap of trying to do everything myself, I wouldn't spend hours on tasks like building my website, handling client works, creating content, managing all the admin. And I felt productive, but in reality, I was stuck in the cycle of doing rather than leading. And this left me feeling overwhelmed and frustrated as I realized that all my efforts weren't bringing the results I wanted. So the pivotal shift came when I recognized that true growth requires focusing on actions that move the needle. A lot of people say it, but doing it is another thing. And I began to also some tasks that weren't directly contributing to my long-term goals, such as podcast editing or legal works, and instead put my energy into areas that will drive the business forward, like refining my strategy, delivering deeper value to my clients. This shift wasn't just about reclaiming my time, it was about prioritizing. the actions that align with my vision and allow me to scale sustainably. Another challenge was overcoming the fear of pricing my services at a premium. Coming from a place where I was used to trading time for money, the idea of charting what I knew it was my worth was doubting. But I learned through experience and mentorship that when you are deeply aligned with your mission and the transformation you offer, the right clients will pay the value you provide. This realization allowed me to reposition my business and attract clients who truly value my expertise. When things get tough, I focus on progress rather than perfection. I maintain a regular practice of setting goals and breaking them down into smaller actionable steps. I really love that. That answering, I celebrate every millstone, no matter how small they are. A lot of people say that, and I guarantee it's very, very, very helpful when you get tough. This not only kept me grounded, but also helped me maintain momentum during challenging time. really. Another essential aspect of staying motivated is surrounding myself with the right people. I have invested in my growth by working with mentors who share my values and understand the challenges I face. This has been crucial for my progress because I don't have many entrepreneurs or ambitious women in my immediate environment who have already achieved what I want to accomplish. So my mentors, have given me the guidance, encouragement and tools to push past my limits and grow faster than I could have alone. Investing in support has been one of the most transformative decisions for my business and personal development and is something I believe every entrepreneur needs to strive.

Ruby: I just love Anna's story so much and I love how in those moments where she could have really decided, nope, I'm done with it. This curveballs had the better of me. She stepped up to the plate and she was asking herself all these questions of what do I really want? How do I make this needle move towards? more of my dream life. And I love that now. She's such an inspiration to so many of her clients. I have the privilege of watching her business just grow and grow and grow. She's absolutely crushing it. And honestly, it's just such a great reminder that sometimes the biggest shakeups in business lead you to the best changes in your life ever. And you've honestly got to tune in to hear yourself, you know, like there's no one else that can say, get up and go do these things. Like ultimately it's your decision to become the person that you truly want to be. Now onto Siobhan, our final guest for today. Her story is so interesting and again, just so inspirational. All these ladies, you guys just inspire me so, so deeply and it honestly makes my job as a coach and mentor so deeply enjoyable, but also inspirational. And I won't spoil too much about Siobhan's story, but it actually all kicked off, I love I love this so much, with an oracle card that completely changed the direction of her life. I love how Spirit just plants beautiful seeds and you'll hear Siobhan's story of what she thought when she pulled this particular card, but she's got such an amazing background. She started her business in her 20s after being both in marine biology and tourism, and she talks a lot about going through a bit of an identity crisis. I think we can all relate to this, whether it's coming out of a day job and you get given a title and then you start your business and you don't have that title anymore. And it's like, who am I? So Siobhan talks a lot about that. And there's so much in here about how she handles that shift in identity of claiming who she is, but also staying really true to her path and how she keeps this belief system so strong and so defined within her. So you'll definitely want to hear how her journey played out. Let's jump into Siobhan's interview.

Nikki: you

Shavojn: Hi, my name is Siobhan and I'm a mindset and business coach for women who want to unlock their next level of clients, income and impact. And I do this using subconscious rewiring techniques such as neuro linguistic programming. I think that my defining moment was when I worked for a lot of different business owners when I was younger and most of them were middle aged men. And I was looking around at their businesses and they had quite successful businesses. And I I looked at them and I was like, well, one of them couldn't even use an ATM. And so I thought, I wonder what I could do with a business like this if I could just get a hold of one. And then at about 27 years old, I pulled an Oracle card that said, you need to start a business. And I was like, Sure, yeah, maybe later in life but then within about 6 to 12 months, I walked into a job where I had applied for a casual tour guiding position and I walked out with an offer to become a co-owner of a boutique tourism business. So, I manifested my first business at 27 years old without any monetary buy-in and the business was 2 years old. So, I couldn't believe what I was experiencing and The second leap into my business now was actually scarier because I had the wounds of the first business which quote-unquote failed and I walked away from it and there was a lot of hurt and things there but it was through that business that I started to see the pattern in other successful business owners. I started to inquire about what is it that makes this person really successful and I saw that it wasn't a strategy or the timing of them jumping on a social media platform or the fact that they hustle and that it was mindset and so I got certified in Neurolinguistic Programming and once I had done that I just knew that I had to share this with other business owners because it worked so fast. Some of the biggest challenges that I've gone through, I definitely went through an identity crisis or I like to call it my dark night of the soul after I failed in that first business. I had graduated with a marine biology degree and I had my honours and I had tried to get a job in that field and then I wasn't successful there so then that's when I got into tourism and I went into this tourism business. So it was after walking away from that that I just thought, I don't know what I'm going to do if I'm not a marine biologist and I couldn't run this business. I didn't know what else I could possibly do. So I started to think about what was I really good at and what did I actually like because my whole life, after I am came a marine biologist and so I really had to start to pick apart those layers and find out who I was without that career identity and that I was so much more than just my career and yeah I think that was a huge, huge challenge and I've never experienced anything like it before. It was really dark and I'm so grateful I went through it because it gave me so much clarity on the other side. I think another thing is staying consistent and believing in yourself when, you know, in the beginning there's crickets, you know, maybe you're not getting engagement, you're not getting the feedback, you're not getting the sales and, you know, just staying true to what you do and what you do really well and continuing on when it's hard and just to know that it is okay to have your breakdowns and to pause and press reset, process those emotions but then get back up because your success is really inevitable if you continue to get back up and it does get easier and you do process things a lot faster, your resilience grows for sure. For staying motivated and focusing on my goals, oh my gosh I could talk about this forever, this is exactly what I help my clients with but you need to find your energetic or your mindset tools, the things that really connect you and ground you back into your body or connect you back into your spirit or your spirit team, whatever it is that you believe in, but something that grounds you back into that place. There's so many tools. You've got meditation, hypnosis, affirmations, tapping, oracle cards, crystals, a session with your coach. For me, with my clients, I really love timeline techniques. We work with the timeline We remove limiting beliefs and negative emotions and patterns and we make sure that the timeline in the subconscious mind is really on board with what you want to do. So that is a really powerful tool to have. For me, I really love working with my own coach because they reflect things back to me that I can't see. It's really hard to see your own shit sometimes. And I also love meditating and hypnosis. And I do regularly pull oracle cards to talk to my guides as well. But some of the other more simple things are things like going to a dance class or having a chai latte. And they're the things that put me back into my body. Or if things are really dire, have a sit down shower. Water always helps.

Ruby: I could not agree more that there is something so cleansing and resetting about a sit down shower, especially if you have some eucalyptus or some beautiful oils and you just let it steam up and wash away all the negative things and you can just see that running down the drain. It feels so good and so renewing. I hope you are all feeling as inspired as I am hearing these incredible stories. To Nikki, Anna and Siobhan, thank you so much, ladies, for putting your story out there, for sharing so vulnerably, for being so open with this incredible Flow State business audience. And thank you for showing us what it means to stay focused and trust the process and to choose heart over hustle. I truly am incredibly grateful for your journeys and for being that living proof that no matter what twists and turns your business is throwing your way, you're here, you're doing big things, you're making a big impact on this world, you're sharing your message in a really massive way and doing that so incredibly uniquely. I would love for all of you listeners, if you love this episode, to connect with these incredible women. I'll leave all of their Instagram handles and links in the show notes below. Go ahead and let them know you've listened to the episode and let's, as a community, just shower them with support and love because why not have that collective really hold each other up in such a beautiful way. And also, if you enjoy this style of episode, can you please let me know? This is the first time I've ever really done something like this. It is something I really enjoy doing. I just need to know whether or not you guys love listening to this style. Obviously not all the time, but from time to time, really highlighting amazing people in the community. And I'm always looking for ways to also bring you in and to connect. in a way that resonates. So please do let me know. Don't be shy. Reach out, share your thoughts, and let's keep this whole beautiful conversation about running a flow state business going. I cannot wait to see what you create this week. And in the meantime, enjoy all of the flow that's always here for you, always serving you and helping you really ascend to new heights. Okay, my loves, I will catch you in the next episode.