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Being a successful entrepreneur is
also a challenge, and Andrea says
having a strong mindset is vital.
“Why does this work matter to you
because being in business for yourself
She ‘broke’ her own career cycle in 2018 I’m such a big advocate now for doing is not easy,” she says. “On those days
when she registered Balance + Bliss as things that scare you and stepping when you don’t know where your next
a business after stepping away from outside of your comfort zone in life or paycheque is going to come from, or
working in the mental health sector for a in business because that is where is when you don’t really know how you’re
couple of organizations, including Crisis your personal growth happens and that going to sell your latest offer, you have
Respite, which at the time was part of is when you start to expand and believe to remember to be really strong. As an
what was Waterloo Regional Homes for more about what’s possible for you.” entrepreneur, you often get told ‘no’ a
Mental Health – now Thresholds. The possibility of making Balance + Bliss bajillion times before you get a ‘yes’. You
As well, she spent 10 years as the a full-time pursuit became a reality after have to consistently put yourself out
crisis worker for Community Support she and her husband, Mike, became there, which takes a lot of courage.”
Connections, specifically Meals on Wheels parents for the second time in 2022 Courage is one of the ‘4 C’s’ renowned
and supporting seniors with adverse and Andrea began weighing the options strategic coach Dan Sullivan, whom
life experiences, such as hoarding or of running her own business. She had Andrea sometimes refers to, promotes
homelessness. already authored her first book, You Can for building success. The others are
The insights she gained inspired her to Actually Do This in 2020 and was co- ‘committed and capable’, which she says
pursue a long-awaited dream to provide authoring the first of several projects, as leads to the final one, ‘confident’.
one-on-one coaching, away from the well as doing a regular podcast. A second “I feel like that’s such a good strategy
daily grind of a corporate environment book is now in the works. and by showing up consistently is when
which was also providing less time to “At the end of 2023, I was so passionate you start to build that confidence to do
spend with her young daughter who about all these things,” says Andrea. “It things you wouldn’t normally do,” she
was born in 2015. But the practicalities just became too much with two children.” says, adding how she once successfully
surrounding entrepreneurship quickly She has since given up the podcast landed a speaking engagement at a
surfaced. but has now co-authored five projects business summit after focusing not on
“When I registered my business, I thought, while continually building her business marketing or leadership, but on ways
‘OK, if I want to go all in on this, I need which centres not only on one-on- entrepreneurs should take better care
to invest time in it’,” she says. “But I also one transformational coaching, but of themselves. “It is vital that everybody
need to make an income.” corporate work, retreats, and numerous works on themselves. You shouldn’t be
overwhelmed and burnt out because
A part-time instructor job at triOS College speaking engagements. Andrea credits that’s no way to live.”
Business Technology Healthcare in networking and watching what others in
downtown Kitchener teaching community her field are doing in helping her build a Andrea stresses the need for people
service work fit the bill, even though the successful brand. to check in on themselves and give
accelerated curriculum required her to “All that came with relationship building themselves the permission to rest or
teach 14 courses in only 10 months. and that takes time. You can’t just say, take a pause, especially in business.
“It was crazy. Every course was like two ‘Here I am. Do you want to buy from me?’, “We spend most of our time with
to three weeks,” says Andrea. “I learned especially with the nature of the work ourselves and the relationship that
so much, not only about life but about that I’m doing,” she says, adding social we have with ourselves is the most
myself because I was terrified about media has benefited her in building important relationship that we’ll ever be
public speaking. a loyal community. “This can be deep in,” she says. “It’s the most long-lasting
inner work sometimes and I’m holding relationship and it’s the one we seem to
up a mirror for people and that can be focus the least on.”
challenging.”
For more, visit www.balancebliss.blog.

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