We are delighted to introduce you to Preet Kalsi, Life Coach in our next interview with a Sikh Woman in Business. Preet shares with us her personal journey into launching her coaching practise, the Sikh values she applies to her work and of course her tips for other women wanting to get started!
1. What made you want to start your own business?
I’ve been working as a Life Coach for the past 5 years, since my NLP (neuro linguistic programming) Master Practitioner, NLP Hypnotherapy and Coaching training. And to be honest, I don’t really see what I do as a business, but rather as ‘passion in action’. It was in fact this piece of self--discovery during my training that led me to go out on my own after spending 12 years in corporate marketing roles. The NLP training helped me to get clarity on what had got me stuck in my own life. I got to assess my belief structure which in turn led me to realise what was limiting and empowering me. I got to know myself better all over again and more importantly it gave me the tools and structure to envision the ‘Preet’ of the future I wanted to create. I decided to live my life with purpose by supporting individuals to ‘design a life they love with passion, confidence and purpose’, because I had managed to do it for myself. I wanted to utilise my key strengths and capabilities to help individuals become more empowered.
2. How did you come up with your idea?
Well, that was simple! I realised that if NLP can do all this for me, then I want to share it. I actually left my job as a communications manager right after I qualified as a Master Practitioner. I didn’t have a single client and I had no idea how I would get clients. But I did know deep in my core that I wasn’t going to be a slave to the corporate world or adhere to the ‘normal job’ classification any longer. It was very clear to me what I wanted and my desire to support others was so overwhelming that it gave me the confidence I needed to make the big leap. Of course a supportive husband and daughter helped immensely! I set up my own practice working from my home office, and within two months of leaving my corporate job I had three clients! I strongly encourage listening to one’s own intuition; staying true to one’s dream, and having shatterproof focus to bring an idea to life!
3. What’s been the toughest part of the journey?
The toughest part of growing my coaching practice has been reaching and getting through to individuals who really need coaching support. It’s about educating people about what life coaching is and it’s benefits. I designed a Face Book page at the start of my practice and I post on a daily basis with a mixture of content to educate, inspire and motivate. It’s worked great and, I would now love to reach more people, to really connect and demonstrate how coaching can empower them.
4. What are your fears?
My fear is that I may not reach those who really need my support in time. I hear a lot of heart--wrenching stories on a regular basis, and I do whatever’s in my power to make a difference, but there are still some roadblocks that people face like financial constraints, travel distance, cultural, belief or time limitations. Or they find it easier to just go see their doctor and get anti--depressants prescribed. That’ll fix it right!Actually, my fear is that people who can’t see a way out are missing a huge opportunity to set themselves free through coaching. People fear or don’t understand the process of change, so they don’t take action to step out and lead a life they really want or be who they really want, yet they’re happy to complain and feel sorry for themselves. They don’t appreciate that there’s a different way. And they wont know it until they experience it. So yes, my fear is not reaching those who really need my support in time.
5. What are your hopes?
I hope to reach as many people as I can and teach them how they can empower themselves. I want to show people how they can be in control by taking responsibility for themselves and their actions. Its about how you KNOW | DO | BE yourself in a world that’s constantly going through drastic changes at maximum speed! You want to flow, not be dragged. To that end, I’m in the process of updating my current website (http://www.preetkalsi.com) with new resources and am also busy scripting -- recording episodes for Preet TV, my new You Tube channel – which will have short videos on various topics ranging from building greater self-- confidence, dealing with negativity, to building loving relationships and successful careers. Hopefully, the videos will do more to educate, inspire and motivate people to take real action in designing a life they love with passion, confidence and purpose. They’ll also help establish my personal brand more strongly, reinforcing to those who’re really interested in coaching that I’m their coach!
6. How did you come up with your business plan?
I’ve never been one for business planning. I’ve ran a couple of other business ventures in the past and I found that running a business where you aren’t truly passionate about what you doing isn’t going to bring you the success you really after, despite having a seal proof business plan! So this time round I decided not write a business plan, and trust my gut for the guidance. After all, I did leave my marketing career based on a hunch and attracted new clients without any marketing in the first two months. I usually come up with a magic number of clients I’d like to have each quarter and then focus on attracting those clients through social media, bespoke workshops, client testimonials and referrals. I also keep my costs to a minimum wherever possible and only fork out the bucks for quality goods where I know it would benefit me to do so. I am all about ‘feeling’ my way forward, and that doesn’t mean I don’t plan! I plan, and I also flow knowing that the path will take me where I want to be one way or another.
7. How have you financed the business?
I’ve financed the coaching practice myself.
8. What do your family and friends think of it?
My husband and daughter are incredibly proud of me. They’ve seen me transform and really reconnect with myself at the deepest levels. And seeing me do this they’ve learnt how to do it for themselves. They value my coaching skills and truly believe that I make a difference in this world one coachee at a time. I’m grateful for all their support. It took some getting used to for my parents and siblings. Their perception of a job is the typical 9am to 9pm hours in an office building! And my friends have been wonderfully supportive and believe that I’m rock solid. I’m humbled by their feedback and encouragement.
9. What sacrifices have you had to make to get to where you are right now?
I don’t think I’ve had to make any major sacrifices to be where I am, because I wanted to be here. And when that’s the case, you have greater clarity on what’s really important to you. You
experience a greater sense of peace when you live from the heart.
10. What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of being able to transform myself through my NLP training, because it’s meant that I’ve cleared a lot of my own s*** out and come out stronger. This is evidence that if I can empower myself, then others can do the same for themselves with my support. I am also very proud of my clients’ success stories. It’s an amazing feeling when I get a text message saying they’ve passed their driving test or an exam to getting a new job. The way they transform themselves and their relationships is awe--inspiring. That’s the proudest moment for me.
11. What are your tips for any other ladies wanting to start a business?
Always, always and always believe in yourself and in your dreams! You are responsible for your life, your happiness and your success. And if along the way you feel you need some support -- for god sake, ask for it! You don’t want to miss out on what the Universe is sending your way, because believe me, your awesomeness is waiting to be unleashed. Be open to receiving and giving. Have fun and keep inspiring others!
12. Are there any Sikh values you have applied to your business?
Being a Sikh for me isn’t just about following the doctrine laid out for me, its about understanding how to apply the principles to myself, my way of being and my life. Sikh values aren’t just there for the Sikhs to follow, they’re values that every human being can instill into themselves, they are universal. My faith in Guru Nanak Dev JI has carried me through my life so far and I try my best to follow our Guru’s teachings.
Some of the values that I live by and have applied to my coaching practice are: compassion & empathy, service and learning.
Being a coach, I have to be fully present to my clients without getting lost in the stories. It’s so important for us to practice compassion – daya – for its this value that connects us, makes us One. Being able to show empathy, understanding where the other person is coming from allows me to be there for them in an unconditional way. My only goal is to create a safe space for them so that they can hear themselves speak, express whats deep inside them without being judged and then find a way to move forward. If each one of us could do this for just one person a day, imagine what kind of world we would be creating.
Our Gurus have also taught us the value of service – seva. We’ve all got to make a living, take care of our families and do an honest day’s work. However, if we just keep the focus on me and mine; then we’ll miss out on a key opportunity to serve humanity on a larger scale. Working as a coach I have to make a living therefore I charge an hourly rate. However, a lot of times I come across people who really need my support but can’t afford to pay and its during these times that I offer pro bono coaching. I run workshops at minimal cost so that I can reach out to more people and serve them to feel more empowered. Having just moved to Chicago and attending the local Gurudwara I sensed that I could add some real value here so am planning some projects. It’s in the giving that we receive, and this is a value I’ve learnt from Sikhi.
Finally, my interpretation of the word Sikhi is ‘to learn’ and that makes me a ‘learner’. I believe in continuous learning, evolving as a human being on all levels – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Our Gurus taught us the way from turning Saint to Soldier, Gurbani teaches us power of the Word, mediation and simran allows us to gain deeper self-awareness into our being, behaviors and beliefs. I try to practice these values as much as I can on a daily basis, so that I become better at accepting myself and others. I attend training courses to grow into a better coach and whatever I learn, I use it in my coaching. I share my experiences where appropriate and I learn from others’ experiences. Over the past few months I’ve been getting clients who have major health issues, and I see that as a sign from our Guru to help others become mentally stronger as I recently had to go through a personal heartache with my own sick father. Constantly evolving, just as Nature intended.
13) Do you find being a Sikh woman running your own business an asset or hindrance?
Not sure how to answer this one. To be honest, I don’t see myself only as a Sikh woman, I see myself as a human being first! Sometimes we stop seeing the ‘whole’ us and only associate with what we’ve been born into, or taught or conditioned with. I don’t see why being a Sikh woman would cause me any hinderance in running my coaching practice. Yes, if we go into our cultural mentality then there may be some people who might think- what does she know about life at her age! Well, that hasn’t stopped me in the past and it definitely won’t stop me in the future. I let my clients’ success stories speak for themselves.
I feel a great sense of pride being able to connect with other Sikh women and helping them resolve issues holding them back. I come across so many Sikhs who’ve lost themselves to religion in a scary way and have witnessed their dim flickering light turn into a burning flame of love in its true essence, for their Creator.
Being a Sikh, a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter and a sister only empowers me to be the human I want to be. To serve myself, my loved ones, my community and humanity through being authentic, without any labels holding me back.
Preet has just relocated to Chicago with her family and is busy setting up her practice there, as well as continuing to offer her coaching services in the UK through Skype sessions. Please email her at preet@preetkalsi.com to find out more. Get more info on coaching with Preet at www.preetkalsi.com And check out Preet’s page on Facebook or follow her on Twitter