What no one tells you about being an entrepreneur

Being an entrepreneur and an online coach is tough.  No one really warns us of this. We see all of these people with great success in their businesses and rarely get to know the real story behind where they are. People paint picture-perfect lives with laptops with a Piña Colada on the beaches of Bali, but we don't know what's really going on in these people's lives.

While I started my business over 11 years ago, it was very different in the beginning. I had a stable income in Venezuela but had spent a lot of time hidden, in my little bubble. I was "lucky" that one client would always lead me to the next one. I didn't have to do much - if anything to get income for my business. I played it safe for years until I was faced with a cold reality once we moved to the US two years ago. I had built my business in such a local way, I was invisible to the rest of the world. I didn't have contacts, I didn't have an email list or a sales funnel setup. I had to learn the ropes of online business from scratch.

That's why, even though I have been doing a version of the same thing for the past 11 years, it almost feels to me like I have only truly been in business for the past year and a half. It was in the middle of 2016 where I formally began coming out of my shell and sharing my message with the world. It has been a rollercoaster full of many -- MANY ups and downs. I have cried and laughed in the past few months more than ever before. But, I have also been able to build something I never would have imagined. I quickly increased my income by 1011% in just 6 months, and then went on to earning multiple 5 figures a month, surpassing 6 figures this year already. I am completely booked every single month and am starting to hire a team to accommodate for my growth.

However, I have to say, there's so much I wish I would have been prepared for when I began this journey last year. That's why I want to share with you the truth about becoming an online coach and entrepreneur. You know, the real truth, the stuff no one tells you.

I go in-depth about things you really need to take into account about being an online coach and entrepreneur right here:

If there was ever a time to believe in yourself, this is it. I can't tell you how many times in the past year I have doubted myself, my abilities and had this 'impostor syndrome' in my mind.

What has gotten me through is a constant reminder that, yes, I am talented, I am good at what I do. And sure, while I have a folder on my phone with all the amazing reviews and messages I receive daily from my clients with stories filled with success, I think that the only way we believe it is if we don't look for an external validation of our strengths, but understand it inherently ourselves.

This is where clearly defining what makes you unique is crucial to business. I talk about the importance of differentiation right here and the keys to discovering what makes you unique. 

It's one of my favorite things I do when working with clients. The truth is, that until you know and understand how incredible you are and the things that you are #1 at in the whole world (and trust me, you ARE at something, even if you don't know it), you will go back to looking for that external validation and doubt.

That's why Debb, one of my clients sent me this message after I delivered her 30-page Brand Book.

"You totally got it! Exactly what I’m about and I didn’t even know. You have a gift and your potential clients need it. This guide is life-changing because it provides the foundation for confidence. Thank you so much!”

Believing in yourself is crucial for having that confidence to put yourself out there, to deliver your message, AND to attract the great clients you deserve to have in your life.

Another truly important thing I have discovered about being an entrepreneur and online coach, is that it's fundamental to be resourceful. And I do mean really resourceful. When I relaunched my business, I knew that I needed to up my game if I wanted to position myself correctly and differentiate myself from everyone else.

That, to me, meant giving my clients something that no one else would be giving them. Tools that would not only be about branding but about marketing their own business online as well. Tools that I didn't know too well myself.

So, I got resourceful, I would spend hours each day on Pinterest, saving, pinning, and reading articles about online business. I did over 15 online courses, and I learned all the tech that I didn't know before. I got great at all of it. From funnels to marketing, from webinars to Leadpages, from emails to Facebook Groups.

So much so, that now one of the things I offer my clients is a training section within my website on how to effectively market their own brands, and today I specialize in helping clients create magnetic marketing strategies that attract high-end clients into their businesses.

Being resourceful meant that I was getting better and better at gaining new, more ideal clients. It also meant that my systems and processes would be there to help me reach every single one of my goals. Being resourceful is what makes me overdeliver every single time I work with a client, leaving them with the most incredible experience.

Being resourceful also means finding solutions to problems that might at times feel impossible.

There are going to be days that will be extremely tough. I'm not going to lie. You are going to want to give up on multiple occasions. For me, it has been a tough mental battle. Doubting my capacity to grow, thinking I'm never going to make it or that things simply aren't going to go my way.

But, here's a secret for you: you have to push through fear. Fear is always going to be part of the equation. It's what you do with it that matters.

Are you going to let fear paralyze you or drive you forward? I have learned that fear is a great motivator for me personally. Fear is sometimes the root of why I have been able to do incredible things.

Being resilient means continuing to move forward despite the challenges, despite the downhill moments.

And, yes, have no doubt about it, there will be moments where you are going to wish you hadn't gotten into this in the first place. But, then, a miracle happens.

You get a message from a happy client, or book an incredible discovery call, or make an unexpected sale. You get a glimpse of what the future could look like. A reminder of why you got into this in the first place.

And that's why knowing and communicating your why is crucial. For me, I've always had this thing where I look at the best in people. No matter who they are, I never judge. I always see something good in others. Part of the reason why I'm in this business is that I get to bring out the best of people through branding. Not only through a killer website, or a perfect logo, but by letting them see what their own why is.

I have created this guide that helps you define the foundations of your brand so that when times get tough, you can always go back and remind yourself of why you need to continue moving forward. You can download it right here:

This is one I actually didn't expect. While at times being an entrepreneur feels extremely lonely because you are in your thing, trying to figure out how to make an income, build funnels, reach your audience, increase engagement and so on and so forth, the truth is, you aren't alone.

All of those moments of fear, of not knowing what to do or even that impostor syndrome? They are TOTALLY the most normal thing in the world.

That is something that surprised me. So, yeah, you might see all these posts on the beach and think "Wow, this person has it all figured out," but I call B.S. In order for every person that is successful to get to where they are, they had to go through tough moments as well.

We are all going through some version of the same battles. So don't think for one second that you are alone. I find that it's fundamental to work with people or hire coaches that I know will get where I am.

People that can relate to my stories, my struggles, and challenges. It's what I try to convey to my clients all the time. I've often seen myself in the role of a motivational coach when telling my clients I get exactly where they are, and that all they need to do is face the fear and push forward.

I find that being by their side and cheering for them makes a huge difference for their own success as well.

Another crazy thing? Challenges are replaced by new ones. I used to think that all I needed to have the freedom and independence that I was looking for when I got on business is to get to a certain level of income.

I fought hard to achieve it, battling my own mental demons, and once I did, guess what happened? New challenges arose. I mean sure, you can have some sense of peace, but if you want to have a long and successful career, those moments of not hustling at all, are going to be limited.

But, what I have understood is that it's all about decisions. You can decide to build a business that ends up burning you out with exhaustion, or you can decide to do what feels right for you. It doesn't have to be about this insane hustle that drains you.

I have done that, and I can tell you, it chips off a bit of you and can drive you absolutely insane. Hustling? Sure, it can be part of your business, but there are ways to do things in a manner that feels natural. This is why having a funnel and a system that consistently brings in clients is fundamental.

It's also the reason why I don't only build brands and websites, but I also give my clients marketing strategies and build funnels for them as well. I don't want them to live in a constant state of hustle that drives them crazy. This is also the reason why having a message that is aligned across every piece of marketing you emit, is fundamental for the success of your business. I talk about that in this training right here. 

Again, it's all about decisions, right? So, you can decide to make life harder on yourself OR your can decide to make smarter choices. Work with people that can help you move forward, take actions that are aligned with your business and your clients as well, and follow the foundation of your brand.

This is one advice I'm learning right now on my own. I'm beginning to understand that if you want to achieve more, you can't expect to do everything on your own. 

Believe it or not, up until now, I do pretty much everything in my business. I write the emails, I answer the phone, I send out invoices and contracts, I do the 30-page Brand Books, I design the logos, I design AND develop the websites, I do the social media templates, I write out the copy for my clients' sites, I teach them marketing strategies, I setup their funnel, I, I, I...

Yep, I do it all. Or rather, I did. I realized that there's simply a limit to what you can do when you are doing it all. First, there's no scaleability in your business, because it all depends on you PLUS you can't take on too many clients because you can't give them each the attention they deserve. Next, you leave no place for creativity. For ideas to flow and you to develop them. Right? You are doing so many small tasks you have no time for the big ones.

So I have finally started building out my team. A group of people that will assist me in my needs. Not only giving me the space to grow, but also, to breathe. To take things slowly and enjoy each one of my clients even more. Sure, it's not an easy process bringing people to your team. It takes delegation, processes, systems and trust. This is something that I'm literally just starting to do right now and while it feels scary, it also feels incredible. 

If you are trying to do it all by yourself, it also means you aren't focusing on your area of expertise. That's why most of my clients hire me. Because they know they will get a person that's an expert in helping them communicate who they are more effectively, that will bring their brand to life, that will build a website that actually converts and create the marketing funnel that will set them up for success. Basically, giving them the time and space to build the business they always wanted. 

So there you have it! This is my real list of advice and the untold secrets of being an entrepreneur. Sure, there are things that are difficult, but, if I'm completely honest, it's the most amazing and liberating experience in the world having your own business.

I can't begin to tell you how amazing it is to be able to control my own time, cuddle mid-morning with my daughter when she wants mommy time, or being there for my husband and his career as well. I feel so proud of myself and all that I have accomplished in such a short amount of time.

Plus, I can't tell you how amazing it feels to be able to have a positive ripple effect on hundreds and thousands of people thanks to the work I do for my clients and then what they do for their own.