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Founder@ Interview
With Tara Jackson
“Starting your own business is not the easy option. It requires enormous amounts of strength, perseverance and dedication, and a willingness to try new things and let things go, as well as do your inner and outer work to keep on growing and showing up for the people who need and want what you are sharing. However, if you are committed to this, you will be deeply rewarded. ” – Tara Jackson
Today we feature Tara Jackson, the founder at Empathpreneurs®. We hear their story in their own words, their successes, their challenges and their insights.
Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about you and what you do?
I am an embodied business mentor, holistic health and wellness coach, author, illustrator and the founder of Empathpreneurs®, a business service for empath entrepreneurs. My work involves guiding entrepreneurs to create businesses they love, on their terms, by healing and releasing any blocks, and aligning with their creative power. I am adopted from India, grew up in Kenya and then lived in London for 20 years. I now live between the UK and Kenya.
A great introduction and start to this interview. Can you please tell us, how did you start, from what age, and what made you decide to change direction and start?
I first began working in and with businesses over 20 years ago, working my way up in PR and marketing with global corporations and brands in the travel and tourism industry. I then started working in business operations, HR and new business development as I wanted to learn behind the scenes of how businesses worked knowing that I wanted my own business someday. I have also been a virtual assistant and events manager, worked in food events and catering. In all that time, I found myself hustling a lot, pushing, ignoring my body and I started to get burned out, had a number of health issues. So, I re-trained as a holistic health coach, which was my first business. As this evolved I was still doing a number of jobs in marketing and business admin, and wanted to bring it all together (along with the health and wellbeing as it’s essential to business), as I found I enjoyed doing all the various parts, and felt there must be a way to combine it all. Then one day I had the magical idea to create something which leans on all my varied experience, and brings a holistic approach to supporting others with their businesses.
Thank you for that insight. So can you tell us…What does your business do and where is your company based?
My business supports entrepreneurs (who identify as sensitive/empathic) with different parts of their businesses. As well as looking at the practical elements of running an online business from systems and processes to PR and marketing, done in a way to honour the needs of sensitive souls, I also support my clients to clear and release business ‘blocks’ (such as fear of being seen, receiving money and support, boundaries, imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and mindset patterns), so they can then tune into and use their creative power. It is a global business, working with people worldwide, but is registered in the UK.
What’s the story behind your success? What led to your aha moment? how did you get to where you are now?
Always following my intuition and doing things that have felt good to me, not because I feel I should. This has been life changing and opened me up to a whole new way of working and being that honours sensitivity and cycles of rest and action. So often business is done in a way that pushes and expects constant growth and results. I found this didn’t work for me, especially as someone with a menstrual cycle. Learning to work with my own body and needs, the seasons and cycles has allowed me to create a business that is sustainable and enjoyable to me. It took some time un-learning and allowing myself to do it in this way (as it’s not something I ever learned in all of my work experience), but doing so truly continues to nourish and fulfill me and my business. By following my inner guidance I let go of my first business as a health coach, even though I had just written my first book all about self-care and linking to my work then, which seemed so counterintuitive. I spent a few months in that space in between, wondering what was next. Then suddenly one day, the idea for my current business came in a flash, linking all the different parts of a business to the chakras. This formed the foundation, which I was then able to add to as guided by my intuition, all in alignment with the chakras. Following my intuition also led to me writing three more books and creating an oracle card deck (also all linked), in a short space of time.
Thank you for sharing that. What’s been your life’s biggest lesson so far?
My biggest lessons have come when I’ve not trusted myself in my business and tried to push to make things happen, also when I have done things I knew deep down I didn’t really want to do and that weren’t aligned for me. I’ve spent money on creating offers that I knew I didn’t really want to sell so I didn’t get any sign ups. I’ve also got overwhelmed with feeling like I needed to do everything and show up all the time, so have learned to do this in a way that feels aligned with me now. The other challenge I have faced is, as a sensitive person, I can get overwhelmed very easily. I learned to do business in a way that really didn’t honour my sensitivity and as a result I got burnt out and suffered from a number of health conditions, so wasn’t able to show up for myself and my clients at my best. I had to learn that I can’t ‘do’ business in this way, it simply doesn’t work for me. I need lots of self-care and support (more than I was ever led to believe) – mind, body and soul on an ongoing basis. Rather than hustling all hours, I need to rest, move, and look after my body so that I feel good and am healthy and energised. I need to work on my mindset and beliefs regularly – in all areas such as money, bringing in new clients, sharing new offers etc. I need to regularly feed my soul with creativity and being in nature. It may seem counterintuitive, but when I prioritise this I am able to have a sustainable business that supports me and all the people I get to work with.
Mindset and healing your past is everything. Believing in yourself and what you are capable of will create change and results in your business more than anything else.
If you were to go back in time, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
The entrepreneurial journey will not be a straight line. You will try many things, some will work, some will not. You will have to let go of things, learn to adapt, evolve and grow. There will be times when you have to believe in yourself and keep going as nobody else will. There will be times when it might feel like you are talking to nobody. Keep going, you are inspiring others even if if they aren’t saying. You will have days when you wonder why you are doing it, and want to give up. You will have days when you feel on top of the world and remember why you are doing it. This journey will invite you to go deeper into your own healing journey and work than you ever thought you would. As a result you will become more confident and aligned with the person you’ve always known you are deep inside. You will connect deeply with others in ways you have always dreamed of. You will find your soul family as you step into doing what lights you up more than anything else you have ever done before. It will all be worth it, trust me.
What do you know now that you wished you had known before?
Mindset and healing your past is everything. Believing in yourself and what you are capable of will create change and results in your business more than anything else. 
What has been your greatest or proudest achievement or moment?
Writing 4 books and creating (writing and illustrating) an oracle card deck in less than three years.
What future life goals do you want to achieve and why?
A personal goal is I would like to move into writing fiction. As a child I always wrote fiction books and had a vivid imagination. I still have a vivid imagination and dream world, so now want to try and write fiction as an adult. I’ve also learned that as I honour and follow my dreams in all areas of my life they have a profound impact on my business, so I’m curious to see what this might do for my business as well.
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To finish our inspire questions…”We believe that sharing inspiring words can inspire others.” If there was one positive thing you would say to someone to inspire and empower them what would it be and why?
Starting your own business is not the easy option. It requires enormous amounts of strength, perseverance and dedication, and a willingness to try new things and let things go, as well as do your inner and outer work to keep on growing and showing up for the people who need and want what you are sharing. However, if you are committed to this, you will be deeply rewarded.
“Thank you it has been great learning more about your founder story and Empathpreneurs®”
To learn more about Empathpreneurs® Visit www.empathpreneurs.org
Find on social media @
Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/empathpreneurs/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tara_jackson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empathpreneurscommunity
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisatarajackson/
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