How To Create Your Authentic Business - With Marisa Guthrie

Tom Bailey, founder of Succeed Through Speaking, interviews Marisa Guthrie.

Marisa Guthrie is a business coach and mentor to small and micro enterprises. A serial entrepreneur, she has set and run several businesses and not for profits including a think tank and a women's business network. Marisa believes that business should be a force for good in our world and is using her skills to put money in the hands of the right people.

Why you've got to check out Marisa's episode:

- Learn how Marisa helps small and micro business owners that are using their business to make a difference. How they want to define success on their own terms and why they sometimes have a rebellious streak.

- Understand the biggest challenge of having the courage to step into being your authentic selves in business. And why you are in fact a critical part of your business when you are your true self.

- The impact of being disillusioned with the business world and why trying to emulate the influencers is often the wrong way to go.

- Learn the key piece of advice from Marisa and how a well-known quote from Shakespeare brings some clarity for you as a business owner.

- Find out how you can get access to a FREE course developed by Marisa showing you how to create your authentic business in 6 easy steps.

Resources / Links

https://www.marisaguthriecoaching.co.uk

Transcript

Tom Bailey: Hello and welcome to Succeed Through Speaking the place for experts and entrepreneurs who want high value ideas to boost business results.

Hello, I'm Tom Bailey. And in today's episode, I'll be getting to know Marisa Guthrie, who is a business coach and a mentor to small and micro enterprises. So, Marisa, hello and a very warm welcome to today's episode. 

Marisa Guthrie: Hi Tom. Really nice to meet you. Thanks so much for inviting me. It's great.

Tom Bailey: I appreciate you being here. And whereabouts are you in the world right now?

Marisa Guthrie: So, I I'm in the south of the UK, a little way from Brighton by the sea. So, yeah, we're in, we're in lovely sunny Sussex.

Tom Bailey: Fantastic. And I want to share a little bit more about Marisa before we get started. So, Marisa is a serial entrepreneur and has set up several businesses and not-for-profits including a think tank and a women's business network. Marisa believes that businesses should be a force for good in our world. And is using her skills to put money in the hands of the right people. The title for today's episode is How To Create Your Authentic Business. And Marisa is going to show us how to do that in just seven minutes. So, question one today is who are your ideal clients?

Marisa Guthrie: Well, my ideal clients are small and micro business owners who kind of see the world in the same way that I do what matters to them matters to me. And they're using that businesses to make a difference. They're often people that might not identify with the word entrepreneur and they want to define success on their terms, not to conform to the version that society has handed down to them. So, sometimes a little bit rebellious perhaps don't always feel a part of that business world. So. yeah, I'm using my skills to help them.

Tom Bailey: Excellent. Perfect. So. when we think of these rebellious small business owners, what's typically the biggest challenge that they face.

Marisa Guthrie: Well, the biggest challenge apart from budget, which is something that, you know, we all grew up grappling with, but then one of the biggest challenges is having the courage to step into being their authentic selves because they feel that business should be done in a certain way. So, that should an inverted commerce. And that's often at odds with who they are as individuals and how they feel about themselves and their business. So, particularly when it comes down to the marketing. It means that they, you know, it comes from a place where it doesn't really land effectively and often they feel very thwarted in their attempts to market themselves. So, I'll often hear them saying, I don't know what to say about myself. I don't know how to market myself, but you know, I'm, I'm passionate about what I do, but I don't know how to talk about it.

Tom Bailey: Yeah. So, I guess there's a lack of clarity there. And then what impact would you say this, you know, lack of clarity or visibility is having on their businesses?

Marisa Guthrie: Yeah. Well, the biggest impact is that they often get disillusioned with the business world because they're trying to conform to something that doesn't fit with them. They can see all the big brands and the influencers and what they try to do is emulate them. They try and fit who they are to be like, you know, the big players that we say. So, then that can often lead to cynicism. Frankly, despair. And often what I've seen is that it can actually result in some people closing their businesses simply because they feel they can't compete in that world. And if they do stick with it, they may often find themselves getting to a point of burnout, which is often one of which they contacted. So, they're just feeling exhausted and they have to take time out just to survive. So that that's really the biggest impact that it has on their business.

Tom Bailey: Of course. So, let's say someone's listening to this episode right now, and they're starting to resonate with these messages that you're putting out there, what's the one piece of advice that you'd give to somebody to really help them get started on this journey or path?

Marisa Guthrie:  Well, I was really thinking about this question and not to be too lofty, but I'd like to borrow the words of William Shakespeare, who said to ‘thine own self, be true’. So, your business is quickly going to become unsustainable. If you're trying to fit someone else's model of how to do things, or you're going to try and emulate their way of doing things. So, the first thing to say, really you know, be confident in who you are and your business story. I work with story a lot in my work and really figuring out why people do what they do.

You know, it's not just about money, money is an outcome, but why are you really here to do this? What's really driving this and above all, be authentic, have the courage to be yourself. You know, I recently saw a quote talking about authenticity that it's really a connection to. So, when you can really, you know, be authentic and have the courage to be yourself, that will have huge benefits for your business. And, and also only surround yourself with people that truly get you there that really understand you. And that will raise you up. This is not, it's not only better for you, but it's better for your business and ultimately better for your clients and customers.

Tom Bailey: I love that you have a really powerful message behind that. Yeah. Really appreciate you sharing that with us. So, think of that then what is one valuable resource that you might share with people to help them get started?

Marisa Guthrie: Well, I've created a free course, Tom called Rating Your Authentic Business In Six Easy Steps, which you can access from my website and marisaguthriecoaching.co.uk. And it's got everything that you need to know about how to create an authentic business. Well, not only fulfills you and resonates with who you are, but will ultimately attract more clients and customers that share the same values as you do so you can increase your income and your impact in the world. And find fulfillment through running a business that you love, but also that it's a much more relaxing place to be when you're running your business from a place of authenticity. Right. Rather than trying to turn up constantly and try and be someone else, you know, it's totally possible and achievable. It just takes a little bit of thoughtful.

Tom Bailey: Absolutely. Thank you so much. That's marisaguthriecoaching.co.uk. I'll put that link into the show notes below and people can just click that and dive in and get access to that free course. So, onto the subject of you again for just a minute, so obviously see what entrepreneur you set up and run lots of businesses. I'm sure you've made a few mistakes or had a few failures along the way. So, one question I have is what's what would you say is one of your greatest mistakes or failures you've made in life or business? And what did you learn?

Marisa Guthrie: Yeah, well, you know, just to be for your sake and the listeners say I've made some absolute humdingers so I can answer this really well. You know, and to be honest again, I was really thinking about this question and the only failure that I really believe in is not learning the lesson when things go wrong. So, if we're prepared to learn the lesson and understand that, ultimately everything is a gift. If we choose to see it that way, There is no such thing as failure.

There is only the opportunity to learn something about ourselves. So gosh, every single thing that I've been through in life, as well as business, you know, it was harder lesson to teach me. And when I didn't learn it the first time, you know, it showed up again and again, until I learned it. So, I use all of that in my coaching work. And, you know, I, I believe that it makes me be a better coach. So, it's all about just learning the lesson. What is this failure to teach them? Yeah.

Tom Bailey: Perfect. Love that. Thank you so much. And the last question for me today is what is the one question that I should have asked you that will also give some great value to our audience today?

Marisa Guthrie: And again, you know, this is such a fabulous question. So, so Tom, what you should have asked me. Is what business owners and entrepreneurs need in order to achieve success or any goal I would have told you, it takes two things, takes two things. So, number one is the right strategy. Number two is the right mindset. So, you've got the right strategy. You're going to know what steps to take to achieve your goals. But if you don't have the mindset to match them, What's going to happen is you're going to keep coming up against emotional barriers, the same things, and you wouldn't know how to overcome them. And so, what can happen is that you re risk sabotaging yourself. So conversely, if it's all about mindset, but you've got no strategy, then you won't be able to take action. So, you really need the combination of those kinds of emotional tools and those practical tools. And to be honest, it really is that simple. So, it's the right strategy and the right mind.

Tom Bailey: Absolutely. Great note to end on. Thank you so much, and I really appreciate your time again, and obviously for sharing your expertise with our audience.

Marisa Guthrie: It's an absolute pleasure. Thank you so much, Tom. And I look forward to chatting again.