Today The Wellness Edit is in conversation with Sam Burgess from Small and Mighty Co. Sam and her company, Small and Mighty Co specialise in empowering entrepreneurs on their business journeys using a mix of mentoring & coaching.
It's lovely to have you on 'The Wellness Edit' Sam - thank you for taking the time to join us & to talk about yourself and your business.
Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and how your journey into the world of Coaching & Mentoring began?
Hello, lovely to meet you all. As mentioned, I'm Sam; I live by the sea in Hove with my miniature dachshund Monty. Before I went self-employed, I had a 15-year career in the retail industry in several senior positions for big-name retailers. In 2016 I set up on my own and worked for three years as a sought-after freelance Marketing Consultant and Mentor.
My move into what I do now was a natural evolution based on my experience with coaches, what my clients needed and what I was naturally good at and enjoyed. I've always felt drawn to helping people better themselves and their business. Blending life coaching with my marketing and business mentoring seemed an obvious progression as when you work for yourself, your life and business are very much entangled.
Tell us about the Wellness aspects of your business & also how you incorporate Wellness into your own daily life?
Having experienced burn-out in the past, Wellness is of utmost importance to me, and I practice what I preach as a coach. One of the most significant changes I made to improve my well-being was to relocate from London to Hove last summer. I wanted a more outdoor lifestyle, and being by the sea was critical for me as I find it immensely calming and restorative. I exercise in some way, every day, whether that be a walk along the beach with Monty, going for a run, jump rope or yoga - I like to keep it varied. On January 1st, I committed to a plant-based lifestyle and now eat a vegan diet and have found this has dramatically improved my energy levels, health, and overall well-being. Finally, within my business, I stripped back my service offerings in late 2019 and focused on the 20% of activity that made 80% of my income. By doing so, I improved my productivity and revenue and reduced my overwhelm as I wasn't spread so thin.
You specialise in working with creative business owners to help them navigate their way and tap into their intuition. Can you explain your method/style of working a bit more for us?
I genuinely believe that we all have the answers within us. I am in no way an expert in my clients lives; they are. I support my clients by looking at their business and life as a whole. We have a habit of compartmentalising these, but the truth is when you are self-employed, your work, and life is enmeshed, and I coach my clients 'whole-self'.
My role as a coach is to help my clients find clarity. I ask questions and give my clients space to think about what they want, or answer their problem. For clients struggling to connect with their intuition, I can facilitate a conversation. I use oracle cards to help get the thoughts flowing and guide my clients into a meditative state to listen to their inner voice rather than their mind.
My many years of business and marketing experience mean that when specifically asked, I can mentor my clients and help them take the following steps in their business.
Do you have a couple of tips for female entrepreneurs starting out in business?
- When setting up your business, consider your values. Many people don't know what their values are; we know what is important to us, but we can't articulate them or how we embody them because we haven't had the opportunity to discover our values with a coach. When setting up your business and deciding on your way of working, it's important to have considered how this business venture will support what is truly important to you.
- Listen to your intuition and set SMART Goals. Easier said than done when taking those first steps into self-employment. Your friends and family always have lots of ideas and opinions, and Instagram is filled with your peers. You can easily find yourself veering off course before you've even started due to the outside noise. Set yourself SMART goals; that way, you know why you've committed to what you want to achieve as well as how you're going to do it. Check-in with your intuition along the way as well to ensure you still feel happy with the plan you're following.
What have been the biggest challenges to your business during the various lockdowns over the last year?
I feel fortunate that my business has not been adversely affected by the pandemic. If anything, with the rise of people starting businesses and the government grants, revenue was positive for me last year. The two challenges I have faced have been accommodating session timing for clients that were homeschooling and looking after my mental health. I have found the lockdowns challenging, and my clients have too. As an empath, it is easy for me to feel my clients pain and take it on board; I have had to work hard to exert my energetic boundaries and not let myself feel everyone's troubles.
What are your future plans, and how do you see yourself and your business evolving?
Right now, I am living in the moment and letting my life and business flow. I've had a lot of personal upheaval in the last few years, and right now, I am happy. I have a wonderful little home by the sea, a supportive partner and a dog that brings me endless joy. I don't see anything changing for me or my business anytime soon. Still, I am looking forward to going back to working three days a week after lockdown and enjoying all that life brings, including travel, live music and seeing my loved ones.
How do people find you and book for coaching/mentoring?
To apply for coaching/mentoring with myself, you can take a look at smallandmighty.co/services and book for a self-discovery call. My Intuition Coaching sessions can be booked directly on the site.
I like to end with 6 quick-fire questions…!
What makes you happy?
Monty, my dog.
Last book you read?
Ignore the Fear by Fiona Quinn (a true story of a woman who paddleboarded the length of the UK)
What are you curious about right now?
Mediumship. I am currently studying with the College of Psychic Studies.
Favourite way to relax?
Sitting on the beach watching the waves.
Favourite Scent?
Sandalwood
Photo by @fable_photos
Favourite 360 Botanics product?
The Sleep Aroma Mist. I spray it all over my bed linen and pillows every night as part of my evening routine. I drift off to sleep so quickly.
Thank's so much Sam - It's been a real pleasure hearing about your personal journey and how you are helping people and their businesses grow!
Visit Small and Mighty Co Website here: smallandmighty.co
& follow them on Insta here: @samburgessuk