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From Playing It Safe to Building a Thriving Hypnosis Business: Entrepreneurship, Confidence & Coconut the Dog
32 Plays10 days ago
What does it really take to build a fulfilling, sustainable business? In this conversation, we explore the mindset shifts, challenges, and discoveries that open the door to more freedom, connection, and purpose at work. Whether you’re running your own business, considering entrepreneurship, or just craving more aliveness in your work, there’s something here for you.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why traditional “job security” can be misleading—and what real security can look like
- How mentorship and modeling others can shortcut the mystery of starting and growing a business
- Simple mindset shifts that build lasting confidence (even if you're not shy!)
- How Jessica used everyday encounters to grow her business, one conversation at a time
- What it means to “be like Coconut” and stay focused on your outcome even in the face of rejection or disappointment
- How to find purpose, flexibility, and joy in your work—whether you’re self-employed or not
- The surprising ripple effects of stepping into your mission-driven work
Whether you're just toying with the idea of entrepreneurship or looking to build confidence in your own path, Jessica’s story is a great example of how to create business possibilities for yourself.
Jessica Taylor is a hypnotist, human behaviour specialist and the Clinic Director of Pleasant Hypnosis in Vancouver. She has helped countless individuals and groups manage stress, lose weight, build confidence, enhance performance, and let go of bad habits. She is passionate about empowering people to overcome limiting beliefs and create lasting positive change in their lives. In her interactive talks and workshops, Jessica provides real life tools to build resilience, manage emotions, and improve communication for greater personal and professional success.
Connect with Jessica Taylor here:
Learn more about how Robbie Spier Miller’s coaching, training, consulting and speaking opportunities can help you enhance your personal and business performance here:
https://www.hypnosistrainingcanada.com
https://www.mindlinkconsulting.com
Social Media Handles:
@hypnosistrainingcanada
@robbiespiermiller
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Transcript
Introduction and Lessons from Coconut the Dog
00:00:00
Speaker
He was on his outcome. His outcome was get someone to throw the ball for me, right? Chase the ball. And he didn't care if it was me or someone else. And I was like, at that moment, I was like like, if only I could be a dog. That is so cool to just know that you can just move on undeterred, right? He knew it wasn't about him.
Meet the Hosts: Robbie and Jessica
00:00:17
Speaker
Welcome to the Habit of Possibility podcast, the show about turning obstacles into opportunities. I'm your host, Robbie Spear-Miller. Today, our guest is Jessica Taylor of Pleasant Hypnosis.
Jessica's Transition to Hypnosis
00:00:30
Speaker
Together, we will explore the key mindset shifts and actions that help Jessica go from playing it safe to building a thriving business. Hello, everybody. This is Robbie Spear Miller with the Habit of Possibility podcast.
00:00:45
Speaker
And today we're welcoming Jessica Taylor, who is a hypnotist and business owner in Vancouver. She owns Pleasant Hypnosis and she is a person who mentors here to build her hypnosis clinic.
00:00:58
Speaker
And I'm really excited to have this conversation to talk about the journey from becoming an entrepreneur. becoming an entrepreneur So before Jessica did this, she worked as an employee, as as did i um And we were just talking before we started this recording that both of us as kids were entrepreneurial and we got involved in various things.
00:01:21
Speaker
But as adults, we really weren't clear about how to translate that into earning an income as an adult and making that work as a career.
Entrepreneurship vs Employment
00:01:31
Speaker
And so I know for myself, it was a bit of a mystery when I would see other people own businesses or do entrepreneurial things.
00:01:40
Speaker
The bridge from where I was to getting to a place like that was a mystery. And I've discovered how to do it by having some great role models and mentors, as has Jessica.
00:01:51
Speaker
And so we're going to explore with people what that's like so that people who are considering becoming an entrepreneur or maybe you've dabbled in things but never really followed through and made it really work for real, it'll give you some ideas of of what this journey is like and what the benefits are to pursuing this possibility. And I don't know about you, Jessica, but I would never go back to being an employee unless I really had to.
00:02:20
Speaker
Right. if I and I love what I do, even if I didn't do what I do right now anymore, i would find some other way to be an entrepreneur because, you know, it's there's just so much more richness to it. So so welcome, Jessica.
00:02:36
Speaker
Thank you, Robbie. Thanks for having me. Yeah. And I totally agree with you. There's so much more flexibility to being your own boss, to having your own business and running the show and making those decisions yourself.
00:02:47
Speaker
You know, you decide who if you s sink or swim. Yeah, that's right. So start by telling us a little bit about
Mindset Shifts in Business
00:02:56
Speaker
what made you decide to build your business and and what was it like early on for you?
00:03:03
Speaker
Well, when i when I first decided that I wanted to you know study hypnosis, right? Because that's really what my, I'm in the business of hypnosis and change. And when I first started to look at it, I was looking at it from the perspective of, oh, I'll go and I'll get trained. I'll get my you know certification and then I'll work in someone's clinic.
00:03:23
Speaker
Right. I will go and work for someone, even though I'm getting this skill that is totally useful as a business model of its own. I'm imagining like, oh, I'll go and do this and then someone will hire me and I'll give them, you know, 30 percent of my income forever. And and like.
00:03:39
Speaker
you know that'll that'll be it um and coming to the training at hypnosis training in canada actually shifted that for me because when i walked in the first day that was the plan right and throughout it listening to the other people who were in mentorship and how they had their own clinics and looking at the model and how it was actually totally viable and actually one of the coolest jobs in the world and gives you so much flexibility and you can you know choose to make as much money as you want to by seeing more clients and you know have more flexibility and take time off if you want
Networking and Mentorship
00:04:11
Speaker
to see less. ah you really
00:04:12
Speaker
It was so clear that it made sense as a business that I you know was like, okay, cool, and was able to shift to going, okay, so now how do we make this a reality?
00:04:24
Speaker
and Yeah. yeah Yeah. And so at first when you came, you were looking at kind of like getting another certificate on your wall, another qualification to go serve of people or to to say you know something, but you weren't looking at it as a way to to earn good living.
00:04:44
Speaker
It was like you were going to keep yourself active. a a slave to working for others forever. We'll put it that way, right? Because ultimately the person who takes the risk is the one who makes the money.
00:04:56
Speaker
And um my mentor Scott McFall says, and job stands for just over broke. And so, yeah, I have a neighbor who who jokes about how you go to work and you make some money and then you pay your bills and then you start all over again and it just goes around in a circle.
00:05:14
Speaker
And when you're an entrepreneur and a business owner, you you can create more wealth in your life because you have choices about, you know, the sky's the limit in terms of where you go with that. So it's it's learning how to live from that place or look at opportunities that way.
The Entrepreneurial Journey
00:05:33
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. It's so much more flexible than trying to ask your boss for an extra shift or a raise. i know for they is the Right. And you're you're asking and begging for it. And, and you know, in my experience, the there are, of course, ups and downs when you own a business. There are forces beyond your control.
00:05:52
Speaker
If you're really engaged in the business and you're you're looking at opportunities in a useful way, generally generally speaking, you can find ways to increase your income if you really want to.
00:06:06
Speaker
And it's just available to you. Whereas if you work for somebody else, they dictate how much you can earn or not earn. And it's not necessarily related to the actions you're taking,
00:06:18
Speaker
So you're not necessarily rewarded. you you are not rewarded for the contribution you're making, if that makes sense. But when you own a business, you you can be rewarded and it's up to you. There's no um you know manager or business owner or you know what it's the value you're actually delivering that determines how much money you make.
00:06:41
Speaker
who Yeah, if you're actually providing value to the clients and then you can continue to do that, you can go out and make it as big as you wanted to. I used to look at it as like having a stable nine to five where you're working for a company, that's the safe option, right? You know you know exactly how, you know, where your paycheck's coming and how much it's going to be, right? And and you can kind of like have this idea of that.
00:07:04
Speaker
But I realized that going into business makes it even safer because you can make more, right? You can actually go, okay, if I need more, I can work more this month. If I need less, I can work less this month. and And it it was so, so very liberating ah to have that realization.
00:07:22
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, yes. Yeah, that's great. Another thing that I found really interesting as a business owner is you you really get to enjoy the adventure of getting to know all kinds of people.
00:07:35
Speaker
I mean, we do that anyway as hypnotists, but because we get to know other business owners and just people in various capacities, it could be like, you know, charity and fundraising or that kind of thing that you'd really connect with people you might never have met if you were working at a job or doing something else.
00:07:55
Speaker
So it it opens up your world in a lot of interesting ways, whether it's people or travel or new challenges within the business to help grow the business. That there' there's so much diversity there that it's really, it never gets boring.
00:08:11
Speaker
There's always something new and there's always something to stretch for. Yeah, it's true. I mean, my social life has been ah really well affected by becoming a business owner because I had to get really into networking and making connections purposefully with people. And I've met so many people, so many people that I never would have met, is you know, sitting behind a receptionist's desk.
00:08:35
Speaker
or you know even answering calls. like this is It's it's an invaluable resource more than even just knowing these people, but now being able to tap them on the shoulder and be like, hey, i have a question about XYZ, and they're an expert in it. right like who Who else gets to go for dinner with a lawyer and have you know an hour-long conversation about about you know the questions that you have with them. And they're happy to answer it because you know you guys are enjoying a bowl of pasta together and you know they're you're a part of the same group and you're working to support each other.
00:09:07
Speaker
it's It's been a pretty cool experience having having that as an opportunity because you don't really see employees at networking events, maybe at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. But again, they're just there because their boss sent them and they're like, I don't know, I'm getting paid for this. And I heard there was going to be snacks.
00:09:22
Speaker
Right? Yes. ah Yeah, it's a different mindset for sure.
00:09:39
Speaker
So I remember for me when I was starting my business and I started to go to networking events, I remember this one specific guy I met who he came from a family of business people and they were selling swag, right? Like promotional, you know, mugs and pens and t-shirts and all that kind of stuff.
00:09:58
Speaker
And you know he had basically inherited this business and was building it further. And I remember looking at him and going like, wow, he's so confident. How does he do that? And it was kind of a mystery. And i already had my business, but I was just starting to grow it And was interesting to observe that I looked at that as a mystery at the time because I didn't grow up in a family of business owners. So you know there were There were kind of some unknowns there about what happens, but having been in business now for almost 20 years, um none of it's a mystery. it's a lot of it is just being willing to take action, to stretch yourself, to do what needs to be done.
00:10:38
Speaker
And by those actions, you build confidence. And he was he was showing that confidence because he was simply taking the actions and he knew it And so it was easy to be confident.
00:10:50
Speaker
So talk a little bit about how your confidence grew from doing this. Well, I mean, yeah, ah there was, when we look back at how I was looking at it from the beginning, I really was looking at it as this scary, dangerous, risky thing. Like, oh no, I'm going to like, you know, pull the the safety net out from under me and this is going to be a tightrope walk to the end. Like that's how it felt when I first thought about, okay, like I have this money that I've saved from my job and am I really going to invest this all into growing this thing that I don't know if it's going to work out?
00:11:23
Speaker
um But, you know, having having being part of the Master Hypnosis Society, ah having you as a mentor, having, you know, other people to kind of bounce it off and model and look at, hey, what are they doing? What's going on in that clinic?
00:11:38
Speaker
How are they doing it? Getting to even go and observe at the Burlington Hypnosis Center. and watch watch, you know, Tree and the other hypnotists working with the clients.
00:11:48
Speaker
It was kind of like you were saying, like the watching it and the modeling it and the getting curious about, okay, well, if that can happen there, or if I tried it on that way, how would it feel for me? And so I got more and more confident. When I first opened my clinic, um I was, you know, I was used to talking to people if they were talking to me. I was behind the desk, I'd answer the phone, I'd greet them when they came in, but I wasn't going out and on purpose connecting with people.
00:12:13
Speaker
So, you know, to get my clinic, I walked from Kitsilano to Mount Pleasant. If you're in Vancouver, you know how far that is. I walked in plastic shoes and got blisters on my feet and knocked at every door and, you know, talked to people. And so that took courage.
00:12:28
Speaker
And then when I had my clinic, then I was like, okay, now I have to fill this clinic. I have to have clients. So then I walked around the whole neighborhood and introduced myself to all of the different people around in the neighborhood and was like hey, I just moved in. you know i can help you make some changes and you know getting curious and interested about the people.
00:12:43
Speaker
And so every time I was doing it, I was proving to myself that like, okay, the people didn't bite me. you know like Nothing happened. Yeah. and The worst that happened is they kind of you know showed no interest and that's all right. Moving on to the next. Right.
00:12:57
Speaker
So it was kind of it was a watch. It was like a monkey see monkey do kind of thing. And then once I saw it and I did it, then I knew that I could do it. And so then everything else that was coming down that pipeline was like, OK, well, if I did that stuff, I could
Lessons from Coconut the Dog Revisited
00:13:11
Speaker
probably do this, too.
00:13:12
Speaker
Yeah. Which is, you know, if I didn't have the mentorship, if I didn't have the the group to watch, if I didn't have examples, it probably would have been a totally different story. Mm-hmm.
00:13:24
Speaker
Likewise for me. And early on, I've been learning hypnosis and NLP and coaching for about 25 years now. And I started my business almost 20 years ago.
00:13:34
Speaker
And the first few years when I was learning, I was really, it helped me a lot. I was really interested in and fascinated by it. And I wanted to do it as a career. But those training programs didn't teach you how to make it a business. And I already had a successful career with a stable income program.
00:13:51
Speaker
So there wasn't a clear path to create a And so eventually I started to connect with people who did know how to teach me how to make it a business.
00:14:02
Speaker
And I think that's what a lot of people are missing. It's not that they're not capable. It's that they don't have an example to follow to discover that they can do it.
00:14:12
Speaker
And once we've followed an example enough, then we can go do more things on our own. But there there is a path to be taken. um And even just with working with the thousands of clients over the years, one other thing in general I've observed about humans is that the The level of accomplishment that various clients had wasn't necessarily related to what I observed about their talents or skills or abilities.
00:14:40
Speaker
It was what they believed was possible for them. And so if you seek out a way, if you want to build a business, whether it's as a hypnotist or a coach or a therapist or really any kind of business, we help people business.
00:14:57
Speaker
you know insurance, we help spas, we help people who do recruiting or bookkeeping or you know any really any business. um To become your own a boss and being be an entrepreneur, you you simply need to be willing to seek out a path.
00:15:15
Speaker
and find people who can help you ah create that path because you don't need to reinvent the wheel. It's unnecessary. um But you want to find somebody who who knows enough to help guide you.
00:15:29
Speaker
um it really makes it more reliable and simpler to build a business that way. So, um you know, I think that my hesitancy to start this business when I didn't have that kind of support was merited. Like there, i i I wasn't, I didn't see enough evidence that there can be a path. But now that I've done it if I wanted to start another business, I have a model and I help all kinds of people, build businesses. So it's there, but you you're not born with it. You have to develop it somehow.
00:16:02
Speaker
I was just having a conversation at a women's networking event yesterday with somebody who is, you know, she she's part of a a network of businesses, but they didn't really give her, you know, the instructions or if they did, she kind of ignored them. And she said, you know, she lone wolfed it, but she's regretting that she lone wolfed it because it didn't set her up for success the way she wanted to.
00:16:23
Speaker
And you know it reminds me of you know some of the teachings here, like you have to learn to do it a way before you do it your way. Right? Like you got to do it in a way that works first and then you can tinker. Right? Yeah. You can make it better.
00:16:35
Speaker
but Yeah. So for people listening, no matter what kind of business you're looking at starting, for sure somebody else has done something like it. Right? At least something like it. There's a model out there for you.
00:16:47
Speaker
um and and I would really recommend seeking out those resources because you'll be much more successful that way. Yeah. Yeah, if only everyone could have a Robbie.
00:17:00
Speaker
ha
00:17:03
Speaker
So, Jessica, for you, when you were, I remember when you first started to build your business and connect with people, one of the
Service-Oriented Business Approach
00:17:12
Speaker
things that you and I did was helped you be more confident reaching out to people because you were worried you were bothering them or they wouldn't like you or something like that, right? And some people are shy. I know you're not shy.
00:17:24
Speaker
i am a shy person. And when I first started networking, it was challenging for me. i really had to learn how to navigate that and how to be in a useful mood for it and realize it wasn't as scary as I thought it was.
00:17:38
Speaker
um So talk a little bit about how you like the the steps you went through to discover that it can actually be fun and interesting. Yeah, I mean, you're totally right. I am not a shy person, but I was always the kind of person that I'd be the spectacle and people would be like drawn into the spectacle, you know, like they would they would come to me and I never really had to go out of my way because I wasn't I was always an employee. I never needed to make connections. I never needed to have, you know, a reason to go and reach out and, you know, bother people in my mind. Right. And so when all of a sudden I am going, well,
00:18:13
Speaker
I'm actually now I'm in the business of helping people and I need to get curious and I need to connect with them and I need to, you know, have them know that I am here for them. Right. So, yeah, I was terrified at first. I was like, oh, no, people are going to you know, they're going to they're going hate that I'm trying to talk to them. They're going to think I'm a weirdo.
00:18:30
Speaker
um But. you gave me the the task and the assignment to just go and find somewhere public where I could talk to people. So I'm in Vancouver, I'm in Kitsilano, I went down to the dog beach, we have this gorgeous um dog beach that's always full of so many people and so many dogs. And it's really, it's just a lovely place. And I know people just stand around while they're watching their dogs play. They're just standing there, right. And sometimes they're chatting with fellow dog owners. I'm like, okay, this is perfect. i have a captive audience, right? There are people that are just going to be there. and They're not picnicking with their friends. you know they're not They're not engaged in other things that are really taking a lot of their attention right now.
00:19:04
Speaker
So, okay, going to go to the beach. And I walked down to the beach and I said hi to so someone. And the very first person I said hi to looked at me like i had about four heads. that's ah walked away, didn't even say hi back, just turned around and walked away.
00:19:16
Speaker
I went, okay, cool. We're off to a good start. I did it again. And I did it again. And I said hi to a few people and you know other people said hi back. you know they They didn't you know do what the first person did.
00:19:28
Speaker
And then eventually, you know, there was people that were standing on the beach and they ended up being tourists. I didn't know at the time, but, you know, we had a whole conversation and they were happy to talk to me because they had questions about Vancouver.
00:19:39
Speaker
And, you know, they wanted to know where I would recommend they go. And, you know, how far is it if I walked this way along the beach, where will I get to? and and that kind of thing so i you know was having proof right then and there that people were okay with it and that sometimes i there was actual value that they could get from it and it wasn't a burden and if it was going to be a burden they were very clear about not accepting it and taking it away and on that exact same trip i actually had a really cool model show up in the form of a dog named coconut so this big fluffy white pyrenees dog comes over and he drops a ball in front of me
00:20:14
Speaker
And I, you know, pick it up and I throw it for him. And he keeps doing this over and over and again. And I'm like, okay, I, okay, buddy, I'm here to talk to people. Like you're really cute, but like, that's enough. Right. So I stopped and I said, no, thank you to him. And he just picked up his ball and walked over to the next person and dropped it in front of them because he was on his outcome. His outcome was get someone to throw the ball for me. Right. Chase the ball. right And he didn't care if it was me or someone else. And I was like, at that moment, I was like, like if only I could be a dog, that is so cool. Right.
00:20:43
Speaker
to just know that you can just move on undeterred, right? He knew it wasn't about him. um It was, it was so cool. So i use, I use coconut as a model. Yeah, that's great. Yeah. So, and you know, I am a person. And so for me, when I,
00:20:59
Speaker
so and you know i am a shy person and so for me um when i started to get used to this sort of thing. It was it was ah it was a more challenging road than it was for you, Jessica, because you already had a lot of things in place to help you with this.
00:21:14
Speaker
But what really helped me was making the outcome to connect with people and look for how I could help them. And i think a lot of people who start businesses are really trying to express themselves through their business, or they make it about proving themselves or something about themselves. And so instead of getting curious about what other people need, they become self-conscious.
00:21:38
Speaker
Right? I definitely did that early on. Right? So I had to get out of that. And if you keep your focus on what you can do for others, like helping that family of tourists, and I'm sure their trip to Vancouver was better because of everything you told them. um And you see that, oh, wow, if I reach out to people, some of them are it's going to help them, it's going to change their life in some way, big or little.
00:22:02
Speaker
And you know that then it makes it really easy to do Right? And so that that focus of connection and being of service really helped me a lot because it got me out of myself or feeling self-conscious and focused elsewhere.
00:22:18
Speaker
Yeah, well, it really helps you realize that it's not about you, it's about them. And if it's about them, then it can be easy. Because I feel like as humans, we all have that, you know, innate sense in us to want to connect to other humans. And if it's about a connection to them, and it's not about them, you know, accepting you or you proving yourself to them, and you're going, I'm just, you know,
00:22:39
Speaker
reaching out to this other, this thing outside of me. wow does it, you know, add some comfort to that whole situation. Yeah, it makes a huge difference. and And I know some people who are have these really successful careers, who work for larger companies. And so they have a job, a job within the company, but they've done well for themselves.
00:23:01
Speaker
And sometimes they talk about leaving and doing consulting work or starting their own business. And the biggest thing that they they seem to have in their way is that even if they're in a marketing or sales role at that company, when they're representing themselves in their own business, it shifts how they look at it. So if they're doing it for the bigger company, they just go, oh, this is my job.
00:23:24
Speaker
This is my role. I'm just going to do it. And when it's their own business, all of a sudden it becomes very personal to them and the pressure is much greater that way. So I think that this focus of serving others and being very connected to those types of results is the thing that that helps people grow through that or shift to a place where they can handle situations usefully. Yeah.
00:23:50
Speaker
Because I think a lot of people end up staying in jobs they're not necessarily happy in just because they don't really believe that they can go out on their own and be successful that way. Or they're not willing to take things far enough. Like, what was the dog's name that dropped the little ball in front of you?
00:24:06
Speaker
Coconut. What was that? Coconut. Coconut. Okay. It was big, white, fluffy, great Pyrenees. so Coconut, of course. That's awesome. so um So if we could all be like coconut about the outcome for others, that even if we drop that ball in front of a number of people and they don't pick it up, we've we've got to keep going, right? We learn from it. Maybe we learn what type of person to you drop the ball in front of or when to do it.
00:24:34
Speaker
So we can shift how we're doing it, but to be willing to keep going. Because a lot of people just give up too soon. And
Persistence and Overcoming Challenges
00:24:42
Speaker
they then they come up with a reason why or're an excuse, or they let something in their life distract them from following through.
00:24:50
Speaker
So when you're starting a business, I almost look at it like the business needs to be in an incubator. And so so we need to protect the the viability of the business at the beginning because there'll be ups and downs.
00:25:03
Speaker
It doesn't all go smoothly. But to if we keep our eye on where we're going, it builds into something and in it can be something very significant. Like I know, Jessica, you've built a significant size business.
00:25:16
Speaker
And you're not in an easy location. Vancouver, you know, it's a big city. It's a big, expensive city. um And you've built this. It's big, expensive city. And yeah, people are not, you know, as open to connection as they are in small towns.
00:25:30
Speaker
So it's been, yeah. Yeah. But it's been a cool experience to figure out which, you know, who to drop the ball in front of, you know. Yes, exactly. And so no matter what market you're in,
00:25:42
Speaker
There are people everywhere and people everywhere need connection in a big city, in a small city, right? and a community In a more remote community. And you're just looking for how to to connect with that that need for connection or the need for service that other people have.
00:25:59
Speaker
There's always a way to make it happen. And I think that your situation is a great example of that. You got to be willing to be coconut and be coconut long enough that you know somebody is going to throw that ball for you.
00:26:12
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Long, long enough. And, and I feel like having, having mentorship, having, you know, seeing the other clinics and where they were and where they started from also helped me, me be willing to stick it out long enough because there were months where like, you know, maybe I'd get one new client at 50% off and that was it for the whole month.
00:26:33
Speaker
Right. And I'm going, how am I going to pay rent? You know? And, and, So being willing to not go, okay, well, I should just go back and get a job, right? Well, I should just give this up and go, you know, go get my 40 hours a week.
00:26:45
Speaker
Knowing that, okay, if I do this long enough, and I hone my skills, and you know, and there's enough people that get awesome results, and they go and tell their friends and I connect with the, you know, i keep going, that I can get to where I am now, where the business is, is flourishing, right? It's doing, it's doing what it needs to do. And lots of people are getting help.
00:27:02
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. And sometimes it's kind of like getting a fire started. And you got to keep going and going till that fire is like burning hot, right? And then you have to keep putting fuel on the fire and, you know, wood and all of that.
00:27:16
Speaker
um And so trusting that but part of getting that fire going is building your own skills and your willingness to do what it takes.
Balancing Business and Personal Life
00:27:24
Speaker
Yeah, And when when you had those those difficult months, you were still in learning mode with those things, both with building the skills and the willingness to actually do what it takes to get the fire going.
00:27:37
Speaker
This is, yeah, it's true. Right. And I've built many fires and had to adjust, you know, the way that you set up the, like the internal part so that, so that you actually get this, you know, the, the airflow going. And and so there is a lot of tinkering and adjusting that has to happen before you're getting to where you need to go. And then you can't just walk away and leave it.
00:27:57
Speaker
right that's right doing things yeah i i had that learning you know this this year i had the opportunity to do some travel for for my business but it was the realization of like well the business doesn't stop while you're away doing that right you have to keep you know you have to keep answering the emails and you know and keep you know responding to what what needs to happen and get the the marketing going and making sure that you're showing up on socials and like that even though you're taking a break the business isn't Whereas when you're an employee, you go away you just, you know, you you set it aside for a second, then you pick it back up when you get home.
00:28:33
Speaker
Yeah, and and that makes it, that shows you why it's really important to see your business as a mission and know why it matters. And then it it can be fun and easy to just get all the things done and stay engaged with it because it it can be like going out for recess or you can feel you can feel like you're on vacation even though you're answering emails.
00:28:59
Speaker
And so there's there's integrating it into your life that happens when you're a business owner. was going to say, it's totally true. Because yeah Vancouver, were you know our summers are, you know if you get a good day, you take advantage of it, right? We get a lot of rain. We get a lot of gray days.
00:29:15
Speaker
So we had this just gorgeous, gorgeous sunny day, but I had all this work I needed to get done on the computer. I had some writing and some copy for the website. So I just took it to the beach and I sat at the beach and got a tan while I typed up things on on my phone because I could.
00:29:29
Speaker
And so being a business owner gave me that flexibility instead of being shut up in an office looking at the sun through the window. You know, yeah it's nice to have that option. Yes, for sure. Yeah. And you realize that your life is so much more interesting and full of really good adventures as a business owner. So it's okay if you end up working a little bit when you're on vacation, right? Or it's okay if you work more one day so that you can take a beautiful summer day off.
00:29:58
Speaker
And so you just have, you're owning your own choices a lot more that way. And you' you're making them in terms of what's good for the business and then also taking time for you to enjoy life.
Finding Passion Through Entrepreneurship
00:30:11
Speaker
And you you're in the position to i get that whole combination going and changing as as things change. Yeah, it's been a pretty fun adventure. Yeah, to to get to have the the flexibility, right? Some days I'm seeing clients all day long. And some days I'm networking on a rooftop, right? Some days I'm sending emails from the beach. So it's, you know, it it does give you kind of an interesting experience. So even when you're working, you're still having fun.
00:30:40
Speaker
Right. You're you're yeah investing into the business in this really awesome way that feels good because you're on your mission. Right. Well, you know, like, hey, at the end of the day, all of this cool stuff I get to do, it's helping so much.
00:30:54
Speaker
and Yeah. And one thing that i discovered, Jessica, through doing this is when I was an employee, um I wasn't really passionate about what I did. I did it and it was okay, but I wasn't really in it, not the same way I am here. And so... um being at work or not being at work looked very different.
00:31:16
Speaker
And I didn't even imagine how um i engaged it was possible for me to be in something until I did build this business. that That does have a very clear mission of helping people have more success and function better in their lives and make their lives better.
00:31:34
Speaker
And that mission is so clear that it really makes it like a no-brainer and super easy to just get done what needs to get done. So there's a whole change in your mood, your attitude about life, how you interact with what happens, and the experiences you have that come with that, that I think if you haven't done it yet, you might not realize it what's possible there.
00:31:57
Speaker
Totally. Because I agree with you. There are other jobs where like, you know, I didn't necessarily align with the values of the company, but it was a paycheck and it was a good one. Right. Or, you know, you're, you were finding things to like about it. Well, I love that they give us free lunch.
00:32:13
Speaker
Well, I love, beingna like I love that my desk is by the window. Your world becomes really small. I, I was the desk by the window girl when I worked in high tea. Yeah.
00:32:26
Speaker
yeah Yeah, i so i would encourage yeah I think this is a really good point, Jessica, because for people who might be listening who realize that maybe you're you're trying to make the most of the situation by appreciating those little things, which if you're stuck in the situation, it's a good thing to do.
00:32:46
Speaker
sometimes it it it doesn't let us fully see what is possible. We we just adapt to accepting what we're given instead of creating what's possible, if that makes sense.
00:32:59
Speaker
Because I could have stayed in my my job with my window seat forever. And some people do, right? And some people love it. And if they love it, awesome.
00:33:11
Speaker
But a lot of people don't and they just don't know what else to do. and And if people are in that situation, I would really recommend, you know, experiment, find another path for yourself, even if it's on the side, because life is so much bigger than that.
00:33:27
Speaker
It really is. And I have a very good friend who, she has a very successful career working in consulting and was employed until about a year and half ago, consistently headhunted for her whole forty year career, no, 30-year career.
00:33:43
Speaker
you thirty year career And um all of a sudden she got laid off. And so she started networking. And she told me that she realized that it added this other dimension to her life because she found interesting people.
00:33:59
Speaker
She started collaborating with people on interesting projects where they were bringing their experience together. She got new career opportunities through it.
00:34:10
Speaker
But she just, it kind of opened up this world to her that she hadn't known before when she was just working in a very impressive position a big business, um which I'm sure had interesting things about it. But the the variety and the ah creativity that comes from this is really amazing.
00:34:30
Speaker
me Yeah, I'm having a very similar experience to her. It's been wonderful to get to meet people that are interesting and have something to bring to the table or a value to my clients. Like I see a lot of weight loss clients. And so it's been cool to bring nutritionists in to talk about, you know,
00:34:46
Speaker
what you know, to look for in their body, how it feels, the foods that are useful to fuel it, right? Because I am not a nutritionist. I can't give nutrition advice, but having somebody that's, you know, a really wonderful resource that I can connect my clients to, it's an added value. And it's just such a beautiful synergy to have that because of the networking, because of having my own business. If I was an employee at somebody else's clinic, I, you know, I probably wouldn't have that extra value to add to the services that I'm giving.
00:35:18
Speaker
Well, and it's interesting to look at this because if people who are listening are employees, like maybe some of our listeners are employees and they love it and they they want to keep doing it, that's great.
00:35:31
Speaker
I would suggest handling it in a way that is more entrepreneurial, even if you work at a company, to look for opportunities to make it more interesting, connect, and get to know the people you work with in different ways. Because I bet there are things about the people you work with that you had no idea about or ways you could collaborate that you hadn't even imagined.
00:35:51
Speaker
So I think that there's ah there's a way of looking at things that can be true, whether you work for yourself or you work for others. And your employer, if they're a good employer who values your contribution, they'll appreciate that you're getting creative and finding interesting ways to be of service.
00:36:09
Speaker
So but that would be a ah good way to go if you're in that situation. Yeah, of course. And I mean, like, you know, taking it back to what you said before, like if you're well and truly stuck where you are making it as good as it possibly can be, right? If this really is your only option, well, how can you create it the way that is the best for you in your particular environment?
00:36:33
Speaker
Right. Yeah. So instead of settling for the window seat, which is lovely, and I'll always love a window seat. Yeah. ah to To look at what's possible, right? How can you make it better? And my husband, who's been an employee almost his whole career and loves it and wouldn't want to be an entrepreneur, he can be entrepreneurial within his position. And one of the things he does is when he's at a new company or in he's entrepreneur.
00:37:00
Speaker
He makes a point of looking for something he can do that he finds interesting and that can also serve the company, but nobody's asked him to do it. And he'll go and and he'll get all the work done they've asked him to do, but he'll do this in addition to make his life more interesting.
00:37:17
Speaker
But they're so impressed when they see what he did. And so it builds this credibility for him in the company that he's he's functioning at an impressive level. And it makes an impact. and And I think that's a really great way to handle being in an employee situation, both for the person and the company.
00:37:37
Speaker
So i i really, you know, admire his ability to do that. Yeah,
Aligning Work with Purpose
00:37:42
Speaker
well, it it adds to the purpose, the mission portion of it, right? Giving him something that he does feel excited about, that he is engaging with, right?
00:37:51
Speaker
um it's some it's you know It's a reason to get excited about going to your job in the morning. Yeah, well, and you know, a lot of people are are looking for this elusive sense of happiness. But you know some people say that happiness is in being of service, or having a mission.
00:38:10
Speaker
And so no matter what your life situation is, i think it's really great to clarify what that what is that for you? And how are you interacting with your situation in a way where you're serving that mission?
00:38:22
Speaker
whether you work for yourself or you work for others. So I think that's a really great way to to view the world. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I hear it all the time with clients when they come in, how you know, we're we're looking at what's your outcome and sometimes they'll be like, well, I want to just be happy.
00:38:39
Speaker
Yeah. Going, okay, cool. Like, how do you want to make that happen for yourself? Like, right? Are you going to be happy if you know that you're, you know, working on your purpose? are you going to be happy if you know that you're connecting really well with your, like your people? Like what, yeah what's that, you know, what's going to create the happiness? Happiness doesn't just come out of thin air.
00:38:56
Speaker
Right. It doesn't really mean anything, I think is what it is. Yeah. And, you know, when you look at being a kid, like when you're young, everything's in front of you. And every year you grow and you develop and you have different experiences simply by the fact that you're a kid. And that's naturally what happens.
00:39:14
Speaker
And I think sometimes as adults, we lose that spirit to life. um I think that that's where a lot of the the juicy happiness is, even in the ups and downs, because it doesn't mean you're happy every minute of the day or that everything's going great, but it's showing yourself what you can do or accomplish or give or be of service.
Expanding Possibilities and Personal Growth
00:39:36
Speaker
And that that feeling is really the thing that I think most people are looking for. But they're imagining that if they lie on the beach, they'll be happy. And that's kind of, you maybe be not know yeah yeah, that's like the retired person's version of having a window seat at the office, right?
00:39:55
Speaker
Yeah, I think there there can be a lot more to life than that. But some people are just trying to escape where they're at. So it looks like this ideal scenario. And yeah, it usually doesn't quite work out that way. So yeah.
00:40:11
Speaker
it's It's so true. but I'm just thinking back to like, even when I had the opportunity to do a little travel, I was in the Dominican Republic for less than 72 hours. Like it wasn't even three full days that I was there.
00:40:23
Speaker
And I even then didn't spend the whole time just lounging on the beach because I got bored of it. You know, I was looking and I was going, okay, how can I do the pool Zumba? how I the pool Zumba? What can I go and do that's going to be interesting? And like, you know, maybe I'm connecting, having some fun with people just laying around and, you know, reading this book.
00:40:40
Speaker
I thought i I thought that maybe bringing only one book is a risk. Maybe I'll get through two. I didn't even get through the first three chapters of the first one. I wanted something to do.
00:40:51
Speaker
and so, yeah, I think having a purpose, having something that you're chasing and getting excited about really that's the juice. Yeah, right. And reading, i love reading books. It's an awesome escape.
00:41:04
Speaker
But if you spend too much of your life doing that, instead of living your own life, you're living your life through other people's stories. So it's really good to look at it like you're creating your own story. Yeah, much more interesting that way.
00:41:19
Speaker
way more interesting. In fact, I did end up finishing the book and I went, yeah it was kind of a waste of time.
00:41:26
Speaker
Amazing how things look different when you're really living your life. yeah aye Yeah, that's awesome. bring it Is there anything else that you'd like to share with people that you think would be helpful?
00:41:40
Speaker
Well, I mean, for for me, it really has just been ah a matter of looking at what's possible, looking at where you want to go with it, and then kind of checking back in with, okay, now what attitude do I need to shift? What action do I need to shift? What needs to happen to make that a possibility rather than thinking, well, this is all I have right now.
00:42:03
Speaker
And so from where I am right now, of course, that's too far away or impossible. So looking at where you want to go and then checking in with, well, what needs to shift? What needs but needs to be the truth to make that possible?
00:42:16
Speaker
And believing you can learn how to do that because however you are right now, it doesn't need to stay that way. And Jessica, both you and I are living proof that that's true. And really all the students here, because we're all here to stretch ourselves and show ourselves what we can do.
00:42:31
Speaker
But if you had told me 20 years ago that I would be doing what I do now, I wouldn't believe you, right? Because that that is definitely not how I was living at the time. And so I've built these abilities through exactly what you're describing, being willing to get the feedback and learn and have experiences and take actions and circle back and do it again and stay with that.
00:42:52
Speaker
And, you know, it's it's totally worth it because your life is just so much more multidimensional and interesting and rewarding. because of that. It really is. And it's kind of cool too. in In my house, my husband has been an employee, but he's just recently within the last year started to so you know flex his entrepreneurial muscle and start to go out on his own and and you know get into business with a friend. And and i you know I think it's because he was watching me and going, oh, well, if she can do it and this is possible,
00:43:24
Speaker
Maybe I could too. And it's not so scary and it's totally, you know, available for him. So that's been kind of neat to watch, you know, the the ripple effect of of the but going out and getting it.
00:43:36
Speaker
Yeah, that's awesome. He had a front row seat and watching you do what you're doing. And now he's like, oh, I could do that too. And so it is amazing how when we change and it could be changing in terms of business or some people come to us for things like losing weight or, you know, being more confident or being a really great public speaker.
00:43:57
Speaker
As our family and friends see us do that, often it has an an impact on their lives without either of us realizing it. they're They're kind of learning just by being around us. So it's really cool to see that happen.
00:44:12
Speaker
who Which really does go to show that like the life that you're living really can be influenced so heavily by the company that you keep, by the kind of people that you're surrounding yourself with and watching. Yeah.
00:44:23
Speaker
Yeah, well, they're all hypnotists around you. So it's a real thing. Yeah, it's happening all the time. that are The people who spend the most time around, they are just by nature having the biggest impact on what you think is possible.
00:44:38
Speaker
So learning how to do that skillfully is really what we do here. um But it's it's happening whether whether you want it to or not. It's just one of those things like breathing. Yeah.
00:44:49
Speaker
So it's good to know to put that on the table and be more mindful of that. yeah Exactly. And like, if it's happening anyway, why not, you know, choose the way you want it to be?
00:45:01
Speaker
Right. Yeah. You're only living once. So you may as well make it the way you want it to be as much as possible. so yeah, you may as well have the courage to take advantage of the opportunities.
00:45:14
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, great. Well, Jessica, tell people how they can reach you. So um i'm I'm located in Vancouver, but I see people in person and online.
Contact Information for Hosts
00:45:25
Speaker
So if anyone wants to reach out, they can do so at PleasantHypnosis.com.
00:45:30
Speaker
um There's a way to contact me through there. And you can also find me on social media, Instagram and Facebook and YouTube at Pleasant Hypnosis. So I make it really easy for everyone. It's all the same. Pleasant Hypnosis and you'll find Jessica.
00:45:45
Speaker
Yeah, awesome. Great. Well, thanks so much for coming on the podcast. ah Thanks for having me, Robbie. This was great. If you're interested in connecting with me and learning about personal and business coaching, consulting and training opportunities, go to mindlinkconsulting.com or hypnosistrainingcanada.com and schedule your free consultation.
00:46:09
Speaker
Let us know what you think of the show. Reach out to us at mindlinkconsulting.com. And if you like the show, please rate and review us so other people can find us too. Thanks so much for tuning in.
00:46:21
Speaker
I'm Robbie Spearmiller, the host of the Habit of Possibility podcast. Tune in next time to learn more about how you can turn obstacles into opportunities and make the most of your life and career.