Featured Mompreneur - Meet Susan

Name: Susan Creal
Business Name: Success Driven Woman, LLC
Where to find Success Driven Woman, LLC:
Website: www.successdrivenwoman.com (coming soon: www.transformingwomennow.com)
Twitter: @SusanCreal
Blog: My blog is on it’s way ... just having it designed as I type!

Tell us a little bit about your business.

Imagine a life where you live each day with intention, a purpose, a set plan and doing what you are passionate about…successfully! A life where you can be be with your children, where you feel unstoppable, in control, full of energy, healthy, strong and making the money you want and deserve!

Well, you don’t have to imagine anymore because I make sure this all comes true for the women and mom entrepreneurs I work with. And I LOVE DOING IT!!!

I started working with women 6 years ago. I left teaching and left the fitness industry as a personal trainer and wellness coach and devoured my education in the coaching field. I have been studying human behavior, psychology, heath and fitness, marketing and business ever since.

I named my business Success Driven Woman LLC, because deep down that is who I truly am and who I work best with. A woman who has the desire to do what it takes to create a life and business for herself to be with her children, but simply feels stuck, overwhelmed and needs big time transformation.

I have been an entrepreneur all my life from selling Gobstoppers individually for .25 to my classmates in the 4th grade, to walking dogs, mowing lawns, babysitting, house watching, bake sales and selling my crafts at our church. I knew one day, I would ultimately work on my own in some form or fashion!

I really started on my own as a Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer after I overcame a 12 year battle with Bulimia on my own. I swore I would never treat my body so poorly again and to love who I was each and every day. I had to share what helped me with others.

As a trainer and wellness coach, my heart would go out especially to women who were obese and who were brave enough to step into a gym for the first time. They would hold a special place in my heart as I know how brave they had to be to take that first step.

As I worked with women with their health, I wanted to learn more and teach women the tools and techniques I used myself to get over tremendous change in my life from overcoming my eating disorder, to surviving a near death car accident to losing my oldest brother to leukemia . That is when I pursued coaching and dove right in to learning about business, online marketing and creating a life for myself!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I live in North Carolina, but was raised in upstate NY. I work part-time in the summer and full time the rest of the year as my son is only 4.5 and I want to spend what little ‘sweet little pumpkin’ time I have left with him!! I dread the day when he thinks hanging out with mom is ‘uncool’!! Save the entire case of tissues for me please!!

I have a wonderful, supporting husband who also works for himself, so we are so lucky to be able to bounce and balance schedules between one another. He ‘gets’ the entrepreneur mindset, which is such a help!

What advice would you offer any women with their own business or starting out as an entrepreneur?

Truly identify the “WHY”. Why do you want to start your business? What is your motivation? If money is the only one, it won’t work.

Also, to become crystal clear on who your target market is. Who is it you want to reach with your message? Why? Where do these people hang out? What do they read? Watch? What are their buying habits? What are their biggest challenges?

Lastly, what type of budget do you have? Have you done your homework? Have you interviewed others who have similar businesses as yours? What are their biggest frustrations?

I say that because I once wanted to open my own Sylvan Learning Center ... I got a job as the director of one and decided that it really wasn’t what I wanted or expected it to be. That alone saved me a lot of money had I went ahead and ‘tried’ it.

What is a typical “day in the life” of Susan like?

I don’t have a typical day! The summer is crazy at my house, but if it were in August, I would wake up at 6am with my son, make him breakfast, get him off to school and begin my day with my ‘hour of power’ where I visualize what my goals are, my dreams, and my plan of action for the day and the rest of the week.

I work 2 days in the office, two days out networking, presenting workshops, etc. and the last day is making calls to set appointments for the following week.

In your opinion, what is the best thing about Success Driven Woman, LLC?

That it is MINE and I don’t have to answer to anyone but ME. I love the flexibility and creativity I can have so I can be happy and be the best role model and mother for my son as I feel strongly about showing him that women can be whatever they want to be. I love the fact that I can help out in the classroom, stay home with him when he is sick or take the day off … Because I can!

What was the steepest learning curve in terms of developing your company or business model?

Truly defining my niche. In the beginning I would work with anyone which as a coach, can be draining. Some people drain you, some people fuel you. I know now who I work best with and who I can serve in the most supportive way possible. Refining my business model was one as well. Business as usual doesn’t apply any longer in this new world we live in. Adapting and learning have been a super learning experience for me! I love it, though!

What has been your greatest success to date?

Having a full practice in less than three months simply using Google ad words and my own marketing materials. I was pretty proud of myself!

Have you experienced a low? If so, how did you dig yourself out and get back on track?

Ohh…so many. After I gave birth to my son, I had postpartum … it was a tough year for me. I worked part-time and pulled myself up by using specific tools that I use with my clients and with a lot of exercise. That helped a lot.

What has been your biggest obstacle and how did/do you get past it?

Staying focused on one thing, one project and working on it until it is completed. All hugely successful people do this as I have researched this extensively. I finally got passed it by setting a goal for myself to work on one project until it was done and it felt SOO GOOD!

Is there anything in business you wish you could change or go back and do over again?

In the beginning, I wish I didn’t suffer from the ‘new shiny object’ syndrome. When I was starting out, I would buy any program, system that could help me become a better XYZ in 30 days or less!! BOY did I learn some hard lessons! LOL

Finding a mentor that I trust has been my saving grace. My advice is to find someone who has your same values, your same energy, passions and who is already successful and fly with them!!

Would you like to add anything else?

I am honored to be interviewed on this forum and would love to have everyone here sign up for my free ezine and a free laser coaching call! Just go to my website, www.successdrivenwoman.com and sign up! Thank you so much! Make today GREAT everyone!