How Valeria Hernandez built her mindful health coaching business and avoided burnout from creative work |
Discover how Wellness trainer and Creator Fellowship Winner Valeria Hernandez has created an online business that is successful and encouraging women to adopt plant-based foods that celebrate their heritage.
As Valeria Hernandez encountered challenges with her body, she discovered the value of intuitive eating as well as plants-based nutrition. In a bid to bring this information to recipes that were based on traditional methods, Valeria started crafting authentic Mexican recipes using vegan ingredients.
The present day, Valeria shares those discoveries via VegiVale the company that offers a plant-based health coach business. It assists clients to eat healthier fruit and vegetables, savor the cultural foods they love, and live energized lives.
However, Valeria's journey as a creator was not always easy.
In the process, Valeria faced a toxic rush culture that was prevalent in the internet market and was pressured to follow the crowds even though her intuition pulled her in a different direction. Valeria also learned to shift her perspective from employee to decision-making entrepreneur and balancing her growing business with a typical 9-5 working schedule.
Through tackling these challenges that Valeria was able to sculpt her dream company, design an environment that is sustainable for her work and life, and discover her unique way to go.
Here's how Valeria inspires women to eat plant-based meals that honor their culture -- while also building a coaching business grounded in authenticity along the way.
Getting started with wellness
In the beginning she was living in a city in which she had no friends. After graduating from college and transitioning into full-time employment, Valeria was lonely. Her physical health was not great either. Valeria was following a vegan diet for a few years but struggled to find satisfying and satisfying meals.
"I sort of fumbled that it was a vegan thing. I was having french fries and salad at the college dining hall, and that often wasn't allowing me to get the full nutrition. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that I wasn't feeling great."
Realizing there was a way to deal with both issues at once, Valeria found connections within the vegan community. She hired a health coach who specialized in plant-based eating and was able to identify the things she required to eat to stay active, meet her nutritional needs, and be healthier all over .
Utilizing the lessons that her coach taught her resulted in an 180deg change. Inspired, Valeria become a health coach to help other people live their best lives.
Valeria began coaching through the network marketing firm, but she didn't like the fact that the focus of the program was on diets and weight loss. The program was limiting for her due to the one-to-many coaching approach and stressed by being constantly pressured to acquire many more clients.
Valeria wanted to create a personalized, hands-on experience for clients, which would allow the client more flexibility. Then, 2020 happened.
Amidst worldwide chaos Valeria decided that it was time to do things her own way.
First few clients to be found
However, Valeria realized she could turn on her connections from the past to gain experience and develop her idea for a business.
The first step was to Valeria utilized contacts she'd established via networking marketing. The people she contacted already knew and appreciated Valeria's style of coaching and were interested in a high-touch, one-on-one experience.
Following that, Valeria reached out to her circle of friends she had met through school, her community as well as family connections and also to friends from the same circle.
Initially, it was nerve-wracking when she discussed the business plan she had in mind to "real-life" acquaintances and beloved ones. But, they turned out to be the biggest supporters of her.
From there, Valeria's company grew. "I began doing one-on-one coaching, and I truly, really loved that," Valeria tells us.
"I've switched around a few various ways within my company, but my main goal is to help people eat more plants. I don't force anyone to go vegan. Most of my clients are not even vegetarian However, my focus is on helping them eat healthier plant-based foods and listening to their body."
The decision to niche down
Once she had her first clients in her portfolio, Valeria had a better understanding of what she wanted her company to look like. Her next step was to define her target audience. But the thought of narrowing her audience -- - and the potential pool of customers -- seemed daunting initially.
"It's tempting to want to design something to please everyone to help as many people as you can."
In the present, Valeria believes that serving the needs of a particular segment is a key element that distinguishes her business. Her decision was to concentrate on serving women of color because she noticed these clients often had the same problems she experienced in her own experience.
"I discovered that this is a really cool subset of people that I serve as a Latina I know what they're experiencing. I'm able to address particular issues they might be experiencing that many individuals wouldn't."
Valeria designed her program in order to aid women of color incorporate the cuisines of their culture into their food.
"I aid people to reconnect to their traditional foods, as it is often believed that food choices aren't healthy but that's not always the case," Valeria elaborates. "That mentality is rooted in eating habits as well as white supremacy. So getting rid of it by helping people with their health is what I'm all about."
"There are 7 billion people on the planet. If you want to aid everyone and talk to all, you're really speaking to nobody. It's much more effective to concentrate only a select segment of people with whom you have built community with... as they understand that you're speaking directly to them."
Using for a streamlined and simplified company
After defining her business idea and deciphering the target market, Valeria turned to to establish her online home base. Her current offerings include wellness coaching sessions as well as a cookbook online of plants-based Mexican recipes on her website.
As a consumer, Valeria knew making different accounts for different platforms to access one creator's content was frustrating. She didn't want to put her clients through the same experience.
" helps both on the side of the entrepreneur and also on the client's part. Customers have one login, and are able to use every product they have purchased through me."
Valeria insists the fact that you don't have to utilize the same costly tools as six-or seven-figure entrepreneurs when you're first starting out. Utilizing these expensive programs won't ensure that you'll get the same results, and paying for the hefty bill payments can create unnecessary pressure.
" really helps streamline things. I'm all about simplicities, especially at this stage within my company."
Tips for other entrepreneurs and creators!
When asked what her advice is for budding entrepreneurs Valeria expressed how important it is to follow your gut, discover the balance between work and life, make a decision in your decision-making, and put the emphasis on both mental and physical health.
Pay attention to the voice in your head and follow what feels natural
In her time at the helm of VegiVale , Valeria learned that having your own style creates a unique business.
"Put your blinders in since it's tempting to see what everyone else is doing. If you see one hundred individuals doing something similar to this, you're going to be tempted to follow suit," she remarks. "It's completely normal to make comparisons. .... But the beautiful thing about being a creator is that you are one of a kind. There is no one else who can achieve your work the way you do it."
"The amazing part about being a writer is the fact that you're unique of a one of a kind. No one can do exactly what you are doing, the way you do it."
"Even even though there are millions of health coaches on the market, I'm sure what I am saying the message will be different in comparison to someone else saying the same thing. Our words will be heard by various groups of people. When you try to follow the crowd, you'll are losing that distinctive voice."
The reason for this, Valeria explains, is your special sauce when you are a writer.
Valeria advises entrepreneurs to take a leap of faith and do what makes them feel good regardless of making your own choices within your field. "Everyone's using TikTok right now," she points out, "There are so many health coaches there, and I thought I wasn't being heard. Then I joined the platform, and it was not my style."
For Valeria, this format felt more genuine and enjoyable.
"I am unable to say everything that I have to say in 15 to 60 seconds. However, newsletters have stood up to the test of time. I'm looking for something timeless if I'm going put my energy into it. If I followed the crowds and did TikTok and ignore the fact that it's difficult for me and I'm not a fan of it."
This doesn't mean you shouldn't ignore eachchallenge in your business If something is causing you slack, it's worth considering alternative options.
Find a balance between work and life.
Yet, many business owners get caught in the trap of overworking.
Sometimes, toxic hustle culture is at fault.
In the days of network marketing, Valeria always felt pressured to grind and get more customers. Her schedule was full of work each night after working a regular job, and then miss precious time with loved ones.
However, hustling around the clock didn't yield the desired results and Valeria's mental well-being deteriorated as she failed to see her friends and family.
In other instances, designers work too much because they're passionate.
"Creators are at greater risk because we love the work we do. We tend to blur the lines between passion and overworking, life and content creation. If you're truly passionate about your work and your vision is clear, it's hard to let go."
Valeria's solution: Take control of your schedule and structure your business in order to provide you with your work/life balance that you desire.
"I see so many entrepreneurs and creators who have quit their day jobs just to duplicate that model in their business," Valeria says. "Why should you make that decision? Why do you take only two days off during the week on Saturday and Sunday? Wouldn't it be counterproductive?"
The power is yours, and you're able to:
Have a day off whenever you need to.
Work fewer hours without feeling shameful.
Choose to work with fewer clients so you are able to have more time.
Set attainable goals for yourself with a reasonable timeframe.
Choose not to follow tradition simply because you're familiar with it.
"Don't forget the things that matter," Valeria reminds fellow creators. "You have a whole life outside of the internet."
Be confident when you make big choices
At the beginning of her venture, Valeria struggled to make crucial choices. She now realizes the importance of listening to her instincts and making a commitment is essential in advancing her business.
"The method you work during your nine-to-five-day job differs from the way you work as an entrepreneur," she says.
"In a traditional job you have deadlines, assignments and procedures, however, you have someone guiding you. When you're an entrepreneur, it's just yours. The only person who can make decisions is you. making choices, and you have to feel confident about those decisions."
It's an enormous amount of stress on a brand-new creator. When she's stuck and struggling, Valeria reminds herself that "not taking a decision is inherently a decision." This can help her to make her mind and execute the program.
Make sure you are taking care of your mental and physical wellbeing
Then, Valeria emphasizes how important it is to take care of your health. In her travels, Valeria noticed that when she was not feeling well emotionally or physically and her business went through a downturn. If she was feeling great the business thrived.
To keep wellness on the top of the list, Valeria follows the same guidelines she offers her clients who she coaches. "How can I instruct my clients to rest for eight hours a evening, drink plenty of water and eat their vegetables when I'm not doing that?" she asks.
"I always think, 'if I were my client, what would I tell myself to say in this circumstance""
What's next for the VegiVale?
Valeria has already helped many women from diverse backgrounds live better lives by utilizing her VegiVale's contents , programs and newsletter , and we know that this is only the beginning.
"With the assistance from my assistant virtual we're working on an educational program that's scheduled to launch in the coming months. The course is in its early stage at present, however I'd be unable to work on it without her assistance," Valeria notes.
In embracing her distinct voice, keeping an appropriate balance between work and life, making tough decisions, as well as putting wellness first, Valeria built a freeing and exciting online venture. With solid foundations and a strong foundation, there's no limit. We can't wait to find out what the artist does next!