From London to Singapore, Jean Balfour brings her wealth of information and a long time of expertise as a enterprise coach to people and organisations.
We love entrepreneurs and small enterprise homeowners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a complete digital networking platform (with IRL advantages, too) that encourages connection, enterprise help and group. It’s a privilege and pleasure to be taught from so many proficient and galvanizing of us, so we’ve determined to share the love by interviewing a few of the pretty Launchpad members. Searching for inspiration? Take a look at how Jean Balfour, the founding father of Bailey Balfour, will get it executed like a boss.
What’s your backstory and why did you determine to launch your enterprise?
I began my teaching and consulting enterprise within the UK in 2001 and moved to Singapore in 2015 to arrange the APAC enterprise. I’ve accomplished a number of coach coaching on my journey to being a grasp licensed coach, as I’m keen about management and private progress. I initially educated as a instructor, then a coach, shifting to senior management earlier than beginning my enterprise.
I noticed a spot out there for high-quality, digital, accredited coach coaching. When a pal launched me to Zoom in 2016, we have been off. Zoom modified the panorama for experiential coaching studying. We have been very early adopters shifting into the realm of Zoom-based coach coaching. It’s been 5 years since our accreditation with the Worldwide Teaching Federation. Our quick and long-term programmes run in Zoom and are supported by digital studying administration instruments.
What has been your greatest problem to date and the way did you overcome it?
Transferring to Singapore to set the enterprise up was laborious. I used to be working in London for a very long time and had a longtime community and consumer base. Ranging from scratch in Singapore meant going again to networking in unfamiliar settings and studying how enterprise occurs right here – which is totally different from Europe. Some days I needed to bribe myself to take motion and hold my vitality going! It took about 18 months earlier than I noticed robust ahead momentum.
I’m a relationship-oriented individual so I went again to core rules and acquired to know folks out there in Singapore and Hong Kong. This bolstered my view that each one enterprise is relational. Whereas advertising issues, we additionally want to ensure we join with consumers personally.
How do you keep motivated and energised?
We obtain wonderful suggestions from our alumni. They’re now teaching folks both of their position as a pacesetter, or they’ve constructed a training enterprise. Receiving messages from them about how coaching as a coach has modified them professionally and impacted them personally is an actual motivator. They describe how they’ve turn out to be higher listeners and are extra empathic. That is the final word motivator for somebody keen about serving to folks develop. So on the times when admin and enterprise pressures are getting me down, I’m going again to remembering why I do that work.
I additionally love to educate; the person work I do energises me enormously. And I’ve the help of a coach and nice colleagues within the crew. I don’t work weekends and take common breaks, too.
How do you cope with self-doubt or criticism?
This has been an actual problem for me. I struggled with confidence for a few years and have labored laborious on changing into extra resilient emotionally and in responding to criticism. It’s a giant private challenge however I’ve learnt rather a lot about how our minds work and the triggers for my very own struggles. I’m in a great place now, because the methods work effectively. I do know what to do when imposter syndrome reveals up or after I obtain suggestions I don’t like.
I like to recommend to everybody I meet the e-book The Happiness Lure by Russ Harris (second version). It’s so sensible. I take advantage of the strategies he teaches to concentrate on managing the ups and downs of entrepreneurship! I now train this in our programmes and share these approaches with teaching purchasers.
Favorite place to work?
I’ve simply returned from every week working in a distant a part of Bali which was extremely productive and galvanizing. I’m very fortunate to have a house workplace with fabulous views of Singapore and I’m completely satisfied there. I additionally like to be surrounded by flowers and vegetation!
Favorite enterprise software or work mantra?
I’ve learn Deep Work by Cal Newport many occasions. I’m specializing in find out how to “time field” and enhance my focus. I make time day by day with out distractions to progress a present challenge. Like all muscle, the extra I take advantage of it, the higher I’m at deep-focused work.
One factor you may hold speaking about for hours?
I’m keen about private progress and the concept we are able to regularly evolve to turn out to be higher variations of ourselves. In case you can’t discover me, I’ll be studying a private improvement e-book or in Kinokuniya on the psychology or self-help part.
Your go-to self-care exercise?
Swimming. Among the best issues about dwelling in Singapore is its easy accessibility to swimming. If I’m scuffling with an thought or caught on one thing, swimming laps will assist me type it out. I additionally learn extensively and my Kindle isn’t removed from my facet!
One piece of recommendation to your youthful self?
Make working in your mindset and emotional well-being a precedence. Working a enterprise is difficult emotionally and psychologically. Studying a few of the instruments and methods to handle your self makes all of the distinction to resilience and the success of your enterprise.
Get in contact with Jean Balfour on-line.
Launchpad is a complete digital networking platform (with IRL advantages, too) that encourages connection, enterprise help and group. It’s designed to make the entrepreneurial journey not solely simpler, and extra profitable, but in addition an entire lot extra enjoyable. We provide nearly every day actions for members to attach, together with weekly masterclasses, member networking roulette, small-business mentoring and media profiles on Honeycombers. Test it out and be part of us!
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