Entrepreneur Interview With Davina Haisell of Crimson Compass

October 9, 2008

An Entrepreneur Interview with Davina Haisell

Welcome to my first entrepreneur interview with Davina Haisell of Crimson Compass. Some of you may already know Davina, as an active member of this community and a popular blogger at Loving Pulse.

And whether you’re thinking about starting a business, or you’ve already done so, it’s always interesting and inspiring to read interviews with other entrepreneurs.

Davina - What did you find most difficult about becoming an entrepreneur?

Moving out of my comfort zone and balancing the time spent on building the business with my personal life.

Who are your ideal customers – what type of people look for the services of a life coach? And what problems do they have?

My ideal customers are those who give themselves permission to fail in whatever way failure looks like to them. That permission encourages a person to step beyond their comfort zone and that is where the learning takes place. I also appreciate working with clients who are willing to explore their shadow self as well as their brilliance, and who acknowledge and trust the power of listening to their intuition.

It is my belief that the people who employ the services of a life coach are those who are looking for answers to their problems. However, I wouldn’t necessarily make their “problems” the focus of the coaching. The real problem is in believing that they don’t have the answers and that understandably so, comes from being too close to the problem. A life coach is able to be objective and help their client recognize their answers.

You mentioned that the Canadian government sort of force folk who’ve been made redundant to start a business. Did that make it easier, or did you feel pressurised?

I wasn’t actually forced to start a business. I chose to. After being unemployed from my job as a proofreader for a few months, and following a half-hearted and unsuccessful job search, I decided to enroll in a self-employment program. During that process I felt forced, but now I realize it was because my vision was not clear to begin with. They were supporting me, but I was pushing myself in the wrong direction. I made it hard for myself.

Having said that, there were things I didn’t enjoy doing throughout the program. Things such as filling out the necessary forms to prove to the government that I was indeed working on my business, and worthy of receiving the financial benefits they were paying me. That part felt forced because I was trying to contain myself to regulations.

Everyone has business activities they prefer more than others – I love marketing but I don’t like accounts. What are your most and least favourite parts of being an entrepreneur?

That’s easy. My most favourite part of business is working with the vision, creating the direction and expressing it. And like you, I’m not fond of the administrative work and the accounting.

You ended a business to start Crimson Compass. That was a bold move. What made you change direction?

This is interesting, because the phrase I was using in my advertising materials for that business was “follow your gut” and that is what eventually led to its closure. That business was a nutrition-based consulting business focused specifically on the gluten-free diet. After almost a year spent developing the marketing materials, writing the business plan, networking and marketing myself, I was disappointed by the lack of response in the marketplace. My business advisor and other supporters told me I “was doing everything right” and that I would see results from my efforts.

I continued to push myself into building the business. Hours before my first open house I developed a migraine and had to cancel at the last minute. I was devastated and felt like quitting. I’m not a quitter and so I explored this feeling. I had been enthusiastic about creating the business: writing and designing the marketing materials, clarifying the vision, and the thrill of living outside of my comfort zone.

But, when I sat down and visualized customers calling me to set up consultations I hit a brick wall. Yes, there was fear there. But more importantly, I didn’t want to move past that fear. How could I attract customers when I didn’t really want them? Talk about sending mixed messages.

During this time I enrolled in training to become a life coach because I wanted to offer this service to my clients. I understood that it’s not enough to consult with someone, give them handouts and suggest what actions they can take to eat a healthier diet. People need someone to hold them accountable for their actions and to keep them on track. They need someone to challenge them to move forward past their own walls. Making change in one’s life can be difficult and old habits are hard to break.

During my training as a life coach and from the experience of building the nutrition business, I recognized what kind of person I am. I learned that although nutrition was an interest, it was not a passion for me. I am passionate about writing, creativity, vision and personal development. I learned that employing my passions is enough to keep me moving past that wall of fear.

Do you plan to expand Crimson Compass? If so, how do you plan to do that? Will you employ people, outsource, add new products and services or what?

Thank you for asking this question. I have no immediate plans to employ people or outsource services. However, I am inclined to see Crimson Compass outsourcing to a team of expert coaches once the business is further established. The reality is that a coach cannot coach everyone. They have different talents and use different techniques, and ideally there needs to be a good connection between a coach and their client. For this reason it would be beneficial for Crimson Compass to offer the services of a varied number of coaches.

I do have plans to offer an additional service that will include coaching people who are starting their own business. I will coach clients through the process of developing their business profile. This will help them to draw a clear picture who they are and where they want to take their business. It will save them time and money when it comes to developing marketing materials such as a business card and a website. They will also receive a business profile written by myself that they can use in their future marketing efforts.

In what way is being an entrepreneur easier than having a day job?

It’s not easier, but there are benefits. I appreciate having flexible hours and the freedom to do more of what I enjoy and what I am good at. That contributes to self-worth and confidence. So often while working in a day job a person’s talents and skills become dusty because their job description does not give them the opportunity to exercise them. That kills the spirit.

In what way is running a business harder than having a day job?

In my current situation, being a sole proprietor is challenging. Doing it all: working with the vision as it unfolds (and this is continuous), doing the marketing and accounting, working with clients, and taking care of the general day-to-day administration duties. It is a lot for one person to handle.

Crimson Compass is a brilliant name for a business. How did you come up with it?

Thank you! It was difficult to uncover this name. I wasn’t sure about it at first until my own life coach said it back to me. Then it resonated.

I love to work with words and so I played with them for a while to come up with this name. When I reflected on my life coach training I saw how I had experimented with trying on new perspectives; how these perspectives gave me more clarity about the “right” direction in which to move.

And what better instrument than a compass to point you in the “right” direction. I also reflected on how excited I was to have found what brought me joy and how much energy that gave me. To me crimson red is all about living. It symbolizes energy, passion and action — life. Living life is what life coaching is all about.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs who are just starting out?

Do a business plan. Although I dragged my way (ass) through mine, I kept up with it because it opened up ideas that I wouldn’t normally have thought of. It helps you to see the big picture. I read that IBM started with the big picture and developed the business through knowing what steps they needed to take to create that big picture. The business plan will take care of the business.

As for the person behind the business and based on my experience, I recommend a person takes a long hard look at not just their interests, skills and credentials, but what is important to them at their core. What lights up their lives. If they are building their business on that foundation it will carry them through the tough times.

Thanks for sharing your experience as an entrepreneur with us Davina. I wish you every success with your business in the future - I know you can make it.

If you enjoyed Davina’s interview, do take the time to check out her Crimson Compass website. And if you have any questions for Davina - please feel free to ask in the comments section.

And if you’d like to be a subject of the entrepreneur interview series, please email me at cath at cathlawson dot com, with the heading “Entrepreneur Interview”.

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Comments

12 Responses to “Entrepreneur Interview With Davina Haisell of Crimson Compass”

Davina on October 9th, 2008 11:46 pm

Hi Cath. Yikes! This didn’t look like that much copy in my inbox! Good thing you invite readers to grab a coffee for the discussion. Not sure if this is the result of my passion for coaching or writing — then again, probably both.

I’m looking forward to reading upcoming interviews in this series. We can learn from each other’s experiences.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my voice with your readers. You have asked some excellent questions that encouraged me to dig deeper than I thought I’d have to.

Davina’s last blog post..Thanks, It Means The World To Me
Evelyn Lim on October 10th, 2008 12:11 am

Davina, I didn’t realize that you have another business or website going. Well done! It’s nice to read about your journey. It is often through having met some blocks ourselves that we know how to turn them into lessons for helping others.

Most certainly, I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. May your life coaching business give you plenty of dream clients to work with!

Love & light,
Evelyn

Evelyn Lim’s last blog post..Heroes Of Healing: Neale Donald Walsch
Davina on October 10th, 2008 12:44 am

Hi Evelyn. Thank you! By the way, is that a new gravatar you are using? I don’t remember seeing it before. What a lovely picture of you.

Davina’s last blog post..Thanks, It Means The World To Me
Kelly@SHE-POWER on October 10th, 2008 1:07 am

Great interview Cath. And Davina, I had no idea you were a life coach! I love hearing how people find their calling and I think it’s so true that sometimes you think a business idea is right for you because you have skills and interest, but later you realise that alone does not equal passion and the right fit. Sometimes you just have to keep on pushing forward and staying open and trust that the right answer will come to you in good time. I also think if you can’t visualize how success will look, then that says something. You can’t achieve it if you can’t see it.

Look forward to more of these interviews Cath, and Davina best of luck with your practice.

Kelly

Kelly@SHE-POWER’s last blog post..Quote of the Week: Love Across The Miles
Davina on October 10th, 2008 2:17 am

Thank you Kelly. Yes, that experience was an eye opener. Being flexible was one thing I surrendered to in order to recognize the business wasn’t the right fit. Letting go was difficult, but also the best thing I could have done.

Davina’s last blog post..Thanks, It Means The World To Me
Vered - MomGrind on October 10th, 2008 2:58 am

Great interview. I learned only recently that Davina is a life coach. It’s good to get to know her better!

Vered - MomGrind’s last blog post..Am I The Only One Who Thinks This Is Weird?
Jennifer on October 10th, 2008 3:15 am

Thanks Cath for doing this interview with Davina. It was really great learning all this about her. I have a whole new respect for her now. And as you said Cath, I know she can make it too.

Jennifer’s last blog post..What Reality Have You Created?
Cath Lawson on October 10th, 2008 10:28 am

Hi Davina - it seemed heaps shorter in the email didn’t it? I’m glad it encouraged you to dig deeper - you gave some great answers.

Hi Evelyn - she kept it kind of quiet for a while - it’s great though isn’t it?

Hi Kelly - visualizing is half the battle isn’t it? A few people - Evelyn, Mare and Sterling included have mentioned photoshopping your future vision, if you’re struggling to see it. It’s a great idea.

Hi Vered - it is good to get to know her better isn’t it. Talking of that - I knew you lived in California but I didn’t realise you lived in Silicon Valley. There’s got to be ways you can use that to your advantage with your own blog.

Hi Jennifer - Davina is great isn’t she. She should blow her own trumpet a bit more often, as she has a lot of sound advice to offer others.

Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Entrepreneur Interview With Davina Haisell of Crimson Compass
Lillie Ammann on October 10th, 2008 3:38 pm

Cath and Davina,
Great interview! Thanks for sharing your experience, Davina, and thanks for asking such great questions, Cath.

Lillie Ammann’s last blog post..By: Of Note, The Blood Red Pencil
Davina on October 10th, 2008 7:15 pm

@ Rita… So funny because I actually looked that word up before answering that question… (excuse me while I grab the dictionary again)… “no longer needed at work and therefore unemployed”.

@ All. BTW, thanks for reading this interview. It is lengthy and I know you are all very busy with your lives and your own blogging world. Cath just ask such great questions the dam burst
Davina’s last blog post..Thanks, It Means The World To Me
cathlawson on October 10th, 2008 9:15 pm

Hi Lillie - you’re welcome - glad you enjoyed it.

Hi Rita - I agree -it’s a terrible word. But that’s governments for you.
Leanne Magraith | Forever Change on October 13th, 2008 3:31 am

I feel inspired to push on towards my goals after reading that excellent interview. Thank you Cath and Davina for sharing.

Leanne Magraith | Forever Change’s last blog post..A Story About a Major Business Restructure - Part 3