Launching your own venture is daunting at any time, but you can times it by a million in a global pandemic.

Bethany Wright, took the plunge and launched Her Empowerment Room, a fulfilment coaching brand offering guidance and one to one support for those ready to tackle their own doubts and limitations.

Bethany thought why not now, what she didn’t expect was for her business to take off at the speed it has. Not only has she grown her offering into group sessions but she has joined panels and podcasts with women who inspire her. Not bad going for her first year!

I caught up with Bethany about how she got there and where she aspires to see Her Empowerment Room in the future.

First things first, in your own words and terms, what is Her Empowerment Room and what are your goals?

Bethany: Her Empowerment Room is my Female oriented coaching. I'm a Next Step Career Coach for the ambitious woman at a crossroads in her career.

This may be for someone who has recently gone through a life change that has them questioning their career move. Perhaps they feel stuck in a job that isn't them but don't know what to do next.

I certainly had a niggle for a long time that I couldn't ignore and when I took the time out to really reflect on who I was, I was able to identify my brand and knowing a business was the right step for me. It's that inner work stage that really helps you to figure out that next step.

That's what I want for other ambitious women, to not be scared to do what they love and see that they have it in them too.

And in terms of the life she wants is it career or any aspect of her life?

Bethany: I mean I think a lot of clients I’ve worked with it has been predominantly career but I think with coaching it can be around confidence for sure.

Coaching is just amazing in the sense that it can just be about finding yourself again. It’s amazing to see how much it can cater to in terms of what everyone’s experiencing. Get the life that you want or get the career you want or the confident mindset you want.

“I knew I wanted to be my own boss, but I didn’t know what that looked like.” - Bethany Wright, Her Empowerment Room

I know you’ve spoken previously about your own journey to get your dreams. Can you talk about the moment you decided to make a change?

Bethany: I think growing up I always had high hopes for myself. You do your a-levels and then they’re going to uni and I was just like kind of following that path, but I always knew there was just something else that I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to be my own boss, but I didn’t know what that looked like.

I think growing up my self-confidence was really low. Like I had really bad acne. I would just always look at these leading ladies on the screen and in the magazines and I just want that dewy skin, I want that glow. That’s actually what lead me to call my first programme the glow initiative.

I was reading “Girl Code” by Kara Alwill, who does ‘The Champagne Diet’ and back then that book changed everything. That’s when I connected glow to my skin, I came up with her own glow. It was my own blog which is now Her Empowerment Room.

Then me and johnny in 2019 went to Thailand. And I took that book and I was like this is what I want to do. I was like now is the time. Say when I first connected with that book, it was like a one day thing, when I started to revisit it in 2019 it was like this is day one. That kind of just started me off on, okay this is what I want to do.

I signed up to go the coaching academy’s two-day event and from there, worked with my own coach. I would say that really was the pivotal point. The book and being in Thailand and recognising that I wasn’t exactly fulfilled in the life that I was creating at that point.

I think a lot of people have that. What would you say to someone who knows they want more but isn’t sure what that is?

Bethany: I think a lot of it comes from just releasing that pressure. I always say get your explorer cap on like Dora the explorer. Allow yourself to just experiment and see how it goes.

I think it’s all about connecting with yourself again and just asking yourself what is that you really enjoy? if you could be remembered for anything, what would it be? When you start to connect with things. You kind of come in to play and see if it is something that could be profitable maybe.

It’s all just connecting with your inner child again you know. But then also seeing how it plays out in your adult context.

“I just remember sitting there and being like yeah okay, why not me?” -Bethany Wright, Her Empowerment Room

Sometimes it feels like there’s no obvious point to make that jump, what made you take the leap and how do you juggle both?

Bethany: Strangely enough it was the lockdown that really prompted me to just take that leap. I have big goals for Her Empowerment Room, there’s loads of things I want to do with it. I was working with my own coach and she was just like what’s stopping you from just giving it ago. I just remember sitting there and being like yeah okay, why not me?

I just made it a priority. For me, two of my big excuses are I’m tired or I haven’t got time. And I was like you literally cannot use it at all and I was like everyone has the same amount of hours in the day and if you really want this, you going to have to take action.

It took off a lot sooner than I was thinking, but when you start something, especially when you’re juggling a few different things. One of the big learning curves for me was letting go of the hustle hard culture. That is everywhere.

If you love it then you’ll work all night and day on it and I was like, trying to do that cause if I don’t do that, I’m not successful. But I’m trying to wean that out a little bit. Now it all about productivity.

“The big learning curve for me was letting go of the hustle hard culture” – Bethany Wright, Her Empowerment Room

Do you think having a full-time job helps you protect your time?

Bethany: I suppose with a 9-5 or any job that you’re in you know how many hours you’re capped right. You have that contractual agreement. For me, it’s like you’ve got time before then and roughly how many hours do you think you can grab after?

You calendarize things more effectively, and then you just work smart not harder. Not like, I’ll do this that look fun and I’ll procrastinate doing that, okay you’ve got these two hours – do it! And then you can enjoy the evening.

“all we’re craving, really, is connection.” – Bethany Wright, Her Empowerment Room

One of your newest projects has been a group, how did this come about how has it been going?

Bethany: I really started to get to know my clients more that I was working with, it’s three months that I work with them and I was starting to recognise a trend. There’s something about a group programme in that I always wanted to have a sisterhood.

I was like when you’re going through that and you’re doubting who you are and what it is that you want – you can feel quite alone because the majority of people look like they’re fine in their nine to five. I was like I should I do a group programme, honestly just bringing women together like minded women together and having that support system, especially when you’re feeling uninspired.

When other people come in it does expand that horizon for you. You see the possibilities. It’s been the most rewarding joyful experience, just seeing them all comment and support each other. The fact that you can bring that together and magnetise that it’s been the most rewarding experience especially right now when all we’re craving, really, is connection.

How is it bringing together women for different industries and goals?

Bethany: You know, when you’re setting something up you do consider what could the pitfalls be? From the get go, this is a safe non-judgemental space. I wanted it to be a space where we override that narrative of competition between women.

Collaboration is everything, that is where it should be at. although they are all in different space and different industries, but they are all there for essentially a similar reason. Actually bringing them together from different industries, it just helps to see things in a different light. Some of them have said that they’ve learnt things from each other.

On the other side of collaboration, how has it been collaborating with other coaches on workshops? How did that come about?

Bethany: I think for me, one of the best things of starting Her Empowerment Room and one of the biggest highlights has been meeting friends for life. Like the community is so supportive and empowering.

I was so shy growing up and still quite am reserved. I’m an introvert. And I was thinking, when I was asked to part of things, I was like me? Like imposter syndrome came in, I’m not good at speaking. What am I even going to offer?

I literally love the women in my coaching circle. Is it Richard Branson who says “when the opportunity comes and you don’t know how to do it, say yes and then work out how to do it.” And I trust the people who would ask me to collaborate with them it’s all about growth. I was like let’s go for it, let’s try it.

You said you were quite shy and felt imposter syndrome, how did you overcome that to start public speaking?

Bethany: I think for me, with public speaking the thing that I had to do was just ease myself into it. If you try to go from one to a hundred, like you’re going to go straight into panic.
One of the first things that I did I was asked to do a Q&A live on Instagram and I was panicking. I was thinking “I’ve never done one. What am I going to do?” and I just think that’s the best way. If you do it with someone that you feel safe with. Once you’re out there you do just get that adrenaline and fall into it.

In terms of imposter syndrome, I think, you have to focus on your mission. My mission is to empower women to lead the best lives, be the leading lady of their own lives. And so, when I thought about what my mission was to how I was feeling about myself, which had no evidence to support it. I was like my mission is greater than my limiting belief.

They’re coming to get a result. They’re not there to just sit and criticize you. it’s all about integrity. Like the universe is watching and she knows if you’re showing up or not. And I’m like who am I to support women and empower them if I’m not actually taking them steps.

“No one is superwoman, so don’t try to be and don’t feel like you have to be.” – Bethany Wright, Her Empowerment Room

What’s been your favourite thing you’ve done in lockdown?

Bethany: I think definitely starting Her Empowerment Room. Even though I was worried, and you do worry when you’re starting a business, especially in a pandemic. It has been almost like a safe haven.

I don’t think of it as work. I’m excited cause I’ve something else to focus on. I forget about the outside world and I’ve got something of my own to focus on that’s in my control.

It’s not that the lockdown hasn’t impacted me I took a social media detox and I put that on my story., I was just so burnt out and I just wasn’t feeling great. I also posted a post once about the entrepreneurial journey how it’s up and down and just sharing just the peaks of the lockdown and starting a business and then the pits of it.

I think it’s always about just, even if you’re putting it out there or not consciously checking in with yourself each day. Like every morning I sit with a coffee and I’m just in silence. I’ve got like meditation music on or something and I’m like how am I feeling today?

I do think you’re human at the end of the day and it’s going to eat you up more if you don’t show your vulnerabilities. No one is superwoman, so don’t try to be and don’t feel like you have to be.

What are you finding helps you unwind?

Bethany: Oh my god. I’ve actually really started again is reading. I love reading and before, sometimes it is still a bit of I can’t be bothered. Whereas during lockdown I’ve just fell in love with reading.

I light my candle, and on a weekend sometimes I’ll pour a glass of vino. And I’m like have a little read and I’ve just loved that. Even just showers, mindful showers. I just love a mindful shower. Just standing there, feeling it drop on you and taking that moment for yourself. So I’m soaking it all in.

And what are you looking forward to when we get out of lockdown?

Bethany: I can’t wait to travel. Travel is a big thing. And see friends and family, and just go for brunch. Like bottomless brunch! Just like socialise again. That connection, real life connection, is something and seeing new cultures again. I really want to go to Bali.

Bethany offers a range of courses from an individual deep dive, to 8 weeks, 12 week and group programmes. For more information, go to Bethany’s Instagram @herempowermentroom

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Written By Lauren Waugh

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