We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexandra Nolan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alexandra , we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
Sixteen years ago when I launched my first business, I was not very kind to myself. I was so focused on the end goal that I would push myself, despite my body trying to tell me I was over-doing it. I remember telling myself that I couldn’t go home until I finished my to do list which meant I would stay up at my shop sometimes until 2 am, exhausted but telling myself I can rest when this “one last thing” gets done. For years, my body was a prisoner to my determined mind. I wasn’t getting enough sleep, not taking breaks, and ignoring signs of mental strain. As you can imagine, one day I hit a wall, and I hit it hard! It took weeks for me to wrap my head around my deteriorated mental state. I realized I needed to be kind to myself, that I needed to take moments to appreciate my accomplishments and tend to my mental and physical well-being.
I have assigned two selfcare nights per week. I have dedicated this a “work-free” time where I soak in my tub, watch a movie with my kids, read a book, give myself a facial, or to just be present, no work allowed!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I seem to always have many irons in the fire. I am a wife and mother to 3 boys and 2 dogs in my personal life. In my professional life, I am the author of The Unconventional Entrepreneur, the blogger behind CityChicLiving.com, curator for @alexandra.nicole, and the President of The Aroma Haus.
While one would wonder how I could have anytime for self-care, I am happy to reveal that I have streamlined my work so that I can finish at 5 PM. You don’t have to limit yourself to enjoy just one of your work-life passions if they all play off of eachother and your goals can be streamlined between them.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In my book, I talk about the 8 Elements of an Entrepreneur and how these skills can be sharpened. Of these elements, confidence, determination, and the ability to take risks are the most important starting out.
When mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs, I often find that they have one of these traits but not all three. No worries, they can all be developed through targeted exercises and awareness.
When all three of these traits/skills are mastered, you are able to combat the biggest obstacle to launching a business, fear.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I have read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People several times. One of the most valuable habits from the book is to begin with the end in mind. Following this habit has been life changing. Now, when I begin a project, I automatically begin thinking about the end goal.
For example, my newest business, before launching I began to think about my exit plan. Is my goal to sell the company? Is my goal to build a business for my children to own one day? Answering this question has helped me to formulate my strategy to ensure that I will achieve my long-term goal.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.citychicliving.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Alexandra.nicole
- Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/Alexandranicolenolan
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-nolan-601755b1
