Meet Robyn Graham

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Robyn Graham. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Robyn below.

Robyn, we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
Anxiety has been a thread woven deep within my being my entire life. As a result, I found refuge in perfectionism and overachieving to hide my faults and shame that I was not normal. However, these were not cures, they were masks and often resulted in higher levels of anxiety.

Externally, I presented as strong, confident, and able to communicate and enjoy life and myriad experiences. On the inside, I was burning to feel calm, confident, and collected. I was as volatile as a flame flickering in the wind. And when an experience or interaction came to an end I succumbed to fear, doubt, and what-if thoughts that ravaged my mind and body for hours to days following.

It wasn’t until I began to study scripture and discovered the meaning of Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

My thoughts could be transformed. I was not destined to live with anxiety overtaking my life, relationships, and experiences.

I studied cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness at the urging of a therapist. In addition, I studied mindset and the science of the brain. As a result, I discovered that I, with the help of God, could catch my negative, what-if thoughts, challenge the thoughts, and change them. With daily discipline and dedicated journaling practice, I have been able to experience more control over my thoughts and become more confident in making decisions and allowing myself to experience life in ways I feared before.

Another fact I realized, is that when I let go and let God lead me, guide me, and strengthen me, anything is possible. I can now believe in myself and live for Him instead of others who I feared judged me. Upon this revelation, I have become more confident, and less anxious, and am living in peace and purpose.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Often, as business owners, we think we’ve got it, we think we know what we need to do to create success. But the fact is, we don’t know what we don’t know. And when businesses aren’t growing, clients aren’t steadily flowing in, and revenue isn’t being generated, there is an underlying problem. The problem could be a lack of clarity on the owner’s part or the customer’s part, due to a lack of clear and concise communication. Or, it could be a lack of visibility as a brand. Or, a lack of consistency in marketing because the business owner is trying to be everywhere and do everything that they hear experts saying online. In addition, a lack of customer service, or things falling through the cracks, resulting from a lack of systems, processes, and automation. Maybe, the business owner doesn’t have a client retention strategy. Any or all of these things can be missing and result in a delay in success.

This is where I come in. I have a keen eye to identify what is holding a business back from success and help business owners implement effective strategies to open the doors for more opportunities. My program offers sustainable marketing strategies that are aligned with each business owner and their unique desires for success, their soulmate clients, and their revenue goals.

I help them differentiate themselves in the marketplace and grow their visibility as an authority in their area of expertise so that they have unwavering clarity. In addition, I help them implement strategies that feel good, align with their values, and that they will be able to adhere to going forward. Together we build solid foundations for sustainable success and a lifetime of limitless earning potential.

What differentiates me from other business growth strategists and coaches? My brain is strategic, creative, and techy. I am empathetic, and a helper, teacher, and problem solver by nature. It’s the best combination of skills and personality traits for a small business owner who feels overwhelmed and frustrated by never-ending to-do lists, and social media.

The most exciting part of my program, for me, is watching my clients have ah-ha moments and mindset shifts. When we simplify their business, shorten their to-do list, and bring clarity to the forefront, they see that there are endless possibilities for success for themselves and their business.

Best of all, my program focuses on sustainable marketing strategies so that my clients do not have to be on social media if they don’t want to be. Social media is often a source of anxiety, doubt, comparison, and imposter syndrome. When business owners discover that they can grow their businesses without social media, they feel so relieved. To help more business owners achieve success without being on social media, I created a self-study course, How to Blog and Reach Your Ideal Audience. The course simplifies blogging and SEO so that more businesses can be found on Google and other search engines for a steady stream of clients.

In addition to coaching and consulting, I continue to write, create podcast episodes, and speak. All of which bring me great joy and keep my creativity alive and thriving.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most important revelations I had in my business were that I don’t know what I don’t know therefore hiring a mentor/coach was empowering for growth, that my beliefs and thoughts are what hold me back or push me forward, and lastly, that anything is possible when I lean into my faith and let God guide me.

In addition, my father once told me that if I wait until everything is perfect, my goals and dreams will never come to fruition. I’ve held onto that advice and letting go of perfectionism has launched me into many successful endeavors because I learned from mistakes and allowed myself to adapt as necessary to create positive outcomes.

Therefore, I share this advice. Don’t wait until “it” is perfect. Take effective action and if you make a mistake, learn from it, start again, and keep going until you’ve achieved what you want to achieve. And ask for help. We all go farther together and alone.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Several books have played an important role in my development as a woman and business owner. The first is the Bible. The Proverbs 31 woman is the prime, and most beautiful example of hard work and self-discipline, financial responsibility, service to the community, love, kindness, generosity, and humility. She is a constant reminder of how I am to live and who I am called to be.

The second book that has influenced me, my business, and how I work with my clients is “E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber. When we have systems and processes in place, delegate, choose our team wisely, and trust, we will go further faster and create a sustainable business.

The third book is “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. Listen. Demonstrate respect, kindness, tact, grace, and humility.

The fourth book is “The Obstacle is the Way” by Ryan Holiday. There will always be challenges, but how we approach them will determine the outcome of each.

The fifth book is “Switch on Your Brain – The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health” by Dr. Caroline Leaf. The brain is miraculous and your negative thoughts don’t own you or control you. You can choose to change them and control them.

I could go on and on. But I’ll leave you with the first five that came to mind.

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Image Credits
Aliza Schlabach Photography Kym Baldwin Photography Aimee Herd Photography

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