Entrepreneurship Talks with Kerrie Phipps

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December 16, 2019 | Academy of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship Talks with Kerrie Phipps

At today’s Academy of Entrepreneurs’ #EntrepreneurshipTalks – we’re featuring our interview with Kerrie Phipps – Speaker, Leadership Coach and Author of best-selling book Do Talk To Strangers – How To Connect With Anyone, Anywhere.

Kerrie Phipps is an inspiring and energetic communicator whose passion is connecting and empowering Difference-Makers and Leaders, from BHP, Shell and Microsoft to young, brave social entrepreneurs.

Let’s see Kerrie’s take on entrepreneurship! ????

Question # 1:

What made you start your business?

A chronic illness and burning question… and defiance of doctors assumptions.

The question “How do I most effectively help people?” was what I was asking myself when doctors told me I wouldn’t be able to work for “5-10 years”. I knew I was on the planet for a purpose – and while I wasn’t clear about it – I knew I couldn’t spend a decade not doing anything of value. I wanted to help people move forward with their life goals so we’re all able to make a bigger difference.

I discovered that life and leadership coaching was the answer to my question. It propelled me forward as I worked with a coach on my own goals, including health and wellbeing – and immersed myself in to every coach training (accredited by the International Coach Federation) that I possibly could.

Within a year of the doctors negative decree, I was a certified coach and working with clients who were achieving amazing things.

Question # 2:
Building a business is challenging. What advise do you have for first-time entrepreneurs?

Take time to listen – to yourself, and to advisors who don’t have an agenda. I can’t imagine surviving the business development journey without the support of peers who saw beyond ‘competition’ to cheer me on, my husband who believed in me and the coaches I worked with.

Investing in a Coach who’ll ask you the questions that lead you to clarity (not to their or anyone else’s opinion) and help you to see possibilities and create plans and support structures to succeed.

Question # 3:

What is the best advice you have ever received and why?

“When you’re nervous, you’re thinking about yourself.” – it’s an observation of how the human brain works, not a judgement. When you feel nervous, you can shift your focus to others – and anything positive that you choose to focus on – and the nerves dissipate.

Try it out.

Networking, meeting people, can be stressful if you’re trying to get clients, but if you let go of that pressure, and the pressure to impress, and simply be present with people, curious and willing to be open to serve, you find yourself making powerful, authentic connections. They might not become a client, but a great friend or awesome referrer.

Question # 4:

If you were given a billion dollars, what global problem would you solve?

Access to safe drinking water for everyone in the world who is still in desperate need. When this basic essential is available, it can then make way for other essentials such as food and education.

However we don’t need a billion dollars if we all contribute where we can, but making choices in our purchasing to support businesses that provide water solutions, and other essentials, and every cent makes a difference. And in our businesses, we can choose to support the charities that are sending every cent they get to actual water projects.

We do this with our partnership with B1G1 Business for Good – with every sale from our business, families in developing nations get access to clean water, food or education.

We’re grateful to connect with many other business doing the same, and we see that our small contributions go so far and make a growing impact.

Thank you Kerrie, for your sharing your insights and for telling us the story behind your entrepreneurial journey. ❤️

We love having her around at Academy of Entrepreneurs! In fact, watch this video of one of her talks in our campus: