Inspired by her own personal crisis and ultimately her transformation, Belen decided to dedicate her life to help other people achieve the same level of peace, presence and understanding that she had found within. She now works in private sessions to help people achieve balance, health and wellbeing through energetic rebalancing and talk therapy. Her interview inspires us to create a healthy work/life balance and to have the courage to put ourselves out there in an authentic way.

What inspired you to become a holistic entrepreneur?

My own personal process is what led me to wanting to share this incredible journey with other people. I went through a deep personal crisis at aroung age 28, travelled a lot, had different jobs and moved to different places.. but nothing was changing on the inside.

As I moved to South America to live and work as a journalist, I had the opportunity to meet some shamans and through their rituals I started to connect with myself. Two years later I came back to Barcelona and still was on the search.. reiki, bioenergetics, gestalt therapy, dance-movement and other techniques helped me regain the understanding, connection, love and care for myself and the world that I was lacking.

After that, my only heartfelt commitment and mission in life was to help other people achieve the same level of peace, presence and understanding I had found within. It’s been 5 years since I changed my profession and I still get chills and I,m deeply touched by people every day when they reach their own a-ha moments and awakenings during our sessions together. I can’t be grateful enough to be able to do what I love the most.

 

Tell us about your business or practice.

I offer one on one sessions in person to help people regain their balance, health and wellbeing, as well as to help them overcome difficult situations and achieve better emotion management through energetic rebalancing and talk therapy.

 

What is your current business model? (Examples: provide services to clients/patients 1:1 in person or virtually, group programs, membership structure, product-based, etc.)

I provide services to clients in private consultation, one on one sessions and also workshops around self esteem, meditation and mindfulness.

 

What has been one of your favorite moments as a business owner thus far?

My favourite moment is every day when I wake up and feel I’m fulfilling my purpose and I’m the owner of my life and time. One great moment is always at the end of a workshop, seeing the faces of people shining makes all the hard work worth it.

 

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in running your business or practice?

I’m a distance runner and have been growing little by little since I first started. It hasn’t always been easy, and sometimes numbers just didn’t come out. I kept my faith and commitment during those moments.

 

How have you overcome those challenges?

With faith, determination and deep connection to my gut feelings that always say this is what I’m meant to do. I consider myself a positive, persistent and resourceful person, always trying to find different ways and solutions, so I, ve always tried new initiatives, and I also keep investing in my education up to this day, both in the marketing field and in my own field, which keeps me passionately committed.

 

How do you find new clients?

Through internet and by word of mouth.

 

What have you found to be most effective in securing new clients to sign up for your services?

I believe that working on myself, staying committed and connected to my higher purpose and my heart, keeping a positive outlook on life and loving and appreciating myself and others deeply has been key in order to attract new clients. It’s quite amazing to see that when you feel good about yourself and your work, you can perform it better, and when you do it with honesty and love, people sense it and respond to it, while you become a better professional, highly motivated, engaged and able to offer a genuine care for people.

 

What do you do to keep your existing clients engaged in the long term?

I think finding your ideal customer is key, people who stays motivated and focused on the same goals that you are. People with curiosity and commitment enough to keep on track. It’s really personal and individual and what I do is I try to keep my attitude open, focused, authentic and relaxed, offering from my heart what I think is best and most needed in every case and situation, so my service is very personal.

 

As your own boss, what is your best strategy for staying focused and productive during your workday?

I try to balance quality free time with work time. It’s really important to me (and specially to my subconscious mind not to sabotage me!) to really commit to having an enjoyable beautiful life full of people and activities that I love besides my work. So I try to have some fun, if not every day (my next goal, having small enjoyable breaks during the day) at least several times a week. Actually I now run a biweekly amateur theatre group and go to dance and swim regularly, I also enjoy cooking and eating healthy and save some time for that as well. On a daily basis, I try to keep a regular meditation practice and always keep time for myself.

 

If you could start your business over again from the beginning, what would you do differently?

I’d probably be more proactive and waste less time between one initiative that don’t work and the next one (insecurity bites..)

 

What were some of the first mistakes you made that you would tell a new holistic entrepreneur to avoid?

Just be brave enough to put yourself out there like you mean it and try new initiatives and learn from trial and error. Be consistent.

 

What are the top three business tools or resources you couldn’t live without?

Internet, my web page and loving what I do. Learning is also a passion, so I,m always committed to learn and keep updating myself in every field that I consider useful and necessary for what I do.

 

What has been your most effective method for growing your business?

To me, I’ve worked with paid ads, now it’s my turn to make my list grow organically as well. And, as I said before, loving what I do and keep myself focused and committed is key.

 

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever for done for your business?

Throw myself into it and learning everything along the way..

 

What is your favorite indulgence?

Being slow, slow time, slow food, slow happy life..

 

Most exotic thing you’ve ever eaten?

Ants (actually I just tasted them) and a giant rat (cuy) that they eat in Ecuador: It’s a national and very popular dish.

 

Most memorable place you’ve ever visited?

Torres del Paine National Park (Chile, Patagonia)

 

Last book you read?

Flow, by Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi (highly recommend it!!)

 

If you could only have one kind of food for the rest of your life, it would be…

Raw vegetables, me and my body love them and I eat them almost every day anyway.

 

What is your go-to breakfast?

Fresh fruit smoothie: orange, kiwi, banana, strawberries, cranberries and ginger.

 

What do you find most fascinating about the human body?

The heart, with its consistent, beautifully rhythmic beat.

 

What do you love most about being an entrepreneur?

The freedom and control over one’s life.

Belén, Giner is a therapist based out of Barcelona, Spain. You can find out more about Belén and her business, Menteyemociones, by visiting www.menteyemociones.com.