Elevate Your Wellness Business: #BreathtoBoss with Kelly Pender
One of the most helpful things for growth as an entrepreneur is to learn from others’ experiences! That’s why SLG is so excited to be bringing you the Breath To Boss series! Through this series, we’ll feature different entrepreneurs in the mindfulness industry, so that you can get a better understanding of what their journey has been like and apply their learnings to your own path! Welcome Kelly Pender as our first feature!
Kelly Pender is a mindfulness expert who empowers others to own their strength and mentors aspiring yoga instructors to elevate their businesses! Here are a few questions that really dig into her journey to entrepreneurship!
What made you take the leap in entrepreneurship?
I didn’t jump into full-time yoga instructor or business owner right away because I was fearful. I slowly eased my way into it until I built up my confidence, honed in on my expertise, built my online presence and most importantly, moved past fear, believed in myself and trusted in my ability to take the next steps of quitting my full-time job and taking on the roll of a full-time entrepreneur 
I finally realized that I had a powerful message to share and I was tired of dimming my light, stuck in a job which society deemed to be worthy! So, I flipped the script and took full power over creating my reality.
What’s your favorite part about being your own boss?
My favorite part of being my own boss is having the ability to craft my days and weeks in a way that fits my schedule, feels good to me and fuels my business + soul!
I also have learned to love to say ‘no’ to others and ‘yes’ to me!
Do you have any work philosophies that drive your business?
I am learning to work smarter, not harder. This mentality has been a huge shift for me. I used to ‘busy’ myself with tasks that truly weren’t that important. I thought that being busy meant you were being productive. I was SO wrong.
I now write out my goals and larger dreams and break them down into smaller, more attainable action steps. This has allowed me to become more productive in my business and feel less overwhelmed + burnt out.
What does “bringing breath to business” mean for you and your brand?
When I hear “bringing breath to business,” I think of mindfulness. We tend to have this belief that to be successful, you need to work 80+ hours a week, constantly consume your days with tasks + meetings, etc.
Yes, I believe in working your butt off BUT, you can do it in a way where you don’t lose yourself, your mission and your WHY in the process. There is a way to run your business with intention + purpose while also nourishing your soul. To me, bringing breath to business means finding balance between work and play, maintaining your connection within, and carrying your strong foundation into your business and serving your tribe in a way that feels true and authentic to YOU.
What’s your biggest tip for social media success?
Allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Share your story, your WHY, the dark, the light, your experiences and how you have grown from them.
Think of social media as a platform to share your powerful message + to bond and create connections. As humans we want to connect with others. Allow yourself to move past the idea of perfection and share the REAL you. By doing so, you are giving others permission to do the same.
When you create these connections, trust is created and your tribe will grow.
Show up on social media the exact same way as you show up in real life.
What would be the one piece of advice you’d give to someone working to find their passion or purpose/piece of advice you’d give to someone working on building a brand/business?
I love this question! I have many conversations with my clients and students about finding their niche or purpose and defining their brand. They think that they will never “find it’ or won’t be able to ‘stand out.’ (I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t have those same thoughts back in the day).
The funny thing is – finding your purpose or niche is much simpler than we think it is. We all inherently know our passions, purpose, or area of expertise – I believe that sometimes we are too fearful to even admit it to ourselves.
Take a moment to journal and word vomit about WHY it is that you do what you do. Why are you interested in this field? How did you discover it? Why do you keep coming back to it?
Once you find the WHY, which is the driving force for your brand and business, move onto what specific part of your field or job lights you up the most? And by ‘lights up” I mean TRULY speaks to your soul!
For example, if you’re a yoga teacher and you absolutely LOVE focusing on and creating classes to release stress and anxiety because you, yourself were able to heal or move through your anxiety through your yoga practice – then right there is your specialty or niche.
This is who you WANT to serve because it comes naturally to you. You get it and understand their challenges, because you yourself have also been in their shoes. This then becomes your ideal client.
OWN what it is that you love and don’t be afraid to SHARE it. Begin to speak to your ideal client and connect with them. Provide a solution to their challenge/conflict. Serve them by creating content and offerings specifically around your area of expertise. You will gain their trust and grow your tribe!
BUT in order to do that, you must truly own your expertise and power. Allow your light to shine and share your knowledge! Don’t allow fear to hold you back from what you already know. You are a gift to this world. Believe in yourself. Trust Yourself. You have everything you could possibly need within to succeed.
