Stephanie Thoma is a Forbes-featured connection coach, certified hypnotherapist, and best-selling author of the transformational networking book, Confident Introvert. She has facilitated over 1,000 events and established a fulfilling career helping people generate meaningful connections with themselves and others that catapult them forward in their career and life. To date, Stephanie has helped thousands of people celebrate their strengths, step into their authentic confidence, and make meaningful connections through speaking at places like Harvard University and 1:1 coaching.

Can you tell our readers about your background? 

My background is varied. Professionally, I have worked within social media marketing at a natural snack food startup, done brand ambassador work at live events, hosted networking events, leading real estate property tours, served as a market research recruiter and moderator, lifestyle blogger and ghostwriter, resume reviewer and career coach, business development associate in tech, and several other ‘odd jobs.’ What has guided me in my career was an intentional shift after my first tech job. I went from wanting to climb the corporate ladder to not settling for anything less than fun, personally enriching work. Once I made that distinction and realized that cultivating a career doesn’t have to be menial, necessarily detract from wellbeing or fragment ourselves into our work and ‘real-life’ self, everything changed.

What inspired you to start your business? 

My business was inspired by a talk that a friend with a meetup asked me to give to her community on “any topic I’m an expert on.” I was a career coach and event host at the time. After presenting the workshop Networking for Introverts, I had corporate and individual client inquiries and parlayed them naturally into leadership & life coaching in addition to hosting community-building events and personal and professional development webinars.

Where is your business based?

My business got started in San Francisco, CA and for the time being, will be with me wherever I am as I live in a new location each month for about 6-months starting November 2020. As I type this, I’m in Boston, MA.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The very first step I took when I realized the demand for touring the workshop Networking for Introverts and the natural next step of expanding the coaching side of things, I brainstormed a company name, brand colors, and ensured those things were everywhere: on social media, in my email signature, and a part of the way I talked about myself when meeting new people and catching up with friends. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? 

Being visible through events and partnering with organizations that share my values has been the most effective way of raising awareness of my business to date.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them? 

My biggest challenge in growing my own business was a mentality that I could do it all by myself. It seemed like strength at first, to take the leap and have a that strong belief that I could do it, however, once I hired my first business coach, I learned that I could have avoided learning so many lessons the hard way and done less, more targeted work to gain more traction and results. There’s nothing like having someone who’s been there, done that, to be in your corner and help you get to the next level so much faster than when you were relying on DIY-ing your company's growth.

How do you stay focused?

The daily 3-2-1 (Confident Introvert) consisting of 30-minutes of reading, 20-minutes of journaling, and 10-minutes of meditation is crucial for me each night to unwind and get enough sleep to awaken the next morning rested, alert, and focused.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

My holistic nature: I am a certified hypnotherapist in addition to being a career and business-focused coach. I work with people taking into account the wholeness of who they are and can become by guiding my clients through deep self-discovery, identifying and reframing any subconscious beliefs that are getting in the way of personal and professional success.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

My most effective marketing strategy to date has been hosting virtual and in-person webinars and events. I’ve brought value to and collaborated with various communities and been able to connect with people who are now my clients with these events as our introduction.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs? 

Nothing will get you farther than an unfaltering belief in yourself and your mission once you define what those two crucial pieces are. Embrace mentorship, expediting your results by hiring a coach who has done essentially what you wish to do.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

One of my favorite apps right now is hoopla digital, which allows me to check out ebooks and audiobooks wherever I am. I used to have weekly library dates in San Francisco to pick-up and return paper books, and now that it’s not an option this has been the next best (and more lightweight) thing. I have been a fan of the blog Marc & Angel Hack Life for years now. I find the stories shared inspiring, uplifting, and motivating. As for my favorite book right now, I’d be remiss to not shout-out my very own book baby Confident Introvert that debuted in June 2020, encompassing my journey, and the tactics of action and mindset that took me from a shy loner to a confident connector.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

One of my favorite business tools that has saved me so much back-and-forth has been calendly. No more emailing back-and-forth to plan any calls. My calendars are all synced within the platform and people can schedule a call anytime that works for us both, and reschedule directly within the platform as well if necessary.

Who is your business role model? Why? 

I love Marie Forleo, Brene Brown and Marianne Williamson, to name a few. I particularly admire Marie’s business savvy with an element of quirkiness, Brene Brown’s humility and status as a fellow self-proclaimed public-facing introvert, and Marianne Williamson’s ambition and dedication to connection within one’s self and one’s broader community of all that’s co-existing. 

How do you balance work and life? 

I balance work and life by integrating them. I know that meditation, exercise, and time with loved ones, for example, are all crucial for my level of well-being and productivity, so I treat them with the same regard as answering work-related emails or hopping on a client call. When I take care of myself I have more to give.

What’s your favorite way to decompress? 

It’s hard to choose just one, but it’s hard to beat a 20-minute warm bubble bath in a big tub with lots of bubbles, incense burning, and the dim light of a candle. 

What do you have planned for the next six months? 

For the next 6-months, I am embarking upon a nomadic lifestyle, living in a new US-based city each month. After spending the past 5 years in San Francisco, firmly rooted and hosting events in-person nearly every weeknight, I welcome this opportunity to further instill a sense of home within myself wherever I may be, bringing my business along with me of course!

How can our readers connect with you?

You are welcome to apply to connect with me on a 1:1 call to explore your custom leadership & life coaching plan at stephaniethoma.com/coaching . Sign-up for my bi-monthly newsletter here: stephaniethoma.com . You can also find me on social media and learn about upcoming webinars, workshops and get plenty of mindset hacks to improve your career and life: Instagram.com/stephaniemthoma & facebook.com/stephaniethoma .