“Stop Trying to Make Sense of Your Story. Embody It and Start Living” with Rula Abirafeh
/Rula Abirafeh is a Certified Professional Coach, with additional accreditations in Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Highly Sensitive People, and Neurolinguistic Programming. She owns her own coaching company, working with clients and corporations internationally. Rula partners with clients longing for a safe, empathic space where they can power past personal setbacks.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I was born in Beirut, raised in the suburbs of Washington, DC and now live in Los Angeles. I have straddled worlds and stories trying to find belonging and balance.
I grew up trying to fit neatly into check box – only to embrace my culture and heritage later in life.
I spent my younger years at Georgetown University and George Washington University voraciously studying but still lost.
I tried various corporate careers but always longed for the freedom and adventure that comes with entrepreneurship.
I also learned to embrace my intuition and sensitivity in a conflicted and exhausting world.
And now as a wife and mother, I know intimately what it is like to carry the invisible load and emotional responsibility – while tirelessly prioritizing self.
All these identities brought me struggle and joy, leading me to my coaching destination.
What inspired you to start your business?
I have always considered myself an empathic listener – offering a welcoming ear to friends in need. After the pandemic interrupted my previous entrepreneurship as a baker, I jumped at the opportunity to capitalize on my love of listening and certify in personal and professional coaching. Pursuing classes in coaching forced me – in the healthiest of ways – to face my own story setbacks.
I knew I wanted to connect with individuals and be a pillar of support. I reap so much reward in witnessing client growth and power. Starting my own business was the perfect way for me to individually connect and serve.
Where is your business based?
Currently all my coaching connections are online, but I am based out of Los Angeles, California.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
After finishing my initial certifications, I was admittedly intimidated by the saturated market and my lack of years in the industry. I was lucky enough to connect with my own coach who guided me into confidence to just start. To begin wherever you are, without judgement or hesitation. The true first step was to honestly vocalize to anyone and everyone that I am a coach – saying it out loud cemented its existence and started my journey.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Pandemic times have made personal connection incredibly limited, so I have relied on social media to raise awareness. As the world reopens, creating face to face awareness will be incredibly valuable.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
My challenges have also been my rewards. While the pandemic has created so much distance and isolation, it has also brought clients who have longed for connection and support.
Adding entrepreneurship to my already existing family responsibilities is no small feat. Juggling all my roles, and feeling successful at them, can be exhausting and daunting. But knowing my 7-year-old daughter gets an awesome and rewarded version of me as she watches what it takes to venture out on your own is an incredibly hard and yet truly irreplicable.
How do you stay focused?
I stay focused by taking breaks. Stepping back from the immediacy and urgency of running your own business can seem scary but brings perspective and patience. You must emotionally believe in your success and allow all the obstacles to be lessons along the way.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
My story. There are too many coaches out there to get lost in the competition. You have to put your most raw and authentic self out there, knowing that those who resonate with your experiences will gravitate towards you.
My life lived brought lessons and commitments that others can relate to. While a coaching relationship is exclusively about the client, the connection between client and coach needs to be strong. If you want to be seen or heard, you’re going to feel that energetic call to a coach who intimately understands you.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
The best advertisement has been clients themselves. Those who have partnered with me and smashed their goals speak volumes to my business. Referral is my the most treasured and true marketing.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Don’t get lost in your own thoughts. The details that stop you are not even visible to anyone else. Consider every business step a rough draft – be committed to your journey without being easily derailed at all the possible setbacks (because there will be tons). Let them not be personal!
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
I am currently using To Be Magnetic and the Manifestation Journal. It is an enlightened community that chips away at your past to reprogram your present and ultimately achieve your longed future. There’s journal prompts and meditative practices. It has helped me build a daily practice of self-awareness and care so I can share the best version of me for my clients.
I also love, and have devoured, all of Brianna Wiest’s books. They’re moving and beautiful.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Having a coach is the best resource. It is necessary, regardless the industry, that entrepreneurs have a sounding board of understanding and support. Someone who can remind you you’re a rockstar and to keep going.
Who is your business role model? Why?
My own life coach, Katie Shannon. She is fearless and real. Her energy is contagious and her mission strong. She has a balance of femineity and edge that is understanding and inspirational.
How do you balance work and life?
Work life balance ebbs and flows. It’s not a structured or set schedule. Some days are all work, some days I just Swiffer! Following the varying rhythms and energies are an organic way to find individually suited balance.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
I have always decompressed with laughter and hugs. Sometimes both are hard to come by, or exhaustion makes them seem more troublesome than rewarding. Yet, even one minute of laughter by browsing ridiculous memes can lift the stress of the day. And of course, hugging my daughter cures all!
What do you have planned for the next six months?
The next six months are focused entirely on client growth and outreach. I want to connect with as many people as possible – potential clients or not – to learn more about what’s needed in the world and where I can evolve and provide.
How can our readers connect with you?
Follow me on Instagram @rulaabi or check out my website: www.rulaabi.com