"Believe in yourself, because if you don’t, no one else will" Treva Brandon Scharf
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Treva Brandon Scharf is an ICF-certified professional life coach, dating coach, fitness professional, and first-time bride at 50. With over 35 years in the fitness industry and many more in the singles world, Treva knows first-hand how to achieve peak performance in both life and love. Learn more about Treva and her coaching services at www.trevabrandonscharf.com.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I’m an only child born and raised in Beverly Hills, CA. Parents were both agents in the entertainment industry. I attended CU Boulder and UC Santa Barbara, graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Studies. I’m a life long athlete and fitness enthusiast. Moved to NYC out of college, became an advertising copywriter at BBDO. Five years later, I moved back to L.A. and created entertainment advertising for networks and studios.
I transitioned to full-time fitness in 2001 as a personal fitness trainer and group fitness instructor.
In 2014, at the age of 51, I got married for the first time and started a blog called “The Late Blooming Bride,” which established me as an authority in the midlife dating/singles space.
In January 2019, I became an ICF-certified professional life coach and dating coach.
What inspired you to start your business?
While I was teaching at a fitness studio in L.A., a fellow group fitness instructor (who was also a private trainer) asked me if I’d be interested in working with one of her female clients. I said yes, and proceeded to change this woman’s body. I realized I had a gift to motivate and inspire, so I left advertising and devoted myself to fitness.
My move to life coaching and dating coaching was a natural progression, and a no-brainer in terms of potential business for me.
Where is your business based?
Beverly Hills
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
My fitness business was all word of mouth and still is. Somehow word got out, and I was able to build a very successful, high-end clientele. My life coaching/dating coaching business is still getting off the ground, but my first steps were building a website, getting business cards printed, appearing on podcasts, and announcing it on the major social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, LiinkedIn, Twitter, and Aligned.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Social media has been the most effective, but I’m parlaying it off my existing fitness business. I also have my own podcast I co-host with my husband called “Done Being Single,” on the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network. I just started running promos for my coaching business on our show.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Self-promotion is always challenging for me. I hate tooting my own horn, but I realize it’s necessary to establish myself, gain visibility and break through the clutter (everyone and their mother is a life coach or dating coach these days, so you’ve got to stand out!).
How do you stay focused?
I keep my eye on the prize, stay away from distractions, and visualize my success in daily high-performance self-guided meditation and breathwork.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
I work with my life coaching/dating coaching clients like their athletes because that’s the world I come from. I’m big on discipline, accountability, tough love, hard work, meeting challenges, and facing your fears. No one can kick your ass like a former trainer!
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Growing my life coaching business is still new, and I’m still building my brand, but so far the best marketing strategy has been networking, affiliating myself with other coaches, and marketing myself on my podcast and appearing on other podcasts, and social media.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Believe in yourself, because if you don’t, no one else will. Do everything you can to build your confidence, skills, worth and value to yourself and others. Read, read, and read more! Get informed and be empowered!
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
The latest books I love are “The Big Leap,” by Gay Hendricks, and “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k,” by Mark Manson. I eat up all the fantastic self-improvement and personal growth & development articles on Medium.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Blogs from thought leaders and influencers on LinkedIn, articles on Medium, and watching closely how other coaches run their businesses.
Who is your business role model? Why?
Oprah. An overweight woman of color starts with nothing and becomes an industry. She’s a success in every area: publishing, TV, movies, retail, self-help, wellness, entertainment, etc. Her story is incredibly inspiring.
What is your beauty routine? What are some of your favorite products?
I’m embarrassed to say I just started to really take care of my skin in my 50s! I wash my face at night and combine a homemade moisturizer with a lightening cream from The Perfect Derma Peel to lighten spots. Sometimes I use my mother’s secret and smear a Vitamin. E capsule all over my face. In the morning, I use a tinted moisturizer by Dermalogica, a powder bronzer by Mac, lip pencil by Gabriel, and eye pencil by Pacifica (both available at Whole Foods).
How do you balance work and life?
I devote equal amounts of energy to both, but if work becomes too much, I make sure I balance it out with downtime, exercise, time with my husband, or hanging with my girlfriends. You can read more about me, and my passions and purpose, at www.trevabrandonscharf.com and at @trevabme.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
Having a glass of wine with my husband after work, chilling at home. And yes, I smoke pot.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
I just finished my self-help memoir, “Confessions of a Late Blooming Bride: how to conquer singledom and triumph at love.” The next six months will be spent shopping it around to agents and publishers, and promoting it everywhere I can. I also plan on continuing to build my life coaching & dating coaching business by blogging prolifically, building my social media following, increasing my exposure and branding.
How can our readers connect with you?
Twitter: @trevabme
IG: @trevabm