Allison Woodley is a Self-love & Mindset Coach, the founder of the Self-love Academy, and the Award-winning Author of the book The Unicorn Syndrome. Stop trying to be unique. You already are. Allison empowers heart-led female entrepreneurs to break free from comparison, self-doubt, and self-sabotage and take back control of their health, time, and freedom by cultivating unstoppable confidence through her Spiritual Weight Loss Method. Her mission is to show women that the beauty they seek is already within them.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

Ten years ago, in 2012 I was graduating from university, eager to pursue a career in the glamorous and fast-paced advertising industry. At the same time, I was battling mentally and physically with my body.  I'd completely lost touch with myself after gaining some unwanted weight and many unhealthy habits. After finishing school, I was ready to start a new chapter in my life and I decided it was time to get back into shape and better health. After about six months of completely changing my diet and lifting weights, I lost 20lbs. I borrowed a sparkly bikini from a friend and entered my first bodybuilding competition. I placed dead last but it didn't matter. I'd gained so much than a worthless trophy by facing my fears and gaining confidence in myself. I'd discovered an inner strength and confidence within myself that I didn't know existed. I'd broken past the fear of being seen and not feeling good enough. I stood proudly on that fitness stage reserved for dedicated athletes and a fire was lit in me.

After that, I became a Certified Personal Trainer and worked at a top-ranked national gym. I later went back into the advertising industry but continued my health and fitness journey as just a passion. It was hard to balance building a career in a highly demanding industry, eating healthy and going to the gym but it was my priority, so I kept it up.

Eight years later I competed in my second bodybuilding competition and placed 7th. The second time around I had a new perspective. I focused more on who I was becoming than how I wanted to look. I locked eyes with the vision beyond just how I would look but how good I would feel to be a transformed person. The success in my journey was due to my growing sense of self-worth, self-love, and a deepening connection with my heart and soul. I learned that success in anything; life, business, health, is an inside-out job.

What inspired you to start your business?

In March 2020 the pandemic happened and I was let go from my job at the ad agency I was working for. At first, I was struck with a wave of fear, then within 6 seconds, I was overcome with a strong feeling of gratitude. I had a knowing that the universe was aligning everything for me and not against me. I leaned into this trust and I followed the signs. I took the time during this life transition not to worry but to rest, to heal, and to take care of myself. During this time I instantly felt a strong calling to help women emotionally, mentally, and spiritually heal their relationship with their bodies and create a healthy foundation of health and wellness. I wanted to help women break free from soul-sucking chronic dieting and exercise routines and help them connect with their bodies and find joy in life again. That then became my mission, to help women love their bodies and create healthy and abundant lifestyles similar to mine but in a much quicker and easier way.

Where is your business based? 

I have an online coaching business, meaning I can work from anywhere in the world. My home base though is in my home in Toronto, Canada. The great thing about working from home is being in control of my schedule, being able to travel and bring work with me, and being able to work with clients from all over the world. 

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

Back in 2020 just two days after I was let go from my job. I reached out and connected with a Lifestyle and Business Mentor who shared with me an opportunity to start an online wellness business through a Network Marketing company. Even though this was something I never in a million years would have even considered, I knew in my gut it was the right next step. I'd had women reach out to me about joining this kind of business before and even though I used the products I still never even considered it. But this time, something in me told me it was time. I was ready to take a chance. It was time once again to take a bold leap of faith, just like I had when I stepped on stage for my first bodybuilding competition. 

That one simple decision to say yes to starting my wellness business was the catalyst to jump-start my online wellness business instantly. Three weeks later I had my launch event and had a hugely successful turnout of supporters. From there my business began to bloom and has since grown into what it is today. Once I started to see success working with my first handful of clients I invested again in myself by taking my Pure Coaching certification. I wanted to further develop new programs and help my clients create greater transformations. It was a lot of worth but well worth the time and investment. 

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

In 2020 as I followed my calling to start my business I also began to follow the inner guidance that encouraged me to start writing my first book, The Unicorn Syndrome. Stop trying to be unique. You already are. Sharing my self-love & fitness journey online through social media and then sharing the journey of writing my self-help book helped me to get my story out into the world. When I launched my book in 2021 I had so much support and have had close to 100 downloads/purchases of my book. Writing my book was an incredible way of raising awareness of my business. Since then I've spoken at events, had interviews published in Authority Magazine and Thrive Global, and have been interviewed on a handful of incredible podcast shows. All of this has helped my business to gain visibility and awareness.

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

For most of my life, I was terrified of public speaking and thought I was a terrible writer. Now I'm a published Author and Speaker. Life is supposed to have challenges. Our purpose is to overcome them and learn from them. Often we have to make many attempts at these obstacles though before we learn the lessons.

Overcoming challenges is hard when we try to physically take on more, and try to force our way through to the end goal. Most of us are taught that in life to be successful we must work harder or be the hardest worker in the room. But in the spirit world, that's not true. In the spirit, world success is about vibration and attracting the experience you want to create through good feeling thoughts.

The lesson through all of life's obstacles is discovering that enjoying the process is the goal, not the end result. In my signature coaching program, I teach my clients how to break free from limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging habits. I help them do this through mindset work. The same kind of work I did on myself to go from being terrified of being seen and heard to feeling calm and confident. I did a lot of inner healing with self-love and acceptance to get to the point where I am today. You might also be terrified of public speaking or just talking about your stories on IG but know that I was too at first. All you need is just five seconds of insane courage and you can overcome it too.

I knew I was never going to make an impact if no one ever saw or heard my story so I had to get over my fears. I rewrote my life story to be the one I wanted to live with rather than allowing the fear of judgment and failure to control me. Self-awareness and taking radical responsibility for your life is the real work that needs to be done to overcome your biggest challenges in life and business.

How do you stay focused?

I wouldn't say that I grew up with many natural talents although I had many passions and hobbies. I learned early in life that if I wanted something I was going to have to work hard for it. Often that meant I needed to put in extra time and effort to learn the skills and gain the experience needed to get good at something.

When I started lifting weights and taking care of my health I was focused, consistent and disciplined with my program because I was in need of change. But I was also clear on my vision. It was so clear I could see it and feel it like I already had it. I've taken this habit and made it a daily part of my routine in my life and business.

Every morning I spend time focusing on who I am becoming rather than making endless to-do lists filled with unlimited tasks and priorities. Rather than working harder, I focus on the feelings I want to feel when I sign a new client or have a successful launch. I used meditation, visualization, and manifestation techniques to get clear on my vision, stay focused and attract success. I allow that to push me forward into success within my business. This creates a strong mindset that keeps me focused on my mission to help inspire and empower women.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

The majority of the fitness industry is focused on physical health. Most personal trainers or nutritionists design meal plans and workout programs for their clients and then hold them accountable. I don't do either. Instead, I help my clients heal through the four dimensions of health; spiritual health, emotional health, mental health, and then physical health is often an outcome of this inner healing process.  

My unique coaching method helps women to unlearn the bad habits and the limiting beliefs that keep them stuck, unmotivated, and unhappy with their bodies. We work on emotional healing first and how to develop self-love. Once this deep groundwork has been established I help guide her to listen to her body to learn how to fuel and nourish herself with the right kinds of foods and movement.  I help guide her to creating a holistic and healthy lifestyle true and unique to her body. I give her the tools and knowledge on how to do it for herself so she has a lifelong transformation and not a quick fix.

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

I've been building my business through vulnerable and authentic connections with my audience. I use a lot of social media marketing to build genuine relationships with women who relate to my journey. This strategy isn't the fastest path to success that I've found but it does build true connection and trust with potential and new clients over time. I find that through doing this when people are ready to invest in themselves they jump on in at the right time for them. 

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

Take messy action. As women, we have this grand vision of ourselves and how we think our businesses should look before we even start. This grand vision of greatness often paralyzes them from even taking the first step in following their dreams. This often looks like perfectionism, indecisiveness, or comparison syndrome. Many aspiring entrepreneurs compare their start to someone else's great success. They become afraid to start, or they jump from great ideas to great ideas in their heads but never take action on anything. You have to get something out into the world and then adjust if you want to learn and grow and be successful. You've got to get over the fear of it not being the right thing or good enough.

Just start. Everyone who is and was ever successful started before they were ready. The only way you’re going to get better at creating content, speaking on stories, talking in publishing, coaching clients, selling your products is by taking action and just starting.

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

My favorite book is Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza. It's the first spiritual and personal development book that I ever read and it was a catalyst in helping me transform my life from regular to extraordinary.

Because of that book, I started waking up early to meditate. This new daily practice helped me truly to transform my life and manifest more money in my career, pivot my business, write my book, become a speaker, and so much more. I highly recommend it!

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

The Goal Getters Facebook Community led by Rebecca Cafiero is an amazing resource for female entrepreneurs. It's full of inspiration, guidance, and collaboration. I've taken part in all of the free business strategies & PR training provided within the community this past year and I've seen my business grow so much this last year. 

Who is your business role model? Why?

Jennifer Szpigiel, founder of Becoming Iconic is my business role model. Jen is smart, kind, passionate and she walks the talk in her business. She's an amazing role model because she's taken leaps of faith in her career, she's pivoted a few times, and she's built multiple 6 and 7 figure successful businesses from home while raising tiny humans. 

As women, we often feel like we have to choose between work or family so when I see powerful women who find balance in both I celebrate and admire that. Jen preaches that you can really have it all. You can do less and be more. You can find harmony between work and family and you don't have to choose one or the other. As a young female who is building a business with the dream of one day also having a family I desire to create that same kind of work-life balance in my own life. 

How do you balance work and life? 

I know how it feels to be burnt out. For a long time, I thought that my work-life balance was the fact that I could work 9-12hours days and maintain healthy eating habits and the gym 5-7 days a week. As much as I enjoyed work and fitness I was burning out due to sheer volume.

Setting boundaries and making time for daily spiritual practices has helped me find a harmonious balance between work, fitness, hobbies, and time with my husband and family.

I make it a priority of mine to take 1-2hours each morning for alone time with myself. I use this non-negotiable time to sit in stillness, meditate, visualize, do breathwork, read, write, stretch, workout and/or sip a cup of coffee. It's a non-negotiable for me to spend time alone with myself getting to connect with my soul on a deeper level. This spiritual work fuels me for the rest of my day.

What’s your favorite way to decompress? 

I love lifting heavy weights and running outdoors. Moving my body and getting my heart rate up while listening to some feel-good music has an uplifting way of melting away any stress. I have such a routine fitness regime that I don't get stressed or experience much anxiety because I am consistent with prioritizing my wellness. When you take care of yourself daily, you feel good daily. It really is worth it to take care of your help and prioritize your self-care.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Big things! It's been my dream to live by the beach during the winter and to launch a group coaching program. This winter both those dreams are coming true. I'm going to be spending this winter doing a handstand in the sand in Cabo Mexico while launching my brand new group coaching program The Self-Love Academy!

I'm also allowing space for opportunities and abundance to flow. Because one thing I've learned is sometimes the best things are unplanned spontaneous gifts from the Universe but if we're too busy we miss them.

How can our readers connect with you?

I love connecting with and supporting like-minded women who are passionately building the business and life of their dreams!

Feel free to follow my journey on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/allison.woodley/

Join my free Facebook community here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1396070730783154.

And you can find my book and more ways to work with me at allisonwoodley.com