Interview with mindset coach Hilary Thomson
Find out how fighting aggressive breast cancer made Hilary Thomson determined to do something she loved and change lives – and how she’s now doing that as a straight-talking motivational business strategist, success, and mindset coach.
What is your career background?
I started out in IT. I have a Masters in Business Information Technology which I studied part time while managing a team in the Education department. I did this for five years before I had children.
How did your career change after having children?
My career changed when I had children as I stayed at home with them until they went to school. By that time I didn’t want a full time job as I needed to work around the children. I got a job as a PA five minutes from home so I could work part time.
Where did you idea for your business come from?
I had aggressive breast cancer at the age of 42. It was when I started to lose my hair because of the treatment I decided to get my head shaved and sat in the barber’s chair, turned it away from the mirror and I vowed I would one day do something I loved, something that changed lives.
That dream was put on hold until the children were older. At the end of 2019 I decided to leave my 9-5.
How did you move from idea to actual business?
It didn’t happen seamlessly. I knew I didn’t want to stay in my 9-5 but didn’t know what I wanted to do. I had been doing a Techpixies course and was meeting such inspirational women, it was then that the seed was planted. I could be like these women.
I wanted to be these women. Confident and powerful. I was painfully shy at this point and had low confidence and self esteem. I remember my Techpixies course, I didn’t even want to be on a Zoom call and tried to avoid it at all cost!
I did a Facebook ads course and a WordPress course to try and figure out what I wanted to do. I was really stuck. I sought out a coach and had a few lightbulb moments. I decided to train as a coach. A proper accreditation was important to me and I will be a fully accredited ICF PCC coach in six months’ time which means I will have done over 100+ coaching hours.
What is your USP?
My USP and zone of genius is that I hold space for my clients and give them the tools to figure out their next step in life and make the changes they sometimes need a little help figuring out.
I offer a mixture of business coaching and mentoring using my business background, social media knowledge, FB Ads, WordPress knowledge to help entrepreneurs and business owners move forward in their business and make more revenue.
Who is your target audience?
My target audience is individuals who want to make a change in their life, increase their confidence or get rid of imposter syndrome or limiting beliefs. I also work with business owners and entrepreneurs to help them navigate the online business world to bring more revenue into their business.
How do you spread the word about what you do?
Mostly via social media but also at networking events. I am launching a podcast in 2021 which will be about the ups and downs of online entrepreneurs.
What’s been your most successful marketing strategy?
Social media and networking.
What’s been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome? My self-belief and confidence. I can feel myself making new neural pathways and reframing my negative thoughts. I find it fascinating what our mind tells us and how anyone really can do anything they set their mind on.
What has your proudest moment been?
My proudest moment so far has been the number of people’s lives I have changed as evidenced in the testimonials I have received.
My work is so important to me because I know how life can change in a split second. I have so many friends who are sleepwalking through their lives. I guess it is selfish really as my work brings me so much satisfaction, it is almost addictive. Isn’t that what life should be? I want to make the most of this life and if I can help people along the way it is a win-win situation.
Who inspires you?
So many people inspire me. All those mums out there, whom I work with who are juggling a business and young children. I want to be there for them to champion them to build a business on their terms.
I wish I had had a version of me when I had small children. Strong, powerful women inspire me, Joy Foster, Lucy Hall, Hannah Martin, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, the list is endless.
What’s your top piece of advice for someone wanting to do something similar?
Find someone who can support you (maybe a coach) when the going gets tough and go for it. We only have one life, let’s make each day count.
You can find out more about Hilary Thomson on her website.
