Harnessing personal hardships to help others in need
Be it entrepreneurship and innovation, strategic management, business planning, or marketing, all those new skills just helped me to put my plans into action
Sometimes the best things can comefrom challenging times. Sarah Findlay has bounced back after falling seriously ill. She isnowrelaunching hermum’s Holistic Coaching business, initially established in 2012.
Sarah has completed all of the strategic planning, marketing, website formation, networking and online programmes, while centering her passion for helping others.
In 2012, Sarah completed adegree in Early Childhood Education at EIT and for someyears she worked as an early childhood teacher.
Then, at 26, she started to consider an entire lifestyle and career change.
She took a year off, worked in a composite fibreglasscompanyand figured out she wanted tobecomeher ownboss. To learn the skills needed for her startup, she enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Business at EIT.
“Doing two papers per term gave mea deep and comprehensive understanding of all things business but the flipsidewasthat I felt pressure of having to juggle work and study. Ihad to focus and knuckledownfor a year.”
Then there wasalso something that put a heavy weight on her shoulders. Formanyyears, Sarah had been unknowingly battling multiple illnesses including an ovarian tumour and endometriosis. Endometriosis is acommoncondition that affectsup to one in 10womenand girls inNew Zealand. The mostcommon symptomof endometriosis is pelvic pain which canmakeperiods extremely painful, with day-to-day activities very difficult. Although common, it took years before Sarah wasfinally diagnosed.
She says the diagnosis wasan “aha” momentand sparked her calling in holistic health.
While studying for her diploma, Sarah also completed anutrition qualification and gained certification to be amindfulness practitioner and a life coach.
“Struggling throughmyhealth issues has raisedmyawareness of the strong correlation between physical conditions such as these, and the importance of self-care. Mindfulness and nutrition are important factors, andweneed aholistic approach to health and wellbeing.”
Sarah created the Instagram page @endohealthclub where she is sharing information and resources but also feelings and experiences. It is a greatwayto connect with others whosuffer from thesamedisorder.
With business partner Janetta Whaley, Sarah is set to launch the business Holistic Coaching online on October 1, which also includes their eight-step wellness programme/selfcare framework basedupon harmony, happiness, and health.
“Our mission is to support individualswhomaybe experiencing struggles, such as stress, self-doubt, mental fog, depression, and anxiety. Wewant to help people to restore their health by taking aholistic approach and seeing the bigger picture,” says Sarah.
“I feel likemyexperiences have deepenedmyunderstanding of what people might go through and I can use them to add value to what I’m doing now.”
Sarah says the business diploma geared herup for joining her mother in business and expanding their holistic approach to life coaching and health. “Be it entrepreneurship and innovation, strategic management, business planning, or marketing, all thosenewskills just helpedmeto put myplans into action.”