Victoria Lynne Hannu
Victoria Lynne Hannu is a Founder/CEO – a Business Coach/Consultant.
If your business could have a mascot, what would it be and why?
Black Panther, for their strength, perseverance and the care they show for their cubs. They are strong, powerful and beautiful.
What strategies do you employ to maintain a healthy work-life balance while running your own business?
I pay attention to my natural rhythms and organize my day around those. I put myself in my calendar and I start my day in a way that works for me. As a woman in pretty much every culture, we are taught to put others first, so putting yourself first is a journey and it’s still one I work on all of the time.
When faced with unexpected detours on your business path, how do you pivot with grace and resilience, showing fellow women entrepreneurs the way forward?
I give myself grace to feel the feelings, work with my coach or find one if I’m in between, do my inner work. Everything that happens in business isn’t personal and it’s important to be self-reflective and not judge oneself. Self forgiveness is important, because you will make mistakes, they are simply lessons.
We have more power to create our life and business in the way that we want it, than we often realize. Whatever is happening in your business is a reflection in some way of what is going on inside of you, consciously or unconsciously. It’s a lesson, don’t make it wrong. It doesn’t have to be hard and it is a journey, don’t push it. For me the biggest lesson has been to not push, because push slows things down.
How do you measure the success of your business beyond financial metrics, such as customer satisfaction or community engagement?
In my business, I am my clients biggest champion, even when we’re no longer working together. To me, it’s being able to celebrate their success and to see them showing up in the world in their uniqueness and doing what they love.
Can you share a memorable moment where you witnessed significant growth or transformation in your business, illustrating the impact of your services/products?
A former client of mine once told me “You completely changed my life, but I don’t know how to tell people what you do. It’s business and so much more”. So this set me on a journey to discover how I can best describe what I do and who it is really for (my niche). This resulted in that clarity for me and has made all the difference for me and my business.
Today I can say with clarity and confidence that
“I coach and guide fashion & creative Industry business owners who are experiencing plateaued or decreasing revenues, challenging team dynamics and/or overwhelm. I help my clients turn their mess into success by helping them bridge the gap between business, personal and their creative spirit so that they can retain their creative freedom and have a successful business at the same time.”
It is a transformation that is still in process as the outer (website specifically) still has its full transformation to go through. It’s important to understand that transformation begins from the inside out and is not a process you can rush.
Having the clarity of your niche, knowing what to say and how you truly help your client is the most important thing you can do in business.
What role do you believe mentorship plays in the success of small businesses, and how have mentors influenced your own entrepreneurial journey?
There are many nuances to owning a small business and as a small business owner it’s important to acknowledge that “you don’t know what you don’t know”. The role of a mentor and/or a coach is to help you see what you don’t know and to help guide you on your path to success. Without one, it’s pretty much shooting blindly in the dark and books, while helpful, don’t give you feedback that enables you to pivot and make decisions that will move you forward in the quickest way possible.
For me having a mentor/coach is a necessity. They help me to see what I can’t see for myself because they bring an outside perspective. If you have the right mentor/coach you will have a champion that holds you to your highest and supports you to become your best.
What’s your work all about, and how does it make a difference in the world?
First and foremost, all of my clients have a desire to make an impact in the world. When I work with my clients they have greater capacity and ability to make the impact they’re here to make, regardless of where they are in their business at the moment. A simple way to look at it is that “I am a leader of leaders” and my biggest impact is made through them. Kind of like the ripple effect. I’m here to uplift, champion and springboard them on to their greatness, which in turn makes a greater difference in the world.
At the core of what I do is that it’s about each and everyone of us showing up in the world as the authentic unique being we are from our core. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone was honored for who they truly are and living and contributing from their own uniqueness?
Get in touch:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorialynnehannu/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/victoriahannu
Instagram: @heartandsoulceo