After spending three decades in the corporate world, John Whitt chose a different path—one rooted in purpose, autonomy, and human-centered leadership. His journey from corporate burnout to building a coaching practice grounded in generosity and life skills is a powerful reminder that true success isn’t just about business growth, but about living with clarity, intention, and impact. Humans of Fuzia features John for his thoughtful perspective on leadership, independence, and the importance of empowering individuals—especially women—to take control of their professional and personal lives.
Q: What inspired you to start your entrepreneurial journey?
John: After nearly 30 years in corporate life—much of it spent traveling constantly—I was burnt out. Around 2010, during the Great Recession, my company decided to relocate, and I realized I didn’t want that life anymore. I wanted control over my time, my energy, and my purpose. Coaching felt natural to me; I had been doing it my whole life in leadership roles. So I invested in training, learned the craft properly, and launched my own coaching practice.
Q: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your business?
John: Marketing was by far the hardest. Sales I understood, but building a brand and standing out—especially as more coaches entered the space—was challenging. I also had to completely shift my mindset from corporate systems to small-business realities. In corporate environments, systems, benchmarks, and resources already exist. Small business owners are often figuring everything out as they go, and a single bad decision can be life-impacting. Learning how to build scalable systems—and understanding that emotional and life skills are just as important as business strategy—was a huge learning curve.
Q: What milestones are you most proud of in your journey?
John: Helping people go from having no business at all to building mid–six-figure businesses was incredibly rewarding. I also worked with a painting company and helped them triple their revenue from $2 million to $6 million in just 18 months. On a personal level, navigating major life challenges—like health issues, divorce, and the pandemic—led me to reset everything. Out of that came my current work, which focuses on generosity and whole-life leadership. That transformation means a lot to me.
Q: Do you consider yourself a solopreneur?
John: Technically yes—I’m the only employee. But no one truly works alone. I collaborate with service providers, a virtual assistant, designers, and marketing professionals. Entrepreneurship is always about relationships, even if you don’t have a traditional team.
Q: What are your thoughts on women in leadership today?
John: Women are absolutely as capable as men in leadership roles. They often bring stronger empathy and emotional intelligence—qualities that are essential at higher leadership levels. What’s important is understanding how systems work and learning how to operate effectively within them. I also believe the idea that working for a large company is the “safe” option is outdated. Independence—especially through entrepreneurship—offers more control, and that’s incredibly powerful for women today.
Q: What does success mean to you?
John: Success is independence—the ability to make choices that align with your purpose. Money matters because it gives you freedom, but real success is when you reach a point where you can focus on why you’re here and how you want to serve. That’s what I get to do now, and I’m grateful for it.
“When you have independence, you gain the freedom to follow your purpose—and that’s where real success and fulfillment begin.”
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