March 28, 2024

Thrive Insider

Exclusive stories of successful entrepreneurs

Nikki Lane Self-awareness advocate, author and coach

Who are you and what business did you start?

Hi, I’m Nikki Lane… I’m a self-awareness advocate, author and coach. I’m passionate about bringing self-awareness to women so they can choose to live the life of their dreams. Which sounds so cliché… but in fact with just a little self-awareness and a few changes to your perspective… it’s really easy to start enjoying your life.

My business is called The Change Journey and it is devoted to sharing my self-awareness learnings via the book, a set of oracle cards and my personalised coaching programs.

What’s your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?

I had no self-awareness until the age of 33.

I behaved a certain way at school because that’s what the cool kids wanted.
I dated my first boyfriend because someone told me he liked me.
I went to business college because my mum said it would be good for me.
I got married because my boyfriend wanted to.
I had my first child at 26 because my husband wanted to have kids.
I gave up work after having a child because that was what was expected of me.

At no point did I question any of these decisions. At no point did I ask if these are things that I wanted to do, if these are things that are good for me? I went through life doing what was expected of me and what I thought I should do.

Then one day I realised I was married to a man I didn’t love, with no career, interests or hobbies. I had no idea what I wanted to do in life or what made me happy. I had put everyone else first, my cup was completely empty and I thought to myself “how on earth did I end up here?”

So I left my marriage and ventured out to discover who I am and what I want from life and it’s been an amazing sixteen-year Change Journey of self-awareness. A journey that has brought me so much joy, love and happiness that in 2020 I decided to put all my learnings into a book and share them with other women so they too can discover how to live a life they enjoy.

Describe the process of launching the business.

I have been running different small businesses since 2005 (some mine and some that belong to other people), so to launch The Change Journey, I was lucky in that I already had a lot of experience under my belt. What I didn’t have any experience in however was publishing a book and I had a really fun time learning all about the self-publishing industry and releasing my book in December 2020.

Whilst going through the publishing process, alongside that I built my website, created my social media pages and prepared for launch. As soon as the book was in my hot little hands, I hit go on my launch strategy. I sold 120 books in the first month!!!! It was pretty exciting and fun.

Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?

Facebook ads have been really helpful to spread the word about my business. I have also been guest blogging for magazines and websites where they have large readership. Word of mouth has also been a big bonus… people who are loving the book are returning to buy copies for their friends as gifts and recommending me to others.

I post every day on Facebook and Instagram to show the world my messaging is consistent and on theme with what I believe in and stand for. I do a weekly Change Journey card draw on social media and my newsletter list receive a weekly Tuesday Tune In email where I intuitively select one character from the book and send 1 x channeled message, 1 x quote from the book and 1 x question for them to ponder for that week. I have had really great feedback from these emails.

How are you doing today and what does the future look like?

I’m doing really well. I love what I do, I’m passionate about the messages I share, I know that what I teach can really change women’s lives. I love that the strategies are simple and easy to implement.

The future? More and more of the same I hope. I’m really enjoying growing my business. I work energetically and do what feels right when it feels right. I go with the flow and know that the right people see my messages at the right time for them. It’s organic and fun with very little pressure and I’m really enjoying this, as it’s completely different to many other businesses I have run in the past.

Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?

Yes!!! This time around I’ve learned to truly trust myself and my gut instincts. I know my business better than anyone and it’s up to me to make the decisions and move in the directions that I want to move in. In the past I was always trying to adapt strategies and techniques that the “small business gurus” told me would create a successful business… and those strategies may have worked for them but they don’t work for everyone. You can’t bottle a successful small business strategy and sell it to others, everyone is different and we all need to do what is right for us.

What platform/tools do you use for your business?

This time around, I’ve enjoyed keeping it really simple and manageable; a Wix website and Mailchimp for newsletters and auto-responder series. Canva has been one of my favourite tools, helping me to create beautiful graphics and social media images.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?

I’m much more of a book reader than a podcast listener… my favourite books are:

Infinite Possibilities by Mike Dooley
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
I Can See Clearly Now by Wayne Dyer
Do the Work by Steven Pressfield

Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?

Stop and celebrate your wins each and every time they occur, no matter how small. In a start-up business we are always looking forward at how far we have to go, it can be really disheartening. When you turn around and look back on how far you’ve come, it will help you stay positive and motivated.

Where can we go to learn more?

You can find out more here: Website: www.thechangejourney.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechangejourney.au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.changejourney/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645009601