An Interview with Amy Gavartin

Business Strategist and Entrepreneur


Amy Gavartin Interview

Amy Gavartin is a multi-passionate Entrepreneur and Business Strategist that loves to combine her 20+ years of sales and marketing with her strong intuition and magical ability to see big picture possibilities - without losing track of all the tiny details. Her super power of mindful and heart centered business strategy allows her to help entrepreneurs align with their core values and make decisions from that place in their business.

In this Startup Savant interview, Amy shares her #1 priority that fuels her success, what lights her up about being an entrepreneur, and how to make sure you are aligned with your business. After you're done getting to know Amy and absorbing her insights, make sure you give her a shoutout on Twitter!

WHAT DO YOU TYPICALLY TELL PEOPLE WHEN THEY ASK YOU WHAT YOU DO?

I am an Inspiration Catalyst and Business Strategist that loves helping entrepreneurs clear the chaos in their brain so they can see their vision clearly, step fully into their greatness and become aligned to the Soul of their business.

I take a holistic approach to business strategy, meaning I don’t separate the “you” component. Your business starts with YOU. I can give you all the strategy, formulas and tools in the world but if there are underlying patterns or limiting beliefs holding you back, the strategies, formulas and tools won’t be fully utilized and your business won’t experience maximum growth.

So much about being an entrepreneur is your mindset and having the right mindset is also strategic. I’m traditional strategy with a side of ‘woo-woo’. I love bringing them both together and watching the magic unfold!

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HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED TROUBLES OR MISHAPS WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS STRATEGY CONSULTING SERVICE? HOW DID YOU FIX THEM?

Of course! I think one of my biggest mishaps was hiring a designer that wasn’t aligned with me and had a very different communication style than I do.

It was an expensive and emotional lesson, but I learned the importance of discovering communication preference and style prior to hiring and outsourcing. This has helped tremendously as it allowed me to find a phenomenal online business manager and virtual assistant that feels fully aligned with me and my business.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR? IS THERE SOMETHING YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF?

Being an entrepreneur is a huge honor and has so many benefits. I love the freedom it provides for my creativity and time, as well as my ability to work from where ever I desire on any given day. I also have the power of choice of whom I work with. I am truly in control of creating my own destiny and manifesting the life I desire.

What really thrills me is being able to make a difference in others’ lives. Being an entrepreneur allows me to serve and share my gifts. I am most proud of my clients. I absolutely love watching their transformations and business growth while being by their side as a trusted mentor.

WHAT IS THE MOST EXCITING MOMENT OF YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURLNEY?

My most exciting moment thus far was when I received a call of extreme gratitude from one of my clients. She had been trying to negotiate a contract for the past month that would result in over six figures for her business. She had never sold a contract this large nor participated in these types of negotiations in the past.

We had several coaching and strategy sessions around it as well as what inner beliefs were holding her back. We needed to change her perspective to allow the deal to flow. She did everything I suggested to her and trusted in the process even though there was major resistance. I was beyond proud of her.

Why this excited me so much is because even though I can use my own strategies, systems, processes, etc on my own, there is still a part of me that questions ‘will this really work for others?’, ‘am I making a difference?’ ‘am I bringing value?’, etc. It’s all part of the entrepreneurial journey - pushing through our own stuff, believing in the possibilities and continuing to show up.

WHAT IS THE TOUGHEST DECISION YOU'VE EVER MADE WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS? HOW DID IT MAKE YOU BETTER AT THE END OF THE DAY?

Early in my current business, before I had earned any significant income, I was invited to join a high end mastermind group by one of my mentors. It was the largest financial investment I had ever made in myself. It scared me tremendously. I didn’t know how I was going to pay for it but knew I had to do it. I took a leap of faith.

Having a mentor at this level and access to an elite mastermind has made all the difference in my growth both personally and professionally. I firmly believe having the right structure AND support in your business are critical ingredients for success.

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WHAT DOES YOUR DAY-IN, DAY-OUT LOOK LIKE? IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC HABIT THAT HAS HELPED YOU BECOME A BETTER PERSON?

My days start with taking care of me. I find when I don’t do this, I am scattered and my days don’t flow. I do morning meditation and then some kind of movement (yoga, hiking, elliptical, etc.). I also start my day with hot water, lemon and cayenne.

I then spend about 10 minutes clearing my head with journaling. Next is family time with my kids (on the weeks I have them). After I get my kids off to school I make myself a green juice and either get myself ready or go straight into my office. I work in blocks of time. So for example, Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Fridays are for creation in the 1st half of the day and usually admin type tasks and course work (I am always enrolled in something. Continuing to learn, grow and expand is critical) in the second half.

Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, I leave for working with clients and networking. I also break for lunch which usually is around 1:30 and read something I enjoy or talk with a friend while I am eating. When I am done with my work day, I do something that my mentor taught me called Goddess Hour. This helps me get out of the masculine energy of business and into my feminine natural energy state for my family and friends. It also helps me be a happier person because it is taking care of me.

Early evenings are often hectic with kid’s activities however, I absolutely love to cook. At least 4 nights a week, I will turn on some amazing music, dance around my kitchen and make a gourmet meal. I also reserve time to have fun and do things other than work that fuels me. On Friday’s, I do something special… After consistently keeping track of everything, I accomplish throughout the week, I do something for myself as a celebration.

Far too often, I have found that we only celebrate the “big” stuff and we don’t give ourselves enough credit for all the baby steps we take on a daily basis to make the progress we desire. This habit has changed everything for me. It keeps me motivated to continue moving forward in my business, helped quite the mean girl in my head and starts my weekends off with a bang. It also allows me to be creative by coming up with different ways to celebrate and makes me feel fulfilled which helps me be a better person.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST INFLUENCER ALONG YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY? HOW DID THEY SHAPE YOUR BUSINESS STRATEGY CONSULTING SERVICE?

There are so many people that have influenced me along the way, from my parents to previous business colleagues to mentors and I am grateful for them all. But if I had to choose, I would say my mentor Mastin Kipp has made the largest influence on my life and walking the path of an entrepreneur.

He is the prime example of how I desire to show up in this world and for myself. He is consistent, methodical, tenacious, generous, kind and truly a leader. He has a special gift of bringing out the best in others and transforming people’s lives. He has encouraged me daily to bring all of me and my gifts into my business and has helped me continuously move forward and embrace my fears. He has even held space for me when I wasn’t holding space for myself.

Mastin helps me stay focused and aligned with my higher purpose. This has shaped my business by giving me confidence to truly follow my path and utilize all of my gifts. It allows me to provide business strategy from a different level and perspective which gives the highest benefit to my clients.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE LIFE AND WORK TO REMAIN CONNECTED AND AVAILABLE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES? ANY ADVICE FOR ME?

Haha! Advice: Stop trying for balance! Truthfully, I don’t believe in balance. It’s a myth. I think that when we try to attain for balance that we set ourselves up for failure or in that vicious cycle of feeling not enough and wanting more.

What I aim for is presence. When I am working, I am working and when I am with my loved ones, I am fully with them. Now, I am not perfect and I’m sure if you were talking to my kids they would throw me under the bus. But the majority of the time, I am present.

And, this is the important part… I make it a point to be present for me when I am with myself. I am my best when I take care of me first and that allows me to be present for my clients and my family or friends. I believe in quality vs quantity.

I also schedule what’s most important to me – my self-care and my time with my kids/loved ones before I schedule anything for business. Now you mention an interesting word, “available.” I have learned that part of taking care of me is also setting proper boundaries.

For non-emergencies, being available 24/7 does not feel aligned to me. I set clear boundaries with my clients and boundaries are something we are consistently working on at home. I am fully available when I am present and people can feel that.

DO YOU THINK BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR HAS TURNED YOU INTO A BETTER PERSON? IF SO, HOW?

Definitely! Being an entrepreneur has been the fastest path to personal growth for me and most I have spoken with agree. There is nothing like starting a business and then having all of your personal stuff staring at you in the mirror.

If you are going to succeed, you need to be brave. You need to have the courage to do things 99% of people won’t do. You also need to be compassionate. Not just for others, but for yourself. All of my growth, personal awareness, and life lessons since being on this journey have made me into a better person. It has enhanced my greatness and allowed me to fully step into, as I like to call it - "Owning Your Crown", a.k.a. "being unapologetically you".

And when I am fully being myself, it is my light that comes through and that gives others permission to do the same. I have tremendous empathy for business owners that are struggling and not making the impact they desire or aspiring entrepreneurs that can’t get out of their heads. I have been there…..

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WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OUR READERS WHO WANT TO START A BUSINESS IN ARIZONA TODAY? WHERE SHOULD THEY START?

This goes for anyone, not just people in AZ. If you want to start a business, the first place to start is with yourself. Asking yourself questions: Why do I want to start this business? Is it just because I think it is a good idea and will make money or does this excite me? Is this something that will allow me to use my true talents? If money was not a factor and I could do anything I desired, would I choose this? Be honest with yourself. Going down the entrepreneurial path has tremendous rewards it also can knock you flat on your ass.

All the strategy in the world won’t matter if you choose the wrong business for the wrong reasons and it isn’t aligned with you. This is what I believe. And if you are going for it, why not go for it with a business that lights you up? The other place to start would be to find a mentor. It is imperative to have a mentor and surround yourself with people that have walked the path you are about to go on. This will save you from wasting your time as well as fuel you to keep moving forward.

Being an entrepreneur is a gift and I like gifts that make me feel positive emotions get better with age and increase in value - of course if they are sparkly, I like that too!

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