This year I want to focus more on the health and fitness aspect of my business. It has been amazing experience connecting with other local moms and entrepreneurs who also have a passion for health & fitness and helping others. Brook Belden is my first guest blogger this year and I am so happy to share her story and business with you. If you are in the Raleigh area, please be sure to check out Nourish.

1. Give me some background information ­on yourself, your family and your business.

Yeah absolutely! My name is Brook, momma to 2 sweet kiddos-- Lyla who is 3 and Luca who is 5 months. My husband and I work together as health coaches and own a nutrition club in downtown Raleigh. It's a lot of fun! We are able to service the community with a healthy breakfast or lunch and work with clients one on one to coach them to their desired results!  

2. What made you decide to become an entrepreneur? Was there a defining moment when you knew?

There was definitely a defining moment in my life that changed things. Entrepreneurship was probably the last thing in the world that I thought I would do. I thought the answer was to go to college and get a good job and if you wanted a better job you went to more school. Oh the irony there! Because all that got me was a couple sheets of paper and a lot of student debt. My husband on the other hand was the risk-taker and had owned businesses prior to our dating. He actually started a real estate career in 2008. Rough. He did well in the end but while he was getting it going we drained our savings and maxed our credit. And then I was in a car accident. I ended up in the emergency room, no health insurance, and $100 bill simply to exit the ER. I swiped 3 different cards and none of them cleared. I was 29 years old, had a masters' degree, was a hard worker, engaged, was taught good financial principles and yet this is where I was in my life. I was MORTIFIED. The pit in my stomach was one of total disgust and I knew something had to change but I had no idea what. At the time I was simply just looking for a way to bring in some extra money. I answered an ad to be a wellness coach and that's when I was introduced to the nutrition club concept. I worked part time as a wellness coach and in 6 months I was able to match what I was making as a full-time therapist. 4 months later we opened our own nutrition club. That's been 4 1/2 years and now I can't imagine doing anything else!

3. What were the best & hardest parts of starting your business, both personally and professionally?

By far the 2 hardest things were learning how to let go of certainty and giving up the care of what others thought. There is no steady paycheck and no guarantee of when success will come. For someone who's a play by the rules, Typa A kinda girl, this was tough! But I have learned how to embrace the opposite of this which is the adventure! When we started we were already broke, but when you get a business going, you are living on a fixed income for awhile. That's hard when your peers are seemingly ahead of you in life-- buying houses or traveling and you are hustling. People also have PLENTY of opinions about going against the grain so staying focused on the long-term while everyone else is worried about finding a company with health insurance and vacation time. 
But the good is SOOO good and definitely outweighs the bad. There is too much good to even list but I will give you some of my favorites. 
1) Time freedom. My time is MY time. I decide. Sometimes I work 14 hour days and others I work 3 hour days. I never miss field trips. My husband joined me for all prenatal appointments. It's ours to decide. 
2) There's a saying about entrepreneurship: You spend a few years working like most people won't to spend most years living like most people can't. 
3) Building something is SO much fun!
4) Everyday I'm changing lives, making an impact, and am a part of a mission larger than myself
5) The lessons my kids are learning about a healthy lifestyle, work ethic, and pure heart is amazing. I see their translations of these lessons everyday
6) The lessons that I have to learn everyday and every year. It's not about the money and the success as much as it is about the person it's making me into!
7) Financial freedom.
8) The friendships I've made along the way. I am surrounded by healthy, active, positive, and inspirational people
Ok. Ill stop there ;)

4. What did you learn about yourself an­d your support system while training and starting your business?

I've learned that I'm stronger than I ever thought and that I can do hard things. Once you get through one hard thing, you can get through them all. As far as my support system... you just learn who really matters. Some people really support you in your decision or in your product. Others don't. You have to learn that most aren't doing it to be mean. They love you, but they just haven't seen what you've seen. If they stay in your life, they eventually will see it if you don't quit. And if they don't stay, it's probably for the best.  

5. What is your niche? How do potential clients recognize you?

My niche is supporting and empowering women, mostly moms these days but also young women that aspire to have it all. My hope is that potential clients recognize me through my positivity and excitement. I believe in the potential of all humans and I believe that we should never settle. I think that moms and women that want that will opt to work with me! 

6. Describe the health and fitness culture & community in Raleigh.

I see a very wide range of people. We are located downtown Raleigh and for the most part, I would say it's a pretty healthy and progressive area. There are a lot of options for gyms, yoga, and healthy food options. But it's also an area for delicious and less healthy restaurants and stressful jobs. I think the health and fitness culture in America is very divided. We have the extreme healthy and the extremely unhealthy (over 70% of our country is overweight). There isn't enough access to information and lifestyle for the majority of us who are quite busy, can't live in the gym, and may not have the time or money to eat all raw/organic foods and spend hours prepping them!

7. Where do you see your business in 5 ­years?

​My heart kind of smiles. For me it's about impacting more lives-- more people moving, eating healthier, supplementing appropriately, feeling better, being around positivity, and paying it forward. We will have 100 nutrition clubs on our team!! 

8. What is it like working with your husband?

HeHe. We have had our fair share of learning curves. When we started this was my business. He wanted very little to do with it. Then he wanted to join me and tried to just take over. But it's brought us closer together, for sure. We have had to learn how to communicate better and really celebrate each other's strengths. We are much more effective when we really work together as a team. 
​ 
9. You recently had another baby. How do you balance you work and home life?

I don't think I have balance in the traditional sense. But that goes back to my entrepreneurship saying--- working like few won't to live like few can. I'm clear on WHY I do what I do and I focus on how that impacts my children positively. We keep routine in their life too. But this is always a work in progress. There are times when business is booming and I am on my phone a lot. But I balance that with intentional focused time with them too. It's all about staying clear on your priorities.  

10. What advice do you have for any entrepreneur looking to start or revamp their bu­siness?

With a strong Why, the How is easy. You will always find your way if you want it bad enough.  

11. Who do you look up to or admire in the health and fitness community?

I'm not sure if this is the answer you are after... but I admire my clients. Making a decision to change your life and your health can be hard. It takes daily dedication. They inspire me everyday! 
 
​12. Tell me about your most recent professional or personal accomplishment and how you celebrated.

This is one of those areas I am working on! I am always looking forward to what's next that I often neglect to celebrate. We recently bought a new home which has been wonderful and we were able to buy it about a year ahead of what we thought we would do. We've spent time celebrating in small ways. Quiet nights by the fire just reflecting and talking about our gratitude. For me, that's the best kind of celebration. Sometimes I get lost in grandiosity and really it's just about that personal recognition that you did it!!! 

Brook Belden is a former personal trainer and mental health therapist. She knew that when you ate better and exercised, you FELT better. But she struggled with the right formula that made you FEEL YOUR BEST. She tried various clean eating techniques and random supplement combinations. She worked out regularly, but was still tired and struggling to lose 12lbs. Once she found the right combination, she lost the 12lbs in just 3 weeks and her energy was through the roof! That's been 5 years... since then she's had TWO babies in 3 years, changing very little in her regimen. She lost all of the baby weight AND BABY FAT, with the excitement to keep up with her babies, her husband and her business!!!