5 Questions with Gin Lalli
We’ve got a brand new series for you, we’re chatting to some of our favourite speakers about their businesses, the challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them. All in five questions (sometimes more if we get over excited)
This time we spoke to Gin Lalli, an optometrist turned based Solution Focused Psychotherapist based in Edinburgh. Gin helps people regain the control of their lives using a combination of science, positive psychology and mindfulness to eliminate anxiety, stress and depression and open up the conversation around mental health. Gin is a huge advocate for women in business, particularly women of colour and doesn’t hold back from sharing her story to help others achieve more. Read all about it below.
What advice would you give young women starting out in the business world?
Running a business is not as easy as it looks. You may observe others running their own business who seemingly have an enviable lifestyle; there’s freedom, flexibility of time and doing something they love. Behind all of that there are late nights and real graft that goes on. You have to have an emotional resilience to do that too. I don’t want to put anyone off but it’s going to be a hard slog so be prepared. Do you have a team around you that can support you in your personal and professional life? Do you have that support network? It’s going to be a lot harder than you think it is however the rewards are so much more too. We need more women in business, women have a lot of qualities and skills to bring to the table. So don’t let anyone or anything put you off. The skills you bring will be unique. Women can achieve amazing things if we take away those mental barriers that we have within ourselves. In fact, the skills that women bring like empathy, values and understanding of positive emotions will enable us to create a new self-employed business environment. I find that extremely exciting.
What’s the best piece of advice you have been given?
Just do it!
Do not procrastinate. I do appreciate planning is key but don’t over plan so much that you don’t actually take action. There have been many times when I have been given an opportunity and I have just said yes immediately with no idea of how I will do it. I thought about how I’m going to do it later — you will always find a way to work it out. Women are especially creative and brilliant at multitasking so can adapt to any situation — use that to your advantage. Give, give, give — then ask. Be generous with your time, information and service — it will come back to you 10-fold. You don’t want to be the worlds best kept secret, do you? Giving your time and advice to fellow people in business will always be rewarded, it’s how you build your network. It’s not what you know, it’s not who you know — it’s about who knows you! Give content, give information, give a great service. No-one loses anything by giving — there is just loads to gain. By giving, you are putting yourself out there and being open and authentic. Then when it comes to asking for something for sure they will deliver — do not expect something from someone if you have not given your time or expertise freely in the first place.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when you were starting out? And how did you overcome it?
I knew I had a product that worked. The difficulty I found was getting that message out there and encouraging clients to come on board with me. When you believe in your product and you believe in yourself, you want to tell everyone but making others believe in you and your product is a lot harder than I had expected. However, with a lot of encouragement and some amazing referrals I have built the business that I have now. I had to learn not to give-up — I believed in my product and I believed in myself. Just do the best job that you can, to the best of your ability, go the extra mile and the rewards will come.
How do you stay motivated to keep pushing forward in your career?
I have an amazing support network around me. This includes close family and friends, but also business associates, mentors and advisors. I feel that I’ve built a great network of people that I can go to, to ask for help and motivation. My clients also give me huge motivation when I see the results they achieve with my help and they give me the feedback of how their lives have changed. That just keeps me going forward, it makes me believe in myself and the service that I provide
How do you practice self care? And how do you think we should be doing it?
I have to keep a check on myself but once again my support network let me know if I need to look after myself a bit more. I make sure that I do all those seemingly boring things like making sure I sleep well, making sure I eat well and getting enough movement in my day. For me it’s all about routine. I know the routines that work for me. I know myself on a deep level, and that has taken work too but I know I am the expert of me so really I listen to my body and my mind for those signals to look after myself more. I also make sure I have interactions outside of my business that take my mind completely off it. Frequently that’s when the best ideas about my business come to me actually. I know I will need different things at different times and I have learned that about myself, so starting out in business I think it’s really important that you learn about yourself first. Know your own limitations, know your strengths and know where and when you will need help. Find your own formula for self-care — there are no rules here. Deep down you know what works but drive your own personal development, not just your business. Remember, that often, self-care is just a term for doing those things you know you need to do, those things you should be doing, looking after yourself and setting personal boundaries. When you feel good then you have so much more to give so self-care is an essential, not a luxury.
Good luck and just do it!
Gin Lalli
If you want to find out more about Gin, and keep up to date with when she’s teaching next. Check out her Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and check out her instructor profile.
