Based in Glasgow, Linzi Kavanagh is a divorce and empowerment coach for women going through a divorce or relationship breakdown. She is certified psychologist, counsellor, life coach, EFT practitioner and NLP Master Practitioner.
Working with clients to help them release negativity, let go of their ex and reclaim their identity, Linzi’s psychology and mindset led approach supports the emotional recovery from a life-changing event like divorce and relationship breakdown and helps women to not only survive, but thrive and rebuild their lives.
After my 16 year marriage ended I discovered that whilst there was lots of information on the practical side of divorce ie what paperwork to fill out, what to look for in a good lawyer etc, there really wasn’t anything out there to help with the emotional rollercoaster you experience. After 14 years of being a stay at home mum I decided to build on my previous Psychology degree and go back to university to gain a qualification in Counselling. Whilst working full time and being a single mum to three amazing kids I returned to university age 44 and also gained qualifications in Life Coaching, Master NLP and EFT, all within a year.
I decided to start my own business supporting women to build their self-worth,trust and confidence in themselves, reconnect back to who they are after such a life changing event and to begin to build a new future.
I began building awareness of my business first locally as so many people in the community knew what I had gone through. I showed by example how I had rebuilt my life in a bigger and better way. I gave free motivational talks around my area and took on as many clients as I could.
I also built an online community through my Instagram account. This took me right out of my comfort zone in so many ways but the growth I experienced not just in my business, but in my own personal growth too was phenomenal.
As a single mum I knew I didn’t want to take huge risks with my finances and so I patiently funded and grew the business in a way that felt aligned with that. I took out an interest free credit card to pay for my studies and made sure that was paid off each time before I invested further.
I think the key successes were continually being willing to get out of my comfort zone, do things that terrified me and put aside the need for perfection. My manta was “Progress over perfection” and this really helped me take consistent steps forward.
The challenges I faced were a severe lack of time and energy. Being a single mum, working full time, navigating the overwhelm of going through a divorce, and constantly studying to serve my clients better whilst making time for kids was hard to manage but I kept the bigger picture in mind and was careful not to burn out.
My business plans for the future are to expand into evergreen courses. I’m in the process of publishing a Divorce Journal and Divorce Affirmation cards and I would love to host an in person retreat day.
To anyone thinking of starting their own business I’d say you don’t have to have all the knowledge before you start. You don’t have to see how it will all happen. You just need the idea, the drive and the willingness to be imperfect. You will learn as you go. The only difference between you and someone who has their own business is that they started. And kept going, even when they felt like giving up. What’s one action you can take today to progress your business idea? Just do that one thing. Then when that’s done chose another action. One step at a time, one day at a time.
My top tips for entrepreneurial success?
Be willing to see every perceived failure as simply a learning experience. Realise that everyone starts somewhere, no one is instantly an expert. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, only compare yourself to how you were yesterday.
My favourite quotes are:
Progress over perfection
Turn your mess into your magic
The key to success is to focus on the goals not the obstacles
I dare to fail greatly so that I may succeed greatly
My dad has been the strongest influence in my life and probably the first example I had of taking a really awful event in you life and deciding to do something great with it. My dad had an accident at work when I was 16 and became paralysed from the neck down. Doctors told him he would never walk again. His reaction? “I know you know medicine but you don’t know me” and he set out to prove their diagnosis wrong. His determination, cheeky strength of character and his willingness to never give up ended up with him being able to walk a few steps at a time 4 long years later. For the rest of his life, my dad supported other people going through similar life changing events. Instead of becoming bitter about what he had lost, my dad found a way to see what he had gained. He was grateful for the extra time with his family, grateful to finally learn the art of patience. Happy to have cemented in what was really important to him. He looked for the lesson in his experience rather than the loss and that’s something I’ve tried to do ever since.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzikavanaghcoaching/
Facebook – Linzi Kavanagh Divorce Coach
Instagram – Linzi_kavanagh_coaching
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