Persistence Paying Off 

SUMMARY KEYWORDS 

people, creating, guiding, life, inspire, important, goal, journey, business, working, salon, job, outfit, intuition, rat race, listening, excited, deep inhale, invention 

Today we’re having a discussion with Aakruti Sheth, not only a client of mine but a phenomenal person! Aakruti is a virtual fashion stylist helping entrepreneurs express their unique personalities by styling their wardrobe, and she does it all online! We will illustrate her story of persistence and how she has been able to create the life of her dreams. You may be working a regular nine-to-five like Aakruti was, but have been envisioning what it would be like to pursue your own goals and passions. My hope is that you will be inspired by Aakruti’s story to see how you, too, can follow your dreams with success.   

Q: Can you tell us about where you were when you first began our coaching? What was your mindset like at that time and how has that evolved into the mindset that you have now? 

A: When you and I first met, I was working a nine-to-five corporate job. And actually, a few years before we started any coaching, I was speaking with a member of one of the spas that I frequented and noticed a problem in the salon. I started brainstorming possible solutions and I tinkered with the idea for a fix for a few years before finally coming up with something presentable. I say presentable, but really, I had constructed something out of cardboard and duct tape and took it to a patent attorney! I wanted this to be a tool that improved and customized the salon experience, so I started out doing some market research. It’s important to ensure there’s a desire and need from a consumer standpoint to utilize the product, so I posted an online poll and found that about seventy percent of people thought it was a great idea. I also needed to make sure that there was interest from salon and spa employees. I dropped off surveys and conducted cold calls to about 100 salons in order to see if there was an interest in the proposed solution, and the responses were fantastic! I ended up hiring a freelancer in computer-aided design so that the product would become digital and we could then adjust the design of the invention as needed. Then I was able to print a 3D model of the product and demo it to a few salons. Last year, I filed a provisional patent on the invention, came up with a marketing plan while working with a university, and right now, I’m on the final adjustments of the design. My goal is to launch this year and I am very excited!  

But going back to when I was working nine to five, I had a realization that my true passion is creation and the arts in general. I finally quit my job and began looking into virtual fashion styling. I’ve always had a knack for fashion and used to create my own clothes. Thankfully my mother allowed me to express my own personal style when I was a kid! I took a fashion course in high school that really piqued my interest and friends and family always asked advice on what to wear, so styling was making sense. Instead of switching jobs and industries like I have throughout my career, this time I thought about creating my own company while also noting how many people shop online in this age to save time. I love helping leaders and entrepreneurs express their personality by adding their individual flair to their outfits, and my services offer the convenience of choosing outfits for you while staying virtual. That process is broken down into three simple steps. A client will answer some questions about budget, style, occasion, and measurements and then we’ll go over some favorite stores or stores they haven’t considered before. I’ll use all of that data to create a virtual style board so that they can see a full image of the outfit while being able to click on any article of clothing to make a purchase.

Q: The freedom of that creation is amazing and you sound very much aligned with who you are. That energy is extended to others as you keep moving on your journey! We often talk about getting out of the rat race and following your intuition. You happened to create your dream from scratch, and what I love about your story is that you had an idea for an invention and took steps to pursue your dream. It’s easy to get thrown off track, but you stayed persistent in having a burning desire to reach your goal and having a plan to achieve it. You didn’t know the how of getting there, but allowed yourself to be guided through each step so that you could move forward. There is no doubt that listening to your intuition when you first saw that problem at the salon has led you here today, and that is what can be seen through your story. It’s that question you were pondering or that idea that’s been floating around for months but you haven’t done anything with it. Listen to your intuition. Can you tell us about some of the skills you’ve learned on your journey so far? 

A: Absolutely! It hasn’t always been easy, but I know the importance of being positive. Any displeasing results I get can be channeled into an opportunity to make adjustments and improvements. Having a positive mindset and being around positive people has helped me move forward tremendously. I also had to learn patience with gaining any success as a business woman and learn realistic expectations about my business goals. Success doesn’t come overnight, so having a positive and realistic mindset about my goals has kept me on track. Setting too many goals can cause us to self-sabotage or shame ourselves when we become overwhelmed and are halfway through the year with not even half of our goals accomplished. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of pursuing our dreams, but I believe that slow and steady will win the race.  

Q: Yes, mindset is everything. You touched on having a realistic number of goals, and this is important because I always tell my clients to have one or two goals that are in alignment with each other, or else they can easily face overwhelm. We lose momentum when we diffuse our energy into too many ideas at one time. Something else you mentioned is to slow down and enjoy the transformative journey. We should relish in the growth within ourselves because it isn’t just about the goal or destination but about the journey along the way. Napoleon Hill, the author of Think and Grow Rich, talks about closing our minds off to negative influences that drain our energy so that we can maintain our persistence. Keeping a positive attitude and surrounding yourself with like-minded people is incredibly important for growth. Those people can support you and provide feedback so that you can learn and pivot your focus when needed. What is something important you’ve learned regarding the evolution of your mindset? 

A: Well, if we are not learning, then we’re not growing. Constantly learning is important in order to evolve throughout the process. I’ve had many people tell me over the last several months how different of a person I am. When you pursue your passion projects, it becomes invigorating to wake up each day and do what you love. And it’s not about perfection, but about practice.  

Q: You decided to leave your job to pursue those projects, but I know some listeners love their jobs and want to make time for their passions. Mary Sullivan was on a few weeks ago and she loves her job. She was able to follow her passion for her book while making a difference with her work. It doesn’t matter where you are right now. Life becomes much more rich and satisfying when you carve out time to allow yourself to dream and reach for your true goals. How can readers get in touch with you? 

A:  They can certainly visit my website or send me an email!  

Visit Aakurti’s website at: https://www.fiverr.com/s2/6b7b5d4f12 

Email Aakruti at: aakruti.sheth@gmail.com 

Q: A couple of episodes ago we had a certified stylist on, Annette Bond. It made all of the difference in the world for me to have the anxiety of choosing outfits taken away! It makes life so much easier not having to think about choosing what to wear. Virtually, you can help so many people shift how they view themselves by supporting them in expressing their unique selves. Is there anything else that you would like to share? 

A: Yes! Make a list of the things that you are passionate about and a list of your skill sets. When you look at those both together, you may discover a hidden talent that is still untapped. For example, look at your soft skills! They are very underrated, and those may open the door for a business idea.  

Q: You are so right! There are many gifts locked up inside of each and every one of us, and we need to allow those to come to the surface to be in alignment with our true selves. I can see myself within your story, and I hope our readers do too. We’ll end by taking inspired action.  

Take a few moments to allow yourself to think about what you truly love to do and what your passions and curiosities are. What if there were no obstacles in your way of pursuing them? Bring that image to your mind’s eye of enjoying your journey to reaching your goals. What would it feel like to be authentically yourself while sharing your gifts with the world? Write down what may come to mind. Let me know what thoughts you have by leaving a comment! 

You can visit https://www.ratracereboot.com/ for a link to the podcast. On the right-hand side of that page, you’ll see an area where you can subscribe and get more information about my upcoming book and all the freebies that come along with it. Look for Rat Race Reboot: Unlock Your Full Potential to Achieve Impossible Goals this fall! Sign up here (https://lauranoelcc.com/ratracereboot) to be the first to know when it drops. 

Remember, everything is created twice. First in your imagination and then in physical form.