Isabelle Tierney of The Feel Good Life on helping people lead more fulfilling lives with her ground-breaking methodology

Describe your business in a few words?

I help individuals release stress and restore well-being at home and at work.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I had a highly successful private practice for more than 20 years as a marriage and family therapist, but my personal life was anything but successful. I got diagnosed with adrenal exhaustion, got divorced, and knew that I had to find a way to live differently. And so I created a Methodology that I first used, then shared with my private practice clients, and now teach to hundreds of people to live what I call "a feel good life", a life that includes ease, spaciousness, joy, connection, inspiration, and inner peace.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Definitely not!! I was fine being a solo-preneur, but never thought that I would one day be the CEO of a scaling company! And I LOVE IT!

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

I was very very good at marketing myself for my private practice. I had just moved to Boulder and simply connected to as many people as I could, speaking at as many events as I could. I built a full private practice in a year, which is unbelievably unusual in Boulder, where they say that there are more therapists per capita than anywhere else in the US! I found it harder to market my online course, as I'm not as skilled on social media. I'm great in person, specifically in small groups, but not as skilled on instagram for example. I did hire someone this year who created this amazing funnel for my self-development division, where we have a free 7-10 Challenge (in a FB group), which leads to the Foundational Course, which leads to the high-end apprenticeship (people wanting to learn the Methodology and teach it to others). We had 300 people sign up for the challenge, 50 for the course, and 16 for the apprenticeship (it's a $10,000 program!).  We are going to be running it twice a year, the next one starting September 6th. And the smart part of this funnel is that my Challenge includes afternoon speakers, all of whom are required to invite a minimum of 250 people into the FB group.  So it's very brilliant, organic marketing. But I could definitely use more help! The Methodology is truly life changing and it is ready to launch in a much bigger way!

We always learn the most from our mistakes, share a time with us that you made a mistake or had a challenging time in business and what you learned from it?

I think my biggest mistake has been to give up on projects too easily, before they had a chance to truly germinate. I would get the idea for the project, gather a team to support me (people have always been so loyal to me, I'm so blessed), work on it for a few months, and then get scared that it hadn't blown up yet and go back to my private practice, which was financially and emotionally safe. This year, I said no more. I am committed to STAYING with this project without starting a new one for at least 2-3 years. The fruits of that decision are already paying off in incredible ways. 

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

Having created a program and a Methodology that has literally transformed people's lives completely in 12 weeks!! It's so unbelievable and yet I have proof of it with all of the participants who took the course. We literally do not know what to do with the sheer abundance of testimonials we receive every day!

When hiring for your team, what is your go-to interview question? Please share any hiring tips you can share from your experience?

How do you take care of your physical, mental and spiritual self? I only want to work with people who walk their talk about what I teach, which is to live and work in a state of well-being rather than stress. I truly believe that this is the only way that we can grow an amazing, impactful business.  

How has your business or industry been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

I used to travel to teach all over the world, which would gift me with private practice clients and income from either leading or co-leading retreats. So I made less money last year because that changed, BUT it allowed me to really focus on refining my course and apprenticeship and all the production behind it, so that it can now scale to a large size.  

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

The immediate next thing is the launch of the next Breakthrough Challenge on September 6th, leading into the next round of the Foundational Course. We will then run this funnel until we are profiting $1,000,000 (2-3 years). After that, I will be adding other courses and programs (I have so many of them just sitting on my computer, waiting!). Also, we just got a contract with a big nail polish company for the business division of my company (called the Stress Reset) which we will run in September. After that, we will be continuing to grow the business division by training other companies. 

What is the biggest lesson you have learned in 2020?

TRUST YOUR GUT. Listen to it, take action on what you hear, let go of the outcome.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

I wish I knew that my business instincts and ideas were totally trustworthy. This would have made me stick to some of the projects I started but never completed because of my insecurities.

How have you managed to stay grounded this year?

I meditate. I work out. I spend time in nature. I breathe. I connect with friends via zoom. I take time for my husband.  I have learned that stress is NOT my friend and have a devoted practice to taking the time to slow down.

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

My work is so closely aligned to my life! Thankfully, my work IS about relieving stress and choosing well-being, so everything I do, personally and professionally, arises from that practice! And, as I said above, I am constantly making sure that my stress levels aren't rising, and that if they are, I'll do something to reduce that stress and come back to ease (we call them feel good habits). 

What's something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?

You might be surprised to know that I struggled with an eating disorder for 30 years and that I feel incredibly grateful for it, as it led me to the sacred path I am on today, helping so many people lead feel good lives.

What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

1.  Meditate first thing in the morning. This is when I get so many creative ideas as well as reminders of what I need to do that day, along with a connection to something greater than me that fuels my whole day; 

2. Take breaks throughout the day, both preventative ones, before my stress fills up, and in-the-moment ones, the moment I realize I'm starting to get stressed; 

3. Make sure my team is also practicing working with little stress and connected to well-being. Then, we are ALL productive and my company can flourish. 

What does being an Entreprenista mean to you?

It means that I am the strong, powerful, courageous, vulnerable, transparent, connected leader of a company who is committed to creating a huge, beneficial impact in the world.