Corporate Drop-out Turned Small Business Owner Turned Inner Critic Tamer
Hi! I'm AJ
After getting my MBA from UCLA, I worked in product management and marketing at General Mills, Nabisco, Reebok, and Phillps, all Fortune 500 companies. I was product manager on such well known brands as Wheaties, Grey Poupon, and Norelco.
After 10 years, I decided to drop out of the corporate rat race because I did not want some gray haired old guy in the corner office controlling my career destiny.
I founded a market research company that specialized in the housewares industry. My clients included well known brands such as Cusinart, Calphalon, and many others. Over my 35+ years running my own company, I was regularly featured in trade and business publications, and was a frequent speaker at the Housewares Show and other industry events. I even got interviewed by CNN once!
In late 2018, I closed my consulting company because it no longer fulfilled me. I longed to transform the lives of individuals rather than help manufacturers make more money.
So, in early 2019, I embarked on my next career.
I tried and failed to start my business for 3 years straight. Every year, I'd start out the year all pumped up. I'd tell myself "This is the year!" But a few months in, I'd get discouraged and quit.
In 2022, I knew I couldn't keep doing that. If I failed again, I didn't know if I'd have the energy to try again. And if I gave up on my dream, I knew I'd regret it forever.
I realized my Inner Critic was totally holding me back from starting my biz just as she had held me back in my consulting company. My self-talk was suuuper negative and my self-doubt was off the charts. Imposter Syndrome was kicking my behind. And I couldn't just flip a switch to be more positive - I needed help!
That's when I found mental fitness. I was like "Eureka - this is the solution!" I found out that my mind was sabotaging me over half the time - no wonder I was stuck!
So for the past 2 years I've been obsessed with mental fitness - doing the mental workouts, rewiring my brain, all of it.
And let me tell ya...it worked!
- Now my mind is my friend instead of enemy most of the time.
- I finally started my coaching biz this year like I promised myself. I turned my dream into reality!
- I spend my time feeling grateful, joyful, curious and optimistic instead of depressed, anxious and frustrated. I'm happier than ever!
Now, I've taken everything I learned about my Inner Critic and mental fitness and combined it with my personal experience into a powerful 8week program.