Interview with Rebecca Tracey - Creating an online coaching business to live the uncaged life

Rebecca Tracey is the head/only honcho at The Uncaged Life where she works with online business owners to get clear on their brand message, create packages that sell, and helps them learn what it actually takes to get and keep clients in this crazy online world (all while working from home with no pants on).

She started her business while living in a van, and loves rock climbing and riding her bike around Toronto with her dog Rhubarb on her back. Find her at TheUncagedLife.com

What's special about The Uncaged Life?

I work with solopreneur businesses like life coaches, health coaches, and consultants, to help them learn what it takes to get clients online (so they have the freedom to live their version of their Uncaged life, whatever that means to them). We focus on making sure they are super clear on what they do, who they serve, and how they can help.

Why did you start The Uncaged Life?

I saw so many of my health coach and life coach friends struggling to figure out how to make their business work and just giving up and getting “real” jobs… and I knew there was a better way.

How did you start it? Did you have any previous experience as an entrepreneur?

I started a New Kids on the Block magazine in grade 5… does that count?

How did you validate your idea?

I tested my coaching with a few friends for free for 3 months, then I moved them to a pay what you want model. They paid me more than I would have charged, so I knew I was on the right track. Then, I kept paying attention and tweaking my ideas as I went. It was hard to let go of some of the ideas I was attached to, but I quickly learned that was the only way forward.

How did you finance your project?

I moved into a van and went on a year long road trip. It was a nice inexpensive way to get started. Then when I got back to Toronto, I got a job.

How did you market and promote The Uncaged Life when you were launching?

I was in a few groups on Facebook so I talked with a lot of people in those, got to know them, offered my help. I also did an interview series on my site with people who already had an audience, which helped me get in front of NEW people quickly.

How did you get your first customers?

I asked my friends if I could coach them! Then within a month of starting my business I got my first REAL client (someone I didn’t know). It was terrifying lol

How long did it take you to start getting the first results and see you could create a viable business ?

I saw the first results (if results means clients and money) one month after starting my business, when someone found me off the internet and wanted to give me money. I made about $12k in my first year…. After two years I was able to quit my other job and go full time in my business.

What do you like most being an entrepreneur?

Not wearing pants to work!

What has been your biggest challenge/failure as an entrepreneur?

My biggest challenge has been building a team to support me. I wouldn’t call it failure.. I just haven’t quite nailed it yet!

Building a business can be a long journey with the ups and downs. How do you keep motivated along the way without burning out?

I take more time off than most business owners I know -- I was away about over 17 weeks last year (not including the MANY days and half days I spent in Toronto, but not working). So I don’t tend to get the burnout that many business owners do. But then again, I intentionally designed my life and my business that way from the start!

How do you organize yourself to get things done while travelling? Often, we can be distracted or need to take some time to settle and adapt to the new environment and we get behind on things that we had planned to do.

I try not to have too much on my plate when I am away. And I hire someone to do the rest of the things that DO need to get done.

What are your business goals for this coming year?

To start from scratch and build a team that can fill those gaps and grow with me!

What's your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Keep going in small steps, Don’t assume it should be easier or happen faster.

How can an aspiring entrepreneur start building an "Uncaged Life" business now, even if he or she is still in a regular job and doesn't have a lot of startup capital ?

It is literally free to start your business. It costs nothing to start talking about what you do, taking on clients and bringing in income. Sure, you will eventually want a website and maybe need to hire a strategist, but these will be low cost compared to something like opening a brick and mortar business! But getting started costs nothing.

Get out there and start! Run your ideas by a few of your target clients and get feedback. Grab a client to practice with. Start telling people about what you do and see if they get it (and have any referrals for you!). This is how businesses are built - not by throwing a whole bunch of money into a half baked idea.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Not being a perfectionist helps me get WAY more done than my peers (I just misspelled perfectionist lol)

What's your favourite quote?

I can't decide if people who wear pajamas in public have given up on life, or they are living it to the fullest. - coolfunnyquotes.com

----------------

To find more about The Uncaged Life, and learn how you can work with Rebecca Tracey to create your own Uncaged business, go to www.theuncagedlife.com

Like our content? Comment, share, subscribe to our newsletter!

And go work on your ideas. Get things going!