The Best Business Growth Strategy for 2023 With Personal Expansion Coach Maria Sanchez

Welcome to Market It! Episode 8, where we sit down with Personal Expansion Coach Maria Sanchez to discuss the best business growth strategy for 2023. Maria believes that by focusing on authenticity and aligning personal and brand values, entrepreneurs can create "soulful brands" that resonate with their target audience. The key to success, according to Maria, is to work on yourself first by figuring out what you truly want and getting rid of limiting beliefs. Only then can you execute on your authentic business vision and thrive in the marketplace. Maria's approach involves helping individuals focus on being super aligned, and this is the key strategy for 2023. Join us as we delve into the importance of being real, working on your personal and brand values, and embracing the journey of being a human in business. Tune in now!

If you would like to learn more about personal expansion, check out Maria’s Instagram page here.

Join us for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation on how to authentically grow your business in the new year. Tune in now!

If you enjoyed this episode of Market It!, let us know by leaving a review! Join us on Instagram to keep up with the latest episodes, ask questions, and talk about all things branding. We'd love to hear from you!

At AHBC Group, we are passionate about helping entrepreneurs launch and grow a brand that is authentic to them, their purpose, and their audience. We enjoy working with entrepreneurs who have a strong purpose, a clear vision and who are animated by ethical, eco-conscious, and inclusive values, who like to challenge the status quo, and are not afraid to build a truly unique brand. If that sounds like you and you would like to discuss your project with us, apply here!

https://ahbc-group.com/

Transcript

Maria Sanchez: 0:00

So if your belief is I'm not good enough, I'm not capable enough, I don't have enough time. It's not possible. That's the gun that is killing you and that is killing your dreams.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 0:12

You're listening to Market It! by AHBC Group. Hello, hello and welcome to Market It! the podcast that inspires and guides authentic entrepreneurs to build the soulful brand of their dreams and lead a purpose driven business. I'm Anne-Héloïse Chavin, the host of this podcast and the founder and Brand Builder in chief at AHBC Group, a branding agency based in Miami, Florida. Today, we have a very special episode because this is the very first time we have a guest on this podcast. And I'm so happy we have Maria here with us and I'm going to let her introduce herself.

Maria Sanchez: 0:56

Is it okay, bye. Oh, I feel like a singer now. Hey Anne and hello to all your community to all of your listeners, I feel really honored and really happy to be here. It was really funny how we met, we're going to tell the story sometime maybe in these podcasts. But I'm just so excited to be able to work in this world and like to align in this world with people that are creating brands and businesses that have soul and purpose and meaning and that are driven by heart. Nice to meet you to all of you. I'm Maria Sanchez, I'm a Colombian writer and business owner and entrepreneur.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 1:37

The list goes on and on and on. Haha. The girl does a lot.

Maria Sanchez: 1:43

I have a personal and business expansion consultant company that is based in Miami. And basically I do what I love for a living. That's the best. So I'm really happy to be here to talk about businesses enterpreneurship to talk about what's the relationship between personal expansion and the growth of a business? Because that's been a lot of my path and a lot of what I do with my clients.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 2:14

Okay, so I think the first thing I want to ask you and I think your business has grown as you've grown, like in your personal and business life as well. But I think starting with the basics, can you tell us more about what the heck is personal expansion for someone who doesn't know at

Maria Sanchez: 2:33

Okay, perfect. I'm gonna talk about here about all? my story a little bit, I'm going to say that I was a girl full of dreams full of visions full of these need to grow these needs to eat the world. These need to create things that in that I enjoy most is through aiding things. And I have one belief So personal expansion is all about forgetting and letting go that came to me when I came to the world. And that belief is that everything is possible. I was this girl trying to conquer the world and make her dreams come true. And there were always things limiting me from that. There will there were always beliefs, fears, feelings that were keeping me away from what I really wanted. And of what I really dream, I realized in my path, that personal expansion is the key to everything you ever want and desire. Whether it is a business, a family, a love relationship, more friends, I start doing what I know how to do best study, and I started learning and learning and learning about personal growth. And I realized that personal of the things that are limiting you from what you do really expansion is all about not learning different stuff than want. And that's the key to whatever you want to create. Because if you don't have those limitations, then what you where you already know personal expansion is about forgetting really want from your heart can come into your life.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 4:35

No, like basically what I get from it is and letting go of the things that you think you are or that like it's going back to your essence. Yeah, basically.

Maria Sanchez: 4:40

Yeah and I actually recorded a podcast yesterday about that. And I was saying in that in that podcast you think you need to be that society has told you or your that we have learned since we are little that life is tough. family or whoever told you when you were growing up, and just But truth is that life is tough when you are not in alignment letting out the authenticity and the truth that is already within with your truth with your purpose and with your path. Because when you are really aligned with your place in the world. you.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 5:05

And things flow easier. Yeah, I feel that definitely. And sometimes I think also I can really relate like with business, sometimes things would just unblock. And you and I, and we, we just talked about, like, COVID. Like, what? That been your best year. And there's a lot of Inbhir like for people that were not in a conversation earlier. And I feel like at the beginning, there's lots of fears and everything. And if it's like your path, and like you're meant to be doing that stuff went great for you at the time.

Maria Sanchez: 5:38

it doesn't mean that you're not going to be afraid, though. Yes. And we were actually used talking about this before we started recording, I was telling us about a lot of changes that I'm making right now in my company. And I was telling her that I think I forgot how to do this. I think I forgot how to have clients, I think I forgot how to how to get clients, I think I forgot how to be a boss. And now recording this podcast, I'm realizing that it's not about learning things to be able to do something. It's about serving and giving to the world, your gift, what who you are your essence, your purpose, your gift that only you have. So nobody can take away from you what you can only get a little gift that is unique.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 6:21

Yeah. And you don't have to know anything. Of course, there's knowledge and techniques that but that's not why people go to you at the end of the day.

Maria Sanchez: 6:31

That's really the thing, and we think are the main things. Yeah, so we've blocked ourselves.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 6:36

So how, what I want to know kind of is like how does personal expansion help you with business? And I think you call that also like business expansion. But how do you also link it with business?

Maria Sanchez: 6:49

I love that question. Okay, so this is, I think, my main passion right now, passion, it's how do you get an entrepreneur or a business owner to grow, and to forget about the limitations that the person has. So that person can now look at the business with a new mindset with a new vision that is bigger and bigger and bigger, because in the end, we think about businesses like these, when you think about a business, you imagine a big building full of offices, and that's a lie. Businesses are full of people. So when you think about a business, you should be thinking about people and those people's families. And those people's like boyfriends, relationships, lives, it's full of life, all of it. And when you think about why a business is not growing, you always start thinking about Excel sheet documents, papers, software, numbers as statistics, but who are the ones making the decisions in a business people. So when you get people to grow, and when you get them to expand themselves from the inside to out, then you have a transformation in the people that is making the decisions in a company, when you get that you have the ones that are leading the vision of the company, the ones that are making the decisions can now decide with a new mindset and without limitations that were blocking them from seeing the solutions from finding out about what was behind why was blocking them.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 8:26

Very interesting. Very cool. Yeah. And that makes me think a lot like I always told that to clients and people about branding that it connect to connect to people and like, show up authentically, because like people do business with people, even if you're a large company, like whoever they're in contact with in the companies, why they're doing business with the company. I love that, for the most part. So yeah, just like it relates to a lot of aspects in business. And whatever you're doing in your business in so many different areas, it makes sense.

Unknown: 9:00

Just to make an example. And this is something that I always say like talking to my clients and to people just to give a little example, who is the one that sets the goals of the company is the CEO is the business owner is the Managing Director and what goals is that person going to set the ones that he thinks that our paths he or she thinks that are possible because of their mindsets because of their limiting beliefs because of their background. So when you take out limitations, you can truly connect with the essence and with the real reason why business exists. And it is to serve people it is to give people solutions to a problem they have. So when you take that out, you can really have a business that is acting from the soul from the real reason of why it was created and not out of the fear of the CEO or the insecurities of the employees. And I think that's amazing.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 9:58

I get so excited talking about you As. And that's so funny that you say that because like, I just started basically growing the team. And so we had this team meeting, and I set goals for the company. And I also asked the girls to set their personal goals. And I asked them the questions like, What do you want to learn this year? Is there something that we're doing as a company that you're not involved in, that you want to be involved in. And also, both of them, they also have their passions and like side businesses, as well, like creative businesses, and I think maybe some business owners would see that as a threat, like you're not 100%. And I think it brings a lot because like, it's the opposite. They're doing their own thing. And like their business being like creative, which is great in our in and growing and like figuring I love, I think having people who have their own thing because like, they figure shit out, basically. And that's what I do know that people always like figure it out.

Maria Sanchez: 10:56

I love that there's something that's related to what you're saying, that I always think about in that I always also tell to people and talk to my clients. And it's that there's these, like, perception that in business, you need to be professional, this word professional, you need to be professional. And when you want people to be professional, you want them to be based on a manual, then you take away from them, their personality and their authenticity. Yeah. And when you take that away from people, what you're taking away is their potential, you're taking away their uniqueness that they can bring to your company. And when you take away potential from them, because we're literally taking away parts of them like they are toys that you can break, then the one that is not taking advantage of all of the uniqueness and gifts and authenticity and ideas and creativity is you. one thing I always say is that if you want to have exponential results, you need to be the person, be the person and be vulnerable, and be real and be human and have a personality and have authenticity. Because if you take that away from that person, you are literally taking away parts from that person. And every single part you take away from one person is taking potential of that person. For example, if I took you and and I took your love for playing piano out of you, I'm also taking away the possibility of you playing piano in the office on a party and having a great time for everyone. For example,you know

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 12:34

Yeah, and sometimes also, I feel like I what I mean? had read this thing about, you know, like productivity and how sometimes when you're blocked and like not feeling productive, you should do an activity that puts you in a state of flow, like something that, you know, that is like a bit challenging. But like, you know how to do it like you feel great doing that happens to me a lot. If I'm working from home, and I have like a block, I will play the piano. That's exactly and then it unblocks because you're doing something and being active and not like overthinking, how am I going to do that? What do I start with, and then you're just starting to be active with something you know, and you feel comfortable in and also gives you ideas when you feel something that you love or when you feel like kind of rested and like in a good place. That's when you have the best ideas. And I love to think differently.

Maria Sanchez: 13:24

What you said the example you gave is exactly what I was trying to say. It's exactly that. And also, if you think about this as a business owner that is successful? And that is efficient, let's say efficient, more than successful? Because you know, there are a lot of meanings to that word. Yeah.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 13:45

How do you define Yeah,

Maria Sanchez: 13:46

so if you look at a business owner that is being efficient, then that business owner knows that when he has employees, what he or she wants is people not robots, any of you take away from that person, their personality, their vulnerability, their wounds, their fears, their insecurities, their passions, what they love, then what you want is a robot Yeah, and I'm sorry about a robot what have creative ideas won't do like the extra mile from the heart then if you want creativity in a company, and if you want exponential results, you need to be open to vulnerability and to persons being people.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 14:26

I love that. And I think also like that made me think of this thing you know, with the AI portraits recently. You've seen them like on Instagram and stuff and like just artificial intelligence and people being like for designers or writers, aren't you scared that robots basically are going to take your job and like even artists with these portraits, and I don't know I'm just not really scared with that because what makes those types of work good, like art and like creative stuff is the story behind it and I heart that was put in it. I don't know, like, for me, it's not the same Oh, I got this portrait and like this drawing from a robot like AI or like someone to it and it's not about how it looks that much is what was behind it.

Maria Sanchez: 15:13

Exactly that. And also that has a limit, they've either really moves mountains in the world itself is emotions is stories. Yeah, that's how the civilizations were created out of stories. That's how knowledge was passed on from one generation to another a robot doesn't have all of that to get again to the point in which we start that was what is the link between personal expansion and business growth? I think it's everything. And it's just what we said in the past 10 minutes.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 15:45

Do you have stuff I know you're like good and like we share similar interests in terms of like routines and stuff? Do you have stuff that you do? Like, really, I want to give people I love giving practical operational advice? Are there things that you do every day or like regularly that help you basically what you're saying is like in your business, whether you're like an employee, the CEO, like wherever you're adding the business show up as the best version of yourself, and we've tried to grow and like to be as authentic as possible. Are there habits and routines that you know, make you better? And if someone just wants to start with what's your advice,

Maria Sanchez: 16:22

I would say just one thing, and it's fall in love with you when you fall in love with the moment and fall in love with getting to know yourself, what will be the practical advice, I could say journal, play the piano, go for a walk, watch the sunset, make a list of things you're grateful for in the morning. And of course, I think that can help. And of course, I do some or all of that stuff. But I think you need to start from your heart and from your story and from what really lights you up. And I think nobody knows better than you what those things are. For me it can be journaling for you It can be playing the guitar, or it can be looking at the sky or it can be driving while you're listening to a podcast. Nobody knows better than yourself what works for you. And what gives you clarity and peace but in order to find out all of that stuff. You need to fall in love with your ways, and fall in love with your internal yourself. I think that people are scared of growing because they don't believe in themselves and is scared of getting to know themselves. Because they don't want to find out things that they are running away from. I think it's beautiful. When you fall in love with that. And you give yourself the opportunity to believe in yourself and to face the challenges and to keep walking. Even when you feel that there's no path because that's a sign, there's no path, you need to create it. And that's when you create a life that is full of wholesome moments and people and that's how you create a life that is full of life. Yeah, there is no path, you just need to create it yourself. And you can only create it getting to know yourself and being in love with growing and with not knowing.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 18:05

And I think that's great advice for when you're at a point in your life where you know that you're kind of meant for more or that you feel like an unequal.

Maria Sanchez: 18:13

That's what my journaling was of this morning.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 18:15

And it's fine. Like just embracing the

Maria Sanchez: 18:15

Take a leap of faith because you are not going unknown, the uncertainty and everything. And like, you know, you'll figure it out just what feels right right now. And it to fall forever. There is always something that is going to will all fall. appear, that is going to catch you, or save you, or help you, or embrace you.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 18:38

So I think that was great advice for when you don't really know.

Maria Sanchez: 18:43

and we never really know. We just know we are going to die. Even if we pretend we know, we don't know a fucking thing. What if I die in 10 minutes.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 18:51

Let's hope not. B ut like what would be I think sometimes you have an idea. Like when you're at a point when you have an idea of what you want to do with your life more it can be I think professionally but you're not there and or you feel like there's resistance you can be with your family. I don't know if you want to share that stuff ever. If there's like a resistance and you feel like I think there's moments like everything is against you or you feel like you need to do something really like how do you deal with that? Oh, like launching your business or doing something that appears to the other world a huge risk or doesn't seem smart to other people. What do you do? Basically?

Maria Sanchez: 19:37

I love that question. And I'm going to say one thing, one thing to start the answer and you gotta fall in love with believing in yourself. You gotta fucking fall in love with believing in yourself because you are always going to find challenges. Sometimes it is going to be that your family doesn't approve other times you friend won't approve other times society is going to tell you, it's super crazy that you start a business, just go get a nine to five other times, it's going to be even your ego telling you, you are a loser from above everything and whatever. But I think it's falling in love with believing in ourselves. And knowing that even when we are doubting about ourselves about our potential, knowing that everything is going to pass, whenever I'm in these moments, doubting myself a lot as I am right now, actually, because I'm making a lot of changes. Now, I just remember to myself it is going to pass is going to pass it is going to pass. And also life has shown me and it has proven to me that every time that things are the worst they can be, then there comes a miracle. And then there comes the sun rising again. So whenever is the darkest, I know, it's about to be completely clear. So whenever its the darkest, I even get excited, because I know a miracle is coming, or a huge plot twist is coming. So like, yeah, so it's like, oh, what this movie going to show us next. But in order to see life that way, I think you need to have tools. And the thing that I find it to be the most useful tools are your mindset, your beliefs. So that's something that I always tell to my clients, when we work together after we do, like all the super deep work about themselves is that the new mindset, and then you believe that they have are the most powerful tools they now have to face life. We as humans think that a belief is just something you can write down in the circle of your life when you're journaling. But that's a fucking lie. A belief is a tool. It is a gun, it is even a gun. A belief is literally creating your life. So if you believe is I'm not good enough. I'm not capable enough. I don't have enough time. It's not possible. That's the gun that is killing you. And that is killing your dreams.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 22:10

Oh my god, that makes me think of something that I heard recently on a podcast. And it was about beliefs. And it was this thing, algebra, I think class. So the teacher had some like problems. And they wrote down the problems. And two of them were like, unsolvable problems, basically, like equations that were not solvable. And like one student arrived late to the class. And he wrote those down, thinking it was homework, like not having followed the course those were unsolveable he went on like to do them as homework. And like being like, of course, like, this is really challenging. Yeah, you need to get the homework done. And like I missed the class and everything so and basically like that shows the homework to the teacher, and the teacher was like, What the fuck like they're not solvable. And he solved the problems because he didn't, and no one even tried. I will try to link their podcast

Maria Sanchez: 23:14

That example is exactly what I was trying to say. And there's also just to finish the idea, something else that I always sell to my clients, when they're facing big challenges. And this is something that I learned myself because of my path. And because of the challenges. that I have

been through and that is: 23:33

challenges are there because when life is so generous with us, that its giving us exactly what we need to get where we want to be. So the challenge is there just to show you your freaking potential. So when you have a fucking freaking challenge, embrace it, and be grateful for it. Because it means that life is giving you the exact tool you need. And the tool is a challenge to unlock your potential and to unlock your next level. And to get to know your potential.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 24:10

Yeah, it's like, you're never given more than you can handle. And I just want to say that right now, it sounds like very, like positive and everything, but I know like, I don't know about you, but when I'm in it and like there's a challenge and like, I don't want it and I'm like leave me the fuck alone. Like I'm fine. Like I'm grown enough like, I don't want it anymore. But then yeah, you have and it's okay to be like, Fuck, I don't want that. But then you kind of mind yourself and like remind yourself of all that.

Maria Sanchez: 24:37

Yeah, I have to have two mindsets about that. The first one is what when when when I am in a victim position. So that is like crying and like live. Why is this so hard? I will be better if I do this or that or that. Like why is this happening to me like I've been good. Like I've never done something wrong, that victim position, and then I literally get sick of me I literally get tired of me and I'm like shut the fuck and I'm like, okay, okay, okay, okay, let's stop crying shut the fuck up. What do we have to do to pass this? Why do we have to get this done? And then it's just like, just go stand up and do it. And then you realize that it wasn't that hard. Yeah, it was just your belief that that was the end of the world. Yeah. So again, beliefs.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 25:34

Yeah, I love that. I think the last thing I want to ask you is, if you want to, is there like a specific program that you have? I know you have a lot of stuff going on. But like, is there something that you want to mention to people that you think for my audience would be helpful? And also, like, where can they find you reach out to you and everything?

Maria Sanchez: 25:54

Oh, that's amazing. I love that you mentioned that. So first of all, go follow me on Instagram, right now, leave this app, go to Instagram, open the app, and you're gonna write Maria L, Sanchez, L. And then you're gonna find my profile. In my profile, you can find my website, in my website, you can see all my programs, and also like, a bunch of information about me, but actually about how can I serve you. So right now, actually, I have two open spots for my one on one consulting program for business owners and entrepreneurs that want to scale their business, or that have a business idea or a dream that they don't know how to turn into a business. So I will love to work one on one with anyone that will be committed to finally have the results that they want, and to finally go for their freaking dreams. So anyone here that has a gift, a talent, a mission, a dream that they know that they don't know how to turn into a business idea, or a business idea that they don't know how to develop, I'm here to help you with all of that. So it would be great to work with you. So Anne, is going to give you my profile, and then you can ask me talk to me. And last thing I would love to say is share this podcast to someone who can use it. Yeah, who needs it, someone who is trying to quit someone who thinks it's the end, someone who has lost hope. So share this podcast to that person, because this is not the end, it's just the beginning, when we think it's the end, it's actually just the beginning of something else. So thank you so much for listening and I also have my own podcast, it is Creciendo auténticamente y con sentido. It has episodes in Spanish and English. And thank you so much for being here. And thank you so much for having me here Anne.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 27:55

Of course, of course. And yeah, just want to say, and thank you for the work that you do. Because I know getting clients, you know, like starting their branding process, I feel like we can see when they've done the work, either by themselves or with someone, sometimes they cannot afford having like the one on one coaching. But maybe they've listened to podcasts and use the tools on their own. And you can feel when they're clear. And when they have a clear vision. I feel like that's when we can do the best branding work. And it's very like that you come first in the process, like they have to be very clear.

Maria Sanchez: 28:33

And that's when they're going to have the best results in their business. Because there's alignment and clarity. And you can feel that literally in order to get the clients you want to get it's all about alignment. Yeah, anytime from the inside.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 28:51

And also one thing is like sometimes, and I feel like our clients are kind of at the same stage. Yeah. And that's a great stage. Like, we often think like, you have to be just starting your business to like do that. And actually, most of our clients are like one or two years in business. And that's when like you realize like, it's hard and maybe you didn't believe that you deserve to invest in yourself in that way or that you weren't sure about the business. And sometimes they feel after like a few years like oh, it's I did all this work. And it's like for nothing if I now hire someone and basically I wasted my time but I feel that it's really helpful like I know at least in branding you're not starting from scratch because no matter even if what you did like in terms of branding and visuals and all that stuff was really shitty we don't use any of it. So that's never like you never really lost that.

Maria Sanchez: 29:51

Never, never, never, never. And I love that you mentioned that because as business or business owners or entrepreneurs or people who have a business idea or a dream but haven't started sometimes when things don't go the way you want them to go you feel like it's all effort wasted that's a freaking lie please hear me out that's a lie everything is creating you so you can be the person you need to be to share your gift and your passion and your mission to the world that way you need it to be. That's it.

Anne-Héloïse Chavin: 30:22

Yeah, I love that I think I won't add nothing. Thanks. That was great. Thank you. Thank you for listening to Market It! I am your host Anne and I hope that this episode brought you value. If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean a lot if you could take a few minutes to rate and review the podcast follow along on Instagram at AHBC group so we can stay in touch and so you can let us know if there's a specific topic that you'd like us to cover in future episodes. Talk soon.