How Valeria Hernandez built a mindful health coaching business while avoiding burning out on her creativity

Discover how wellness trainer as well as Creator Fellowship Winner Valeria Hernandez is creating an online business that is successful and encouraging women to adopt the benefits of plant-based food that reflect their culture.

In the time that Valeria Hernandez faced obstacles with her health, she learned the power of intuitive eating and plant-based nutrition. Determined to incorporate this wisdom to recipes that were based on traditional methods, Valeria started crafting authentic Mexican dishes with vegan ingredients.

This morning, Valeria shares those discoveries via VegiVale , a plant-based health coaching business that assists clients to eat healthier fruits and vegetables, enjoy food that they enjoy and lead a more energetic life.

The creator's path was not always easy.

Through the course of her journey, Valeria faced a toxic rush culture that was prevalent in the internet market and was pressured to join the crowd even though her intuition pulled her in a different direction. Then, she learned to shift her perspective from employee to decision-making entrepreneur while balancing the growth of her enterprise with the traditional 9-5 work schedule.

Through tackling these challenges that Valeria was able to sculpt her ideal business, establish a sustainable work-life balance, and discover her unique way to go.

Here's how Valeria inspires women to embrace the plant-based diet that honor their culture -- while also building a coaching business grounded in authenticity throughout the process.

Getting started with wellness

At the time she was living in a town in which she had no friends. Following her graduation from college and moving into a full-time job, Valeria was lonely. Her physical health was not great as well. Valeria was following a vegan diet for a couple of years, but was unable to come up with satisfying and nutritious meal options.

"I sort of fumbled that it was a vegan thing. I resorted to eating fries and salad at the college dining hall, and it was not allowing me to get my nutrients. Therefore, it wasn't surprising I was not feeling well."

In search of a solution to tackle both problems all at once, Valeria found connections within the vegan community. The health coach she hired was who specialized in plant-based eating and learned what food items she should take in order to remain fit, fulfill her nutritional needs and have a better overall experience throughout the day. .

The lessons her coach given her resulted in an 180deg change. Inspiring, Valeria become a health coach herself to help more people lead their lives to the best possible standard.

Valeria started coaching with an organization that was a part of a network marketing, but she didn't like the fact that the focus of the program was on dieting and weight loss. She felt limited by the approach of one-to-many coaching, and was stressed out by the constant pressure to amass more customers.

Valeria wanted to create an experience that was personalized and hands-on for clients, which would allow the client more flexibility. Then, 2020 happened.

In the midst of global chaos Valeria thought she was finally ready to tackle things the way she wanted to.

Finding the first few clients

But then Valeria discovered she could reach out on her connections from the past to gain experience and help her develop the business idea.

First, Valeria leveraged contacts she'd made through network marketing. The people she contacted already knew her coaching style and were keen on an intimate, personal experience.

Following that, Valeria reached out to the circle of people she met in her school, community connections families, connections to family members, and also to friends from the same circle.

Initially, it was nerve-wracking to discuss her idea for a business to "real-life" family members and friends ones. But, they proved to be one of her greatest fans.

From there, Valeria's business grew. "I began doing one-on-one coaching, and I really liked it" Valeria tells us.

"I've pivoted a couple of different ways in my business However, my desire is helping others consume more vegetables. I don't force anyone to switch to veganism. A majority of my clients are not even vegetarian however, I am focused on helping clients eat better vegetables and to listen to their body."

The decision to niche down

Once she had her first clients in her portfolio, Valeria had a better idea of how she wanted her company to be like. Her next step was to define her target audience. However, the idea of narrowing her audience -- - and the potential pool of customers -- seemed daunting initially.

"It's tempting to to create something that will benefit everyone and assist as many as is possible."

Today, Valeria believes that serving an area of expertise is what distinguishes her business. Her decision was to concentrate on servicing women of color as she observed that these customers often had the same problems she had to face in her own experience.

"I realized this could be an extremely cool group of people that I serve because, as a Latina, I understand what is going on for them. I'm able to speak about certain issues that they're having difficulty with, that other people would not."

Valeria created her own programs in order to aid women of color to integrate the cuisines of their culture in their food choices.

"I assist people in reconnecting with their cultural foods because we're often taught that our food choices aren't healthy, which is not necessarily true," Valeria elaborates. "That attitude stems from eating habits and white supremacy, so eliminating all that is based on providing people with a healthy lifestyle is the goal I'm pursuing."

"There seven billion people living on earth. When you try to help everybody and speak to everybody but you're actually speaking to nobody. It's much more effective in the event that you concentrate on a smaller segment of people with whom you've developed a relationship with... since they are aware that you're talking exclusively to the people they are talking to."

Making use of a simplified, simplified business

After having a clear idea of her business plan and identifying her target audience, Valeria turned to to create her virtual home base. Her current offerings include health coaching sessions and an digital cookbook of plants-based Mexican food items on her site.

As a user, Valeria knew making different logins on different platforms in order to gain access to a creator's work was frustrating. She was not willing to put her clients through the same thing.

" makes it easier both on the side of the entrepreneur and also on the client's side. Customers have one login, and they can access all the products they bought directly from me."

Valeria insists that you do not need to employ the same tools as six-or seven-figure entrepreneurs when you're first starting out. Using those pricey programs doesn't guarantee that you'll have identical results. Additionally, paying for the hefty costs can put you under excessive pressure.

" is a great way to streamline the process. I'm all about simplicities in particular at this time within my company."

Tips for other creators and entrepreneurs!

When asked what her advice is for budding entrepreneurs Valeria said that that you listen to your gut, discover your balance in life and work, take a stand to prioritize your physical and mental health.

Pay attention to the voice in your head and then follow the natural instincts that come to you.

In her time at the helm of VegiVale , Valeria learned that being your own person is what makes your company unique.

"Put your blinders on because it's easy to see what everyone else is doing. If you observe 100 people who are doing the same thing, you're going to be tempted to follow suit," she remarks. "It's completely normal to make comparisons. .... The great thing about being an artist is that you're unique. one of a kind. No one can do your work the same way that you do."

"The wonderful thing about being a creator is that you're one of a unique kind. No one can do what you do, in the way you do it."

"Even though there are thousands of health experts out there, I know when I say something that it is going to be received differently in comparison to someone else saying similar things. The messages we share will resonate with different individuals. When you try to follow the crowd, you'll are losing that distinctive voice."

This, Valeria explains, is your unique sauce as a creator.

Valeria also encourages entrepreneurs to embrace what feels good regardless of doing things differently from others within your field. "Everyone's connected to TikTok at the moment," she points out, "There are so many health professionals on the platform, and I felt like I was not being seen. After I joined the platform, I felt like I was missing out, and it was not my vibe."

For Valeria, this format felt more authentic and enjoyable.

"I am unable to say everything that I need to say in fifteen to 60 seconds. However, newsletters have stood the tests of time. I want something more time-bound if I'm planning to invest energy into it. If I listened to the people and did TikTok without noticing that it's hard for me and I'm not a fan of it."

This doesn't mean you should brush aside everychallenge within your company, but if something makes you feel like you're dragging your feet you should think about other options.

Find a balance between work and life.

Nevertheless, many entrepreneurs fall into the easy trap of overworking.

    Sometimes, the toxic hustle culture is at fault.    

When she was a network marketer, Valeria always felt pressured to work hard and gain more customers. Her schedule was full of work each night after working a work hours and miss out on quality time with family members.

However, hustling around the clock didn't yield the desired results and Valeria's mental condition deteriorated due to her absence from her friends and family.

    Sometimes, the creators overwork because they're passionate.    

"Creators have a higher risk of being harmed because we love the work we do. We tend to blur the line between passion and overworking, life and content creation. When you are really passionate about your work and the vision you have will be difficult to turn off."

Valeria's solution: Take control of your schedule and structure your company to ensure you have your work/life balance that you desire.

"I see numerous entrepreneurs and creatives who have quit their day jobs just to duplicate that model in their business," Valeria says. "Why would you do that? Why would you only take two days off in a week on Saturday and Sunday? Isn't that defeating the purpose?"

You're in charge, so you're able to:

Use your days off as needed.

Work fewer hours without feeling shameful.

Make a decision to have the time to handle fewer clients and get more time to yourself.

Set attainable goals for yourself with a reasonable timeframe.

Choose not to follow tradition just because it's popular.

"Don't ignore what's important," Valeria reminds fellow creators. "You have a whole life that isn't just online."

Be confident when you make big choices

At the beginning of her venture, Valeria struggled to make critical choices. Now, she knows that listening to her intuition and making a commitment is essential in advancing her business.

"The way you function during your nine-to-five-day job differs from the way you function as an entrepreneur," she explains.

"In an ordinary job, there are deadlines, projects as well as steps. But you have someone guiding you. For entrepreneurship, it's entirely yours. It's your turn to make the calls and making the decisions. You must be confident about the decisions you make."

It's a lot of pressure for a new creator. When she's struggling with indecision, Valeria reminds herself that "not taking a decision is inherently a deliberation." This helps her make up her mind , and then execute the plan.

Prioritize your physical and mental well-being

In the end, Valeria emphasizes how important it is to take care of your health. Throughout her journey, Valeria noticed that when she was not feeling well emotionally or physically, her business suffered. When she felt good and her business flourished, it was a success.

In order to keep health in the spotlight, Valeria follows the same tips she provides her clients who she coaches. "How do I convince my clients to stay asleep at least eight hours each evening, drink plenty of water, and eat their greens when I'm not?" she says.

"I always think, 'if I were my client, what would I tell myself to say in this circumstance""

What's the next step for VeviVale?

Valeria has already assisted many women of color live healthier lives through her VegiVale content , programs as well as her newsletter , and we know it's only the beginning.

"With the aid by my virtual assistant we're in the process of developing an educational program that's scheduled to launch in the coming months. It's still in the infant stages right now, but I would not be able to develop the course if not for her help," Valeria notes.

By leaning into her unique voice, keeping the balance of work and family, making tough decisions, and prioritizing wellness, Valeria built a freeing and enjoyable online business. By establishing a solid foundation there is no limit to what she can do. We're eager to find out what the artist does the next time around!