Sophie Andrews had created an award winning highly successful bookkeeping business. Her background of fashion and gemstones in the UK led itself brilliantly to her focusing on the needs of people in creative fields, and the business flourished.

 

But after 15 years of dedication, the demands began to take their toll, physically and emotionally. Sophie's priorities had shifted. She was becoming bored, the desire for the work was no longer there. And to be honest, she knew that burnout was waiting just around the corner. It was time for significant change, and as many of us realise, letting go of the known to step into the unknown can be hard.  But we can do hard things! In this conversation Sophie and I talk about reframing our thoughts, letting go of old stories that keep us stuck, and choosing to swap striving for space so new ideas can make themselves heard.

 

Show Notes

 

• The bookkeeping business was never my passion, but as a divorced, single Mum, control over my future was paramount, and I knew I could build a strong business in this area

 

• I did actually begin another side business, the SOHO Agency (small office, home office agency) but the bookkeeping business demand exploded and I had to leave that one on the shelf

 

• I realised the value of niching – I was the first bookkeeper who niched into a certain area, in my case, creative businesses, and it really paid off

 

• I began to feel trapped. I had a big office, staff and all the responsibilities that went along with it

 

• It was a meditation retreat, a new experience, that opened my mind to the fact that change was a non-negotiable. Once I had made my choice, I found a buyer within 3 months

 

• Self-doubt still kicked in and I felt like I had failed in some way, had been so held back for 15 years. I had to reframe my attitude from resentment to gratitude, gratitude for all the business had delivered to me

 

• I took time out, 4 months overseas to completely switch off and find my next idea. But it wasn’t long enough and another year followed. I realised I couldn’t strive to come up with a new idea from my logicalmind

 

• It was during another meditation retreat in the Gold Coast hinterland where I found myself in complete flow and the answers just popped into my brain during meditation
• Meditation had helped me to recover from burnout. My own experience with this and creating a beautiful spot I my home in which I practiced became the inspiration for my new business, the Meditation Hunter

 

• If you are contemplating change, we very aware of the stories we tell ourselves and remember our decisions are a choice

 

 

About the speaker

 

Sophie Andrews is a multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur, with close to 30 years’ experience in small business.  

 

After a decade long career in the fashion and gemstone industries, she launched and then spent 15 years growing a successful and high-profile business that was not her passion.   Lack of passion led to the majority of those years being spent in an ever-increasing cycle of burnout and in 2019 she sold the firm and spent several months overseas before launching her current business, The Meditation Hunter.

 

The Meditation Hunter is both an online store as well as having a retail space in Sydney.  Sophie has personally put together a wonderful collection of ever evolving unique pieces, both antique and artisan, to help you create a space to inspire meditation and elevate your practice.  She also passes on ancient teachings & wisdom through open soul meditation, powerful breathwork and Kriya Yoga to provide clients with the tools needed to breathe life back into their lives.

 

www.themeditationhunter.com.au