From PR to Business and Lifestyle Coaching: Elisa Canali
“This is not my life.” are the words Elisa told herself when she realized she wanted the freedom of time, money, and space and she was determined to have it. She had braved moving to a new country where she doesn’t speak the language, went on a spiritual journey, and built her own company. She now supports women scale their own business through branding, self-mastery with the power of Human Design and Gene keys.
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Q: Tell us about your current work roles.
I am the CEO of a powerful movement and company combining Human Design and Gene Keys with branding and emotional alchemy. Human Design is a unique blueprint for success and a system that is a combination of spiritual teaching, science, astrology, chakra system and quantum physics. It is the science of differentiation. My clients experience incredible new levels of success after truly understanding their charts. They act as a blue print for success.
Q: What led you to that career?
I started spiritual and personal development when I was 15, even though I ended up in high-level fashion positions, development was always at the forefront of my mind.
Q: What is your educational background?
I have studied Philosophy and I have a master's in counseling and coaching. I've also done so many training programs in Human Design and entrepreneurship.
Q: Did you have any life-changing experiences that led you to what you’re doing today?
When I moved to Barcelona from Italy, it was my first time living in another country, I didn’t speak the language and I had no friends. I came here with nothing, I just closed my recruitment business so I had to build everything back from zero. Fortunately, I had the support of my boyfriend. I was also in a very intense spiritual awakening and I met my spiritual coach. We worked together for 6 years and she changed my life and my relationships.
Q: How has your family and upbringing influenced your career choices?
My father was an entrepreneur and I always said I also wanted to be one. But then he lost his company, so I had a little bit of fear and trauma on entrepreneurship. I think we all have similar experiences that scare us from moving forward, but we are all unique and the risk is worth the reward!!
Q: Who has been your strongest influence in life?
My husband is loving, kind, of supportive of me even though he was skeptical at first because he came from a family with no entrepreneurs. So for me to do something with no income security wasn’t something he was familiar with... now he is overjoyed for my success!
Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing?
I’m most proud that I built a successful company with international clients even though English is not my first language.
Q: What would you say motivates you most to do what you do?
I’m motivated by having the freedom of time, money, space, being my own boss, being able to travel whenever I want, and the impact on clients I work with for them to have freedom as well.
On Making a Career Shift
Q: Can you share about your past careers and what made you decide to transition/leave that field?
I used to work for a fashion company in Italy as part of HR then I moved to employee branding doing PR in the fashion department. I then left and built a recruitment agency. But I wasn’t happy with the partnership I had so I went back to corporate. But I was miserable, I was crying every day, I wanted my freedom, I wanted to be my own boss and have my own team. I remember going to lunch to this horrible canteen, eating horrible food saying to myself, “This is not my life.” After 3 months, I submitted my resignation. I took a 6-month sabbatical to find myself. I have worked non-stop 10-12 hrs a day for 5 yrs, and I needed to reset and really find what I wanted to do. I'm so glad I gave myself a break to recalibrate.
Q: How did you find the courage to leap from one field to another?
I initially had fears, “What if it doesn’t work, what if I don’t find my thing, or get bored, what if I don’t make money..” But I worked with coaches and found my courage. There were months where I wasn’t making profits because I’m just reinvesting everything I make back to the business. But I had a bigger vision, I was devoted to myself, the project, and its mission. Devotion is one of the biggest things. The majority of people quit when difficult moments kick in because they aren’t devoted enough to themselves, their vision, and their mission. In everything I do, I have the desire to give my best.
I had a bigger vision, I was devoted to myself, the project, and its mission. Devotion is one of the biggest things.
Q: What has been the greatest challenge for you when it comes to switching careers?
The fact that a lot of people didn’t understand what I was doing. At first, my family questioned why I left my job and what my new business was about. But they saw how committed I was to make it work.
Q: What advice do you have for others who are still trying to find their passions?
It’s important to have the support and not navigate all things alone. Since the moment I decided I’m going to do my business online, I immediately hired a business coach. Have someone who believes in your vision and helps you move forward even if it’s tough. If money is an issue, at the beginning build it on the side part-time while you still have income. The worst thing is to build it from scarcity and be obsessed with money because energetically you would repel clients.
It’s important to have the support and not navigate all things alone. Have someone who believes in your vision and helps you move forward even if it’s tough.
Q: What’s next for you, what are you looking forward to?
What’s next for me is scaling my business, creating more structure, and growing the company with more employees and impact. Right now I have a team of 4 people. I’d also like to write a book, create a magazine and a tv show.
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Learn more about and connect with Elisa at:
Website: www.elisacanali.com
Instagram: @theelicanali