Harnessing personal hardships to help others

Sarah Findlay has discovered her entrepreneurial spirit.

Sometimes the best things can come from challenging times. Sarah Findlay has bounced back after falling seriously ill. She is now relaunching her mum's Holistic Coaching business, initially established in 2012. Sarah has completed all of the strategic planning, marketing, website formation, networking and online programmes, while centering her passion for helping others.

In 2012, Sarah completed her degree in Early Childhood Education at EIT and for some years she worked as an early childhood teacher. Then, at 26, she started to consider an entire lifestyle and career change. She took a year off, worked in a composite fibreglass company and figured out she wanted to become her own boss. To learn the skills needed for her startup, she enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Business at EIT.

"Doing two papers per term gave me a deep and comprehensive understanding of all things business but the flipside was that I felt pressure of having to juggle work and study. I had to focus and knuckle down for a year."

Then there was also something that put a heavy weight on her shoulders. For many years, Sarah had been unknowingly battling multiple illnesses including an ovarian tumour and endometriosis. Endometriosis is a common condition that, according to the Ministry of Health, affects up to one in 10 women and girls in New Zealand. The most common symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain which can make periods extremely painful and can make carrying out day-to-day activities very difficult. Although common, it took years before Sarah finally got diagnosed. Sarah says the diagnosis was an "aha" moment and sparked her calling in holistic health.

While studying for her diploma, Sarah also completed a nutrition qualification and gained certification to be a mindfulness practitioner and a life coach.

"Struggling through my health issues has raised my awareness of the strong correlation between physical conditions such as these, and the importance of self-care. Mindfulness and nutrition are important factors, and we need a holistic approach to health and wellbeing."

Sarah created the Instagram page @endohealthclub where she is sharing information and resources but also feelings and experiences. It is a great way to connect with others who suffer from the same disorder. With business partner Janetta Whaley, Sarah is now set to launch the business Holistic Coaching online on October 1, which also includes their unique eight-step wellness programme/self-care framework based upon harmony, happiness, and health.

"Our mission is to support individuals who may be experiencing struggles, such as stress, self-doubt, mental fog, depression, and anxiety. We want to help people to restore their health by taking a holistic approach and seeing the bigger picture," says Sarah. "I feel like my experiences have deepened my understanding of what people might go through and I can use them to add value to what I'm doing now."

Sarah says the business diploma geared her up for joining her mother in business and expanding their holistic approach to life coaching and health.

"Be it entrepreneurship and innovation, strategic management, business planning, or marketing, all those new skills just helped me to put my plans into action."