Working with Bridget was a breath of fresh air, I wouldn’t expect any less! Her work revolves around approaching life both mindfully and spiritually. One minute of talking to her and I could tell she was born for it. Overall, I enjoyed getting to learn more about her and her zest for life, work and family. It was with her that I went on my first hike up to MT Bonnell in Austin, TX and took one of my favorite lanscape images.
Your Name:
Bridgette Parent Reid
Company Name:
Soul-Hive
Web and Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/
https://twitter.com/
https://www.pinterest.com/
How did you decide on the name of your business?
Oh this is a good story. It actually came to me in a flash one day while I was nursing my newborn son. One minute I was rocking my baby just enjoying his delicious little self, and the next minute I was asking my husband to get a piece of paper so I could write down “Soul Hive.” As soon as I had finished feeding my son, I jumped on my computer and bought the domain name. The symbolism with the powerful life force of bees all working together for the greater good of the hive felt perfect. My tag line came a couple years later: “Vibrating at a Higher Frequency.”
How long has your business been around?
I graduated from the Martha Beck Institute in June of 2012 and have been practicing as a Life Coach ever since. The intuitive side of my business has grown “organically.” I first started reading cards back 17 years ago, but really amp’ed this side up once finding some incredible intuitive teachers in the Martha Beck community.
Tell us more about your product/business and how you developed the concept behind it:
After 17 years in the fast-paced corporate arena, I found myself searching for something more in my life. That’s when I discovered Martha Beck. There was something about her perspective that was just so grounded, smart and refreshing. She was full of super helpful information that felt like common sense that you knew deep down but had somehow forgotten. She not only reminded you of what was important but provided realistic tools to help you get back on your true path, your “true north” as she refers to in her book, “Finding Your Own North Star.” I now get to share this fun, authentic wisdom with other brave women and men who are on their own journey, searching for what’s real and meaningful, to create their best possible life. What an honor and joy!
What makes your business so unique?
Everyone is born with their own set of individual talents. When you combine that with a lifetime of experiences, it makes each one of us incredibly unique and able to offer something special to the world. For me, I have taken what I’ve learned from Martha Beck’s training and added it to all of these many experiences: growing up in a small town in Louisiana, my sometimes tumultuous but always loving childhood, my education from grade school to LSU, my many important friendships, the gorgeous pets I’ve had throughout my life, my history working in sales and marketing for companies big and small, my community involvement, my energy work and reiki training, my many travels backpacking around the world and of course my beautiful relationship today with my Australian hubby and 2 beautiful sons. All of these things combined along with about ten million other happy, sad, fun, scary, wild, embarrassing, painful, loving, profound experiences I’ve had all come together in a big ole “gumbo” of sorts that make up who I am today, bringing a delicious, humble and real perspective for my clients.
Do you have a storefront? Do you work from home?
I do not have a storefront; I work from home. I work with clients many ways – over the phone, on Skype or in person, sometimes in their own homes, sometimes a coffee shop or outside in nature, sometimes at conferences or retreats.
How do you balance it all?
It’s not always easy. I have 2 small boys – one 2 and a half, one 8 months. They are a handful. But it’s my favorite job I’ve ever had. They bring me so much joy and laughter, along with quite a few opportunities to put my coaching into practice, teaching me lessons All. The. Time. :) I am fortunate to have a husband who totally supports me and my business. So we work as a team to balance time with the boys and time for work. But I try not to ever think of work as “work”. I like to think of it as “play” because that’s what it feels like when you’re doing what you love.
What is one piece of advice you can give to any mom starting their business?
Stop putting pressure on yourself to be where you think you “should” be. Stop “shoulding” on yourself so to speak. ;) Seriously, don’t compare yourself with others. You’re exactly where you’re meant to be and all things will unfold in due time. Be kind and gentle with yourself. You’ve got a lot on your plate. Self-care is important. Remind yourself of your priorities and how happy it makes you to know you’re raising a beautiful little human or whole little tribe. Keep perspective. There’s always enough time for everything that’s really important.
What is the best aspect about having your own business?
Knowing that everything I put into my business is up to me, it’s all my choice. I have no one else to blame and therefore can take 100% responsibility for the outcome. That can be scary, but also totally freeing. If something’s not working, change it. If something doesn’t feel good (even if you have no logical reason as to why) – doesn’t matter, you can change it. You can CREATE anything you want. I love that.
What is the part you struggle with the most in your business?
I have so many ideas, I find myself wanting to go in a million different directions sometimes. I call it “Shiny Object Syndrome.” But that’s when I have to sit down with my priorities and get clear on what’s the most important and what’s in alignment with my big picture goals. That’s how I reign myself back in to stay focused. Until the next Shiny Object appears…
What did you wish you knew before starting a business?
For me, I wish I had developed more organizational systems for accounting, expenses, admin stuff before I got so far down the road with my business. It’s all a learning process, but it’s just a tad bit harder to go back and stick all that stuff in after the fact. So much easier to keep up with these things as you go, such as simply taking a quick snapshot of any business receipts and then keeping them all in its own album on your phone. Little things like that make life easier.
Do you have a future or long terms goals with your business?
Do I ever?! Yes, I have lots of big dreams for Soul-Hive. In addition to some current projects I’m working on like Breastfeeding Bliss – creating mindfulness tools for nursing mothers, I have some big visions for Soul-Hive as a whole. I want to eventually create a beautiful community space where seekers can come from all over sharing their teachings and growing together. I can already see the magnificent gardens, sustainable lifestyle and fun, enriching atmosphere where we host retreats and have ongoing classes and study programs. Stay tuned for more…
Fun Facts:
What do you love to do when you’re not being supermom?
I love spending time with my family. My boys (hubby and 2 little ones) and I have so much fun out in nature. And working with plants and flowers really feeds my soul. I have a special love for those tiny succulents that do so well in this Texas heat. :) Travel is also a big part of our lives, especially since we try to visit family in Australia and Louisiana as often as possible.
What is your favorite household product?
Yummy smelling candles can change the whole mood of your home. Mmmm…
What wardrobe staple can you not live without?
Flip Flops!
What was your first job?
A Public Relations Intern for the Dallas Stars Hockey Team in Dallas.
What celebrity would you love to have dinner with?
Can’t choose only one. Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra. Wow – would that be amazing.
What was the last book you read?
I’ve started but haven’t yet finished, “The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible” by Charles Eisenstein. (I love to read, but haven’t been able to make it through many books with a newborn lately.)
Is there any piece of advice, tips, events happening or discounts you would like to share with our readers?
Best advice I can give anyone – Always go into the direction of JOY. If it feels icky – don’t go there. You know the difference! Just listen to your own inner wisdom.
I’d be happy to offer a 10% discount on any coaching sessions or intuitive readings to any members of our Mompreneur group.