Turning personal expertise into a thriving online business isn't always a straight path -- or a quick event.
Valentina Manini's journey from therapist to successful entrepreneur shows how one step after the other can lead to remarkable destinations.
Valentina's story isn't just inspiring - it's filled with practical insights that could reshape your approach to online business. Whether you're just starting out or looking to pivot, her experiences offer valuable lessons.
Ready to discover how personal passion and the right tools can transform your entrepreneurial journey? Let's dive into Valentina's story and see what we can learn.
Starting an online business can feel like venturing into unfamiliar territory. You're excited, but there's also that nagging uncertainty. You might wonder if you have the right skills or if you're really prepared for what's ahead. But here's something to consider: what if some of the answers you're looking for are already within you, hidden in your personal experiences?
Valentina's story shows that you don't need a traditional business background to thrive online. What you need is passion, perseverance, and the ability to draw insights from your own experiences.
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"To the core of it, I help people who feel trapped in a life that, like, they know that it's not them." -- Valentina Manini
From finding her niche to choosing the right tech tools, Valentina's journey offers valuable lessons. Whether you're just starting out or looking to pivot your existing business, these lessons could help shape your approach to entrepreneurship.
Simple Steps to Online Business Success: Five Practical Lessons
Valentina's key business principles can be broken down into 5 core takeaways. Keep reading to learn how to create a business you love:
1. Sometimes, Your Business Solution Starts With You
Ever wonder where great business ideas come from? For Valentina, the answer was surprisingly close to home - her own personal journey.
Valentina Manini
"To be fair, it [cognitive therapy] helped a bit, but it did not help me feel any kind of purpose in life or find more motivation. It [cognitive therapy] didn't help me actually find a way I could feel good with myself when I was alone.
So this exploration of alternative therapies] came from my need to free myself from what I perceived as the prison of my self.
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By addressing her own needs, Valentina stumbled upon a gap in the market. She realized many others were seeking similar alternatives to conventional therapy for deep-seated issues. This insight became the cornerstone of her unique business model.
Valentina's story teaches a valuable lesson: your personal challenges aren't obstacles - they're potential opportunities. The solutions you develop for yourself might just be the answer others are seeking too.
So, the next time you're brainstorming business ideas, don't overlook your own experiences. What problems have you faced and solved? What unique perspective do you bring to the table? Your personal journey could be the key to unlocking a successful and fulfilling business venture.
2. Your Online Platform Is Only As Good As Your Tech Stack
When building an online business, your choice of tools can significantly impact your success. Valentina's experience with Thrive Suite illustrates this perfectly.
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“The other solutions felt like toys. It's like they gave back that feeling like there were just toys that you had just a little bit of things you could play with, but you didn't have full control, or you couldn't really choose exactly what you wanted. But I knew what I wanted, and so I was not really happy with the toys. I wanted something more serious.
I designed websites for fun in my late teens, so I knew what that was about, basically. I started with WordPress. I hated WordPress and then, yeah, I found Thrive Themes at the time and I just fell in love with it. I mean, I cannot describe it in any other way”-- Valentina Manini
Valentina's background in software testing made her particularly discerning about user experience. She appreciated Thrive Suite's intuitive interface, noting how it allowed her to achieve her goals without unnecessary complications. As she put it, "When I have to click 20 times to get to an option, you've lost me a while ago."
Thrive Suite's versatility also stood out. It allowed Valentina to design her website, create content, and even plan for future online courses all within one ecosystem. This integration streamlined her workflow and saved her valuable time.
As she pivots to reach more people online, the platform's features support her expansion into video content and potential cohort-based courses.
Valentina's experience underscores a key point: the right tech stack isn't about having the trendiest tools, but about finding solutions that genuinely support your business needs and growth. For her, Thrive Suite ticked all these boxes, allowing her to build and expand her online presence effectively.
When choosing your online business tools, consider how they'll support your specific needs and future plans. The right platform, like Thrive Suite for Valentina, can be a game-changer for your digital success.
3. It May Take Time to Find What You Want to Do
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“I think the first two years, I was actually just trying to understand what I wanted to do, because I knew I wanted to coach, but at the time, I didn't have a formal training, in internal family assistance.” -- Valentina Manini
As a small business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, you might feel pressure to have your entire business plan figured out from day one.
But, Valentina's journey tells a different story - one of gradual discovery and evolution.
She spent her initial years in business simply trying to understand what she wanted to do. She knew she wanted to coach, but her specific direction wasn't immediately clear.
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“So, I just knew that I wanted to help others to get to the degree of freedom I could get for myself in my life. But it was not really clear what it would take.”” -- Valentina Manini
This process of discovery isn't unusual or unproductive.
Each experience you have, each approach you try, builds your knowledge and refines your vision. Your initial business idea may not be your final destination, and that's okay.
Look at how Valentina's diverse background - from environmental sciences to software development to corporate management - all contributed to her unique perspective in her current field.
The takeaway here is clear: don't rush to define your business. Allow yourself the time and space to explore, learn, and evolve. Your most successful business idea may come from a combination of experiences you haven't even had yet. Stay curious, stay flexible, and trust the process.
4. There’s Room for Fun in Your Work
In the relentless pursuit of success, it's easy to forget a fundamental truth: your work should bring you joy.
Valentina's journey serves as a powerful reminder that enjoyment isn't just a luxury in business - it can be a key driver of success.
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"At some point, there was a pivotal moment in my business trajectory. I always followed the very widespread advice 'go where the fear is.' And I would do that consistently. I would push myself on social media. I would make videos. I would do all the things that I was scared of, which also meant I had to do a lot of self-development work to be able to do those things, because there was a lot of fear and resistance. And then one day I realized that if I would keep going like that, I would have just spent my life feeling fear. Because that's what I kept pursuing. And so I asked myself, 'Okay, what if this was fun? What if I actually liked it? What if it was easy for once?'" -- Valentina Manini
The result? When Valentina started prioritizing her enjoyment and following what felt authentic, her business began to thrive. She found that when she loved what she was doing, it not only nurtured her clients but also nurtured her. This approach led her to discontinue aspects of her business that she didn't enjoy, even if they seemed profitable on paper.
This doesn't mean your business should be all play and no work. Rather, it suggests that aligning your business activities with what you genuinely enjoy can lead to more sustainable success. When you're passionate about your work, it shows in the quality of your output and the energy you bring to your clients.
Take time to evaluate your current business activities. Which ones bring you joy? Which ones feel like a dreaded chore? While some tasks may be necessary even if not enjoyable, there might be room to shift your focus towards aspects of your business that you find fulfilling.
Remember, a happy entrepreneur often leads to a healthy business.
5. Know When to Pivot
Smart business owners know that being able to change is key to lasting success.
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"Right now I'm pivoting because I've reached the point of saturation. I have a six-month waiting list, but I get new people almost every week. It's insane. I love what I do, but at the same time, I can see that I cannot help the amount of people that need or ask for help. And I'm actually mostly talking about people in the city where I live. This is not even advertising myself to the rest of the world." -- Valentina Manini
Even with a busy practice and a six-month waiting list, Valentina saw she had hit a limit. New clients kept coming in every week, creating a problem. Instead of just enjoying her success or turning people away, Valentina decided to change things up.
Her plan? Moving into online content and group sessions. By using her YouTube channel and planning group courses, Valentina hopes to help more people than she could with one-on-one meetings alone.
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"So I'm pivoting by spending time on my YouTube channel. I want to use the full potential of the blog to have video posts, blog posts, to create more content value on the website.
And then I want to use Thrive Apprentice to create a cohort. Basically, I'd like to have cohorts for internal family systems to help people learn the model in an experiential way, but also to support people in their preparation and integration of experiences.
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This change isn't just about growing her business. It's about meeting what people want and finding new ways to help them. It shows she knows her own limits and is willing to try new business ideas.
The lesson is clear: Keep checking your business model and be ready to change. Are you meeting your clients' needs well? Is there more you could do in your market? Could you help more people by changing how you work?
Remember, changing doesn't mean throwing away what works. It's about building on what you're good at and finding new ways to use your skills. In Valentina's case, she's not giving up her expertise - she's finding new ways to share it.
Making changes can be scary, but it's often the key to keeping your business successful. Watch for signs that it might be time to shift, and don't be afraid to rethink your business when you need to.
Are You Ready to Take the Reins?
Taking charge of your online presence can be a real turning point for your business. Valentina's shift from feeling constrained by limited website tools to falling in love with Thrive Suite is a perfect example.
Valentina Manini
"I wanted to have more control on what I would create."
This move gave her more than just technical control - it allowed her to truly bring her unique therapy blend to life online.
By finding a platform that clicked with her needs, Valentina could focus on what really matters: helping people break free from lives that don't feel like their own. Her journey shows us that with the right tools, we can create online spaces that not only work smoothly but also genuinely reflect who we are and what we offer to our clients.
Start Your Journey with Thrive Suite
You can do the same thing, too. Starting with building a website that puts your business in the best light.
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What are you waiting for?
