After finding her love for helping people as a career’s advisor at her children’s school, a note from a colleague inspired Alison Layt to further her passion. She wanted the opportunity to inspire and work with people of all ages and walks of life, so, after pursuing further education in Neurocoaching, she founded Bbrave Bstrong.
Tell us about yourself and Bbrave Bstrong.
My husband and I, along with our five kids and two dogs moved to Townsville eight years ago and we love it here. When we moved, I was a high school teacher and I ended up combining teaching with a Careers Advisor role at my kid’s school. I loved the role supporting the senior students as they contemplated and made decisions for the remainder of their school years and beyond. I also loved the conversations with the families as they endeavoured to support their young person on their journey.
One day a beautiful teacher left a note in my office and it said “Aly when kids walk into your office they are stooped low with the weight of the world on their shoulders, and when they walk out they are standing taller, often with a smile and there is hope in their eyes”.
This note significantly impacted me and what a beautiful note it was! It triggered a stirring in my heart… I realised that I wanted to have the opportunity to inspire and work with people of all ages and all backgrounds, who were journeying through all kinds of seasons. So I began my quest for what this could look like. This led me to studying Neurocoaching and becoming a certified Practitioner in Neurocoaching, in other words, I became a ‘Life Coach’.
Along with this certification I decided to start my own business, called Bbrave Bstrong. My desire is to support people who are feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and without purpose to encourage and inspire them to live brave and strong. I love to partner with my clients to help them to discover their hopes and dreams, teaching them strategies to move forward and live more fulfilled lives. I get to do this through one-on-one coaching, short courses, workshops and presentations as well as hosting my podcast ‘Brave, Strong and Fulfilled’ with a friend and fellow coach. I love my job!
What has been the most challenging aspect of starting/owning B brave B strong?
Technology for sure! As a teacher we obviously needed to be tech savvy, but we had an IT department on hand for the moment things went wrong! As a start up business, trying to keep costs to a minimum, building a website and solving IT problems has been a huge learning curve, with many challenges to overcome! To say I have learnt a thing or two is an understatement!
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I was peer pressured (not really, but kinda!) into running my first ultra marathon 1.5 years ago! Let me just say 100kms is a long way to run! But let me also say that the journey to getting to the starting line was life changing, and crossing that finish line was an exhilarating experience! I have since written a short guide which is available on Amazon “Ultra Marathon Training Tips – Discover how as a busy working mum you can train for, survive and enjoy your first ultra marathon”.
What is the best piece of career or business advice you have ever received?
I guess the best piece of advice would be, simply put, to be me. To stay in my own lane, and not get caught up comparing myself to what everyone else is doing. It can be so easy when starting at something new to get distracted by all the ‘noise’ while navigating web sites, social media and everything else out there. ‘Being me’ allows me to make decisions that align with my values, helps me to decide what opportunities to run with, or leave behind, and it gives me permission to be authentic and real every step of the way.
Going forward, what is next on the cards for Bbrave Bstrong?
I am currently super excited about a book that I have written and recently published called “Life Lessons with Theodore – A 12 step reflective journal towards embracing life”. This book is a collection of stories from the life of Theodore (our gorgeous Saint Bernard who tragically died on a beach here in Townsville last year). The stories are heart-warming and offer up inspiration and encouragement for life, challenging the reader to truly embrace their life now and into their future.
To get your hands on a copy, I am looking to collaborate with some local businesses to have my book in stores here in Townsville in the very near future. The book is currently available as both a paperback and ebook on Amazon.
I am hosting a book launch celebration on the April 20th at Rock Island Café/Restaurant, 9am. All book purchases will receive a free coffee and it will be a time to meet and greet and bring the community together.
Main image – Alison Layt
Images Credits – All images supplied.
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