A Day in the Life of a Health Coach Mom: Juggling Business & Babies

Michelle Leotta: Welcome to the Health Coach Power Community Podcast. I'm Michelle Leotta, ex-corporate girl turned certified health coach with over 15 years of experience growing a successful online practice. I started out with no idea what I was getting into and learned a lot of lessons along the way that have given me the freedom to do the work I love and raised two boys as a single mom. I created the Health Coach Power community over a decade ago to make it easier for health coaches to build a career they love and make the world a better place.

Michelle Leotta: Hello there health coaches. Balancing your health coaching business with the rest of your life and responsibilities is no joke. And being a new mom is a perfect example of just that. So today we'll talk with Gabby, who is a real-life health coach from our community, and go behind the scenes of her life as a new mom, as a health coach, and as a fast-track member.

And I remember those days when my babies were small and my business was small, and I was growing both at the same time. I still kind of am, but now they pack their own lunch. So if you're feeling pulled in multiple directions, you are definitely not alone. We get it and it's still possible to make big, big progress.

Michelle Leotta: Gabby, thank you so much for joining us today.

Gabby Jarvis: Thank you, Michelle. Thanks for having me. I've been listening to you for a long time, so I'm very honored, very excited to be here.

Michelle Leotta: Now, is this the first time that you've appeared live on a podcast?

Gabby Jarvis: Yes. Ever.

Michelle Leotta: Yay. All right. Round of applause for Gabby, everybody. 'Cause that takes a lot of guts, not only to record live, 'cause you know we're live streaming as we do this, but also to be on camera live and doing it all at once. You look great. Thanks so much again for making the effort. Did you have to get some childcare in order to do this?

Gabby Jarvis: Thank you. And my husband's actually happens to be off, which was perfect. So he is out with baby girl at the park now, so it worked out perfectly.

Michelle Leotta: Oh, love it. I know there's a lot of juggling that goes on. So as a, and I know that sometimes as we were working together, you often showed up on our Zoom calls, you know, with your little girl in your lap, which we love. I was wondering, did you plan to start your health coaching business alongside motherhood? Was this all intended?

Gabby Jarvis: No. So I started health coaching a year before I had her actually. And um, I already had a, you know, a few challenges there. And then I had her the next year. So it's a whole new world that I'm navigating along with health coaching. But now that she's here, you know, I'm trying to figure, figure it all out. I mean, I wanna be able to do all the things. So I'm trying and I'm getting it going and finding a good rhythm, doing all the things.

Michelle Leotta: I think that pretty much sums it up. So, um, and I don't know this about you, did you have another career before you started health coaching?

Gabby Jarvis: So, before health coaching, I was actually farming and I was a gardening teacher for a private school, for a Waldorf school for kids.

Michelle Leotta: Oh, awesome. A Waldorf school. So, which career so far, from what you can tell is more accommodating for having a little one on your hip?

Gabby Jarvis: Definitely health coaching, which is why I was so interested too.I mean, I mean, family is so important to me and just gives me a little bit more flexibility for sure. Just. To be able to be there with my baby girl and create my own schedule. So it's been really great for that.

Michelle Leotta: That's what I figured your answer was gonna be, but I'm not so sure. I don't know what it's like to do farming for a Waldorf school, but gosh, you, it sounds like you really combined. You've been kind of on this path somewhat for a while. You don't just like start a career at Waldorf School usually, like how did you get into health and wellness and health coaching in the first place?

Gabby Jarvis: Yeah, I mean, I've always been interested in health and wellness on some level from a young age, but I think it started really when I was, um, I found farming in my mid twenties and I fell in love with growing food and being outta nature, and I think that's really where I found my passion for.Just connecting with food and just learning more about what real food is and where it comes from and why it's important. And so I remember, you know, being at the farmer's market, selling my produce and trying to talk to people more about the nutrition aspect of the food and trying to connect them to the food and to nature.

Gabby Jarvis: And so that was important to me. And I, I wanted to do that on a, on a deeper level, on a more personal level with people. And, um, and I had thought about maybe becoming an RD just, you know, because I wanted to go deeper into the nutrition path, but that just did not feel like the journey for me once I looked into it and I eventually found IN and I joined and I graduated in 2022. So I've been health coaching ever since.

Michelle Leotta: Alright. I think a lot of us have that shared experience. I remember looking into becoming an RD, and then I looked at the price tag attached to that, and then I looked at what I was actually gonna be learning and I was like. Ah, maybe there's something else. That's so cool. How did you actually, like, what, what was your, the first time you even like, knew that health coaching existed?

Gabby Jarvis: Yeah. I'm trying to remember. I, I almost think I, I saw a documentary of it was Heal and I really remember it having an impact on me, just like how people were able to heal themselves through nutrition and nature and, and it really just, it inspired me and I was like, Hey, like I can connect that. You know, the agriculture and nature world with helping people on this other level, and just maybe more on like one-on-one or groups and just. I kind of connected that. And so that's kind of an element I bring into my coaching now too, just being in nature with my clients too. Awesome.

Michelle Leotta: That's, uh, you, you're pretty much like on the path from the beginning. So we saw many of our coaches come from like an accounting background or something totally unrelated. So anyway, I love hearing all the, all for all of you, all your different backgrounds and how you got here. By the way, if you're live with us on Facebook or if you're watching this replay later. Tell us what you were doing before you became a health coach. I'd love to hear it.

Michelle Leotta: So Gabby, you started coaching set in 2022 and in the years since then, what did you find to be like the biggest challenge or challenges along the way?
Gabby Jarvis: Yeah, they've kind of shifted, I would say in the very beginning as a new health coach, it felt like a lonely path, a very lonely start. Like I know farming can feel lonely, but it. It's different. It's a different type of lonely, and with health coaching, it just, I don't, there aren't very many health coaches in my community, so I just felt like there wasn't very much guidance or direction I. Social media was really bad for me because inevitably, you just compare yourself to other people, even if you don't want to.

Gabby Jarvis: So I took a lot of social media breaks in the beginning, so that was one of the bigger challenges in the very start. And then of course, once I had my baby girl, then just trying to navigate this who whole new world of. Running a business and taking care of my little ones. So that's where I am now, is just kind of finding that rhythm with her. And I feel like I feel really good where we are today. But yeah, definitely in the beginning and the earlier days when it was a lot more challenging for sure.

Michelle Leotta: And I wanna hear how you're navigating your days. We're gonna get to like the day in the life, but you know, I just wanna set up in the beginning like how, you know, where you have come from and um, what you've already gone through. And so it sounds like, you know, it's almost like starting your business twice, once. Before having a little one in the house and then kind of refiguring it out afterwards. So I'm proud of you because that is, uh, no small feat right there. So you mentioned, um, loneliness, kind of like having to figure this all out on your own.

Michelle Leotta: How did you do on your own? Like were you, you were working with paying clients in that first year or two? Like what, what did that look like?

Gabby Jarvis: I worked where with a few clients, I was working with women to help supporting them on their menstrual health and I found a couple clients just through, you know, family and friends connections there, but it just was really hard to market myself and it was just really hard to know where to even start. And for me, it was mostly just social media, uh, which I'm not a huge fan of. Uh, so that was pretty much it. It's just social media and I. It just wasn't very, taking me very far at all.

Michelle Leotta: Okay. So like it connected you with a couple clients, but you were maxing out.

Gabby Jarvis: Yes, yes. So those, the clients I did find were mostly like, through connections I already had, which was great, but, but really there, I feel like my marketing wasn't really getting anywhere. Not through social media.

Michelle Leotta: Yeah, social media that, I mean, we've done lots of episodes talking about that, but it's, it's nice to hear it from someone else, not just me, that it's like, it's, it's there, it's a thing. It might help. And it also. It's probably like 1% what health coaches think in terms of the results you're gonna get from it. Does that sound about right?

Gabby Jarvis: Yes. For me, at least it's been that way.

Michelle Leotta: Yeah. Uh, it's not just you, so everyone should hear that loud and clear. Social media is only gonna get you so far. Now, I know that Fast Track propelled your business and confidence forward, which I just wanna talk about a little bit because if anyone is unfamiliar with Fast Track, first of all, that is a 12-week program that I created. It gives health coaches 100%. Done for you, customizable materials, blah, blah, blah. It'll walk you through implementing them step by step. Gabby, considering you had a baby on your lap most of the time, how did Fast Track benefit you? Oh, it was great.

Gabby Jarvis: I mean, for me, I would say it, it really made a big difference. I mean, before Fast Track, it was just, like I mentioned, it just feels lonely. Like there aren't aren't very many places to actually connect with other health coaches and just. You know, make, just know that you're doing something. Other people are doing them too. Doing it too. And then so Fast Track gave me that. It gave me a community, it gave me that support. And then also, just like after doing Fast Track, I feel like I have so much more confidence.

Gabby Jarvis: Like I. As a person, like, just like in the world, I feel like I'm have more confidence. And then as a health coach, of course, like I feel like I can present myself as a professional health coach in a way that I couldn't before. Just a lot of things have happened since then, so it feels like it, it just, yeah, that would be the biggest thing. It just, it gave me. This newfound confidence.

Michelle Leotta: We love confidence for health coaches, for moms, for women working in the world, running their own business. I love all of that. That's fantastic. By the way, if anyone's interested in FastTrack, you can check out our free blueprint. It is at helpcoachpower.com slash blueprint.

Michelle Leotta: So now that you're like moving grooving, Gabby got, how old is your little girl now? She is 17 months. Oh gosh. We're still counting in months. I love it. I know. I was, I had to think about it. Yes. 17 months. So cute. Alright, so you kind of like hit a groove there, you know. Let's talk about your typical day as a health coach and mom. You know, walk us through it. What does it look like? I'm curious if you do have any help, uh, you know, help taking care of her or you, you know, go into any sort of like pre daycare, preschool type thing yet, just lay it on us. Sure.

Gabby Jarvis: Um, well, I am very fortunate to have a very supportive husband, so that helps a lot. He's great. Um, I don't have her in childcare or anything, but my, our typical day, so he works full-time, so Monday through Friday all day. So I have her, I'm with her. I'm basically at home with her all day long from the moment we wake up to when she goes down. And I would say, yeah, a typical day looks like us, you know, waking up and starting the day with the nourishing meal. I try to get a good workout in at home, outside yoga, or something else. She does it with me, yoga mat. And then we always try to get outside, you know, like connection to nature's very important to me. So I really wanna foster that in her too. So we are outside a lot and when she goes down for a nap, that's when I try to get a little emailing in or you know, sneak pick, pick whatever I need to do.She sleeps maybe an hour and a half. So that's beautiful. That's when that happens. And then really, I mean, I try to be just present with her, and when I'm with her and she's awake, I try not to look at my phone. I try not to do any work. Then I really just wanna be with her. And so she is a great sleeper, thank goodness. So she goes to bed at eight, and that is when I do my work. She goes down at 7:30, 8 o'clock, and that's when Mama gets to work. That's when I write my emails. That's when I work on my projects and, um, texting any clients, client calls, anything like that, I do on the weekends because it's very hard to do without my husband's help. o yes, that's how I'm able to do that during the week. And then on the weekends, I focus on clients.

Michelle Leotta: Alright, I got it. So during the week, it sounds like maybe you're getting in like. Maybe two, three hours of work each day. And then on the weekends, actually meeting with clients?

Gabby Jarvis: Yes, correct. Yep. So three hours a day and then three, three and a half, depending on the day. I mean, every day is different. It's a different kind of day every day. But yes, for sure, like three hours a day. And then on the weekends I, if I don't have a session, then I'll do about three, four hours a day on a Saturday, Sunday.

Michelle Leotta: God bless. Nap times, huh?

Gabby Jarvis: Oh, yes. Yes. I'm hoping she stays napping for a while. Yes.

Michelle Leotta: I remember being like, well, maybe you could just play in his room quietly for another 20 minutes while I finish this app.

Gabby Jarvis: Yes.

Michelle Leotta: Amazing. Well, that's, that's a really great testament to, 'cause you know, you, you know what I saw you do during Fast Track. You know, you put forth a lot of effort. You completed the whole program, which is amazing. Working just a couple of hours a day. Like, are you proud of yourself? Because we have a lot coaches who, who like. You know, maybe they even have more time, but it feels like I could never, I could never run a whole business.

Gabby Jarvis: Yes. Thank you for saying that. Yeah, I definitely, I, I, I am proud of myself, and it, it gave me that confidence through that for sure. It's like, Hey, like I can do this. I can keep doing great things, and it's, yes, I have less time, but when I'm more intentional with things and they really get done, and I think that that's what matters. It's like you create your own time, really. And like I said, like when I'm with my daughter, I just focus on her. When it's work, it's just work. Like I don't, I try not to think about the day, think about anything else, and that's really helped me.

Michelle Leotta: I think you have got this figured out way better than I did when my son was born. So kudos to you. Really happy to hear it. What advice do you have for have so many health coaches who are moms, new moms, um, what advice do you have for them? Or maybe they're not even moms, but they're working another job, you know, they, or maybe it's someone who's taking care of elderly parents, whatever we're feeling pulled in multiple directions. What's your best advice?

Gabby Jarvis: Yes, I would say, I mean, just give yourself grace, just try to do what you can. I mean, I think it, it, it always works best. Like I was saying, just being very intentional and getting organized and just creating a plan for yourself that's gonna work for you. I mean, everyone's life is so different, but just trying to give yourself permission to just do what you can do.

Gabby Jarvis: I mean, for me, in the beginning, I definitely was trying to do way too much. Trying to take on way too many projects. And now I'm like, okay, I'm, I'm very more realistic in what I can get done. I can only work those three hours a day, even though I wanna work way more. And that's okay. That's what works for me right now. And I, I know what I can do in those three hours now, and I feel good about it. So just kind of giving yourself more grace and, um, just meeting yourself where, where you are now.

Michelle Leotta: I've always heard like, if you want to get anything done, give it to a busy mom. Because you know, if people, if you have all the time in the world and no constraints, it's like somehow what you have to do expands to fill all that space. But when you have, like, you know, I got three hours where I remember my son would take 30-minute naps, and so I had 30 minutes at a time. You have to sit down. You, you have to know what you're doing. You're going to get it done. So that, that's great advice. And I'm, I'm curious what comes next because she's gonna get older.

Michelle Leotta: Um, she's gonna. I don't know if she's already banging on the keyboard. I remember my son banging on the keyboard a little bit more as he got older, and I couldn't get anything done. But you know, she is. This is a season that you're going through. So as she grows up and as you think forward in your business, what do you imagine coming next?

Gabby Jarvis: Yeah. Um. I think, I mean, there's a lot of dreaming happening all the time, and like I mentioned, I mean, I only have that, you know, so, so much time in the day. But when I do dream about what that future is gonna look like, I would really love to create like a, a nature space where I can just grow, you know, healthy food, healthy wholesome food for my clients, but also so just a place where I can hold my sessions there. That's my own. 'cause I take people to like parks now and eat gardens around the city. But I would love to create my own space and, um, treat it more like a, it's like nature therapy, but like coaching therapy or. Nature coaching, so that that really is what's in my mind now for the future, which would take a lot more time than what I do.

Michelle Leotta: Now, here's a little idea for you. You know, take it or leave it, but when my son was little, I brought him to a nature center like daycare. So maybe there's an extension of this nature center. You have your own little one there. Other people come, they were so great. They fed them healthy food, they did cloth diapering.

Michelle Leotta: It was like the best possible daycare scenarios. There's just like a little business idea if you wanna run with it. No, I like that a lot. Yes. Think, I think we need more options like that, 'cause when I know as you're starting to look to, you know, put kids into any sort of childcare, the options can be. A little bit difficult, difficult if you care about what your children is or you know what they're eating or you know what they're doing during the day.

Michelle Leotta: So that was a really cool option. Anyway, thanks for sharing all of that. I know that's gonna inspire a lot of moms out there, or anyone who feels like right now I can't give it my all, and I think that is. Most of us, most of the time. So it's not like, it doesn't have to be an excuse for why you can't, it just has to be a way of organizing yourself, focusing. And Gabby, like you said, like being present in the one thing that you're doing. I. At a time knowing that that's gonna shift over the years. Right.

Gabby Jarvis: For sure.

Michelle Leotta: So if any of our coaches, especially other health coach moms wanna connect with you, Gabby, where is the best place for them to reach you?

Gabby Jarvis: Yeah, sure they can reach out, um, on Instagram. It's @whole motherjourney. My website is under construction, so they can contact me there.

Michelle Leotta: Awesome. Thank you so much for that. And thank you all for being here with us. If you have a topic that you'd like me to cover in an upcoming episode, you know what you can do, just text me, pull out your phone, go to healthcoachpower.com/text. Those do come directly to me, and I'm pulling ideas for future episodes out of all of your suggestions. So, thank you in advance for that. Thank you again, Gabby. And we'll see you all soon. Thank you.

Michelle Leotta: Thank you so much for listening to the Health Coach Power Community podcast. Please take a moment, leave a written review on Apple Podcasts. It helps us reach more coaches and allows me to bring you this free content every week to join us live. Ask your questions and have a direct line to me. Join our free Facebook group at healthcoachpowercommunity.com.