Detroit Mom’s Local Love series highlights local women and the businesses they have built. We love supporting small business! Today’s Local Love Spotlight belongs to Mikki Gardner, owner of Mikki Gardner Life Coaching.
To start, we asked Mikki to share some fun facts about herself with us so we could get to know her a little bit more!
- She grew up riding horses and moved out to California training for the Olympic Trials!
- After that, she went to culinary school and owned a catering company and then an event planning company.
- She is on her 20th move in her life!
After that, we asked Mikki to share a little bit more about her business with us. Get to know her and her business, Mikki Gardner Life Coaching, below!
How did you come up with the idea of your business, and how did you start?
“Out of my own experiences. Going through a divorce and learning how to co-parent was one of the most difficult and [darkest] times in my life. After learning (the hard way with a lot of avoidable mistakes), I wanted to support other women so that they didn’t have to travel the path alone like I did.
Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out?
“COMMUNITY. Being an entrepreneur can be so lonely and feeling like an impostor can be overwhelming. Surround yourself with others who are in a similar stage as you and also find a mentor who has been where you are and is where you want to go. Ask them for their time and support . . . good ones will always be there for you and it is invaluable.”
What is the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
“Your business is not meant to look like other people’s. Your only job is to show up in the best way you can and focus on serving at the highest level possible. Everything else will sort itself out.”
Have you faced adversity in business due to being a woman? How did you navigate that?
“In my first company we merged with another company ran by a 45-year-old male chef who had no interest in listening to a 25-year-old woman. In the industry, there is a lot of sexism and discrimination. My approach was (and still is) to focus more on what I can control, and let the other person argue against themselves. It is about learning which battles to fight and which to let go of.”
How do you persevere in challenging times?
“My meditation practice has been the biggest game changer in my life. Learning how to slow down so that I can tap into my Intuition and stay grounded helps me navigate the challenges with more ease and clarity.”
What impact do you want your business to have?
“My goal is to help the children of divorce. They didn’t ask for their lives to change or be disrupted. To help them have the most stable home and childhood, I believe it begins with helping their mom [to] be healthy, stable, and grounded.”
What are the pros and cons of being a woman business owner in 2023?
“There are so many pros: the flexibility, being in control of your schedule, the freedom to create your dream, being an example to the next generation of women. These can also be cons because just because you can do it all doesn’t mean you should. Learning how to stay aligned so you can live the life you want today instead of creating a life you want to live some day is a challenge.”
What knowledge would you share with someone who wants to become an entrepreneur?
“It’s the best and not for the faint of heart. Entrepreneurship is a long game and can be very lonely. Build a community of like-valued people around you to support you in the challenges, because there will be–not because you did anything wrong, but because that is part of the game.”
What do you do for personal and professional development?
“I have a mentor and coach and am an avid podcast listener.”
What mantra or quote do you live by?
“It’s a toss up depending on the day. Either I am enough (each of us are and always will be) or Everything is Figureoutable. –Marie Forleo”
What’s your favorite place in Detroit or Michigan?
“Glen Arbor and Sleeping Bear Bay.”
Where can our readers find you on social media?
You can follow Mikki Gardner Life Coaching on Facebook, Instagram, and on their website!
