Rippling Impact: Coaching with Purpose to Build Stronger Communities
Entrepreneur Aleta Barnett took a big step when she decided to launch her own life coaching business. With a passion for helping others navigate personal growth and overcome life’s challenges, she wanted to start a business that would inspire and uplift small groups, and individual people, through guided coaching sessions with a holistic approach. Before stepping into entrepreneurship, she worked in the community services space, where she witnessed firsthand the need for accessible, empowering support systems. That experience fueled her desire to create a business to empower her clients to take intentional, informed, and inspired next steps towards their success.
Aleta came to the Pitt SBDC for assistance with filling her LLC, writing her business plan, mentorship, and receiving support and to gain more knowledge around marketing and setting prices for her services. Aleta and her SBDC consultant reviewed best practices for business operations, marketing strategies, and brand development.
The initial consultation resulted in a legally registered business—sparking momentum—and by the next meeting, she had already secured a client: Sojourner House, a local organization where she now facilitates small group coaching sessions focused on personal development and resilience. Though there was slight uncertainty around branding and marketing, with assistance from the SBDC, she worked through these hurdles in one-on-one consulting sessions. The consultant assisted her in designing business cards that reflected a polished, professional brand identity, helping her to communicate her mission with clarity.
Aleta stated: “Ms. Talpha was very helpful, patient and knowledgeable; she had great suggestions that took me to the next level as far as branding and banking.”
Today, her business, Next Steps Life Coaching and Consulting, continues to grow, creating ripples of positive change in the community. Her work with Sojourner House has already impacted numerous individuals, and she’s actively exploring partnerships in other regions.