Entrepreneur Spotlight・Ruth Poundwhite
“I trust that I am the right person for my right people. This gives me permission to fully show up as myself (with boundaries around what I share, of course), knowing that the right people need to hear what I have to say.”
As an empath and HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) I am often drawn to fellow entrepreneurs who walk a more quiet yet highly successful path. Ruth is one of those, and when I read these words in her mission statement – “Making sure people feel seen and heard, and free to express who they are, is also at the core of what I do” – I knew why I always liked her so much: we share a very similar approach to running a business where our clients, or students, feel seen and heard. That is so important to me, too. There is a lot of goodness in this interview, deep insights and thoughtful advice. Thank you so much, Ruth!
Ruth Poundwhite is quietly ambitious – and proud of it! She is a certified coach, NLP practitioner and feminist marketer who supports highly sensitive humans to scale their businesses without sacrificing who they are. She is particularly passionate about helping women to trust in themselves to build businesses that prioritize both their physical and mental wellbeing. Clients have described the way Ruth works as “nurturing,” “kind” and “deeply intuitive.”
As host of the Creatively Human podcast, and through her courses and group programs, Ruth has helped thousands of service-based business owners gain confidence, increase their bookings, create aligned offers, and have their first 5+ figure launches. Her book, Quietly Ambitious, is scheduled for release later this year. Ruth lives by the sea in the South-East of England with her husband and son.
1) Tell us about your business
I started my first business back in 2008, but as a “sensitive” and massively introverted human, I never quite felt like the traditional marketing tactics really worked for me. It took me a while but over time I learned how to do it my way. And although it was working in terms of income, I realized that what I was doing wasn’t fulfilling me the way I needed it to (as a very idealistic INFJ!).
In 2019 I started supporting other “quietly ambitious” business owners who want to make big things happen but in their unique way. I am a HUGE believer in rest, working in alignment with what feels good, and building a sustainable business without sacrificing your income.
2) We love this line from your homepage: “Build a business that’s true to who you are” - what does that look like for you in your own life?
Something I noticed around 6 or 7 years into my first copywriting business was that there was a disconnect between how I felt inside my business, and who I felt I was outside of it. I started that business at the age of 21 almost by accident. I was young, very unsure of myself, and I looked to others for examples of how it “should” be done. It wasn’t that I tried to be somebody else, it’s that I didn’t even know that being myself and doing it my way was even an option!
Since having that realization I gradually made changes to the way I worked, to the way I marketed my stuff, to the standards I judged myself by, and the things I had accepted as “the way things are” at face value. Fast forward 6 years and I now know that business is an incredible vehicle for self-expression. When you are your own boss you get to shape the way you work around who you are, your energy levels, your sensitivities, your values, and what feels fun and good to you. And that is what I mean when I say “build a business that’s true to who you are”. And it’ll take you on a deep journey of learning to trust who you are and what you want.
Here’s what that looks like in practice for me:
I trust that I am the right person for my right people. This gives me permission to fully show up as myself (with boundaries around what I share, of course), knowing that the right people need to hear what I have to say.
Taking time to unlearn toxic marketing methods and “triggers” and learn a new, better way of selling what I do (shout out to Kelly Diels!).
Being very intentional about how many clients I take on at any given time, and preferring to work very deeply with them.
I’ve also not only made peace with but celebrate (and encourage others to do the same) raising my prices to suit how much I want to work and what I desire to earn.
And, most importantly, everything I do comes first and foremost from a place of self-trust and self-love. If it doesn’t feel right, I first question why, then I either see it as an opportunity to stretch and find a way that does work for me, or I don’t do it at all. Strategy has a powerful place, but nothing is more important than the way I feel in my life - which includes the way I work.
3) Do you have a purpose/mission or values statement that drives your business?
I believe that running a business is a way to make a positive difference in the world, so I am a huge fan of letting our values and bigger purpose guide the decisions we make as business owners. I don’t have a specific statement that sums it all up, but I consider myself a feminist business owner, and while I know I still have a lot to learn, it’s important to me that the conversations we have around success and online business are nuanced. Not everyone starts from the same position, we all hold a different set of privileges, and just “being yourself” is far safer and easier for some than others. Making sure people feel seen and heard, and free to express who they are, is also at the core of what I do. Which is why I am committed to showcasing a diverse range of voices on my podcast, and creating safe spaces within my online communities.
4) As you know, Kerstin is not a fan of the “hustle culture” of online business, but of course we all need to make a living! Do you have any tips for selling with integrity?
1. Start with the transformation.
While I know it’s not always easy to believe in the value of what you do, tuning into the transformation you create is the best place from which to create offers and wholeheartedly show up to sell them to the people who need them.
2. Write your own rules about what it means to sell.
Take a few moments to consider what selling means to you. Is it icky? Is it pushy? Is it manipulative? If this is what you believe, then it’s always going to be hard or something to be avoided. You get to rewrite the rules and sell in your way! That might mean telling stories, having conversations, helping your people or simply as an extension of your normal content.
3. Be a little bit selfish.
The thoughtful and sensitive humans I work with often tell me they worry about the people who can’t afford what they do. But there are so many ways for people to access your work, including your free content. It’s ok to be a bit selfish and set your prices so they are sustainable for you, first and foremost!
4. Know that you are worthy and deserving of receiving.
You are more than enough, exactly as you are. And you deserve success in your business. While the logical mind can come up with all sorts of reasons why we don’t want to sell our stuff, I find it often comes down to a difficulty in believing we are worthy of receiving.
5. Ask yourself: are you putting people-pleasing ahead of your mission?
When you truly tune into the transformation (point 1), you start to realise you’re actually doing people a disservice by not showing up and selling what you do (in a nice way, of course!) So often we shy away from owning what we do because we’re imagining that others will judge us for it. Try focusing on the people who really need what you do, instead.
