It’s often said that passion is the key to success for entrepreneurs. Empower Me founder Manuela Klevisser’s passion and enthusiasm for personal growth and helping entrepreneurs is abundant.
Over the last 16 years, Manuela has honed her skills and is now ready to share her learnings through Empower Me – a platform that will bring entrepreneurs together to learn and grow.
Manuela, who is of Italian descent but lived in Croatia, arrived in New Zealand in 2008 and, with limited English and no local experience, had to rebuild her career from scratch.
She began working on herself and started a women’s ‘non-book club’ which thrived for three years.
“It had such an impact on my life, and this is where I discovered the power of the collective. Those shared conversations and different perspectives from relatable women were life changing. Ever since I have been thinking about how to bring the concept to a wider audience and opening it up to men as well,” says Manuela.
With the concept bubbling in her brain for a number of years, Manuela started a number of side hustles and worked for a New Zealand business raising nearly $2million to help indigenous entrepreneurs in 18 countries.
In February this year she took a leap of faith, quitting her job to start Empower Me, a platform to help entrepreneurs live life on their own terms.
“Often entrepreneurs start their own business because they want to work on what they love, be their own boss and have financial independence. But there are many challenges to starting a business which require us to step up and grow into the version of ourselves that will take us to our desired outcomes. I want to bring entrepreneurs together so they can address challenges, share their learnings and experiences to propel both personal and business growth,” she explains.
Empower Me will have three offerings. The first is the Empower Me Collective – bringing together groups of entrepreneurs that meet regularly to work on specific challenges to grow their business and stengthen their growth mindset.
“The Empower Me Collective groups will allow entrepreneurs to share perspectives, approaches and learn from one another while normalising struggles and shedding the light on those invisible inner blocks, helping us to overcome them and thrive together.”
The Empower Me Collective groups will kick off in person in the Waikato this September and be available online for other areas.
The second stage will be Empower Me Masterclasses where entrepreneurs can access tools and resources to overcome any inner blocks and form ‘empowering habits' to achieve business goals.
Thirdly will be microlearning opportunities targeting specific problems.
Recently Manuela took up Startup Aotearoa’s free one-to-one coaching with Soda startup coach Kate Wightman.
“It was really beneficial to get a set of fresh eyes on my idea and validate my concept. Kate helped to strengthen the work I had already done. Having someone one-on-one working on my own business was next level,” says Manuela.
As for the best part of being a business founder: “I am an avid learner, and personal growth is at the core of what drives me. Running a business provides me with a constant opportunity to do just that. To learn from challenges, to be exposed to new things every day and to collaborate with incredible people and organisations while bringing to life an idea I am truly passionate about.”
Want to learn more about Empower Me? Head to the website, email Manuela or book a 15-min chat.
You can register your interest in the group sessions (for any location) here.