Meet Anna Preston | Professional Life Coach & Founder of WIILD Womanhood

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Preston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
WIILD and my coaching business is an ever-evolving journey. I really felt like I was/am building the plane while I fly it. I didn’t know all of the logistical parts and how they were going to unfold in my business but I was really clear on my why. I was certain that if I, as a woman, felt a need for space and community to talk and share my feelings and fears, that there were others out there feeling the same way. And although this is a community-centered business, it really started with getting clear with what I needed more of. I started WIILD because ultimately, I needed a space to talk and share more freely. I needed a space to be seen. This in turn led to others being able to get the same opportunity in our gatherings.

I think when starting a business, people get stuck on the how is this going to work part and are not as focused on the why. And the why, to me, I believe is the most important question to ask when starting a business. If you are not emotionally invested in your message, your movement, your impact, others most likely won’t be either.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am a Professional Life Coach and the founder of WIILD Womanhood, a community for women to share, connect and collaborate. My mission is to help women find their way back to themselves. I remember years ago talking to a therapist and sharing some of my never-before-spoken thoughts. I had this light bulb moment in the session where I remember thinking that I couldn’t be the only woman feeling this way. I began to get more curious as to why as women we felt ashamed to speak openly about topics such as jealousy, greed, shame. etc. In 2020 I decided to host a women’s circle to talk about these topics more openly. It sold out. Month after month I continued to offer these gatherings as a way for women to come together and more importantly feel seen and heard. I soon thereafter decided to get certified as a Life Coach to really help women deepen their relationship to themselves and to others. What started as monthly women’s circles turned into also offering confidence-boosting workshops, backpacking and wellness retreats, working with clients privately and more. Last year, I made my dream a reality by making my business international! I now serve women both in a Coaching setting in the WIILD community in London and in California throughout the year.

There have definitely been moments in running my business that I’ve questioned what I was doing. I wondered if perhaps I needed to move on or change gears. Owning a business is hard! I think this is a really common thing to feel when you work for yourself. You are constantly facing every thought, critique, financial choice, adjustment etc and it can be hard at times to remain neutral and centered. My biggest learning so far is that sometimes you create, and you let that thing die. Even if it’s one of your prized possessions. Practicing the art of non-attachment in business is a game changer. Trusting too that everything we do or change or adjust in our business is all for our growth, healing and upliftment.

WIILD started because I needed a space to share my thoughts and fears and wins with other women. It has since then turned into an international success with having hosted over 80 events and welcoming in over 600 women over the past 4 years. My offerings give women (and men) the chance to start again. The chance to be bold. The chance to be held, over and over again. Through a somatic lens and therapeutic background and my love for marketing and sales, my business truly embodies incorporating the feminine and masculine in everything that we do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a Southern California beach girl through and through. I would first stop by Hermosa Beach and the Southbay where I grew up and head to Mickey’s Deli for the greasiest, yummiest pizza of your life. Lay by the beach and then walk to Manhattan Beach pier for all the people watching. I’d then grab a car and head down the coast towards Ventura, a quirky little surf town where I spent the past 6 years living. Stop by Singing Sun Coffee for a tasty coffee and pastry and make your way to C Street to watch surfers from all over take on the waves. Pit stop at Topa Topa Brewing Co. for a tasty pint and live music and finish with a walk at the Botanical Gardens for sunset and delicious food at RumFish Y Vino.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m so grateful to the mentors and resources in my life that have helped me to grow and evolve over the past years. It truly takes a village when you start a business and because we typically get in our own way, each guide or mentor on my path has helped me to move forward.
A shoutout to my OG mentor, Life & Business Coach, Sara Auda and other coaches in the field of Life Coaching, Morgan & Amber who have asked me the right questions and called me out when I was too in my head. A shoutout to my therapist Chris and somatic practitioner Zoia, who helped me see all of me in a more loving way, to the Replenish Collective team for reminding me to stay heart-centered in the name of business and to the WIILD community who have continued to show up to events being offered. You are the reason I do what I do.

Website: https://annaprestoncoaching.com/

Instagram: wiildwomxnhood / _annapreston_