Meet Megan Tobler | Founder, Self StartHER

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

Hi Megan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Like many, I always had dreams for more in my life. I craved more time, more freedom, more creativity, more money, etc. and I knew that staying in the corporate setting was not going to allow me to have the “more” I desired.

While I had entrepreneurial dreams, I realized I was the obstacle holding myself back from taking any action. I had all these ideas, yet I kept looking at the big picture of everything that had to be done and was overwhelmed. The big picture and the need for perfectionism held me back from ever getting started.

After over 10 years in the corporate world and experiencing a number of layoffs, I knew that I could no longer continue to hold myself back and decided to take one small step toward my dreams.

That first step started it all.

Instead of putting together a massive business plan and overwhelming myself with all the steps that would need to be taken in order to make my dreams a reality, I broke down my skill sets, what I enjoyed and what I knew I could confidently show up for each and every day.

I landed on podcasting as my first step in this journey since it seemed like a natural fit with my sales background. It would allow me to do everything that I loved about sales which was connecting with people, learning about their stories and helping others in the process.

It was perfect!

The idea behind the process was to 1) learn from other female entrepreneurs so I could personally understand what it took to start and grow my own business and 2) share these learnings and episodes to help other women understand what is possible if they just take the first step in their own entrepreneurial journey.

My thought process for my business started with one step and, as I have become more confident in each area, I have continued to grow step by step allowing Self StartHER to continue to evolve.

Today, I’m helping women do the same.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Self StartHER began as a passion project as I was trying to navigate my own entrepreneurial journey and has developed into a full time business that is helping women get started in their own journey and start living the life that they once had only dreamed about.

As a former corporate sales professional, I had always had dreams for more – more time, more freedom, more creativity, more money, etc. I dreamt about one day starting something of my own, yet I found myself continuing to push the start date out further and further with overwhelming thoughts that I had to have everything figured out and everything had to be perfect.

After facing the same frustrations in every corporate position I held, I knew I could no longer keep dreaming. I had to start taking action in order to make these dreams a reality and stop making excuses for myself, even if they were small steps. I began by examining what it was that I did enjoy in my corporate role, what my strengths were and what things brought me joy. Throughout this reflection, I realized 1) I loved connecting with people and learning about their stories and 2) I loved helping people. These two core realizations allowed me to find podcasting.

I started by interviewing women who were previously in corporate who had taken the leap into entrepreneurism to start something of their own. The idea was to learn from women who I aspired to be like and to share the information with others to help them understand what could be possible for them, too, if they take the first step toward their dream.

The podcast was the starting point of my business, Self StartHER; however, it continues to evolve.

This past March, I experienced a layoff at my corporate job (after announcing my pregnancy) and found myself faced with two options. The first was to find another job within the corporate setting and continue life as normal. The second was to use this as an opportunity to go all in on Self StartHER and finally live a life in alignment with my goals. I chose the latter.

Since then, the Self StartHER community has continued to grow. We are building out a true community platform for aspiring and current female entrepreneurs, a course to help women get started in their own business and continuing to highlight business owners through the podcast.

This journey is one that is constantly evolving, but my goal is to show women that they don’t have to have a perfect plan in order to get started. They just have to make the decision to get started and start with one small step.

My first step started this all and it has been life changing.

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.
As someone who loves being on or near the water, most of my recommendations would have to be along the coastline soaking up some of the amazing California sun!

Starting in LA, the must-see locations include the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach. A California coastline trip would not be complete without them! You can spend an entire day simply people-watching and grabbing some souvenirs to take home.

Growing up in Orange County, I spent a lot of time on Balboa Island. The island is so charming with all of its shops, dining and beach fun so you could easily spend the entire day or soaking in the fun. I’d recommend renting a duffy boat for a few hours, grabbing some drinks along with a charcuterie board and touring the island by boat. You’ll be able to see some incredible homes, take in the beauty of the island and maybe even catch some sea life.

As you continue south along the coast, Laguna Beach is an excellent place to stop if you’re wanting a bit more of the arts mixed in with your beach trip. During the summer, you can catch some art festivals that are sure to not disappoint.

San Diego has a ton of craft breweries and wineries for you to enjoy if you find yourself needing a bit of a refreshment after your beach days. One of the most popular breweries is Stone Brewing Co. and is a fun place to dine and relax with a cold refreshment.

If we’re continuing with the refreshments, Temecula is also a great place for some wine tasting if you’re in the mood. Open to waking up early? Grab a flight in a hot air balloon and take in the winery sights from the air!

And lastly, if you’re wanting to have a night on the town, check out the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego. You’ll find a fun mix of restaurants, bars and clubs – something for everyone!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Throughout my entire life, my parents have allowed me to believe that I could do anything I set my mind to and have supported me in all of my endeavors. However, Self StartHER would not be possible without the support of my husband who has supported me, both mentally and financially, as I have built my business.

Self StartHER originated as a podcast. I knew early on that I did not want to edit the material myself, so my wonderful friend, who is more like family, Ashley Carlos, took on the challenge and has been by my side editing every episode from the beginning. I could not have built the show to what it is today without her!

Lastly, I have to thank all of the wonderful women who I have met throughout this entire journey who have inspired me daily and helped me to navigate my entrepreneurial journey – even when the times were tough.

Website: www.selfstarther.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selfstart.her/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megantobler/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-starther/id1644239141