About Lynda Steffens
Who in the world am I? A curious and curiouser Business Improvement Coach with a delightful penchant for accounting Let's go down the rabbit holeHi, I’m Lynda,
I live in Southport, on the beautiful Gold Coast in Australia. I love cooking warm, nourishing meals from scratch and I truly embrace comfort and slow living.
I’m at my happiest when I’m snuggling on the couch with a good book while often glancing up to gaze out at a beautiful view, (I love a good view!). I also love learning everything I can about people, and what it truly means to be human.
I’m a business improvement coach on a mission to empower female, service-based business owners achieve a life bursting with abundance and spacious with freedom.
I have worked in, with and surrounded by the accounting industry for 30 + years and I’ve pioneered my own path on a mission to reduce the number of business failures in Australia.
In 2016 I founded the revolutionary modern advisory methodology ‘The Small Business Project’ and have trademarked my signature program, ‘Business Metamorphosis’. I am also author of the trailblazing book ‘Accounting Revolution’ and co-host ofThe Public Practice Accts Club podcast.
But life hasn’t always been ‘warm buttered toast’ and an abundance of nice views.
From burnout, to brave, to best…
Until recently, I had spent most of my life either on a path toward burning out, or entirely burnt out. I have always had very high expectations of myself, and I was always trying to do what I thought was expected of me.
Like many women in business, I was a perfectionist and I struggled deeply with imposter syndrome. I’m very results-driven, and if I wasn’t getting a result right away, I’d ‘throw another iron in the fire’, so to speak.
Of course, I’d end up with too many irons in the fire and they would all heat up at once. I would overcommit myself, but of course, there was no way I was ever going to let anybody down. So I’d sacrifice myself in the process.
As I danced a little deeper with burnout, it began impacting my family relationships. I was short-tempered. I’d forget things. I had no time or energy to maintain relationships.
My health began deteriorating, and I developed an autoimmune disease. Then I developed excruciating back pain that left me unable to walk or stand for a period. I couldn’t sit or lie down. I was chronically inflamed, exhausted and in the depths of burnout.
I started thinking, “Am I going to get up tomorrow? Am I going to be able to work tomorrow? Am I going to let people down? This tore me apart, and mentally, physically, spiritually, I was not coping.
Through Change, Comes Freedom
Something had to change, and that something was going to have to be me.
Fear + a lack of being proactive was keeping me stuck in burnout. I needed to courageously step up and live life – and run my business – on my own terms. And I needed a strategy to make sure my decisions were deeply aligned with my higher purpose.
At this time, I had been working tirelessly in the accounting industry for over 20 years. I’d been an accountant in public practice and a partner in a firm. I’d founded and run my own accounting practice, and had been a practice manager in a large, prestigious firm. But I lacked direction – I knew I was made for more, but I kept asking myself, ‘more of what?’.
I had an epiphany – my purpose was to use my skillset, experience and the unique qualities that set me apart in my industry to forge a new way of being an accountant. I realised that many accountants were just like me, and that we had an untapped capacity to create positive impact for small businesses by providing more than just tax returns and financials. We could help business owners take their business from where it is now, to where they want it to be, I simply had to provide accountants with a blueprint for delivery.
And so, Accounting Revolution, Business Metamorphosis and The Small Business Project was born.
The missing piece
Supporting women to create heart-centred businesses that light them up
I have worked tirelessly with accountants since 2016, but something was missing. After some deep soul-searching, I discovered the missing piece.
There are thousands of women seeking to create a deeply nourishing business to complement their thirst to live a life that truly lights them up. And I am perfectly positioned to guide and mentor female, service-based business owners to achieve the business excitement they’ve always dreamed of and the freedom they’ve always craved – aka, their Wildest Dreams.
So, I teamed up with Jay Verrico to deliver our Business Strategy and Mindset Mastery Collab program called MyndSync, and this is where the magic began to happen.
I realised I’m passionate about business improvement, personal development and heart-centred alignment. I have the unique perspective as a coach of being able to take a numbers approach that is practical and realistic. I also have qualifications in coaching, keynote speaking and hypnotherapy to support my coaching methodology.
Bravery plus (+) pragmatism equals (=) self-actualisation
Having been on this journey myself, I’ve realised that becoming the best you can possible be requires a unique blend of both bravery and pragmatism; without bravery you can still be pragmatic in business, but the action you take won’t be in the right spots. Without pragmatism, you can still be brave but – ultimately – nothing will change.
My journey reflects a willingness to do things differently, and to have the courage to take risks backed by sound business knowledge to achieve my goals.
And now, I’m committed to bringing my business improvement methodology to you, so that you can find the clarity, courage, and confidence you need to purposefully achieve the business excitement you’ve always dreamed of and the freedom you’ve always craved.
Behind the Scenes
You’ll usually find me cooking good, hearty comfort food with some happy, upbeat music playing in the background as I dance around the kitchen. I like to cook from scratch, using lots of really nourishing veggies and creating something to bring warmth and comfort.
I also love curling up with a good book and getting lost in a story. I’m a huge Disney fan and can always lose myself in a Disney movie, (although Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings are pretty close contenders too!). I’m a music lover from way back – I grew up playing music, it’s in my blood. I’ll always have some form of music on in the background to inspire my mood.
Professional Qualifications
If you’re anything like me, you like to do your due diligence before you start working with a coach. So, although you know I like mushrooms and Moana, you’re might be left wondering what authority I have in calling myself a Business Improvement Coach.
I have a B.Bus, FCPA and am a JP(Qual). As the founder of The Small Business Project, I’ve helped over 150 accountants learn how to offer high-value ongoing advisory through my signature course Business Metamorphosis™ which forms part of our 3-phase Small Business Project certification. I’m also the co-founder of The Small Business Marketing Space, a marketing agency guiding firms in brand positioning and marketing high-value advisory services.
You can also check out my LinkedIn profile to see my professional experience and qualifications.
Contact
Phone
(+61) 0409 587 322
lynda@lyndasteffens.com
Address
2/27 Bath Street, Labrador QLD