Here at House of Coco, we are all about women empowering other women; and this is what GirlBoss Natali Cohen has achieved with her coaching venture – Zestfulness. After spending twelve years of her life as a personal trainer, Natali transformed her passion for fitness into a business that helps women realise their goals — both in fitness and in life. With Zestfulness, Natali Cohen encourages Ownership of your Goals with Natali Cohen, empowering women to take charge of their aspirations and lead fulfilling lives.
According to Natali, Zestfulness is all about teaching people to know their worth. Today, women are often plagued with a barrage of expectations — from having the perfect body, perfect career, and even the perfect family life. By setting these expectations aside, Natali helps her clients take ownership of their lives through the balance of mind and body, enthusiasm, and weekly achievable goals. All this makes Zestfulness a program that helps people tear down the barriers to their own success — and Natali Cohen, a GirlBoss we can all get behind.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, what inspired you to start Zestfulness?
I have always been passionate about fitness. I started my career as a personal trainer, and for 12 years I thoroughly enjoyed helping my clients achieve their fitness goals. During this time, I began to learn more about the importance of the mind as well as the body in enabling you to achieve your goals. Two years ago, this learning curve inspired me to start Zestfulness. The aim was to empower my clients by helping them to find their inner zing.
What is the essence of Zestfulness? Could you talk us through your business philosophy?
Zestfulness is enthusiasm, excitement, and interest — the key ingredients to help people achieve their goals! The essence of Zestfulness is to “Know Your Worth,” as self-belief is the first step to achievement. My philosophy is to have precise and achievable weekly goals written down that I can take action on. I try not to have an enormous to-do list, as I find this overwhelming and unproductive. Another philosophy I try to live by is to practice being flexible. We all know that life doesn’t always go to plan, so acknowledging this and always moving forward is essential to achieving your ultimate goal.
How does the Zestfulness program help people achieve their goals?
Zestfulness is about allowing people to take ownership. It is a very personal process, therefore I never tell a client what to do. Each Zestfulness program is unique to the client. We focus on strategies and working on any barriers which have been holding them back. It is inspiring to see how quickly after the session, clients are taking action and making things happen. It does help that there is Zestfulness homework as this is when goals are achieved.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?
My biggest challenge was the stigma people have about having a life coach; and the misconception that there must be something “wrong” with people if they need a coach. There was an image that I would make clients meditate for hours on end, go vegan, and hug trees. Slowly, people became less dubious and I had to explain that Zestfulness is only about what a client wants to do — and not what I think they should do. They will only hug trees if they want to.
What’s next for you and Zestfulness? Are there any new exciting projects in the pipeline?
The next step for Zestfulness is to continue to spread the “know your worth” message, which initially inspired me to launch the brand. I would like to enable more people to experience this way of thinking. The most rewarding part of my job has always been seeing the results — whether that be in terms of fitness or in the mind. When clients gain the realisation that they CAN do something which they previously had a barrier up against, is the best feeling. There are many exciting projects in the pipeline over the next few months all of which will focus on spreading the Zestfulness mantra.
What advice do you have for women who would like to become a GirlBoss like yourself?
My advice is to stop waiting for the right time to start something. As an entrepreneur, you will have many highs and lows. It is extremely important that on those low days, you keep your end goal in sight and remember why you started. It can be scary, but it is worth it in the long term. My main advice is that some people will not see your vision and you will hear the word no a lot! It is important to surround yourself with people that encourage and support you, and don’t waste precious energy on those that do not see your vision.
