Today we’d like to introduce you to LaVale Reavis.
Hi LaVale, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As the daughter of “Auntie Anne” and Jonas Beiler, I grew up in a small, family-owned business turned international franchise. I began working at age 11 and became the first Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels franchisee in Texas at 18. At 23, we (business partner/sister) won the contract to become the first generation of food vendors in the newly constructed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. This was an important project for the City of Austin and a real proving ground for my emerging business abilities. By age 24, we owned and operated 10 Auntie Anne’s locations throughout Central Texas with over 200 employees, many of whom I coached and advised. These early years built the foundation of business knowledge and leadership development that grew into a passion for small businesses and the dedicated owners who make it all happen.
I worked closely with my parents as their mission expanded into the world of non-profits and land development. I served as Executive Director at Family Resource and Counseling Center, founded by my father. My role included working with a Board of Directors and guiding the organization through strategic planning, business development, and leadership transitions. I later became CEO of a land development company, also founded by my parents, with the mission of bringing services and opportunities to a largely rural and underserved area. In this role, I oversaw a variety of initiatives including a tenant-based community center, restaurant, self-storage business, historic bed and breakfast, small water utility, and commercial and industrial land development with $60M+ in assets. This projected was located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
In 2013, my husband and I became partners/investors in two limestone quarries in Central Texas. This experience grew my understanding of the dirty details of partnerships and investing. It was a worthwhile venture ending in the sale of our shares in 2020.
During this time, I began my coaching practice and discovered my passion for helping business owners overcome challenges and live inspired lives. This work is true to my nature and deeply fulfilling.
In April of 2021, we sold everything we owned and moved to Roatan, Honduras. It’s been a wild adventure full of lessons and self-reflection. Our values are changing and our awareness of the world is expanding! My coaching work continues with very little interruption thanks to greater acceptance of remote working arrangements.
Currently, I am living and working between Roatan and Central Texas. I travel often to spend time with family and work with clients. My only son lives and works in Central Texas. He is a young entrepreneur with real grit and ability. I am so proud of him! (Side note: I was 21 and a single-mother when he was born while owning/operating ten retail locations.)
I am passionate about bringing all of my experience to the service of business owners through insightful and practical coaching. My ideal client is a true owner/operator of a brick and mortar business who wants to improve and grow their business and overall satisfaction as a business owner.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I laughed out loud at this question! NO. It has not been a smooth road! I like lists, so here is a list of the challenges along the way:
1. At 18, I was a VERY young woman business owner. It was challenging to get people to take me seriously but it just motivated me to work harder and be better. I learned to let my work speak for itself and to mind my business when it concerned other people’s opinions of me.
2. At 21, I became a single mother (father was 100% absent). It was a struggle because I loved my son very much and also had a big job to do! So I took him with me everywhere. To high-level meetings. To dinner. To all employee meetings. To the office. Everywhere. I had lots of help. My employees became my village and we all raised him together. It was a magical time but also extremely personally challenging. I learned that women build villages, not corporations. And it benefits everyone.
3. I didn’t go to college until I was in my late 30’s. I went into business instead. This often made me feel like a fraud when I was around other business owners and professionals with degrees and I allowed it to dictate my sense of self. Over time, I learned that I can ask experts for help anytime I need it AND I have a few expertises of my own to offer.
4. Being a young woman in predominantly male business environments can be daunting and unsettling. I created strong values for myself to live by and I surrounded myself with some good men & women who always had my back professionally.
5. I failed at things. A lot of things. It hurt, but I always figured a way through and out.
6. At 33, my dad asked me to be the CEO of his land development company. It was a fairly new project with lots of promise for the community and for my family. Unfortunately, the crash in 2008 and a few badly timed decisions impacted the project beyond repair and it became my job to get my parents out of it without losing everything they had worked so hard for. It became my job to unwind the whole thing. It took years and it was very painful for my parents. This was the hardest job of my life. They barely avoided bankruptcy. There were so many lessons here.
7. Raising a teenager is hard. He’s 24 and thriving now, but MAN that was hard!
8. Marriage.
9. Launching my coaching practice! It’s been a process of refinement all along the way. My work now is finally aligned with my values and strengths, but that didn’t happen overnight. This is the first time I have ever been in business by myself and for myself. It’s been a lesson in confidence – knowing that I know what I know and trusting that my people will find me and pay me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business experience has made me a very agile business coach. I have worked in many industries and understand the $100,000 business just as well as the $200M business. I have found that business and leadership principles are fairly similar across industries and business sizes. BUT, it’s really about the people who work hard everyday and make it all happen. My coaching approach is about the WHOLE business, including helping the owner grow personally. In a very practical way, a business can only grow in step with its leader’s willingness to grow personally.
I have refined my services to four primary offerings.
1:1 Owner Coaching
WHOLE Business Bootcamp
Speaking & Teaching
Mentorship for New & Young Entrepreneurs
In 1:1 Owner Coaching, I meet regularly with you to assist in navigating the world of your business. This is a highly personalized coaching experience and the agenda is determined by the needs of your business. Very often this work centers around leadership, the numbers, and growth strategies – and always covers more. 1:1 Owner Coaching is high-level coaching for business owners who want to grow, change, or transition their business.
I like to think of the Whole Business Bootcamp as a tune-up for your business. Over the course of 4 months, we “pop the hood” on your business and inspect every function looking for what’s working well and what needs improvement. This program is perfect if you need a fresh burst of clarity, insight, and enthusiasm as a business owner. You will walk away confident that you are minding your WHOLE business.
I am available for Speaking & Teaching on a variety of business subjects. For example, I am offering a Small Business Workshop in ATX on April 24th. The title of the workshop is Branding: Beyond the Logo and you will learn what your brand actually is, how the customer experiences your brand, why competition is good for your brand, and how to elevate your brand through operational excellence.
Currently, my Mentorship for Young & New Entrepreneurs is wait-list only. I work with young and new entrepreneurs at no charge to help them launch their first business. This work is very rewarding and I am so proud of the businesses launched into the world because of it.
I currently meet with clients remotely and in-person during my regular trips to ATX. I have clients all over the US, not just in Texas. However, I’m a Texas girl at heart and the business community there is my current priority.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes!
1. I can do my work from a variety of locations without affecting the quality received by my clients.
2. Life (the world) is so fragile and unpredictable. Handle with care!
3. The business environment is actively and dramatically changing for the better. Entrepreneurship and small business ownership is on the rise and will be the ultimate stabilizer of smaller, more local economies.
4. I actually need far less than I thought I did pre-Covid.
5. Small business owners are a fierce and determined bunch. These are my people and I truly care about their survival and future success.
6. At 45, my “bounce-back” is slower than it used to be, but it doesn’t matter. I can start over at any pace I choose and anytime I want. The only thing pushing me or pulling me now is me.
Contact Info:
- Email: lavale@wholebusinesscoaching.com
- Instagram: @wholebusinesscoach
- Facebook: @wholebusinesscoach
Image Credits
Jenna Brooke Clark Photography the last photo only (me facing left) – J. Genevieve
