"To me, it is all about being a visionary leader."
Mia Hewett is a best-selling author, an internationally known speaker, and a Life and Business Coach, although you could also call her a Brain Coach. When Mia was in her thirties, she was incredibly successful and co-owned a multi-million dollar company. She had the whole package — financially secure, with children and a beautiful home, yet she still secretly struggled, trying to find a sense of fulfillment.
Drawing on previous life experience, Mia created the Aligned Intelligence Method®. It’s not about a “hustle message”; this is a real methodology used by other doctors, including Dr. Shahrzad Khorashadi from Harvard University! Mia has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs stop self-sabotaging to then go on to reach six and seven figures in their businesses.
Her book, Meant for More, explains her journey to discovering how to reach her full potential and explains how readers can follow the same steps. Mia is a contributor to Thrive Global, founded by Arianna Huffington. Mia has also been featured in The Huffington Post and Forbes. Mia grew up poor, and there’s a huge story behind how she uncovered what was stopping her and every human being from living their potential and now she shares her unique methodology that works consistently and predictably to achieve desired results.
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Table of Contents
Let’s start with a brief introduction first. Introduce yourself to our readers.
Mia Hewett: During my 20s, I just wanted to make money. After growing up poor — and I mean really poor (my dog died because our house was so infested with fleas they literally sucked the blood out of him), my main aim was to be financially stable. I just never wanted to be poor again or have children until I could give them everything I never had. By my 30s, I had it all (at least materially).
I co-owned a seven-figure business and had a wonderful life — happy children, a beautiful house, and horses, but still, I felt like something was missing… something I couldn’t seem to figure out. The more coaching, therapy, and seminars I attended, the more frustrated I became. I tried everything, I followed all the guidance, but nothing seemed to have any long-term effect. In fact, I began to feel guilty for not being able to “sort myself out.”
Our audience is interested to know about how you got started in the first place. Did you always want to become a CEO or was it something you were led to? Our readers would love to know your story!
Mia Hewett: I never even considered becoming a business and life coach. 36 years ago, I just wanted to make money and followed a more conventional path. I co-owned an insurance firm, as it felt less riskier since everyone needed to carry insurance. It became very successful, generating seven-plus figures annually. Yet, I still secretly struggled with self-doubt, self-sabotage, and feeling inadequate. Looking back, I knew I wasn’t living my true purpose, but at the time, I felt so lost, and I just didn’t understand how, “I had accomplished what many would call success, done so much, and yet still felt so insecure,” but I just felt like a fraud!
Money really wasn’t an issue; I spent almost half a million dollars seeking out the top coaches, therapists, and attending VIP sections of various seminars. I was so desperate to figure out what was “wrong with me.” That’s when I discovered something that changed me permanently, and I knew I wanted to share it with everyone I could. That’s why I wrote my book, Meant For More.
“Selfmade” is a myth. We all received help, no doubt you love to show appreciation to those who supported you when the going got tough, who has been your most important professional inspiration?
Mia Hewett: My inspiration, both professionally and personally, has to be Arianna Huffington. She was only 16 when she moved to England from Greece before relocating to the USA. Not only is she the founder of The Huffington Post and Thrive Global, she is also an environmental activist and author of numerous international best-selling books. Her story shows that when actions align with what you really want, you can make the impossible happen! Thrive Global is about ending preconceptions about what it takes to be successful and is spreading a message that aligns with everything I believe.
How did your journey lead you to become a CEO? What difficulties did you face along the way and what did you learn from them?
Mia Hewett: My main challenge was starting from nothing, and I mean, I literally left my home at 18 with just a small bag of clothes. I stayed with friends doing odd jobs for over a year. Then, I met a man who had just started an insurance company and started working 80 hours a week, just to save as much money as possible.
My goal was to save as much money as quickly as possible and learn as much as I could. Eventually, I became a co-owner of my insurance firm. Living with very little was something I was already used to; what it did teach me was that when we focus on the wrong things (for me, that was money), we will never feel fulfilled and will always just be chasing the next “external way” to feel good about ourselves.
Tell us about your company. What does your business do and what are your responsibilities as a CEO?
Mia Hewett: My company is basically a powerhouse to help entrepreneurs (or those who aspire to be) to live the lives they know they are meant for. I run a 5-day challenge and a more intensive year-long programme called “The Awakened Entrepreneur.” As the CEO, I am responsible for managing my company’s overall operation. This includes having a vivid vision and strategy for our message and marketing to reach as many people as possible. This means delegating and directing agendas, driving profitability with my team, as well as being active on my social media platforms and deciding what and where to spend our advertising and marketing dollars.
What does CEO stand for? Beyond the dictionary definition, how would you define it?
Mia Hewett: To me, it is all about being a visionary leader.
Lead with A Compelling Vision — our mission is to help 5000 Entrepreneurs to Awaken to the Truth of who they are so that they can then make 6-7 figures in their businesses, living their purpose, making the difference and impact they are meant to make.
Passion, Purpose & Perseverance are what drives us. Having a team that lives and breathes our company values are:
- All In — No middle ground
- Integrity — Say what you mean and mean what you say-Honor your word.
- Have A We, Not Me Attitude
- Alignment first — then Action. Always Favor Aligned Action
- Care More — When in Doubt Care MORE
- Always Look To Be of Service, and Earn People’s Trust.
- Progress over Perfection
- Results over Reasons
- Competence over credentials
- All ways lead with Openness, Honesty, and Authenticity
When you first became a CEO, how was it different from what you expected? What surprised you?
Mia Hewett: What hit me was, “wow, I have made it, I am at the top of my game, but I’m still not happy.” Now, that has all changed, because I am no longer self-sabotaging, and what I am doing now is my purpose. I suppose what’s surprised me the most is that when you start aligning your inner self with your actions, whatever you WANT — money, more freedom, it will happen. What really amazed me is that it happens without trying harder, working longer hours, or giving up the “real you.”
There are many schools of thought as to what a CEO’s core roles and responsibilities are. Based on your experience, what are the main things a CEO should focus on? Explain and please share examples or stories to illustrate your vision.
Mia Hewett: The CEO should ensure company culture reflects their own core values. Mine are openness, honesty, and authenticity. I encourage everyone involved in my business to embrace these values by making sure I lead by example. I suppose that sums it up; the CEO’s core role is to guide others by demonstrating the values they expect everyone to follow and creating a positive and supportive work culture. Responsibilities are a little different. If I had to be specific, I would say the most important aspect of the CEO’s duty is to ensure the business model can adapt in this ever-changing world, and there are procedures and processes in place to ignite growth.
Communication is the glue that creates a collaborative culture. Employees should always be made to feel like part of the business, not just a replaceable commodity. One of the ways I do this is by bringing my true self to every conversation. You don’t have to be the “boss” all of the time; it’s good to show your more vulnerable side. Trust, respect, and loyalty are built by being genuine.
Share with us one of the most difficult decisions you had to make for your company that benefited your employees or customers. What made this decision so difficult and what were the positive impacts?
Mia Hewett: Not controlling everything. In the beginning, I was worried that if I didn’t make all the decisions, I would lose sight of how things were being done. Most of all, I was anxious that if I let another person make a decision, it might be wrong and misrepresent who I am as it can take years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.
When I did relinquish certain responsibilities and put my trust in my team, having policies and procedures for them to flourish, our business started to have a global influence. This means that we can help so many more people, which allows us to live our mission and impact the lives of so many people.
How would you define success? Does it mean generating a certain amount of wealth, gaining a certain level of popularity, or helping a certain number of people?
Mia Hewett: Success is being connected to your inner self and trusting your internal guidance system, making the impact and difference with the people you were here to make. When you are fulfilled, living your purpose, and not concerned about being judged for your actions, but making a lasting difference for your clients, wildlife, children and the environment, that is success!
All I know is that when you focus on solely wealth, or trying to be popular, you will go round in circles battling self-doubt and limiting beliefs. The only way to truly be successful and fulfilled is by first knowing your inner self, and then taking action that aligns with your life’s purpose to make the impact and difference with the people you were meant to serve here; so that you can then leave a legacy by leaving this world better place than when you found it.
Some leadership skills are innate while others can be learned. What leadership skills do you possess innately and what skills have you cultivated over the years as a CEO?
Mia Hewett: Innately, that’s an interesting word! What I teach is that we all have the power from birth to create the life we want by being the person we are meant to be. Everything I am, my talent, if you like, has been part of me from day one! The skills I have developed are different. Since launching my coaching business, I have refined how to speak on camera, express my teachings, and give guidance in written formats.
How did your role as a CEO help your business overcome challenges caused by the pandemic? Explain with practical examples.
Mia Hewett: The pandemic has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people searching for other ways to generate income. Coaching as an industry has grown exponentially, and as the CEO, my main challenge was to support our clients by showing them how to swiftly adapt their business models in various ways so that they actually prospered during the pandemic.
Do you have any advice for aspiring CEOs and future leaders? What advice would you give a CEO that is just starting out on their journey?
Mia Hewett: The journey of entrepreneurship is the ultimate journey of self. Investing in your own growth and expansion is what will allow you to know how to connect to your inner self, trusting your internal guidance system, being able to process your emotions, having the skills to be truly present with people, communicating effectively what needs to be communicated, being a visionary leader that others want to follow by not getting hung up on the need to look good or the need to be right but by allowing yourself and your company to be adaptable to market changes and demands, always making the best decisions by keeping your vision on the whole and not an individual. This is how you will create a better future and enjoy the journey along the way!
Thank you for sharing some of your knowledge with our readers! They would also like to know, what is one skill that you’ve always wanted to acquire but never really could?
Mia Hewett: I would love to be able to apply perfect eyeliner! 😉
Before we finish things off, we have one final question for you. If you wrote a book about your life today, what would the title be?
Mia Hewett: “Nobody’s f#$%ing coming! Because nobody ever needed to come.”
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Mia Hewett for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Mia Hewett or her company, you can do it through her – Instagram
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