The Confident Entrepreneur With Jennifer Ann Johnson

The Business Healer: Aligning Your Inner and Outer Success With Kareen Walsh

• Jennifer Ann Johnson • Season 3 • Episode 29

Share episode

What if your personal evolution is the key to business success? Meet Kareen Walsh, the "business healer" who helps entrepreneurs grow by aligning inner work with strategy.

Kareen invites us to see business not as identity, but as a vehicle to build the life we want. Her EVOLVE method—Evaluate, Visualize, Own, Leverage, Validate, Exit—guides leaders through intentional, sustainable growth rooted in clarity and self-awareness.

She also shares advice for navigating comparison, turning envy into insight about your true desires.

Follow Kareen on Instagram @KareenZWalsh or explore her free resources in the "Hey Kareen" app.

Visit us at jenniferannjohnson.com and learn how Jennifer can help you build the life you dream of with her online academy, blog, one-on-one coaching, and a variety of other resources!

Jennifer Johnson:

In the world of business, we're often focused on external strategies, marketing plans and financial projections and growth hacks. But if the key to unlocking your true potential as an entrepreneur lies within, what if your inner world is just as crucial to your success as your business plan? Today, we're diving deep into the intersection of personal growth and business success, with our special guest, Kareen Walsh. Of personal growth and business success with our special guest, corrine Walsh. She's a visionary business leader and a personal people strategist. She's an author, a podcaster, an investor. Oh my gosh, I'm absolutely exhausted already. You do so much Seven-figure business building on. Oh, she works with seven-figure. She's a seven-figure business building entrepreneur, making her the ultimate business healer.

Jennifer Johnson:

With nearly two decades of experience optimizing performance in health and wellness, e-commerce, technology and finance industries, corrine has a proven track record of helping C-suite executives turn their vision of impact into action, often 10X-ing their investment. Corrine is on a mission to help you integrate your inner business with your vision for external impact, so you can get out of your own way and stand in alignment. In this transformative episode, we'll explore Corrine's unique, evolved mythology, uncover the secrets of successful entrepreneurs and learn how to recognize when it's time to let go of things that no longer serve us. We'll delve into Corrine's own healing journey and discover how it shaped her approach to strategic business guidance. Welcome, thank you. Thank you for that beautiful intro. You are pretty impressive, and everything that I've read about you, I keep hearing about you being the business healer. What does that mean?

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, it's been an interesting journey. I used to be like the fixer or the closer, or it was more of like the strategic harshness that I would have to come in and reconfigure businesses.

Kareen Walsh:

So in my 20s I did a lot of mergers and acquisition, operational streamlining that was a lot of words, but basically what I would go in and find was the errors and then I would come up with the solutions and fix it. And I was always the leader that came in to bring in optimization, efficiency, manage the people, align the people, people all the things and at the time I think it created a lot of micro traumas. Right like, change is not easy for all people. Um, and as I developed my own eq and ability to um, serve from more of a nurturing standpoint, still be very strategic and integrate those two energies, it showed up as actual healing.

Kareen Walsh:

And business Like it was get to the root of where we are struggling the most. But when you're dealing with people, which all business is, there's always the people factor of it. There has to be some healing that occurs in order for the business to have the stronger foundation to move forward. So business healer was started to become a, a way of people labeling me um in essence, because it was like, yeah, we're going to correct your business, we're going to make your business thrive, but like make sure we actually are doing it from a whole place, not a fractured place because of, maybe potential traumas that have happened in the business beforehand.

Jennifer Johnson:

So what was it that really? I know you said you started doing that in your twenties, but what was it? How did you find your way to that? Like, how did you find that you were the person that came in to fix these broken businesses? I'm sure you know it's not something.

Kareen Walsh:

Someone goes to school for no, um, it comes with experience. I think where where I have an innate energy is that I've always been solution oriented and like move forward. I would say, though, the way I handled that young was at the detriment of my own health, and I had to realize that it doesn't have to be this dysfunctional, or the suffer for success model is not something that aligns with like how I wanted to step into the world. So, because I was such a capable leader, so young and really like, the only difference I really saw between me and other people was the fact that I was willing to make a decision, like you know like that you realize that made you light years ahead of other people.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, super young, I think. Also I had to navigate as a child coming from or a young adult, I should say, coming in a from a fractured household in order to survive that environment and still feel like I was achieving. Because I went to I was fortunate where I went to, you know college prep school, before going to college, which then you know the demands are super high, but there was so much dysfunction at home I had to kind of keep up with the Joneses and like show this appearance of success, and so I learned the masking techniques that occur when you still need to achieve. However, on the inside could be a little fractured. So, like my healing journey, definitely start. My own personal healing journey is what created then the ability to stand in a more authentic leadership stance and then start to show other people how, because I had to overcome a lot of the, the learnings that just were not aligned with how I wanted to show up in life.

Jennifer Johnson:

Right, you just touched on something about. You know that people see and I'm kind of taking this back to things that people see now where we don't feel we keeping up with the Joneses. We see everybody else on on social media and they appear to have it all. They appear to be extremely successful. Well, I'm doing this, or I'm here, you know, I'm taking shots of myself in Ibiza and I'm working remotely from Ibiza, like all of these things, and then we start going oh wow, I am not anywhere near that, I'm chained to my desk or my office, or how do you deal with that? And I know that's kind of off what we're talking about, but I feel like, because business owner to business owner, that's who we're talking to and a lot of us feel that way- yeah, 100%.

Kareen Walsh:

So comparison, but also aspiration. So there's both happening in those moments, right Like, there's probably something that you're aspiring for. When you see that post that feels unreachable to you, that's probably because you're like, oh man, wouldn't that be so cool if my life showed up that way. So aspiration is one thing to actually recognize and say I might want that. So what is my path to that? Right Like? I think that the difference in the where you can create trauma for yourself or a problem is is when you are comparing it and thinking you're not enough to actually go and achieve it.

Kareen Walsh:

So see it as aspiration. You have no idea what's going on behind the scenes of that person. You also don't know what's in the bank. So the other thing that I like to come you know like, I like to like bottom line and I was like that's great, those are gorgeous posts, but like what's happening in the bank account? Because just because there's all this outbound push, you have no idea what it's actually generating for that particular person.

Kareen Walsh:

So be real with yourself and say, and I would, I would I always start to go in first.

Kareen Walsh:

I asked myself, like if that's something I desire, then who do I have to become to step into that and what are the shifts I need to do? Because the only thing you have control over, the only thing you have control over in this life is yourself and learning that super young and realizing wait, I have complete control about how I choose to show up, how I choose to react to something, how I choose to take action, how I choose to walk away. Like those are the, those are the privileges of being a sovereign adult in in America, especially. Like we still have that privilege. So like why wouldn't we make more conscious choices for ourselves first? So whenever that downer energy comes in after seeing something I would definitely start to question well, what is it? Is it something cause that's what I really desire? Or is there something going on in my world right now that I actually need to change so I can feel lighter, more excited and connect to the life I'm leading?

Jennifer Johnson:

I'm glad you said lighter, because my whole thought process going through what we're talking about is, once you really put your finger on what success looks like to you, meaning what your end result you want to be then, you, then you can start mapping out that path, how to get there, and that instantly makes you feel like, oh, this is okay.

Kareen Walsh:

You know, I'll tell you that some people struggle with not going through struggle on how to get started right, because we tend to be in the same loop until new information comes in and then that gets expanded into the loop of what we know. So I'm always you know what are the questions you need to ask, or what are you questioning, and get to the people that have gone before you faster and start asking those questions. So, if there is something that you want, like, go ask somebody who's gone before you, because I guarantee someone has, I guarantee it. Like, your ideas are not so new and fresh that someone else hasn't done it. You've been influenced by something that you desire, so you want to go figure that out.

Kareen Walsh:

Um, so asking the questions faster is like the first thing I think about on that, which is why I launched my latest app, but I I feel like the other part of it is we need to slow down and like pause, to truly assess, like where am I right now? And if I desire something different in the future, then what is it that I that I need to start bringing into my life to help me inch towards it, and I had created years ago it's called Strategic Life Planning Accelerator. I have that and it's it's available in my app if anyone wants it. It's called Strategic Life Planning Accelerator. I have that and it's available in my app If anyone wants it. It's free, but it helps you.

Jennifer Johnson:

What's your app, by the way?

Kareen Walsh:

Oh, sorry, yeah, so it's called Hey Kareen. It's called Hey Kareen. We're in the middle of the launch, actually right now, but it just literally has gotten into the Apple and the Google Play Store. So hey Kareem is a centralized place where you can get access to all my resources. But, most of all, I cloned myself in AI so that you can actually come in and ask your questions from someone who has 20 plus years of experience and exposure and a coaching stance, and go ahead and get the support you need.

Kareen Walsh:

Sorry, I forgot I didn't share that with you earlier, but yeah, so that's, that's the place, but I but the the SLP program. Why I want to share that is that if you're feeling stuck on, like what is the vision right that you have for yourself Cause a lot of us don't even pause to ask like, what do I even want that program will guide you through it. There's a lovely workbook, but it will guide you through those prompted questions to set aside the time to start thinking about it what do you want for your finances? What do you want in your home life, what do you want in your relationships? And it really helps you figure out, like, the level of impact you want and you start to paint your ultimate vision, as I like to call it, and then work through the actions between now and there, and I'll tell you that there is actually much closer than you think once you do this exercise, because it's just a matter of then now directing your energy towards that clear vision.

Jennifer Johnson:

I love that, so that's on your app.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, it's one of the resources on the app and it's free, so I would definitely check it out and I'll put that in our in our show notes as well.

Kareen Walsh:

Now you work with a lot of entrepreneurs, yeah, okay, and I know that it's going to be different for everybody, but is there one or two or three different kind of secret sauces if you will, or little, I want to call them secret sauces that really move the needle on businesses that you yeah, so the number one thing I've ever for every entrepreneur I've ever worked with and every like C-suite leader that is trying to create an outcome right, like you're in your when you're titling yourself an entrepreneur, it means you're trying to own an entity to earn for you, like I try to make it super practical, like, what is this about? A lot of the times, I see the problem of entrepreneurs attaching their identity like to the actual business where, really, if you practice a little bit of detachment to say I am building this business for means to create the life I want, right, am building this business for means to create the life I want, right, like it's meant to fuel your life and just shift it a little bit, of seeing it as a machine for you to run or drive, or a car that you're driving like a vehicle to create wealth for you, then it's about asking yourself, who do I have to become to drive it to the destination that I'm hoping for?

Kareen Walsh:

And so the deep dive into who do you have to become. I think is what has propelled most of the entrepreneurs I've worked with, because I get into. I love that we can build a strategy for days. I love that I could show you how, like I show you all the things you need to do in your business to earn the thing. But if you are not willing to become who you need to be to lead it, all these strategies will get flushed down the toilet anyway and I don't want you wasting money on my services to do that. So I always start with the core of who do you have to become? And each entrepreneur has a specific role that is innate to them, especially if they're the ones that have started the business. So if you have that founder, ceo, slash I, you know. I guarantee you're in a conundrum regarding the role you're meant to play in your business.

Kareen Walsh:

Of course that slash means a problem, because that means you're not super clear on the role you're actually meant to play in this particular business that you have started. My whole goal, too, is to help entrepreneurs get into that the attachment energy of becoming the owner. So you are responsible and you really care about the outcomes. But you want to make sure that you're building it in a way that if you ever want to exit that, you can step into that. So in my Evolve methodology, which you you mentioned earlier, it is a six part Evolve is an acronym.

Jennifer Johnson:

We're going to go through that for sure.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, I think that's going to be really crucial, yeah, so then the who do you know who sorry, who do you have to become piece is what's critical for that methodology to work. And the CEO conundrum that happens when you're the CEO founder, like you have that slash in the middle is generally one of three distinct roles, and so that's also an acronym, where you have creator, entrepreneur and operator as a zone to stay within. And if you're not sure what that is, of course I have a tool for you that will help you identify it, because I'm all about action. Tool for you that will help you identify it because I'm all about action. Like I try to remove all excuses. I don't like just theory. I have. You have to have actionable.

Jennifer Johnson:

Right Now. You said and I I'm going to ask you this. You said you know when there's that slash. So let's say you're calling yourself the owner slash founder. Do you just say I'm the founder If you are growing it and wanting to be able to eventually exit someday?

Kareen Walsh:

instead. Yeah Well, it depends on the role you're meant to play in the business, cause to me, a founder is is defined as the creator who started it. So you came up with the concept and so really you're in a creator stance of that three part thing, the CEO conundrum piece. So if you are truly the creator, then I would actually call yourself, you know, the chief product officer, like I would give you if you're still in the weeds of running something in that business. Give yourself the title that not only people externally will understand but also internally know how to come to you and know how they're going to grow with you, because when you identify that, then you go higher for the rest, because you're not meant to be all the things. So, founder is great, you founded that company, fantastic.

Kareen Walsh:

But what is your role in it? And if, in general, you see, founder of actually after there was an exit, right, like right, because you no longer are playing a role, that's to me where it makes sense. I founded this thing, I sold this thing, I'm no longer in it. Whereas, like, your title matters in my opinion and the way I've helped guide entrepreneurs is that get clear on the role you're playing right now, because then that just exponentially accelerates how you interact with others in achieving what you want in your business. Because you're clear on your lane, like you're clear on how you are impacting the business, so that now you and everyone else is clear on theirs too. Because if everyone started calling there, if you have co-founders too, that's confusing. It is confusing. It's like no, what's your? So I'm the one that is responsible for this and she, she is responsible for this. Great Like. We know our lanes and this is how we work together.

Jennifer Johnson:

Know your piece of the puzzle, know where you get within. That puzzle Makes sense. It also helps you embody it, you know.

Kareen Walsh:

So a founder is like nebulous in my opinion.

Jennifer Johnson:

I have founder on my business card.

Kareen Walsh:

No, no, we all do. I do too.

Jennifer Johnson:

I had it for the longest time, but you know it's if you're not involved every like. Well, I take that back. I am involved, but I'm not like physically.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, then that's great. That makes sense that you're the founder of something, that that you'll tend to be serviced by someone else. So you can be the Pied Piper and attract the business in, but you're not the one that's like doing the work Right.

Jennifer Johnson:

You know we talk a lot about working on your business, not always in your business and you know that that all goes around. How it exemplifies yeah, exactly so evolve. Yes, Obviously an acronym. What does it stand for? Let's go through all the steps, because I feel like this is going to be so cool.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, so cool. Thanks, it's been fun. The Evolve methodology is something that I realized that I had been doing, but I didn't have the fun name for it, so what was so great is that I constantly kept saying I help businesses evolve, I help leaders evolve. I was like Karine. What does that mean? I was like.

Kareen Walsh:

Actually I have a six program and evolve is a really good acronym, right. So we have in the evolved model you have to picture a cycle. So evolution continues like it is a continuous growth cycle and the way we first get started in the methodology is the first to evaluate where you are today. So the first E is to evaluate and have a retrospective exercise. That I do with everyone. Actually do it monthly. You get out monthly for anyone who wants to join for free. Also, that's a monthly call I do, but it's really just to help you assess where you are today, towards what it is you're trying to go towards, and make sure that we know where you are.

Kareen Walsh:

So that when we go into action steps, we know exactly what needs to happen next. So the first E is evaluate, and then the V, the first V. It's so funny that there are two Vs. There's two in there.

Jennifer Johnson:

As you're telling me them.

Kareen Walsh:

Amazing. So the first V is visualize. So that's that visioning exercise. So now that we know where you are, well, where are you trying to go?

Jennifer Johnson:

Right.

Kareen Walsh:

Because everyone states I want to grow, I want to grow, I want to grow. Well, growth can happen in so many ways, but what's it all for If we don't understand the pure destination? And my visualization exercises that I facilitate. It's not just about your business. It's about, again, who you're trying to become and what does that fuel for your life. So it's highly integrative where, if you're going to lead this thing, we got to be clear on why you want to lead it and what does it provide you in your life.

Jennifer Johnson:

So the first V is about your why.

Kareen Walsh:

It's your visualization on your why, and then what it looks like, what it feels like, what it smells, like the tangible things, like you want multiple homes. Do you want to have a family? Tangible things, like you want multiple homes. Do you want to have a family? Like what's going on with your relationships, like we really talk about all areas to then understand for your business and we obviously talk about your business there but how is it going to fuel you stepping into that life you want? Because I think we detach too much sometimes that, again, if we have attachment to the identity that I am the owner of, or this business is me, like the identity to the business is who I am, then we probably are not having the life we truly desire because we're putting it all into that business.

Kareen Walsh:

So the visualization needs to include both Okay, yeah, and then um. The O is own, it is the best way to um, come to it, and then the O is own, it is the best way to come to it, and that's the who do you have to become Right Like that. Those are the exercises and own it of, like that role you're meant to play, getting super clear on your zone of genius. What is it that? When you're looking at that vision, the things that you have to learn, you have to realize, and then then figuring out the who do you need in order to make sure that you're not in it alone and also it's sustainable.

Jennifer Johnson:

So your role matters, yeah, yeah.

Kareen Walsh:

In that, in that phase, and then the L is leverage. So leverage means now breaking down your offers. What is it that gifting that you have? What is this business all about? Like, we look at the business model, we try to figure out what are we gonna leverage in order to earn the outcome? You need to fuel that life that you desire, right? So it kind of integrates into that and in that leverage. That's where I get deep dive into the strategies the type of business you are making sure like your business model is sound, making sure that it actually earns something off your offers. Like how we do it in a lean way or what we need to change. So that's the leverage part.

Jennifer Johnson:

That's the strategy part.

Kareen Walsh:

Yes.

Jennifer Johnson:

Okay, I want to go back to own it really quick. You mentioned something. You know the people that you need, yeah, and I often talk about having a personal board of directors, yes, which I feel is so important. Have you seen coming into meeting all these business people, or you know business owners? Do they already embrace that concept or is it something where they're just they don't even hasn't even crossed their mind that they really need to surround them? It basically is just surrounding yourself with the right people so that you can successfully continue your business. You know whether that's an attorney, an accountant, a marketing person, whatever.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, I think people come in with services that they have used and potential. Like the way I look at your personal board of directors, it's like that's your trusted inner circle, that, like, no matter what is going on with you, you're going to position yourself authentically in front of and make sure that they guide you in a way that also, by knowing you, would help you move forward. That's the way I define it.

Jennifer Johnson:

Absolutely.

Kareen Walsh:

And I would say that a lot of people, especially if they're in a stuck or overwhelmed state, don't have that, because you know so I would say it's a hit or miss. Some of my more conscious leaders are entrepreneurs that I've worked with. Yes, they have their conscious team, they know who to tap into for what directional expertise they need the help with, but I don't think that they do it enough. What you're talking about, and I do think that there is a missing link of knowing that it's okay to have that kind of support, but also it's okay to change it up too as you're growing. Sometimes I have, I have seen that some people get stuck talking to people who only go so far and it's not necessarily aligned, which is why the visualization exercise is key, because we got to know how far you really want to go, what that looks like, so that you're calling in the right inner circle to help you.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, exactly so it takes some realignment sometimes depending on those phases of your business too, but I love that. I mean I have a trusted circle myself of different disciplines, whether it's on my health or my spiritual side, or into the business realm, etc. And it's just a game changer to know you're supported in that way.

Jennifer Johnson:

It definitely is, so we're going to go to the second V yes, validate.

Kareen Walsh:

Okay. So this is the phase where I love because I've been in tech for so long the minimal viable product right, like, where are we going to sell this thing? The first thing. So after leverage we get the offers really clear and then we have to go validate that the market actually wants it the way you're trying to sell it. A lot of the times we sit in building and building and building and we forget to validate for against our ideal market right.

Kareen Walsh:

So that validation step is really like what is? What are we going to do to ensure validation on the ideal offer we're putting out first, or the, the product line or you know whatever type of business, it is, the service, and if we cannot sell at least five at the top price that you were hoping for that top investment, that you were hoping for that top investment, that you were hoping for at least five, then we need to rejig it. And if the five were super easy, like oh yeah, hell, yeah, yeah, that's all, really, that's all. It is Great, then we got to up your pricing. So validation is really about ensuring that the business model that we came up with during the leverage phase, like that, we looked at your business a certain way. Now, this is the testing and the validation is really for us to understand.

Kareen Walsh:

We have a model that will sell Uh, and then we move into the E, the final E, which is exit. So I know that sounds awkward for people who are first starting out, but I do this methodology and a two day immersive with one on one clients and then I do it over time with my, my group coaching. But the exit is something I love to bring up front because we go through this whole cycle together. Because if we don't know how you're going to exit your business and some of it might be let it dies with you, which is fine. But like there are different exit strategies that we need to understand because that informs how we actually build it and again, the detachment you're going to need for when that exit actually shows up for you, right, like we work on that interpersonal side too. But that's the full cycle of the Evolve methodology.

Jennifer Johnson:

So many people miss the last step. Yes, I know I did. Yeah, because you don't. When you're starting a business or you're, you know, in the prime of your business, you're not thinking about exiting. No, but it's so important, just like having a crisis plan is important. You know, you just don't know what's going to happen, or when you're going to get an offer. Unexpectedly. It does happen to people, yeah, and then you don't know. And then, all of a sudden, your identity is gone, because your identity wasn't Because you were so attached to it Exactly.

Kareen Walsh:

And sometimes too, you know and I don't know if you've been through this or have helped people through this too where it's like exiting a certain partnership that's not working. I can't tell you how many times I've had to unravel business partnerships and help my entrepreneurs make sure that they are having the right communication to lead it in the right direction, knowing that that partner is no longer a fit to make sure that that's an exit too. Right. There are different forms of exits, so the exit is not just about selling your business. It's also about, maybe, the role you want to play. So if you want to go from the chief product officer to the owner, that's an exit. You could still own the business, but there's an exit understanding in that to make sure we're building things the right way. And I love bringing up. I love an exit Like I'm meaning, like I love to leave things that no longer are a thing. So I'm like show me the door, I'm walking through it.

Jennifer Johnson:

Exactly, but so many people are afraid to exit and I'm not just talking about their business, but I may be talking about a relationship or whatever it is. Yes, they're afraid to do it because it's going to be a change and people are afraid of change. It rocks their world and a lot of people don't know how to deal with change.

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, I think, I think I embraced that early, early on, because I realized that accepting change and realizing fear does not exist right now allowed me to then create the life I truly desired, versus sitting in an energy of stuckness and accepting that version of myself, right, like what we tolerate. And if we, if it goes into acceptance within us, that's who we are. Yeah, so I, I, um, I always challenge people who sit in in fear, cause I'm like, well, what's really the story you're telling yourself, because it's not. It doesn't exist right now. You can't be afraid of it if you didn't try, if you didn't step into it. So, like, what's the story? Is it something from your past? Are you worried about something in the future happening? Because all you can control is right now.

Kareen Walsh:

I like to, I like to show the things of like little incremental steps. You guys don't have to make big leaps all the time. Sometimes it's just getting more knowledge to feel more certain, to then take the next step. It doesn't have to be that big, and I'm fortunate that I learned that quite young, risk taking because I hit a glass ceiling at 22. And I was like I'm never going to let the limitations of others become my own and I easily could have sat in that job. I easily could have continued because the paycheck I needed it. I was living hand to mouth, but I took a risk on myself to be like no, like I know I have more to give Right, so it's really worth it to to be a little uncomfortable in your learning phase but, know that what's on the other side is a better, more aligned version of you.

Jennifer Johnson:

I have absolutely loved all of your wisdom today and it has been phenomenal. Karine, if our listeners want to get in touch with you, how can they do so?

Kareen Walsh:

Yeah, so I would love to hear from your listeners. You can follow me on Instagram at Karine Z Walsh, and DM me. I'm always in there. You can also email ask at heykareen. com and obviously heykareen. com is where you get the app and I'm constantly interacting with that now because we're in the middle of it, but truly just reach out. You know kareenwalsh. com is all things about me, but I'd say I'm most active on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Jennifer Johnson:

Wonderful. Thank you so much again. Thank you for having me.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Jennifer Johnson

Host