In today's episode of Brave in Business Bec chats with Melissa Kovacevich, owner of Functional Health Canberra and the brand new and very exciting business The Seed Cycle.

In this episode the two women chat about:

• How EFT tapping came to revolutionise Melissa's own personal struggles with weight and food.
• the differences in working as a solo business owner to now operating with an invested team.
• How seed cycling heals hormonal issues for women like mood irregularity, PMS, acne, weight gain and menopausal symptoms.
• What doing the 'boring stuff' in business can really gift you
• Why taking innate desire further to actionable steps is the biggest business win ever.
• Busting the myth that you have to be a great public speaker to be successful in business.

If you are wanting to be a soul-led product developer then this is the episode for you!

Purchase The Seed Cycle products and follow Melissa Kovacevich here:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Website

3. Melissa Kovacevic from Functional Health Canberra and The Seed Cycle - Being Brave Developing a Product - Transcript

Hi, I'm back McFarland from popular business and popular career. In this podcast, I'll be speaking to entrepreneurs who have overcome adversity, made difficult decisions, challenged the status quo and achieved amazing things in their businesses. Welcome to brave in Business Melissa Kovacevich is the owner of Functional Health. Canberra and the brand new and very exciting business. The seed cycle as an E F. T or emotional freedom technique or tapping and functional nutrition practitioner. Bell clients regularly came to her for hormonal issues like murder, regularity, PMS, acne, weight gain and menopausal symptoms. These health savvy women did not want to resort to Band Aid solutions like the Pill or other medications. Mel thought there's got to be a better, more natural way to help these women find relief. And then, following extensive research, she found her answer. Seed cycling. After learning everything there was to know about this groundbreaking method, Mel helped her clients build a bespoke seed cycling routine around their unique hormonal needs. Within a short time frame, she witnessed transformations that were nothing short of remarkable mills clients, though it were struggling to keep up with their daily seed cycle routine. And this led to Mills Lightbulb moment. What they really needed. It was a done for you solution tailored to their individual hormonal needs delivered to their doorstep every month. It was from here that the seed cycle bloomed and Mel is thrilled to bring this revolutionary Australian first solution to you. Hey, Mel, Thanks so much for joining me today. I'm really excited to chat with you a little more about what you've been doing with the seat cycle. Hey, Bec, thanks for having me. I'm excited too. Great. Alright, We're pumped for this. So before we dive into the really meaty questions about being brave in business and about all of the super brave things that you have done, I would love for you to tell me a little bit about your business and how you got to where you are today. Yeah, absolutely. So it all started with me studying nutrition as a hobby. Really? And I was looking for a way to end my own personal struggles with weight and food, and I came across functional nutrition and it really helped change my perspective. And I really started seeing food as medicine, but I still found I was emotionally eating and the bat. I couldn't kick the bad habits. Um and then I came across E f t tapping and it was a game changer. And then not long after that functional health, Canberra really came together. I had the idea of combining the two because that's what worked for me. And I knew that an isolated approach to nutrition doesn't work for a lot of people. So that was about 3.5 years. We're going now, and yeah, Since then, it's been crazy and amazing running my own business. And yeah, not too long ago, we had the seats cycle idea. And yeah, we're into that now, too. Yeah, fantastic. And you said we So this is something that you and your husband are doing together, right? I said to him the other night, Who would have thought you would be working in women's health? Originally, I had the idea of creating these blends for my clients because I was using speed cycling with a lot of my clients to help them balance their hormones naturally. But a lot of the time, you know, they would come back to me and say, Oh, I forgot to buy the seeds. I keep forgetting to take them, and it all just felt a bit too hard. So I was I had this idea, but I'm gonna I'm going to create the blend that I'm just going to send it to them. I'm going to do this little programming within functional health Canberra where I do this. And I was telling my husband and he came back the next day and he said, I think you're onto something Doesn't sit under functional health Canberra I'll invest. It's a whole new business and yeah, let's let's go big. So that was only a couple of months ago. We had that conversation, and since then we've hit the ground running and we're almost ready to launch the shop. Yeah, fantastic. And your husband Luca? He's an engineer, right? He's an engineer. Yes, so this is really outside of his. But he's amazing. He's been like the doses for our phase one and Phase two blends are just like perfection because he's been, you know, the last couple of months, weighing the seeds, working out what's a tablespoon, crushed in a tablespoon. Not and like he's just yeah, the mathematical side of things and and also he just, you know, he just backs himself, you know, which has been really good for me to see. And, you know, he kind of picks me up on if I am playing it small and trying to kind of hide And yeah, it makes me put myself out there, which is really good, Yeah, how awesome. And I know for myself, like thinking about how sometimes being in small business and running your own show it can be so lonely. So I'm guessing that you'd really appreciate the opportunity to be able to bounce ideas of him and to kind of be able to get into a bit more detail where I don't know if if he's anything like my husband, he probably wasn't that interested in what you were doing before. Absolutely. It's so nice. And we've got I've got my sister in law working with us as well, and just having that team compared to functional health. Canberra, where I kind of felt like I was annoying. People are talking about my ideas where this is like, you know, we're all invested and we're all just as excited, and it's been so fun Yeah, awesome. Well, I'm really excited to see what happens when the shop goes live, because I know that you've been getting so many messages from people hassling you about when the products are going to be available, so it's very, very exciting. So tell me, as you know, the title of this podcast is brave in business, and we're here to really talk about what it means to be brave in business. I'm wondering when you hear that phrase brave in business. What does that mean to you? Uh, so many things. Um, I think for me, it means not being afraid to share your story and put yourself out there. The other thing for me, especially, is doing the work. You know, like the work that you don't you know, the parts of business that you don't really want to be doing. The blurring stuff. I think being braving business means doing that, too. Yeah, absolutely. And that definitely rings true for me, I guess. You know, as you know, one of the reasons that I started pop your business was because of the fact that I knew that all of that business stuff was becoming too much for people and that they were struggling to do that boring stuff. So I'm all about how we can do it. But how we can make it easy and fun and all of that. So I definitely agree with you. What do you think the bravest thing is that you've done since starting your business? It's got to be the seed cycle. Yeah, it's just a whole whole new level. Yeah, Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, I mean, going from being in a service based business with functional health Canberra to going into running an e commerce business and having products and packaging and all of those things that's been so fascinating for me as an outsider to really watch that process, and I'd have to agree with you. Like, what a phenomenally brave thing to do. Another brave thing that I'm aware of in your business is that, like me, you were actually a public servant before you went into business. Yeah, I was no longer the case. No, it's no longer the case. And it's not something I talk about too often because it feels like a different world A different lifetime ago. But yeah, I left a really good public service position that I enjoyed. I was there for 12 years. I did really well for myself, really young, you know, it was managing teams, but once I had the idea and I don't know what happened, it's like something took over me. Like I never thought I would have the confidence to run my own business and put myself out there, You know, even just on social media and share my struggles. And once I had the idea and really thought about the combination of the nutrition and tapping and, you know, no one's really doing it. And, you know, I just I just didn't feel like I had a choice. Like I have to do it absolutely. And you know, isn't that amazing? Like when we feel that calling that innate desire to do something, But it goes more like it goes further than desire, really, doesn't it? Because it's like there isn't another option like I do have to do this. I think about like that. When I started the business and I look back and go, where did I find that whatever that was because you felt like I have no other option like I have to do this and yeah, it was. And it's similar to the seed cycle. It all happened really quickly. I had the idea and, you know, within a week I was contacting gyms and boot camps to try to run programmes for them and really just putting myself out there and a bit of that fake it till you make it stuff, too. But, you know, it worked. I remember I got my first client and I had I didn't have an office. I didn't like I agreed to see her in, like, a week. I didn't have any forms. I had no idea. And within a week I said yes and I worked out. I found a space and she came in. I don't think she knew she was my first client and it was all backwards and amazing. Yeah, it's so cool. And I mean, it's quite serendipitous, really. You know, when those things happen and everything just falls into place, You know, for me, that's when I get that feeling of kind of going Yeah, okay. Like this is meant to be. This is I'm exactly where I'm meant to be at the moment and I am so thrilled that you did it because I am a client of yours and I really, really enjoy that combination of tapping and the functional nutrition, which I'd never heard of until we started working together. So I guess from a personal note, I am very grateful that you've been through this journey, and then everything has serendipitously worked out in the perfect way. I just wanted to take a quick break to tell you about my amazing business community. Bex business besties. It's a business membership with mastermind vibes, and it is a jam packed with value. They don't say value is my middle name for no reason. Join us for live master classes, group coaching sessions, online Coworking content creation sessions and so much more. It's without a doubt my favourite place to hang out on the Internet, and I know it could be yours to join us at popular business dot com forward slash BBB. So why do you think it's important that we do step outside of our comfort zone as business owners? I just think that so much growth comes from stepping out of your comfort zone and particularly for me. I My whole life had just a horrific, horrible fear of public speaking and starting my business. It was something that I had to do. And I just know that the confidence I gained from putting myself out there stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing the public speaking gigs and turning up to networking events and, you know, introducing myself and my business and all the other things that I've done the podcasts, it's just, Yeah, it's hard to beat that confidence in the belief that that gives you Yeah, and that rush that you get after you've done it. Yeah, really cool. Yeah, it is. And I'm so glad that you actually brought up your fear of public speaking, because I know that this is a fear that so many different business owners have, and I guess it is it can be a really huge barrier for people in being brave enough to actually put themselves out there and take on some of those opportunities. And, you know, I'm I have had the pleasure of attending speaking gigs that you've done watching summits that you've done, and obviously, now here you are on the podcast and it just goes to show that you know that stepping outside of your comfort zone particularly where the intention is really where a lot of that amazing growth happens. Yeah. And honestly, like with the public speaking, it wasn't People kept saying to me, Oh, just practise and you're get better It that that wasn't it. You know, the practise wasn't making it better. I would still stand up and, you know, not being able to breathe and, you know, have that panic attack happened and it was really tapping. Uh, you know, I did quite a lot of sessions with my mentor and other FT practitioners tapping on my own before, you know, before I speak, I always do some tapping to centre myself, and it changed everything. And, you know, it's kind of up and down, like every now and then. I think you know, I'm past it and then I'll go to speak and I'll get nervous again, like always is coming from. But yeah, it's just the fact that I can even come here and talk to you without feeling like I'm going to pass out is pretty good. It is. It is indeed it reminds me of a quote that Denise to field Thomas often shares, which is a new level. Same devil. Now I think we've always had the new level New Devil thing. That's interesting how some of those fears that we've already overcome actually can continue to pop up for us as we continue to grow and blossom in our careers just as a side, because we have talked a little bit about tapping, I guess, and I'm a huge fan of tapping. I use it for lots of different things in my business and life. Would you be able to, I guess, share a little bit about what tapping actually is. Yeah, absolutely so tapping. We say It's a form of energy psychology, and it's similar to acupuncture, but without the needles, and it's so, so simple. You're basically tapping with your fingers on different acupressure points on your face and your body, and what that does is send a calming signal to your amygdala, which is that stress centre fight or flight gives you that fight or flight reaction and what you do what you feel as you're tapping through. The point is, you start to feel calmer and something that when a lot of when I'm introducing people to tapping for the first time. They comment that, but it's so negative because we are. We're we're voicing negative, you know, I'm scared of, you know, I'm scared of public speaking or I'm feeling anxious or, you know, I'm feeling worried or whatever it is, and we're tapping on the acupressure points and we're acknowledging that which is really the truth of what's happening. It's just, you know, I think that, you know, a lot of the time we're told positive affirmations and think positive. But there's something so powerful acknowledging this is how I feel and then we use the information. But I accept myself anyway, and the combination of that and then the physically tapping on those those acupressure points. Yeah, it's really powerful. Mm, it absolutely is. And I often recommend it to people in my coaching practise, because I do believe that it is just such a wonderful practise that you can gain so much from, and I know I've shared with you in the past that even, you know, I had surgery last November. I have my pesky eagle bladder removed and as they were really, really into theatre. I was tapping because I was so anxious, and I just knew that it was going to be the only the thing that I could do to actually calm myself in that moment. So I see it as being just a brilliant tool that everyone can have in their toolbox and can rely on for loads of different things, including, as we've talked about some of those issues that could be around food and nutrition. Yeah, absolutely. And that's the thing like you can do it yourself. You don't need to go to see someone to feel better. So that's I really I'm really passionate about yet doing the clinical ft in the sessions where we're getting. We're trying to get to the root cause and and do it and using tapping that way, but also teaching people how they can do it themselves, because that's where I started. I heard about it on a podcast. I googled it, and I just started using it. I didn't know about the science. I didn't know I didn't know anything about it. It was just my little secret and it was like in my toolbox and it worked and it helped with so many different things. So we've talked a little bit about going outside of your comfort zone and the concept of being brave. What I've found in my coaching practise and all of the work that I've done across business and career coaching is that being brave is often tied to fear. I see people having a fear of failure. Sometimes we see fear of success. But I'm wondering if you've experienced any failures in your business or if there's anything that hasn't gone quite to plan and how you actually moved through that process. Yeah, I have one of the hardest failures has been when I have you put a lot of energy a lot of time in creating this course that I I think he's amazing and getting one person sign up and you know that that really feeling like, yeah, it's a failure And for me, I I knew that I had to be really careful because I know how the subconscious works and, you know, something really hurts. Your subconscious says, Oh, no, no, we're not doing that again. Uh, and, um, and then you feel all that resistance and then you know you don't go. You don't try again. So I had that awareness. When you know any time I feel that that feeling of yeah, like that didn't work, I feel like I'm a failure or that failed. I do. I use tapping. I use tapping to just to let my body and mind process that that fear and that feeling of failure and they're not good enough and all the things that that that raises and then that really helps. And that means that you know, when I do want to try again when I when I go to try again I don't have all that internal resistance and that fear from you know that failed programme isn't carried through into the next thing that I want to try. So that's just been so helpful for me. And then, you know, when you're over analysing everything, even just then I'll use the tapping as my brain is kind of trying to work out. Where did I go wrong? And I should have done this and it's because I've been you start beating yourself up about it, you know, like that can carry on for weeks and months. If you don't, you know, just, like get on top of it. And so, yeah, I really am aware of that and try to nip that in the but Yeah, great. And what I love is that you're actually practising what you preach. You know, it's not that you're out there telling people that there's this great thing that they should do, and then you're not actually using it yourself. But you are really following through and using tapping to move through those challenges. And I really love that. And I think even in working with you, it's great because you're actually able to share some of those real life examples of when tapping has come to the rescue. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So what advice would you give to other business owners who are not going after their dreams because of the fact that they have some kind of fear? I would say, Do the work, find someone to help you figure it out, figure out where the fear is coming from and release it so you can go after your dreams. And I know like that sounds like that's really simplified, like I know it's hard work and and, you know, we know that fear is trying to protect ourselves, protect you in some way. And so, yeah, you know, there's so many different modalities in different ways. You can get to the root cause of that fear and and release it so you can go after your dream. Mm hmm. That's an interesting point, really, Isn't it about getting to the root cause of it? Because often what I see in society is that we kind of talked to stuff our feelings down rather than to actually acknowledge them and feel it. And I think that one of the things that I've learned through working with yourself and working with a therapist I'm a huge advocate of counselling is that feelings are meant to be felt. And sometimes it's actually okay to sit in the feeling and to explore it and to approach it with a level of curiosity, to kind of get to the bottom of it and find out where it came from. Because if you're able to do that, then like you say, there are loads of different modalities that you can use to them, clear it and be able to move along. Yeah, exactly. And it's kind of like the feeling just wants to be acknowledged, right? Yeah, and then it almost it can almost lose its power. And again, it's really simplified. But I know like, you know, it's hard, though there's not all feelings that you want to sit with. But when you do and you acknowledge it, you can move through it. MM can indeed, All right. What I'd love to know is, what's coming up for you in your business? And what would you like to tell the audience about? Well, the seed cycle shop will be live within the next week or so. So yeah, follow us on. Social media, Please get on our mailing list. We have some surprises instal, which is really exciting. And then the other thing, if you do need support with nutrition, whether it's help with emotional eating, weight loss, any of those other health challenges, I'm here. You can go to functional healthcare dot com dot au and have a bit of a look at my services. I'm also I love creating healthy recipes as you know back. So on the functional health Canberra website, there's there's heaps of recipes and I've been very busy creating seed cycle recipes as well. So if you if you like your recipes to especially the healthy ones, you can go have a look. Yes, recipes are all mouth watering. I love looking at them. As you know, I'm not a fair of the kitchen. So usually I'm just looking. But I'm hoping that I'll be able to get into the kitchen and try out somewhere of your recipes sometimes seen. So we will include all of your links in the show notes. But before we finish, where can people find out more about what you're doing? Where can they follow you? Yeah, so you can follow at functional health, Canberra and at the seed cycle. Excellent. Thank you so much for today, Mel. It has been my pleasure to have you on the podcast. And I am so excited about everything that is coming up for you both in functioning health, Canberra and also in the scene cycle. Thanks. Thanks for having me. Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the brain in business podcast. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button. Leave me a rating. Five stars, preferably and a review. You can also join me over on socials at popular beers. If you want to hang out with me and my fabulous community of small business owners, you should definitely think about joining bex business besties. It's an online membership with mastermind vibes and is, honestly my favourite place to hang out on the Internet. You can find out more at pop your business dot com forward slash BBB. I'll see you in the next episode.