The world of entrepreneurship can be quite challenging and demanding. As such, it is a path that is not for the faint-hearted. But, with the necessary courage, guidance and empowerment, entrepreneurship can be very fulfilling.

Michelle Lima is passionate about helping those in the field of entrepreneurship to thrive. The Sales & Entrepreneurship Strategist and founder of Resonate Hub teaches people how to sell and helps businesses to scale.

The Family Business – a start to it all
Growing up, Lima has always been entrepreneurial and her upbringing has greatly impacted where she finds herself today.

“I was raised in a home where my parents were entrepreneurs. We literally had the first-hand experience of seeing our parents having a business. The highs and lows of entrepreneurship are just something I was raised in,” she shared.

Her parents owned an art store which sold items such as sculptures, chandeliers and key rings. On weekends, she was tasked with selling at the shop – something she grew to love.

“One of the biggest things my dad used to say to me is that the more I sold, the more I would make. I was basically making commission but then they didn’t call it that and I didn’t even know that commission was a thing. So I just started enjoying to sell, it became a game for me because I realised that if I can sell then I can make money”.

Despite her love for selling on weekends, she was still not fully drawn to entrepreneurship as a career. After high school, she had hoped to study Radiology at the University of Johannesburg.

“And that’s what I thought I was going to do. As I was applying, my father started falling very ill and we spent a lot on his medical bills.”

This meant that her university dream had to be placed on hold for financial reasons. Unfortunately, her father passed away. This further lessened Lima’s chances of stepping into university.

“From there, I think I was just hit with the reality of what I was going to do with my life. I really didn’t know.”

From washing dishes at a restaurant, to waitressing and even serving as a receptionist, she took every job she could find and continued to work hard.

“One lady who was a family friend said she loved how hard I worked and how outspoken I am, and that she wanted me to fill in for somebody at a venue as a receptionist. I took the opportunity. A few months later, the person I was replacing returned and the owner actually then decided to bring me into Sales and started training me.”

Since then, Lima has grown to become one of South Africa’s best and most knowledgeable Sales experts.

Resonate Hub – a platform for guidance and empowerment
Lima is also the CEO and founder of Resonate Hub, a platform which serves as an ecosystem for entrepreneurs globally. It provides access to information, resources and knowledge from some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.

The empowerment hub started with her sharing some employment tips and entrepreneurial knowledge on social media.

“I also started making videos and people would ask me why I don’t start a Youtube channel. I then started it and I was putting videos out. During that time, I had already started three businesses while also being employed full-time. My first side hustle bought me my first car,” she shared.

More than anything, Resonate Hub seeks to equip aspiring and small-scale entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge to push towards their goals, as well as to find solutions. As such, it provides practical steps and courses which help people learn how to sell and scale their businesses.

“The word ‘entrepreneurship’ can be so big and intimidating. It makes people feel like they need an office, a PA and a briefcase. This is not true. We started Resonate to help people from the ground up. We want to help people build global businesses, because if you build on a global landscape, your money and impact are limitless.”

Quality time, cooking and Cocomelon
When she is not empowering upcoming entrepreneurs and in full-on ‘girl boss’ mode, the Sales and Entrepreneurship Strategist enjoys spending time on a good book.

“I love reading and discovering new books, especially from a Sales & Entrepreneurship perspective. Those are majority of the books I read,” she explained.

Apart from reading, she also enjoys spending time with her family. As a mother to a busy 2-year-old daughter, their quality time often includes singing, dancing and a lot of Cocomelon.

Lima is also a fan of cooking and watching Western movies.

Courage for a vision bigger than you
Like all good, impactful and worthwhile things in life, entrepreneurship requires courage. To all who would like to start and run successful businesses, Lima encouraged believing in one’s self, goals and ideas.

“Don’t doubt yourself. A lot of people don’t start their businesses or build their brands because they have this perception that their idea is crazy, whack or has been done before. But your idea is good enough and it’s needed in the market. The moment you start embracing that, taking action becomes much more easier.”

Additionally, she recommended always remembering that entrepreneurship and servanthood go hand-in-hand.

“Your idea or vision is not for you but rather for the people that you serve. Everything else that comes with it is going to be as a result of you having served people. If you see it like that, you are able to de-centre yourself and realise that it’s actually not about you.”