RTDM: Andrea Kiessling
Andrea Kiessling
Success Coach & RTDM Co-Founder
Charlotte, NC
Where you came from, where you've been and how you're living your dream now.
I grew up in a small town in West Virginia. My parents are Christian, entrepreneurial and hard working, totally dedicated to my 2 sisters and I and all around pretty incredible. I was class president, raised calves to 'show' at the FFA fair each fall, drove an 1983 Ford F150 (every 16 y/o girl's dream ride, no? To make it even more awesome, my dad painted it in school colors..gahhh!), a competitive gymnast, had an unpromising future in track events, and watched a lot of Oprah. I attended WV Wesleyan College where I met my frat-boy, Charlotte-native husband, Patrick (there on a swimming scholarship)! I majored in psychology but had NO idea what I was actually going to do with the degree (thus begins the theme of the first decade of adult life). I graduated, worked as a personal trainer by day, while completing an MBA by night. For the next 10ish years, I bounced from job to job, always searching for my passion or purpose, eventually becoming certified or licensed in nearly every field- I sold insurance, taught business classes at a community college, became a real estate agent, and finally worked in executive education at a local university, until I finally understood what I was supposed to be: an entrepreneur that helped people. After a ton of research, prayer and soul searching, I stumbled upon 'life coaching' and knew that was exactly my purpose. Learning people's stories, helping them achieve their highest purpose and getting to witness the whole process...what could be better?! Combining life coaching with the RTDM project is a dream come true for me!
How do you define success?
Freedom.
What did it take to make your dream happen and when did you know you had arrived?
It took way too much time for me to learn how to listen to my gut, have faith and let go of a ton of 'shoulds'. I knew I arrived at the place of living my dream when everything felt right and easy- I wasn't forcing anything and doing this work never seems like work at all.
What are you most proud of? Go ahead, boast a little!
My babies! Jack (2.5) and Marlo (5mo) - easily the best thing about me and what I'm most proud of. Also, the ability to spend so much time with my family... I love that about my life.
What was your biggest obstacle/fear and what was your turning point?
Strange enough, my fear was my turning point. The biggest fear for me has always been living a life unfulfilled- never reaching my potential, not finding my ultimate purpose and looking back with regrets. I finally just took the leap to be a success coach because I knew I HAD to- otherwise my fear could become my reality.
What’s the best advice you’d give to a younger you?
Listen to your gut. I always looked to other people (my mom, sisters, friends, husband, etc.) for life-guiding advice and validation because I was never confident in my ability to make a big decision. The lesson: only you know these answers. Listen, then trust.
How do you stay motivated and purposeful when you feel overwhelmed?
Make a list! For me, scheduling and organizing my life is likely the most important thing I do to stay purposeful and productive. Plus, nothing motivates me more than crossing items off my check list!
Tell us a time when a perceived failure was actually a blessing in disguise or served you in a surprising way.
My husband and I made a big investment in starting a business, which was a ton of fun to do together, but ended up landing us in major debt with little hope for getting out. We were never more glad to sell a business when the opportunity presented! We learned A LOT during that experience, and the situation seriously sharpened our creativity and problem solving skills, but we mostly learned to rely on our faith in ways we had never before and that has served us in the biggest AND best way.
What is your favorite vice? Come on now, we all have them!
I’m so impulsive when it comes to big and important decisions. There’s many more after that, contact my husband for the full list...
What the smartest investment you’ve made for yourself?
In 2014, we had just sold our first business and decided to do some traveling while figuring out what was next. I left my full time job and my husband and I spent 3 months backpacking throughout Europe. Enrolling in a Spanish language summer school was one of the many ways I pushed myself wayyyy out of my comfort zone. It was the.best.investment in me and us. To date, that has been the most adventurous, fun, important, educational and life-changing experience I’ve had.
What’s MOST important to you right now?
A 2-way tie: My faith & my family. A close second is my work.
Share 1-2 books you've given as gifts:
4 Hour Work Week, The Magic of Thinking Big
What have you learned to say no to?
What doesn't matter. Only very few things REALLY matter, so when I learned to say NO to what doesn't matter, I ended up with a lot less stress, and way more time!
What's something most people would never guess about you?
I am deeply passionate about organic farming and holistic nutrition. I could talk/learn about these subjects for the rest of my life and never be bored!
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