We have all probably heard the phrase ‘put a little colour in your life’, but entrepreneur Lien Potgieter is doing just that in the practical sense with her business, The Colour Option. She has created a range of online colour therapy courses specially for women who want to live a full, authentic life in relationships, business, and creativity.
LoA chatted to the passionate Lien Potgieter this month to find out more about this unique business.
What does your company do?
The Colour Option helps women live a full, authentic life with colour.
"I stumbled upon colour therapy and discovered it to be a great tool for self-development."
What inspired you to start your company?
I was sitting in my lounge on my couch sipping a class of red wine and feeling very sorry for myself. I was alone, lonely, and miserable. My love life was a mess and even though I have been working as a freelance editor and writer for years, I have been earning just enough money to sustain myself. No luxuries included. I did not see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was too stuck in my mess. I looked up and suddenly noticed that I was surrounded by brown. My couch was brown, the floor was brown, the red wine looked brown. I walked to my bedroom and the base cover was brown, the duvet cover was brown, the curtains were brown, the bedside tables were brown. And I wondered, where has all the colour gone? I used to love colour! I remember painting the dining room walls of my first flat a shocking orange! The lounge was green, and my bedroom was, well green too. (Green is my favourite colour.) I could not live surrounded by dull. I then realised that I had to pick myself up, dust myself off, and get the colour back! I stumbled upon colour therapy and discovered it to be a great tool for self-development. It has helped me to become conscious, heal a few wounds, and transform my life. It has taking me a few years to turn colour into a sustainable business. I now offer three online courses to women who want to live a full, authentic life in relationships, business, and creativity.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Colour is a gentle yet powerful tool for self-development. If you are looking for love, let colour help you discover self-love and attract a partner for life. If you battle to keep going with a creative project, let colour help you un(b)lock your creativity and produce your best work yet. If you want to (re)brand your small business to be aligned with your purpose, let colour help you discover what your 'soul' colours are, and how to use them in building a successful business.
"It has taking me a few years to turn colour into a sustainable business. I now offer three online courses to women who want to live a full, authentic life in relationships, business, and creativity."
Tell us a little about your team
Me, myself, and I.. and colour!
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
After working as an editor, writer, and communication specialist for some 12 years, I started my own boutique communication agency Inkpot Communication in 2009.I studied colour therapy and started offering colour assessments at corporate wellness days. I have been battling for a few years to come up with a practical way to sell 'colour'. I love personal development and growth. I use colour as a tool to help people learn more about themselves.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I want to sell my courses internationally. I want to become the go-to colour coach.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
My creative freedom!
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Make sure you know yourself well! Know what your habitual reactions to challenges are and how that can affect your business and decisions. And then learn how to better deal with obstacles!
Contact or follow The Colour Option
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | EMAIL lien@thecolouroption.com
Why LoA loves it….
Finding your niche in business can often come about as a result of personal experiences. In the case of entrepreneur Lien Potgieter, her inspiration came in the form of learning how to harness the power of colour to help others in their lives. Today, she is an expert in colour therapy and how we can all live more enriched lives by understanding how colour makes us feel and behave. This is a fascinating business and one that is making a difference to those who seek a more authentic and fulfilled life. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa