Mridula Patnaik guides women through life transitions with resilience and clarity with Coach Me Life

Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business

I’m Mridula Patnaik, Founder of Coach Me Life and the Café of Joy Community. As an Inner Catalyst & Resilience Partner, I walk beside women navigating life transitions — helping them uncover the strength and clarity already within. My coaching blends presence with practical, step-by-step tools that turn challenges into opportunities. Through workshops, group programs, and 1:1 coaching, I create safe spaces where resilience is built, voices are heard, and transformation begins with small but powerful shifts. At the heart of my work is a simple belief: no one stands alone.

Who are your customers?

I serve women 30 and over who are navigating unexpected life transitions — caregiving, divorce, career shifts, or rediscovering purpose. Many of my clients are parents, professionals, and caregivers balancing multiple roles. They come to me when they’re ready to quiet the noise, build resilience, and step into their next chapter with clarity and confidence.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

Before founding Coach Me Life and the Café of Joy community, I built a diverse career across education, business, and storytelling. I spent over a decade as an administrative professional in public schools, where I supported students and families during transitions, developed conflict resolution skills, and became a steady presence in times of challenge. Earlier, I co-led the U.S. expansion of an international jewelry brand, honing my skills in relationship-building and strategy.

My path also includes a season as a professional storyteller, bringing ancient and global tales to children, and the publication of a children’s book on environmental awareness. I am now in the process of writing a book about my own journey of resilience and growth — weaving personal stories with insights that inspire others to navigate life’s transitions with courage and clarity. Each of these experiences shaped my resilience, empathy, and ability to guide others through change — the foundation I now bring into my coaching and workshops.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I’ve always been driven to create something of my own — a space where my creativity, experience, and passion could come together with purpose. Coaching gave me that opportunity. It allows me to serve women in transition, support their growth, and at the same time keep evolving myself. Starting my business was less a leap and more a calling — the natural next step to align who I am with the work I do.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Yes — I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. From early on, I was drawn to creating, leading, and building something of my own. For me, entrepreneurship isn’t just about running a business — it’s about shaping ideas into impact, having the freedom to express creativity, and the responsibility to serve others with purpose. Coaching became the perfect path to bring those instincts to life

Take us back to when you first launched your business; what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

When I first launched, I didn’t have a formal marketing strategy — my focus was on coaching itself. I spent that first year working 1:1 with clients, creating workshops, and learning deeply from the process. Along the way, I pursued accreditation, published a children’s book on environmental awareness, and began writing my own story of resilience and growth. I also launched the Café of Joy community, where I host weekly calls and hold space for connection. Looking back, those steps were my marketing — showing up, building credibility, and creating spaces where people could experience my work firsthand. It wasn’t a textbook strategy, but it laid a strong foundation for visibility, trust, and growth.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way so far and what have you learned from it?

The biggest challenge so far has been visibility — learning how to share my work in a way that reaches the people who need it most. Like many entrepreneurs, I started with a passion for the work itself and had to grow into the marketing side of things. What I’ve learned is that client acquisition isn’t just about “selling” — it’s about clarity, consistency, and genuine connection. By leaning into storytelling, building my Café of Joy community, and creating workshops, I’ve discovered that when I show up authentically, the right clients begin to find me.

What accomplishment are the most proud of to date in your business?

The accomplishment I’m most proud of is creating the Café of Joy community — a safe, supportive space where people gather weekly to connect, grow, and realize they’re not alone. Building this community from scratch has been both humbling and energizing, and it continues to inspire the work I do as a coach. Alongside it, I’ve expanded into workshops and writing projects, but Café of Joy remains at the heart of my mission to make resilience and growth accessible to all.

Do you have any recent wins from the last year that you'd like to celebrate with our community?

This past year has been full of milestones: expanding the Café of Joy community with weekly calls and deeper offerings, publishing my first children’s book, making steady progress on my personal book about resilience, and moving forward on my accreditation as a coach. Each step has strengthened both my confidence and the vision I’m building.

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

In the next few years, I’m scaling my work beyond 1:1 coaching into transformational workshops, retreats, and global programs — online experiences that bring people together across borders, as well as in-person retreats that create lasting breakthroughs. The Café of Joy community will continue to grow into a sustainable movement — a space where no one stands alone — while our new Release & Rise WhatsApp channel offers daily micro-practices for resilience that anyone, anywhere can access. I’m also writing my book, a personal journey of resilience and growth, which I see as the next step in sharing my message more widely. My vision is bold yet practical: to build a coaching brand with global reach that blends timeless wisdom and modern tools, empowering people everywhere to write their next chapter with clarity and purpose.

What is your top productivity tip? 

Start with clarity, not activity. Each morning I pause to ask, What truly matters today? Then I choose 2–3 priorities that move the needle instead of scattering energy.

I also use a tool I created called Release & Rise: release the mental clutter first, then rise into focused action. It’s a small practice that makes a big difference in keeping productivity purposeful.

On the flip side, how do you avoid burnout?

I treat rest as a strategy, not a luxury. Burnout sneaks in when we ignore the basics: movement, sleep, laughter, and connection. I build “micro-renewals” into my week — short walks, journaling breaks, or even 10 minutes of silence before switching tasks.

And just as I teach my clients, I remind myself: you don’t need to do it all at once; you need to do what matters with presence.

What is your approach to work-life balance / integration?

I don’t think of it as balance — I see it as integration. My life and my work fuel each other when I’m intentional. Some weeks lean into family, others into business growth, but I ground myself in routines that keep me steady: morning rituals, weekly reflections, and non-negotiable time with loved ones.

Integration for me is less about splitting time evenly, and more about aligning energy with what matters most in the moment.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

That clarity comes from action, not overplanning. In the beginning, I thought I needed the perfect strategy before moving forward. What I’ve learned is that testing, experimenting, and listening create far more clarity than waiting for the “right” plan.

Every small step — even the messy ones — has shaped my business more than any perfect blueprint could.

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

I haven’t built out a full team yet beyond contractors and tools, but as I grow, I know I want to work with people who align with my values and purpose. One question I’d ask in an interview is: ‘What personal values guide your decisions when things get tough?’ That answer tells me not just what they can do, but who they are — and whether we can create something meaningful together.

If you've raised capital for your business already, what are some of your best tips or lessons learned?

I haven’t raised capital yet, but I’m focused on building strong foundations in my business so that when the time comes, I’ll be prepared to align the right funding with the right opportunities.

Are you a Mamaprenista? If so, please share your best advice for simultaneously managing a business and a family

Yes, I’m a mom — my son is now an adult, but raising him while pursuing my own work has shaped who I am as a coach and entrepreneur. My advice: honor both roles without guilt. There were seasons when family took priority and seasons when work did, but the thread that held it together was respect — my son respected my work because he saw me respect him. Don’t chase balance as perfection; build rhythms that work for your life.

Do you have a co-founder? If so, how did you find the right one for you and what are your best partnership tips?

I don’t have a co-founder. But if I did, my guiding principle would be to choose someone who not only shares my values but also believes deeply in my dream and vision for the business. Alignment of heart and purpose matters more than just skill.

What's the one app on your phone you absolutely cannot live without and why?

WhatsApp. It’s my lifeline — to clients, communities, and my Café of Joy groups. It allows me to connect globally in real time, whether it’s sharing a reflection, running a community call, or just offering support when someone needs it.

What is your favorite business tool or solution and why?

Mailchimp — even though it challenges me as much as it helps me. I value it because it pushes me to grow, teaching me how to scale communication and manage my outreach more effectively. It’s a reminder that the best tools don’t just make things easier, they stretch you to rise to the next level.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Start before you feel ready. Clarity doesn’t come in the planning stage, it comes through action. Every client, every experiment, every conversation teaches you what works and what doesn’t. Build from your values, stay authentic, and don’t be afraid to course-correct. Your journey won’t look like anyone else’s — and that’s your greatest advantage.

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today

‍