Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonia Dillon.
Hi Antonia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I usually start by telling people I’m a corporate escapee-turned-entrepreneur, so I’ve seen the world through both lenses. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, I spent the first 15 years of my career in corporate advertising, with a variety of Fortune 100 companies as clients. It all looked good on paper and felt like the path one was “supposed” to take, but I always felt like I was meant to do more than be a cog in the wheel of corporate America.
Entrepreneurship started slowly for me, and in stages. My first business was an event planning company, where I planned mostly children’s birthday parties. But I quickly discovered that just because you have a hobby or something you enjoy doing in your spare time, that doesn’t always mean you should turn it into a business. After I sunset that company, I launched a tech-based storage startup called Binefit Storage. Building and eventually selling that company gave me my first real taste of what was possible when I trusted my instincts and took a risk on myself.
After that exit, I launched a business coaching blog for busy women who wanted to build something of their own without the #hustle and #grind. That blog eventually became the foundation for my coaching work, and over the last six years, I’ve had the sheer pleasure and privilege of coaching women who are smart, capable, and ambitious, but often overwhelmed by where to start or how to keep the momentum going without burning out.
Today, I help women build businesses with clarity, and I specialize in setting them up for sustainable and long-lasting growth. My work relies heavily on the combination of strategy and self-trust, because I’ve learned firsthand that building a business that looks good AND feels good to run is equal parts smart decision-making and having the courage to listen to your intuition.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh my goodness, it definitely has NOT been a smooth road! If you find someone who tells you entrepreneurship is a smooth road, I’d approach them with caution! 🙂 I’ve had stretches of real growth and progress, and then seasons when I questioned everything and flirted with giving up. Building something of your own has a way of challenging your assumptions about success and pushing you to grow in ways you’re not always prepared for.
One of the hardest and most memorable lessons has been learning in real-time that spending time and energy on the wrong tasks leads to stagnation and frustration. I would do everything I *thought* I was supposed to do, and not see the results I was hoping for. That gap between action and progress, especially when you’re a solopreneur, is where confidence can really take a beating.
But on the bright side, those experiences are ultimately what led me into coaching. I wanted to keep more capable, intelligent people in the world of entrepreneurship by providing them with clarity, perspective, and support on their business goals. It’s easy to feel like you’re “not enough” in this space, and I want to do my part to keep great ideas from dying inside the minds of brilliant, thoughtful, would-be business owners. Navigating the messy reality of entrepreneurship has shaped how I coach today. I use a grounded and practical approach (I am a Taurus, so those traits come to me naturally!) and I’m deeply aware that growth rarely happens in a straight line.
As you know, we’re big fans of Wake Coffee Slay, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m an entrepreneur coach who helps women build viable, sustainable businesses while honoring the myriad other commitments and responsibilities in their lives. I believe clarity is power. I believe strategy reduces stress. I believe your business should positively impact your life, not consume it. I don’t subscribe to hustle culture, one-size-fits-all advice, shortcuts, or get-rich-quick thinking. Instead, I help clients make grounded decisions, take intentional action, and build businesses that actually fit who they are and how they want to live. I help them manage what might otherwise feel like the chaos of building a business by creating clarity and calm around their decisions, so they can move forward with confidence instead of second-guessing themselves.
My current offerings include The Exit Plan, a one-on-one coaching experience for professionals transitioning out of corporate and into entrepreneurship, and Gold Dust Club, a business coaching community for women in the early stages of building and launching their businesses. What I’m most proud of is the integrity of the brand itself. It’s calm, honest, and human. I want my clients to feel SEEN, that’s most important to me. I believe you can be ambitious without constantly pushing, proving, or sacrificing yourself in the process.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’ve definitely had my share of “right place, right time” moments that have serendipitously guided my path, but I wouldn’t say “luck” alone has played a big part in my personal or professional life. Sometimes moments that felt like good luck in my life were a combination of preparation, timing, and being willing to act when opportunities showed up. Other moments may have looked like bad luck on the surface, but ultimately led to clearer decisions, stronger boundaries, or better alignment down the line.
I’ve learned to trust that things tend to work out when I stay engaged, reflective, and willing to learn from the experience in front of me. I tend to have faith in timing, purpose, and lessons unfolding as they’re supposed to. In business, especially, what looks like luck is often the ability to adapt, integrate setbacks, and make more intentional choices as you go. Looking back, the detours often led me somewhere even better than I originally planned, so I try to embrace every unexpected twist and turn!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.antoniakoi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.gentler.hustle/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonia-dillon
