Today we’d like to introduce you to Tonya Maveros.
Hi Tonya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
As with so many businesses, I got started because of my own personal experiences in having an unhealthy marriage. In my previous relationship we tried five therapist, but ultimately it ended in divorce. In creating space for my independent therapy journey, I was able to learn more about myself as in individual and how that showed up within my failed marriage.
After I decided to start dating again, I made a commitment to show up differently but also to hold different expectations for any new partner or relationship I would be a part of. When I found my partner, my person, I did has I had promised myself. However, what truly made the difference is that we both wanted the same things. In seeing how happy and healthy a relationship could be I began doing independent research on why things were different. That was when I found the Seven Principles. In understanding those, I saw the parallel in how we naturally operated within our relationship and the Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. We lived and breathed them all!
I also recognized and believe that if my ex-husband and I were guided through them we could have maintained and repaired our relationship. If that was how my path was meant to unfold but it wasn’t. Armed with this knowledge, I wanted to make it the rest of my life’s work to help couples navigate the difficulties that all relationships face which include having finances, intimacy, and household responsibilities. I initially started with date planning for couples as a way to introduce the Love Spark brand. While I continue to offer the service for couples and added it as a consulting package benefit, it was always my intention to offer relationship consulting for a deeper and more meaningful experience for those who need it!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not! There have been struggles within our relationship and business. When it comes to our relationship the two biggest struggles for both of us has been voicing our thoughts at times. Not that we don’t create the space do so, but because it becomes easy to fall back into old patterns. So for me, I begin being silent because I may not want to cause the inconvenience of the difficult conversation or because I don’t want to hurt my partner’s feelings. The second struggle is business. Love Spark is not my only venture. I also hold investment properties, which comes with it’s own set of stress on top of building another business. That stress can cause a lot of decision fatigue and exhaustion, which really leads to the ultimate struggle of know when and how to rest for the health of our relationship.
In business the biggest struggle has been putting systems in place. As en entrepreneur, I quite frequently operate by the end result, the big picture, or the high overview, which I find much easier to take action on. Unfortunately, my brain struggles to narrow focus to the micro, which requires systems and using those systems can feel tedious to me. Like so many people and entrepreneurs, it is the monotony and boringness, that make doing the small daily habits, which are what truly lead to results in the end.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Love Spark?
I think it’s most important to note that Love Spark is a resource for couples who are committed to brining more intentionality to their relationships, and you DO NOT need to be struggling in the relationship to work with me. In fact, I would encourage to do the work before it’s needed. It’s like vehicle maintenance; if you do the recommended care for the vehicle when it’s new like oil changes, tuneups, brakes, etc. it helps to prevent larger issues from happening and keeps the vehicle on the road longer. However, if you neglect the maintenance then eventually small issue begin to come of from the neglect and oftentimes leads to significant problems that are more costly, difficult to repair, or requires the vehicle to be taken off the road indefinitely.
In understanding that, I work with all couples, but are beginning to focus our client base to individuals who are in the new relationships (0 – 3 years). I am happy to work with couples who have been longer-term relationships, but want to place a focus on preventative and proactive measures to help couples have the resources, skills, and tools to navigate when times eventually get more difficult. This includes having those conversations about money, sex and responsibilities.
I believe the one thing that sets me apart from other coaches and even some therapists are a few things:
1. Not only do have the painful knowledge and experience of a failed marriage, I also have the knowledge and experience of co-creating a beautiful one. I (we) practice what I guide others in.
2. My extensive professional background has helped to see real couples in both positive and negative moments, how that impacts their communication, and how emotion plays such a strong role. Additionally, it was how I found my passion for my three key focuses.
3. When you work with me, you will find not only understanding, compassion and warmth, but you will find it’s easy to display those qualities as well!
When it comes to the Love Spark brand and offerings we are aware that this is not therapy (yet) and because of our mission we do decline working with some couples and send them the appropriate resources and recommendations to start a different journey.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The relationship wellness industry is set to continue to grow over the next 5-10 year. The biggest shift is AI. Individuals and couples are already using AI for many things like family planning, finances, and date planning. Leaving more couples to see relationship help and advice from AI. However, in understanding the human spirit I personally predict that we will see couples swinging back to human-to-human sessions. There is something we possess that artificial intelligence cannot replicate and because of that, I do predict the trend lasting incredibly long.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://milovespark.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovesparkdates
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565126676143
