Shanela, a holistic fertility expert, has dedicated herself to helping women achieve pregnancy naturally through a blend of traditional Chinese and Islamic medicine, alongside emotional and psychological supportive methods in her protocols. Her journey began as a typical South Asian housewife who yearned for a newborn baby. After facing challenges with fertility early in her marriage and experiencing premature births with her first two children, Shanela found herself still longing for the experience of nurturing a newborn. This desire led to several heartbreaking miscarriages, each one deepening her pain and heartache.
During a critical time in Pakistan when she had her last miscarriage, her doctor told her she had to stop trying for a child because it wasn’t good for her uterus, and they would have to remove it if she tried again. A conversation with her son made Shanela realise the emotional toll her quest for another child was taking on her family. “It was a moment of clarity,” Shanela recalls. “My son looked at me and said, ‘Mommy, stop going on your phone. It’s not good for the baby!’ I had to explain there was no baby, but his words struck a chord. They made me realise how my yearning was affecting my family’s well-being.”
Faced with the doctor’s advice to cease trying to conceive, Shanela pondered her path forward. She thought, “Do I become a mother yearning for something that she can’t have, or do I become a therapist who can help others who have the hope of becoming parents?” She chose to become the therapist she couldn’t find for herself. Choosing the latter, Shanela developed a comprehensive fertility protocol, delving into psychological training and becoming certified in NLP.
This led to the creation of her Fertility Whispers Programme, named to address the often-overlooked emotional and psychological aspects of fertility treatments. Inspired by her own challenges, Shanela has since helped numerous women achieve natural pregnancies, celebrating each success as a testament to her dedication.
Before joining Rebel, Shanela had a small client base and offered a range of services, including acupuncture, cupping, and various other treatments. During the course, the presenter, Katie, asked her a pivotal question: “What are you passionate about?” This prompted Shanela to reflect deeply. Later on, she confided in Katie, saying, “I really get such a buzz when a woman tells me that she’s got pregnant naturally and successfully.” Katie then pointed out, “I can’t see this on your social media. I can’t see this mentioned anywhere.”
This observation led to a brainstorming session between Katie and Shanela. They devised a clever strategy to protect the privacy of Shanela’s clients, who were predominantly of South Asian origin and often reluctant to publicly acknowledge their infertility struggles. They decided that Shanela would ask her clients to send her their positive pregnancy tests, which she would post anonymously. These posts have since become Shanela’s signature on social media. The collection of numerous positive pregnancy tests featured on her Instagram highlights (@holisticpincups) has significantly boosted her business, attracting many women seeking natural fertility solutions.
Another thing that Shanela learned at Rebel was the importance of picking a niche. Having done so and worked with these customers for a few years, she now understands them on a much deeper level. She realised that many of the women seeking her help also needed psychological support, which led her to become a trained NLP coach. The funds for that training came from her business, just as Rebel teaches.
Before joining a Rebel course, Shanela continuously sought to improve herself through various CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses, but she struggled to take significant action. In 2019, she discovered Rebel, then known as the Pop Up Business School, where her trainer was Katie Coombes. The course fundamentally changed her perspective. Shanela had previously believed that to be a good therapist, she needed to focus solely on her skills, neglecting the importance of letting people know she existed. Reflecting on her experience, she says, “Marketing wasn’t on my radar. I really didn’t understand it, and I thought I was getting good results, but actually, I wasn’t.”
After successfully running her business for a few years, Shanela credits Rebel for much of her success, particularly in the field of fertility. She’s so passionate about Rebel that she now recommends it to everyone she meets in her business journey. Despite having attended other marketing courses, she believes none compare to Rebel.
She states, “Rebel never tried to sell anything to us, and they genuinely care and help us. I’m living proof that what Rebel teaches works. I’ve put it into practice, and I’ve got the results. It’s amazing; one thing has led to another, and ultimately it’s given me fulfilment. Okay, I didn’t have my own newborn baby, but it’s like I’m birthing so many babies as I experience the joy my clients feel when they are finally able to conceive. Running my business has given me a purpose bigger than myself; I can turn my pain into purpose. Not only that, I’m so grateful to Rebel from the bottom of my heart. I came into Rebel as a therapist, and I left as a businesswoman.”
Looking ahead in her business, she is currently writing courses to serve her ideal customers in the best way possible. Rebel helped her gain a clear understanding of who her ideal client is. Initially, she thought every woman was her ideal customer. However, she realised that as an unapologetic Muslim, focusing on the Muslim community made sense because they would trust and buy from her. While she remains within that niche, she is now also open to other clients. She has the privilege of serving non-Muslims as well, as her results speak for themselves, and she’s becoming well-known within the natural fertility world.
In South Asian culture, women typically have children after marriage. To tap into this demographic, Shanela started targeting wedding makeup artists, knowing that brides would continue to follow their makeup artists on Instagram even after their weddings. She offered the makeup artists a free back treatment in exchange for taking over their Instagram stories to promote her business. This strategy significantly increased her follower count.
Shanela has had numerous cases where she has successfully helped women achieve pregnancy against medical odds. One of her clients, at the age of 46, stands as her oldest success story. Beyond age, Shanela has also assisted clients whom doctors had deemed unlikely to conceive naturally. She recounts a poignant case where a client, initially told by doctors that natural conception was improbable, later conceived without medical intervention. Such successes underscore Shanela’s expertise and dedication in navigating fertility challenges, offering hope and solutions where conventional wisdom might have dictated otherwise.
