People coach for so many different reasons. I was a fixer and I finally became a coach when I had the maturity and wisdom to realize fixing doesn’t help anyone.
Listening, transferring skills, helping others practice and patience do. It’s a career that protects me and lifts others. I have a simple approach to coaching. I provide space for people to take a step back and do the work. We explore and pivot together. Although it’s not magical, it can feel magical and I thoroughly enjoy witnessing my clients’ growth. I encourage anyone with an expertise to shift into a coaching role. It can bring you both great joy and a sustainable income. This blog series is the story of my own challenges and experience gained during my first year of coaching and being a small business owner.
The Stairway to Success
I recently started sharing with clients, business owners and basically anyone who will listen my Stairway to Success Growth Model. The idea was sparked from conversations I had with my coach, Tanya Varley, and my team members. I invested in her mastermind group after years of coaching financial advisors and then earning my life coaching certification. I looked forward to our private sessions together as well as the bi-monthly group training and coaching. I documented every nugget Tanya gave me. She was generous with content and guidance. She is my role model for how I show up for my clients as well as my fellow coaches.
Tanya often reminded us we couldn’t see our entire staircase and she was right. I couldn’t see in January of 2018 what I would be doing in November 2018. While she was supporting and guiding us through each of our staircases for the year, I was leveling up and gathering wisdom from the group. Experiencing growth alongside other coaches taught me a valuable lesson. As you start on your journey don’t look to others to define your own success. Each of the coaches in my cohort wanted coaching to show up in their lives in different ways. Some wanted 5 clients, others wanted to do group work and I wanted to build a business that would provide support to my fellow coaches and leaders. A wide variety of passions were represented and all were great business models!
I often see coaches looking to social media to find their role models. Instead, I ask that you look within as you start your journey. Some of you will be happy to have 10 coaching clients and enjoy the freedom and flexibility that work load creates. Others will want to develop an online presence or gain skills that will help you flourish in your traditional corporate positions. Most likely, if you’re newly certified, the stairway to success won’t be as clear as you hoped it would be.
As you gain confidence and skills you can decide what the next steps will be.
It was only after a year in a master mind that I was able to develop my Stairway to Success model. I needed coaching, mentorship, and accountability. I now enjoy sharing how I was able to build my coaching business with other coaches. Just like Tanya did for me. Your first investment shouldn’t be in a website, it should be in your own coach. Find one you connect with and start diving in to the work that matters.
Experiencing growth alongside other coaches taught me a valuable lesson. As you start on your journey don’t look to others to define your own success.
As I experiment with new programs, I am truly enjoying taking a breath on the landing of my staircase to write this blog series. The blogs will include how I got started (sometimes the wrong way) and some advice I think all of my fellow coaches will appreciate. I hope you enjoy them as well.
- What brought you to a career in coaching?
- What experience and wisdom do you have to share?
- What does your dream business and client look like?
- What type of coaching business do you want to build?
- How will this model give you the freedom and flexibility you desire in your life?