When I first started out in business, I was fumbling around, reading a book (or twenty here), taking a course there, and getting coaching from coaches that were just a few steps in front of me.
The reason why my business has taken off so rapidly in the last few years has got nothing to do with how I started out, but how I stayed the path and what I did on my path.
The reason that I am able to serve nearly 5000 aspiring and existing coaches in my coaches community, the reason why I am able to train coaches through Coach School and mentor coaches to help them go from ammeter to pro is because I have taken the time to learn how to succeed in business, which of course (deh) involves making good money.
So, here are some reasons why I wasn't succeeding in the past and some lessons that may give you an aha moment about what you need to do in your business to up your game if you want to earn the amount you desire.
1. You can't succeed in isolation.
For those that know me, you'll know I am very much an introvert. I like sticking to myself, one of the hardest things for me to do was to learn to surround myself with other coaches and business owners that were making positive waves. I'm talking about coaches, mentors, your circle of friends (in person and online). I had to learn how to ask for help and how to provide people (like my incredible mentors, those that didn't charge) something of value.
Have you got around you a circle of supportive go-getters?
2. Confidence can make or break your business.
I've been on calls with potential clients, fumbling for words, searching for a script, something, anything to say because I felt I was short on words, but in reality I was short on confidence. Confidence comes from a few things, practice is one of them, yes, training another, but you know the easiest and cost effective way to create confidence. Believe in YOself. That means storing up positive images and beliefs that you can do it, you've done it before and you are a fully capable human being.
3. Training and education
As I said above, training is important. Not just for confidence but for proper understanding and awareness. Training develops your ability to see rhythms, patterns, and engages you with the toolset and skill set to effectively handle your coaching sessions, calls and business building.
When I take time off from study and from being coached myself, my income suffers, why? Because I am not growing and as a result of me not growing I have nothing to give.
4. Experience (especially for new coaches)
When I was first starting out, very little would give me the time of day. Now I am in demand. My oh my, what a difference! What changed? Experience was acquired through consistent persistence, by offering my services for free, asking for referrals and continually putting myself out their asking for discovery sessions. Experience comes by hard work.
5. Time
I've been in business A LONG time, often I feel like the old dog, I have a lot of new coaches ask me how do you deal with being a new coach and just starting out. I think it's a lot about time, the time passes so fast, when you are just starting out I wouldn't focus on being a new coach, I'd focus on serving. For me, I encountered a lot of reluctance because people didn't know what coaching was where I grew up in a small town in New Zealand. The time will pass anyway, you can listen to naysayers who tell you you've got to have a ton of experience, or you've got to be a certain way, act or talk a certain way rah rah rah.. Or you can enjoy the time, be yourself and persist, after all the time will pass anyway, and before you know it you'll be an ol' dog like me.
6. When I studied coaching I studied coaching.
There was nothing about mindset in my Diploma of Coaching and Diploma of Career Coaching. Absolutely nothing. When the internet exploded and I took my business online, that is when I learned about mindset. That is when things started to shift in a big way. If you're business isn't booming, chances are it's a reflection of what is happening in you more than the actions you are taking. Often we don't know what we don't know, hiring a mindset coach is great to establish those sticky unconscious beliefs and unlock some new ones.
7. Consistency
Everyone raves on and on about this one. Boy is it true. Consistency is key in business, look at Marie Forleo's, Marie T.V, would she have ever made it if she wasn't consistent in her weekly videos? Possibly or possibly not. Consistency is key in building your business, strive to be the turtle not the hare, because business is a long distance run not a short distance sprint.