How I went full time in my coaching business
Before I dive in, context is KEY.
I acknowledge firstly that I benefit from white privilege (though I still regularly get asked, but where are you really from? ), I am a woman born into the Western world in the 21st Century where I have choices, freedom access to education and healthcare, born into a supportive family and yes, I had savings, that yes, I worked damn hard for, but I still had a starting point that I acknowledge many do not.
I didn't start coaching thinking it would lead me to leaving my established corporate career, moving to Australia and being a digital nomad serving clients taking a similar path globally (PINCH ME!). I just wanted give back in some way and make some dollar on the side. But WHEN the messages from the industry were clearly, you can make this a business, a career, a way of life, I sat up and paid attention.
Step 1. I took my coaching certification and business skill seriously.
I didn't just show up and hope for the best.
I set a date to complete the certification and got it done.
I set up my socials and actually implemented the guidance I had available to me.
I believed in my training and the value of the transformation I offered.
I didn't spin out in overwhelm, I took it all one step at a time.
When I created my first video, I stayed up all night once watching Youtubes on how to present so I could actually talk to camera like a normal person.
To quote McConaughey 'I became less impressed and more involved.'.
Step 2. I looked at my finances.
What I'm earning, saving, wasting, spending, investing and seriously considered ALL of the implications if I quit and prepared financially.
I had no clue about money mindset back then, but I did know what feels good, what feels safe, and what feels scary.
I thought twice about business investments and set up a biz bank account from day dot.
I figured if I'm making this coaching thing real then I better treat it like so, so I did.
Step 3. I owned it.
Despite being far from confident, I was bold and I leveraged skills from my career.
My corporate role was client facing and I wasn't afraid to represent at work so I used that skill to tell people I'm a coach and make offers to help them.
My first ever paid client was a colleague and my second was through a mailing list to my local neighbourhood community newsletter.
I didn't wait to figure out IG before I got creative and started creating clients.
Step 4. I got coached on everything.
My deepest limiting beliefs, my father wound, my mother wound, my sister wound, getting visible, self belief, self acceptance the works.
I wasn't afraid to learn, grow, and address anything and every thing that came up.
This was from dedicated self learning, investing AND surrounding myself with a community of people who were in as deep as me, plus integrity is important to me
I go first. My social circle grew, my priorities shifted and my self worth 10x'd.
I opened pandora's box of my deepest fears and I learnt to love them (work in progress!).
Step 5. I communicated.
I didn't expect my partner, family or my mates to get it.
But at this point I was so certain in who I was and where I'm going when I actually said the words 'I'm thinking of leaving my career' they knew it was an update not a question.
Sure, we discussed it, sure there were concerns, but I wasn't looking for crowd sourcing.
This was my dream, my goal and my decision.
Step 6. I set a date.
Thanks to a 4 month notice period I overshot it.
But having a goal kept me focussed however FULL DISCLOSURE: I didn't meet my business financial goals and I took a massive risk anyway.
But as my THRIVE clients know, risk is subjective and my risk tolerance is high. It paid off, and I see a lot of people jump too soon which hurts them in the long run.
I wish I wasn't so stubborn and stayed in Corporate a little longer, but as I say, I intentionally created made choices that supported me along the way.
This is literally why I do what I do.
Step 7. I believed it was possible for me.
Belief turned into knowing. It was all I thought about. My ambition for my established decade long career in HR suddenly felt different, a drain, a lack of purpose, what is this for?
Coaching was my all and it felt CERTAIN beyond (almost) anything I have felt in my life, other than my love....
Step 8.
Is inside the Podcast - How to Build your Coaching Business Around the 9to5, episode 2. Listen HERE.
Your dream of building a coaching business is abso-fucking-lutely possible.