7 Tips That We Don’t Learn in Coaching Schools

It’s been a while since I wanted to write about this topic, noticing what I’ve been through since I’ve started my own Coaching business. It applies to having a Coaching business or any other one person business that you start based on your knowledge or talents. It’s just much easier to write about one of them (Coaching in my case), and I trust that you can extrapolate my ideas into your business… whatever that is.

1. Growing a business is a journey. Like any journey, it takes time to accomplish it… if you don’t give up while going through the different challenges that this journey takes you through. In a Coaching business, for example, you have to build trust if you expect (new) people to pay for your services. Building trust takes time, especially for a business that provides services (non-tangible “product”).

2. Challenges are there to help you and your business grow to the next level, if you look at them this way. They can teach you new things (that you need in order to grow your business), or the way you should think about yourself and business… if you’re open enough to learn. For example, not knowing how to handle rejections, could lead into learning that skill. As a Coach, you have to be willing to work on yourself (remove your own limiting beliefs and negative emotions), if you want to help better your clients. Your business will grow in the same measure as you grow, and the time you’re dedicate to it.

3. Growing a business is more than just applying your skills and knowledge (Coaching skills, for a Coaching business). You have different roles as a one person business: Entrepreneur, Marketing, Operations Manager, Financial, Specialist (Coach – in my example). Your business success depends also on how well you manage all these roles.

4. Trust your dream, and your abilities to get there (even if they are not perfect at the moment). It’s not about how economy is right now, is about how well you manage your roles in that given environment. When you catch yourself with fear of something, that’s the perfect opportunity to expand your comfort zone by putting yourself in situations that could help you break through that fear.

5. Stay connected with people that think alike or you admire. Ask for feedback; both positive and negative feedback have the potential to help you (if you don’t take it personal, and get into defensiveness).

6. Stay focused on your business, but also give yourself to causes close to your heart. It’s not mandatory to provide them financial support; it could be something related to your business, but toward less fortunate people or organisations. It helps you be more in harmony with yourself, while your business is still struggling to achieve what you want.

7. Always have your ideal customer in mind, and shape the communication and marketing strategy accordingly. If you don’t know what your ideal customer is, take a piece of paper and jot down the qualities of the people you enjoy working with as clients. What do they have in common? Who appreciate more your services/ products? What are they looking for?

What else do you think it’s useful to know when you grow a one person business?

Or what challenges do you have? 🙂

Gabriela