Join me and a group of experts as we collectively discuss our top tips and the number one thing all new coaches should avoid. 

This group of experts brings their personal and professional knowledge and experience combined with a history of success in business, and I know you will find their insight and experience valuable.

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My Guests: 

Donna Fairhurst:  Challenge refines or defines you! Surviving & thriving through blindness, polio, divorce, bankruptcy, and “YOYO TO GOD” near-death experiences, empowers Donna Fairhurst to live and coach from Zero to Clarity Principles to pivot from NO WHERE to NOW HERE. HUMAN BEING versus HUMAN DOING is a choice. Choose NOW HERE!

Website: https://DonnaFairhurst.com

Social: http://linkedin.com/in/donna-fairhurst-a96733a7

Elisa Boogaerts: Elisa is the founder of Inspiration By Elisa, a Transformational Speaker, and a certified Life Coach and Health Coach who specializes in confidence. Elisa’s passion is to help people confidently be themselves, realise their own worth and boost their self-confidence to go after what they want in their life. Her mission is to empower people to make a positive change in their lives so they can be happy.

Website: https://www.inspirationbyelisa.com/

Social: https://www.instagram.com/inspirationbyelisa/

Mia Moran: Mia Moran is a mom of three and coach who has struck her perfect balance between motherhood, wellness and work. She supports high achieving, female entrepreneurs, who are overwhelmed with the “life” and “wellness” pieces, find their version of balance. She is the host of the PlanSimple podcast, bestselling author of PlanSimple Meals, and creator of the FLOW Planning Method, the FLOW Planner, and FLOW365.

Website: https://plansimple.com

Social: https://instagram.com/plansimple.co

Monique McDonald: Before you appear on a podcast, give your next presentation or have a sales conversation, you might want to talk to Monique McDonald. MONIQUE is an award-winning, Grammy-nominated, Opera Singer and certified Conscious Transformational Coach. As an International Singer, Speaker and Emcee, Monique has a knack for making meaningful connections with audiences and helps others do the same with her unique coaching style. Known as the Magnetic Voice Mentor, Monique inspires entrepreneurs to develop their message and make a big impact to strengthen and elevate their stage presence, confidence, and mastery of expression. What if your next professional conversation or presentation could take your business - and yourself - to unprecedented levels? Are you ready to Unleash YOUR Magnetic Voice?

Website: https://www.themagneticvoice.com/

Social: https://www.facebook.com/monique.mcdonald.180

Nancy O'Keefe: Nancy OKeefe is a Certified Quantum Human Design Specialist and intuitive business coach, who helps women entrepreneurs peel back the layers of who they have been taught to be and how they have been conditioned to do business so they can build a business that feeds their soul. Nancy is an author, a certified Executive Coach from the College of Executive Coaching and holds an MBA from Babson College in Entrepreneurship.

Website: Www.NancyOKeefeCoaching.com

Social: Facebook.com/NancyOKeefeHumanDesignBizCoach

Nina Macarie:  a visibility expert helping female entrepreneurs get more visibility and connect with dream clients through podcast interviews. She is the creator of the P.I.T.C.H. podcasts framework, helping clients pitch themselves to the right podcasts with ease and confidence in an authentic way. After sending hundreds and hundreds of podcast pitches and also seeing what kinds of pitches are put out in the world, Nina knows exactly what elements to include in a successful pitch. Not only did she get amazing feedback from her successfully booked clients but she also impressed the podcast hosts to whom she pitched. Today, Nina’s mission is to help female online entrepreneurs, coaches, course creators, consultants, and podcasters get an amazing first impression as they start spreading their messages on other people’s platforms.

Website: https://oneluckystar.com

Social: https://instagram.com/nina_macarie

Susan Butler: As a Certified Financial Planner™ with over 30 years of experience in various aspects of the financial industry, and as a Certified Life Mastery Consultant, Susan helps women entrepreneurs develop an empowering relationship with money and finance so they can realize more prosperity, clarity, confidence, success and financial freedom. Some of the keys include mindset, paradigms, vision, perspective and practical knowledge. Susan has been called a Financial Therapist.

Website: https://myfinancialharmony.com

Social: https://www.facebook.com/susanthenightowl

Wendy Cocke:  Author of “Making Flex Work: Defining Success on Your Own Terms” is a chemical engineer by training and spent over 20 years in Fortune 500 companies leading technical teams across time zones, borders, and languages. As a working mother, Wendy Cocke has defined success on her own terms according to her personal values. About 10 years into her career, when her oldest child was still an infant, Wendy pursued a flexible work arrangement. She was told that while the company supported her desire to pull back, her career would stall and she would never move up in the organization. However, her successful negotiation of flexible working arrangements did not slow her career trajectory and eventually led her to publish a #1 bestselling book to teach others they can do the same. Prior to leaving corporate life in early 2022, Wendy spent over 20 years leading international technical teams in Fortune 500 companies in R&D, Supply Chain and Manufacturing organizations.

Website: makingflexwork.com

Social: linkedin.com/in/wendy-anderson-cocke

Hey welcome to she coaches, coaches, I'm your host, Candy Motzek. And I'm going to help you find the clarity, confidence and courage to become the coach that you were meant to be. If you're a new coach, or if you've always wanted to be a life coach, then this is the place for you. We're going to talk all about mindset and strategies and how to, because step by step only works when you have the clarity, courage and confidence to take action. Let's get started. Hi there, and welcome to this episode of she coaches coaches. I am so glad you're here. I've got a special roundtable episode for you. I have gathered together a group of experts, each with a lifetime of experience. And I've asked them one question. If you were going to give advice to a new coach starting their business, what is the one top tip that you would share to help them and one thing you would tell them to avoid? So I really enjoy these conversations. These people are so interesting, and they have such diverse perspectives, you're gonna want to listen carefully to all their responses. So again, this question, if you were going to give advice to a brand new coach, what one tip would you share to help them? And what one thing would you tell them to avoid? Now, I started with this question, because there are so many tips and myths circulating around the internet about becoming a coach. Some of those tips work well, and others work only in theory. Now you're going to hear from eight experts. They know what works from their own experience. So you're getting real valuable information. Now, my top tip, this is one that I always share with new coaches is that the place to start and the place to focus is always to begin coaching. Yeah, Coach, as many people as you can coaching as a profession. And the only way to be a powerful coach is to get experience. Some clients, you're only going to coach for one session, others will be with you for weeks or even months at a time. Theory, reading books practicing will help you fine tune, but get your hours in help real people learn where you can improve, and then improve and then apply what you learn with that next client. Next, the one thing that I always recommend new coaches avoid is this. Don't build a website. Or rather, don't build a website right at the start. As a new coach, your time is best spent coaching people and inviting them to be your client, not choosing the right photos and domain name and writing website copy. Websites are a valuable tool, and they are a must for any coach. And they can be costly, or they can take a chunk of time and energy. So instead of spending your time and money on a website, at the beginning of your business, spend that same energy on clients and coaching and building your clientele. Then once you've been coaching for a while, you're going to be so much clearer about who you are as a coach, and how you help your clients and what specific results you help them get. Then creating a website will be so much easier. All right. So now let's hear it from all the other experts. Hey, Donna, how are you?

I'm great candy. How are you?

I'm good. Listen, I would love to ask you this question. If you were going to give advice to a new coach who was just starting out, what's the one top tip that you would share to help them and one thing that you would recommend that they avoid?

For me as an avowed tech nisource Rex, and starting very late in life, I launched my business when I was in my mid 60s. And so social media, if you if you don't feel confident with social media, if you haven't been on it a lot or used it and you're using that for marketing and getting your message out there as most people do today. Get all of your ducks in a row before you launch with that have a number of suggestions and solutions and cues and clues for your clients already lined up. And if you're not confident about doing that, how hire a VA for a day to do it for you, that would have saved me literally years of anxiety on social media. And I don't pretend to be an expert at it now when I finally have hired a VA, better late than never.

Wow, that's incredible. And isn't that isn't that so common that we think that we, you know, we'll sort of figure it out as we go along. And that one small investment can make such a long term difference. Oh, thank you for that. Hey, Elisa, I have a question for you. If you are going to give advice to a brand new coach, somebody who is just starting out, what is the one top tip that you would share to help them and the one thing you would tell them to avoid?

Oh, I would think the advice would be the trust the process and to like, keep going, don't give up. Because there's going to be ups and downs. And he's need to get to knock it out and show up every day and keep doing what you got to do. And you know, you have good days and bad days, and there'll be days where you're like, lots of people sign up to your things or whatever, and are so many things and other days where it won't. And I think that you just got to kind of be okay with that. But yeah, just just keep going. And don't give up. We all know that so many. So many entrepreneurs can't give up. And so and I see that a lot in coaching, you know, a lot of people don't put themselves out there that are getting going and just kind of retreat from it. I just think oh, if you keep going you've got to you know, have confidence in yourself and believe in yourself that you can do it. Yeah, thing though, tell them to avoid would be to choose your circle wisely. To be surrounded by people who lift you up. You know, and people that are also like learning and growing. You know, if you have like a sort of an entrepreneur kind of little community too. Yeah, to choose that wisely. Because there can be some people that can really bring you down or maybe some people that yeah, like, aren't trying as hard or the you know, the procrastinators are there's always happened to us or something like that. So it's having all that negativity can can really affect you. And so I think it's good to be around those positive people who are also like, kind of moving at the same sort of velocity that you are and also like with other people, maybe who are like a few steps ahead, you can aspire to them and get motivated by them. But yeah, choose it wisely. Because yeah, you might you want to, it can be really tough. And so you want to be surrounded by people that will lift you up, and that you can really like confide in.

I love that. So don't give up, just keep going. And then choose wisely. Choose your choose your circle. And it reminds me of you know that saying that you're sort of the product of the five people that you spend the most time with, right. And somebody said to me earlier this week, and I thought this was fascinating. So choose your podcasts wisely. Because when you're listening to podcasts all the time, you're actually in a relationship with the host. And so if that host kind of irritates you, or is always on a downer or as low as like, just finding the problems with the world. Again, that's part of your circle. So just like you're saying, Elisa, I 100%. Agree. And it's not just your friends and your peers, but it's like what you consume to

empower the insane guys and a lot of people in social media as well. Right. And you've heard it like the wrong side of Tiktok. And like, there's a lot of stuff out there that you want to Yes. Be surrounding yourself with that. positivity. Right. I love that about the podcasts. It's so true, because if you're gay, it's the thing that you listen to every day. What are you feeding yourself? Right? What is going into your head?

Yeah, it really made me think to Yeah, it really made me think. So Mia, if you are going to give advice to a new coach, somebody who is just starting out? What is the one top tip that you would share to help them? And what one thing would you recommend that they avoid?

Yeah, it's funny, I had an answer to this. And as you're saying the question, I was like, Oh, my gosh, I have a totally different answer, which is, I think what I would recommend first is practicing being proud of the fact that you're a coach. Like really embody being a coach, and that just comes from Me not saying that out loud for many years, even after I would have called myself a coach. So, you know, and I think that happens to more coaches than just me. So that would be the first thing. I think the thing that I would avoid is as much as possible, is just get really clear that I'm building my own coaching practice and really be conscious of shiny objects. So, shiny objects are real. They're everywhere. I feel like coaches are a very marketed to group of humans. So it's like, just in order to do that staying really focused on what it is I'm creating and what could really support me in that.

So, because I need to ask, what I love the first part that you said about sort of really settling into your belief that you're a coach and actually being proud that you're a coach, and I think I can see a lot of truth there. Why do you think we have problems sort of owning that role, title? Mission? Like, why do you think that is?

Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of us who become coaches have a, it's not usually our first rodeo, right. So we're becoming coaches from something else. And I mean, I know a lot of coaches who have, like, were doctors and lawyers and like, things that needed a lot of education, you know, like, they did a lot of things, therapists, right. I know, a lot of therapists who decided that coaching was a better modality to serve the people that they really wanted to serve. And so I feel like they're, you know, is a little bit of a reputation going on somehow that maybe this is, you know, less than or you've settled for, like, I don't know what it is, but And it's funny, because, as I'm saying that out loud, I'm like, that's not really what I was struggling with. But also, I feel like when I said it out loud at the beginning, I couldn't explain what I did very well. So then people would be like, what, like, what does that mean? You know, do you coach soccer? And I'm like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, like, that is not what we do. So. So I think it's just when, when it's at the beginning, we're not necessarily trained. So maybe this is the first thing I would do. We're not necessarily trained to really communicate what it is that we do the transformation that we're here to serve. And I actually think that's a great step in in stepping into that role, is really getting clear on what it is that you do and how you're here to help the people who you're here to serve.

Yeah. And just as you're describing all this, I'm thinking of all the different it's kind of like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Like, coaches are kind of like that, too, right? Like, there's so many different kinds of coaches. And then you've got pure coaching, where we ask the questions, and we hold the space, and we allow the client to, you know, bring the answers from within. And then there's this huge variety of and consulting, or coaching and mentoring. And I think most people haven't experienced coaching. So it's really

challenging. Yes, I have it, right. Yes, yes, yes, exactly. Yeah. But I do find that the more I step into it, and I feel like there's probably a lot of layers to that, the more it translates, you know, to the next person. Mm hmm. So it is valuable to like, do that work, I think.

Yeah. And then also the the more people that experience coaching, like, I would never say to a lawyer, well, I don't understand what you do. You would just say, I'm a lawyer, and you were like, right, right. Like, you wouldn't have an assumption to what it is right. Monique, if you were going to give advice to a brand new coach, somebody who is just starting out, what is one top tip that you would share with them? And one thing that you would tell them to avoid at all costs?

So I love this question. The first thing I think, is to understand the difference between what a coach is and what a mentor is. Coaches are able to ask the right questions, so that it empowers the people that they're working with. And a mentor is someone who's been to where you want to go, and can help you to get there and hold your hand every step of the way. So the tip I would give to a new coach is to find a mentor that can help them and walk with them every step of the way, so that they are supported and encouraged at every moment on the journey.

I love that. And what would you ask them to avoid or what would you give them that hot tip to avoid?

I would say the thing to avoid the most is to To avoid telling yourself you don't know what you're doing. I think that a lot of times when we're learning something new, or we're having a new experience, we become concerned with what we don't know. And the fear of somebody finding out that we don't know what we think we should know. So I would, I would, I would tell them to avoid, trying to be perfect, and to take themselves right off the hook, and trust their instincts and their heart. Because if you're a coach, it's because you want to serve. And so I think we all have instincts that are, that are gifts that are ready to be used.

Nancy, if you were going to give advice to a new coach who was just starting out in their business, what is the top tip that you would share with them, and the one thing you would tell them to avoid?

Well, I think as a new coach, it's very important to understand who you want to serve, and why. Whatever you do, you need to be passionate about it. And you need to be in a position to communicate with people in a way that inspires them. A lot of times, I find coaches will fall in love with a topic. And they want to coach people on that topic, whether they need it or not. And I think it's very important that we meet people where they are, but also that we really do a little research and be sure that what we are going to offer is something that solves a problem for people and solves a problem that they're willing to pay to solve. And without those two components, your chances of having a lucrative and successful coaching business fall quite rapidly. So my tip, I think would be to do the research, and not to be so enthralled with the latest tool that you've learned, or the latest assessment you've, you know, fallen upon. But to really understand who your niches what are the issues they're wrestling with? How does your experience and your expertise, help them with that? And then the the litmus test is really, you know, are they willing to pay to solve that problem?

Right? I love that. Good solid advice. And what one thing would you tell them to avoid?

Avoiding let's see, avoid working for just anybody, avoid falling into the trap of being, you know, somebody that responds to every little request that comes along, really set up your velvet ropes and understand who you're here to serve. Because when you're trying to be something for everybody, you end up doing none of it really, really well. And I think you can fall into the trap of mediocrity, because you aren't really honing your skills and using them. So you know, as much as if you're a heart centered coach, you want to help everybody, but we're not meant for everybody. There's a certain group of people that we will magnetize to naturally, and it's important that we recognize that and avoid trying to just be everything to everybody, because that doesn't serve anyone.

Yeah, and really, just trying to be everything to everybody just comes from that place of fear. You know, when you're a new coach, and you're not full, you're not fully booked yet, you're not really making income yet, you're kind of a little bit nervous. And so I think it's really easy for new coaches to fall into that. And so I would agree with you. And then also, like, just be aware that you might be a little bit afraid and have faith that actually the more you go to that, you know, group of people and that problem that you can help with, the faster your calendar will fill, the faster you'll be getting off to the races.

Absolutely. And it'll happen organically, almost by word of mouth. If you're really able to help somebody, they're going to spread the word. And that's really the best way to fill up your Coaching Calendar.

Oh, Nina, I have a question for you. If you were going to give advice to a new coach, somebody who's just starting out, what is the one tip that you would share with them? And what one thing would you ask them to avoid?

To be honest, if I would start all over, what I would do is I would try to get help as soon as possible. And depending on your situation help could be a coach could be a business bestie or could be a VA, but someone who could help you understand that you are not alone and understand what you are going through. Because when I started my business, I wanted to do everything by myself. Because I thought that I mean, this goes way back, because I was a stay at home mom for more than five years. And I had a hard time asking for help. Because I thought that I'm not going to be a good mother, if I'm going to ask for help. And I think that I started the business with the same mentality, that I'm not going to be a good entrepreneur, if I'm going to ask for help.

But then, and isn't that the thing? Right? How we do one thing is how we do everything. So if you think you're going to if you think that you have to do it all on your own. No wonder it showed up in your business as well as in your home life?

Yes, yes. And I think that actually, I wanted to do everything by myself, because I want to prove myself that I am good that I am capable. But then I thought that actually, I started my business just with this desire that I could help other moms grow their businesses. And along the way, I found amazing clients and business besties and coaches. And I realized that actually, how is that saying that it takes a village to grow a baby? Well, I think it's the same. It takes a village to grow a business. And it's so much easier to do with when you have someone by your side.

Susan, really grateful that you're here helping me with these questions. If you are going to give advice to a new coach, somebody who was a new entrepreneur, just starting with their business, what is the one top tip that you would share to support them? And what one thing would you do? Or explain to them to help them avoid a pitfall? Okay,

I'd say one of the top tips of something you should do is know your why know it very well. Because there will be ups and downs, there will be times when you need to push through your comfort zone and do something that's beyond what you've had to do in the past or, or times when you might have a disappointment. And if you know your why, and you keep going back and looking at that, that helps you get through, you remember why you're going through this and why you're running the business you're running. As far as what to avoid. One of the biggest pitfalls that I see in my business are women who undervalue themselves and underpriced their services. You need to know Know your value, know your experience in what you bring to the table the benefits that you can provide to your client, and realize how valuable that truly is to that client. It's not what you think is valuable for you, but what is valuable to the client and the pricing your what would they be willing to pay to be able to make that change or get that information from you?

I think that that's a really good point. Because, as coaches and and online entrepreneurs, we so often get into this trying to equate dollars and hours and trying to go down that math paths, you know, 12 hours this much per hour is this number. But really what we're offering is that solution, right? So the result that that person wants, and the sort of the long term value of receiving that result to you know, like, say you had somebody that wanted to change careers. Well, it might take how many hours to get a good strategy together. But what's the value of a new, more satisfying career at a higher salary? Right? Do you find that that that sort of comes into how you speak with your clients as well?

Most definitely, if you're not happy with what you're doing, it doesn't matter how much money you're making. And if you're a coach, you're in a coaching business. The vast You have that transformation that you can provide for your client based on your story and your experience can be unlimited.

Hi, Wendy. So, I have this question. If you are going to give advice to a new coach, now, I get it that you don't necessarily work specifically with coaches and that way, but a new entrepreneur who is starting their business, what is the top tip that you would share with him? To help them out? And what one thing would you suggest that they avoid?

The first thing I would suggest is that they be intentional with their time. As an entrepreneur, there are lots of things you could do with your time. And understanding how all those pieces fit together to make you the most value is the tip I would share. In making flex work, I go through the evaluation method. That method is a four step process for intentionality with your time, the E stands for every minute counts, or every hour counts or Every Day Counts. The idea is, know what you're doing. my engineering background would say that we would do a time study for those entrepreneurs that aren't technical, it's just journaling your time. So it's fine. Knowing what you're doing allows you to make choices about it. V Evelle, is around valuing optimized work. So understanding what are those skills you don't have that you need, and actually investing time learning how to do those things, so they don't take you so much time. And then figuring out which skills you don't have, that you don't need to learn and figuring out who to outsource them to. The A is assessing the expectations, really understanding what do you want from yourself and from your business? What are the nice to haves? What are the requirements, and then the L is leveraging small changes. In leveraging small changes, it is the idea of slowly turning the dial playing around doing a little r&d with yourself. What times are better for you to get certain tasks done for myself. I like focused work in the morning and collaborative work in the afternoon when my brain starts to drop. It could mean getting up 30 minutes earlier in the morning, gives you fuel because you're a morning person or it could mean that I need that extra 15 minutes with my cup of coffee so that I can be more productive in the morning. By making small changes. You can test it out, and then undo it if it doesn't happen. Oh, that's