Joanna shares a powerful conversation with Kiran, a coach who went from sporadic one-off sessions and self-doubt to securing corporate contracts, high-value coaching clients, and building real confidence in her business.

If you’ve qualified as a coach but still feel unclear about how to build a steady business, this conversation will help you feel both understood and hopeful. It’s especially valuable if you’re tired of trying to piece everything together alone and want to hear what sustainable progress actually looks like.

Timestamps

00:00 - From self-doubt to possibility

03:45 - The investment fear

05:30 - Shiny objects and avoidance

07:20 - Learning to be visible

09:05 - The power of accountability

11:00 - The sales sprint breakthrough

13:10 - Keeping the lights on

17:15 - Building confidence through action

This episode is a reminder that confidence often comes after action, not before it. The turning point wasn’t perfection. It was deciding to stop waiting and start showing up consistently.

Check out Kiran's website

Connect with Kiran on Linkedin

Useful Links

Dare Greatly in The Coaching Arena: In-person & Online mid-year Reset, June 2026

Learn about The Business of Coaching programme

Signature Solution Course

Download the Free Digital version of Coaches' Planner (NEW edition 2026)

Free Essential AI Toolkit – 2 Must-Have Prompts for Coaches

How to secure more coaching clients' free training

Download the 12 ways to get clients now

Connect with Jo on LinkedIn

Rate and Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Women in the Coaching Arena helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you’re kind enough to leave a review, please do let Jo know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: joanna@joannalottcoaching.com

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Hi, Kiran.

2

I'm so excited for this conversation

because I know when I invited you to

3

talk on the podcast, you said before

you joined the program, you used to

4

look at the people on , my sales page

and think, could that ever be me?

5

And I know that it's a real

exciting moment, but yes,

6

it definitely can for you.

7

Kiran: So please do share a bit about

you and who you help in your coaching.

8

Yes.

9

This is actually really exciting 'cause

it feels like a real milestone moment

10

from where I was this time last year.

11

So it's really exciting.

12

So, I specialize in coaching women and

now men, who are rebuilding, their careers

13

after working within a toxic workplace.

14

I qualified and it's gonna be my third

year now, and it was within year one.

15

I qualified and I thought,

yeah, okay, what I need.

16

I had a entry on a coaching,

website and I've got one or two

17

clients come through and it was

just very much session by session.

18

Couldn't really get much momentum.

19

I couldn't really pin my clients down.

20

I worked in corporate for 18 years.

21

I had a really tough time and I

decided to leave and I thought,

22

well, I'm gonna retrain, and then

thought I dunno what happens next.

23

I did, take on a part-time job because

there wasn't much money coming in.

24

And then within the first year of

qualifying, nothing really that much

25

happened, but I knew I wanted to do

more and on this coaching website where

26

people could just see what I do and

then book with me, that was very slow.

27

And then I started to

listen to your podcast.

28

And actually did download a couple

of your things, and I thought,

29

I feel like there's big gaps in

what a business should look like.

30

It's not just enough to go, ah,

okay, I've got an ICF qualification.

31

So that sort of started to be very much on

my mind thinking, I dunno what to do next.

32

I remember speaking to you and just things

started to make sense and I was like.

33

Oh, okay.

34

And it was just the word niche, and

that was what kind of just blew it

35

apart because I didn't have a niche.

36

Yeah.

37

You know, my niche was just that I coach

people and I can pretty much do anything,

38

anything you want, and I didn't understand

the importance, so I was like, okay.

39

And I couldn't get it out of my

head that this part's missing.

40

Which then took me to, to the point

where I was looking at the business

41

of coaching for quite a few months.

42

I was looking at the case studies and

hearing how they've gone from feeling

43

exactly how I felt in that time to

actually building a credible coaching

44

business, and I'd thought to myself.

45

Yeah, obviously not really come from

anything, so I don't think that's

46

going to really happen for me.

47

But I thought, how have you got so many

that are actually getting to that point?

48

It was the fear of investing in

myself because I'd already invested

49

so much into becoming qualified.

50

I'd already walked away from a job.

51

I kind of felt, can I really

invest anything more into this?

52

No, I can do it myself.

53

I can do it.

54

And then it just, there

was nothing happening.

55

So I thought, you know what?

56

I'm just going to do this

for the sake of my own.

57

I've come this far, I'll just do it.

58

And it was the best thing, honestly.

59

The gratitude journal.

60

I sort of took a look at it today actually

before our called just to remind myself

61

of that first entry and sitting there.

62

And I remember just before I was

about to start your course, and it

63

was very much of, this is the first

day, the rest of your life, yeah.

64

And it feels like just grown so much.

65

To the point that I feel almost so

excited to be here with you now and

66

to say, yes, I've gone from feeling

like that, to feeling like this.

67

It's a real thing.

68

It's not just a, and like

you say, and it's not hype.

69

Jo: It's not the hype all.

70

It's a real.

71

Achievable thing oh my goodness.

72

So many tears I've got over here.

73

It is just, amazing to

hear it said like that.

74

Like you describe there and

often think, oh, that can't be

75

possible for someone like me.

76

Yeah.

77

And that's the hardest bit.

78

And I think looking at all the people

that are successful, you think, well,

79

I'm, I'm a million miles from that.

80

I'm never gonna be able to.

81

I don't look that way.

82

I don't, yeah.

83

Like you say, I don't

have all that background.

84

I don't have, so yeah, and that's what

makes this moment special because it.

85

It is achievable.

86

Nancy: You've just been supporting

me the whole time that all the times

87

when it's just like you just picked

up on when I just didn't have the

88

confidence to really do stuff and

that's where you just always have such

89

a big part of my you are my journey.

90

And you always will be

that big part of it.

91

So it is, it is quite emotional actually.

92

Jo: Yeah.

93

Oh, totally.

94

So I've just had to edit out a, a load

of my crying of this episode if you're

95

listening now, because, I was just

overwhelmed really by what Kiran shared.

96

Especially that feeling that so many

of us have that success is for other

97

people and it's not for us because

that's exactly how I used to feel.

98

So it was really emotional to hear that

Kiran felt the same yet now sees that

99

she is one of those successful people.

100

So thinking back, I know that there's

been a few pivotal moments for you in

101

terms of, I suppose, niching, which

you've talked about, and there were

102

also lots of shiny object moments

when I suppose you were searching for

103

this magic cure that was gonna make

104

everything works.

105

So should I write a book?

106

Should I do this, should I do that?

107

Versus, kind of work through the process.

108

So tell us more about those shiny

objects and what was helpful in the end.

109

Nancy: Yes, I think having the portal

was the absolute structure that I

110

needed and didn't realize I needed.

111

And it was getting through all

those moments of thinking, right,

112

I don't know how to get my niche.

113

It was actually quite a cathartic

moment, building my niche because

114

I was tapping into all these

different things and ideas and.

115

And then I kept being drawn back

to the toxic workplace stuff.

116

I kept drawn back to where my passion

was and what I had been through,

117

and I think that was a really big

moment because I realized I hadn't

118

wanted to really face that time.

119

I'd kind of just left it

there and not addressed it.

120

So I took quite a lot of time to get past

all of those feelings that I felt with

121

it, so once I got more comfortable talking

about it and then being able to build a

122

lead magnet, which I found was incredible.

123

It kind of just snowballed really

from all these different things.

124

I went for like a lead magnet and then

thought, well, okay, I need my website.

125

And when I first joined, I didn't

have a LinkedIn profile at all.

126

I wasn't on social media, so I had no

LinkedIn and the portal helped me build my

127

LinkedIn profile, but it was this sort of.

128

It was the other part as well that, and

also the positive intelligence part, that

129

was such a great part of the business of

coaching, where you had the self-doubting

130

moments that you've gotta just on your

phone to be able to hear it and to do it.

131

But those shiny moments were,

I think, now looking back.

132

It was just really my fear of

not putting myself out there.

133

And that's one of the things,

Jo, I feel like I've been

134

fighting you this whole time.

135

And then I got it.

136

The visibility part, all the calls,

all the, and I'm like, well, maybe

137

if I just go and think about writing

a book, no, actually maybe let

138

me just do an Instagram course.

139

No, let me just do a LinkedIn course.

140

And so no, stop.

141

You are doing all of these things

to stop yourself from being visible

142

and you've actually maintained

it right from the very start.

143

It's about the importance of

being visible and something

144

that I just didn't want to do.

145

That's why I didn't have a LinkedIn page.

146

Those turning points have then built my

confidence in talking about what I do.

147

Getting myself out there and it's

actually quite funny because you've

148

always said, and I've never really got

it until this year, but you've said about

149

just it doesn't have to be completed.

150

We have to be completely

perfect and finished.

151

Just get it started and

then get it out there.

152

I've just stopped because spending

so much time on my website last

153

year, I just hid myself away.

154

It's like, I can't do this.

155

I can't.

156

But yeah, it was just focusing

on the wrong things so I wouldn't

157

have to then actually address

the parts that were missing.

158

So keeping me completely focused

the whole time was the portal,

159

but also it was the community.

160

It was the weekly calls.

161

I mean, the weekly calls are just

amazing because it's those ones

162

where you are held accountable.

163

My favorite ones out of all

of them were the CEO calls.

164

'Cause it would be after the kids went

back to school and you're a little bit

165

out of sync and you go, right, okay,

I'm gonna now set my six week focus

166

and I'm gonna put it on the group.

167

So that keeps me accountable.

168

And, it's those things that kept

me on track and stop me from

169

going, oh, I might just try this.

170

And actually coming to you, Jo, going,

oh, is it worth, especially with

171

the LinkedIn thing, only recently I

said to you, oh, is it worth doing

172

this LinkedIn, accelerator course?

173

You were so honest and so generous.

174

Because they were actually, I've done one

of those and this is what I've learned.

175

Yeah, and actually saved me so much

money of doing that investment.

176

And you just, so, yeah, and just shared

everything that you found, which I could

177

go and implement into my own business.

178

So.

179

It's just learning all the time

and there's always just new stuff

180

on the portal and your chat bots

as well, which are incredible.

181

Oh good.

182

So yeah, so they're so good for

those moments when you're just

183

like, ah, I don't know what to say.

184

Yeah.

185

Gets you over the line.

186

It's having the support to get you over

the line, I think is my biggest thing.

187

And I found it all within

the business of coaching.

188

Because there's been loads

of self doubting moments.

189

Jo: There's been loads of like, oh, I just

can't, but now I've promised myself and

190

I'm keeping to it, no more shiny objects.

191

Oh, love it.

192

So I can't wait to hear

what's different as a result.

193

Nancy: So from how I started from just

having one or two clients just once

194

or twice whenever they felt like it.

195

I think a really big turning point

for me was the start of this year.

196

Jo, when you ran the sales sprint.

197

And it was just the most perfect time

because made a promise to myself.

198

No more shiny objects.

199

We're just gonna actually just go all in.

200

As a result of committing to

staying visible throughout those

201

six weeks, and the support through

the portal, I managed to secure a

202

corporate contract, which I didn't

even think was going to be possible.

203

So I signed a three

month and group coaching.

204

And there's also now some talk

about extending that into one-to-one

205

coaching, which is quite exciting.

206

I also, through the sales sprint,

I managed to secure, two people

207

for my signature coaching package.

208

It completely proved the point of

just put it out and then work it out.

209

So that worked really well.

210

I'm an associate coach as well

because I decided last year to,

211

says my confidence was building.

212

I approached, one of the clinics

that's quite local to me where

213

they have different therapists,

and I said, you haven't got a

214

life coach on your directory.

215

Would you be interested in having one?

216

So now I work out of the clinic as well.

217

And my most exciting thing as well that

I've achieved this year so far is that

218

I've launched my, community coaching.

219

I dedicate, one morning a week and

I give free coaching to people that

220

don't really know much about coaching.

221

If they feel a bit stuck in their

career, they're not sure what to do.

222

And it was quite nice talking to

sort of different people and it's

223

really building my knowledge as well

in how to make my program stronger.

224

So, so yeah, it feels like it's busy now.

225

I think I remember you coming

about that associate role.

226

And you were gonna say no to it.

227

Do you remember that was the

one or is that a different one?

228

I was like, why would you say no to this?

229

It sounds like a great opportunity.

230

Yes, of course.

231

Jo, I came to you.

232

That was in the summer.

233

Yeah, I remember because I said, right,

just before we break Joe, I've had

234

somebody ask me about this and you took

me through the absolute pros of it.

235

And I was, I was like, how did

I not even think about that?

236

Yeah.

237

Keep the lights on while I'm getting

the, so yeah, I was very ready to

238

go no, it's not really my niche.

239

And you were like, no do it.

240

Jo: You nearly said no.

241

'cause you're like, it's

not within my niche.

242

I'm like, no one needs to know

what goes on behind closed doors.

243

This is like money coming into your diary

without you having to, to work for it

244

while you build your niche and business.

245

Nancy: See, this is it, Jo and

that's been a really massive thing

246

that I've learned from this whole

experience, that it's about doing

247

things to keep the lights on as well.

248

Jo: Huge congrats on the corporate

client and two people in your program

249

due to the sales sprint and like say,

having a sale, there's nothing better

250

to actually make you do the work.

251

So it is just the best

way to build anything.

252

Sell the thing, prove the concept

that people want it and then

253

you can mess around for as well.

254

You can't mess around for as long

as you like, because guess what?

255

These clients are actually

needing what you offer.

256

Nancy: And also Jo, when I came and spoke

to you about doing the, market research

257

part as well within that sales sprint,

258

How I had some feedback saying,

well actually you should maybe offer

259

some more sort of career support for

your second 'cause I've got three

260

different tier of what I offer as well.

261

And you were like, yes, absolutely.

262

Try doing this thing with the CV part and

try, you know, building it in this way.

263

So just so generous with how

much knowledge you give Jo.

264

Jo: And it's, that's the only way

that I've been able to build all these

265

stepping stone to making some real.

266

Yeah, real progress in what I'm offering.

267

Yeah.

268

Well, as I say, you are completely

to credit for everything that you've

269

built because you've overcome all

of the fears, you've taken the

270

action, you've showed up, you've

asked for help when you've needed it.

271

You've implemented the help.

272

And the fact that you're so open to

sharing everything, sort of go on

273

calls and you'd be like, oh yeah, I

had this and you will just share it.

274

I've had this this week, and

it's all these things that kind

275

of make you feel that, okay.

276

Yeah.

277

I hadn't even thought about it

is, and I think that's the thing.

278

You give so many of those, oh, I

hadn't even thought about that moment.

279

So, yeah.

280

And it is those that you

wouldn't get on your own.

281

That's it.

282

Because everything's changing so quickly.

283

We need to keep up.

284

That's so good to hear.

285

What is your biggest

takeaway from the program?

286

Nancy: Is, i've got coaching business.

287

Having community is so important.

288

Having support, like for example, I

just set up my LinkedIn, I put my first

289

post out and I messaged on the slack and

said, oh, I'll put my first post out.

290

And everybody was like, yeah, oh, go on.

291

It's all those moments I

wouldn't have had that on my own.

292

If you're having that self doubting

moment thinking, oh, I don't really

293

want to invest any more into this

business, is it really worth it?

294

I think it is.

295

I've taken the time to qualify.

296

I actually wish that after anybody

qualifies, they get your course.

297

That should be the next logical step

that you go into, because nobody

298

tells you how to set up a business.

299

There's no part of the coaching

training that I had spoke about a niche.

300

Didn't speak about how to set up.

301

Didn't speak about all the different,

like the social media parts.

302

Even had to set up a LinkedIn

profile, which I had no idea.

303

And it was all on calls that we've had.

304

Portal.

305

It was, it is all these

things that actually.

306

You can't do it by yourself.

307

I always think I should have

done this six months ago.

308

I would've been way more ahead by now.

309

Why didn't I just do it earlier?

310

But it is definitely, the support is

really needed when you're starting out.

311

It's just so many things

that you offer, Jo.

312

I think it's just like the support,

the community, the portal, which

313

keeps you completely structured and

regimented almost when you're ready to

314

go and explore something shiny, it's

like, no, get back and do the portal.

315

So yeah, there's just so many

different things that, I would

316

never have achieved on my own.

317

Because I would've known about it.

318

Jo: Thank you so, so much, Kiran.

319

what's next for you?

320

Nancy: I think definitely going to work a

lot more on my social media now this year.

321

I think that's definitely

one for me because it almost.

322

I had this like thing where I was

thinking, oh, how can I keep talking

323

about it when I haven't really had

that many clients, but now I've got

324

the corporate side and I've actually

got my signature solution working.

325

I've got clients.

326

I feel like I've got a

lot more to talk about.

327

And almost keeping in the sales sprint

because of all the information you

328

gave us to do that I feel like I can

keep implementing this sales sprint.

329

Jo: I wish I hadn't called it a

sprint, because it is literally

330

a long term strategy that we need

to keep using in our business.

331

Nancy: Having those tools mean I

can keep just tapping back into it.

332

And that's why I'm just so grateful

that I can just go, oh, okay.

333

Right.

334

This is slowing down a little bit.

335

Now I know where I am with it.

336

Right?

337

Let's try and get the next part out

and then I can just tap back into

338

these strategies, which are now set.

339

So it feels quite exciting to keep

building and, but no more shiny objects.

340

I'm just gonna keep pushing with

what's working for the moment.

341

It feels that the confidence

is just really growing, which

342

is just lovely because I didn't

think I'd get to this point.

343

Jo: That's so exciting.

344

I was about to suggest YouTube for

you, but now I'm presenting another

345

shiny object, but ever since we first

met, I'm like you are gonna go on

346

YouTube, that's what you're gonna do.

347

So there's my premonition for you.

348

Nancy: Yeah, i'll keep thinking,

do you know what videos

349

are gonna be my next thing?

350

I'm just gonna be just

talking straight to it.

351

Yeah.

352

And now I've got over

almost myself, really.

353

I'm just like, yeah, just do it.

354

Yeah.

355

And Business of Coaching and you Jo along

with Lisa, who's amazing, and Jackie,

356

you've all made me quite fearless.

357

Jo: Wow.

358

I'm quite fearless now.

359

I was so scared of everything when

I first joined, so I'm feel a bit

360

fearless, I never thought I'd get

to this point, oh, so, so amazing.

361

Kiran.

362

I'm so happy for you.

363

would you recommend the

program, and if so, who to?

364

Nancy: Oh, in a heartbeat.

365

Absolutely.

366

It feels like it's for all

stages of your coaching business.

367

I wish I had it as soon as I qualified

because I wouldn't have spent the whole

368

year just being, what do I do now?

369

But also even further down the line

because things are changing so much

370

all the time with coaching and with

the things like ai, which you're so in

371

touch with, you're ahead of the trends.

372

It's those kind of things go right,

okay, do I need to go in and now build

373

my business in a different direction?

374

I feel for everybody who's got a coaching

business out there and finding themselves

375

of, I don't really know how to secure

clients on a steady, I think this is

376

the steady, best way to bring them in.

377

And it's not just a quick win.

378

I think that's, that's the biggest

thing because there's so many things.

379

People even drop into my LinkedIn dms

all the time promising the quick wins.

380

Like, oh, if you do this, sign up to this.

381

There are no quick wins.

382

And I think business of coaching

shows you all the ways to go right

383

start from here and those wins

will be all the time for you.

384

They will keep coming.

385

It'll come in different ways, but

you're comfortable with the wins and

386

you're comfortable how to get there.

387

So, but I definitely feel that anybody

who is starting out that's worried

388

about any further investment, it may

feel a little bit, but it's honestly

389

the best thing for yourself and your

business if you've spent all the time

390

and the effort to qualify, you now need

the parts to back your business up.

391

So this is it.

392

Jo: Oh, love it.

393

Yeah, I totally agree.

394

People seem to spend all of that money

and time on the first part yet won't

395

invest anything in the second part.

396

Or they'll say, I just

gotta wait to get clients.

397

People don't realize that

your confidence goes so low.

398

So essentially you are a year behind

where you are right now in your journey

399

and then the pressure builds of like

your husband saying, when are you gonna

400

make money from this and your family?

401

And then you're like, oh my

God, forget the whole thing.

402

Versus just make this a

priority to build your business.

403

Nancy: Yeah, and definitely I found

with the confidence part as well, that

404

was really a year after qualifying.

405

The confidence had gone.

406

Do business coaching because it's got

everything in there, everything that you

407

need, and even the little bit she hadn't

even thought about, they're in there.

408

Jo: Thank you so, so much, Kiran.

409

You've been a joy to work with and I'm so,

so happy for you to continue the journey

410

and create even more amazing success.

411

Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone):

Thank you so much for listening to this

412

episode of Women in the Coaching Arena.

413

I have a mess of free resources on

my website joannalottcoaching.com.

414

That's Joanna with an A

and Lott with two T's.

415

joannalottcoaching.com.

416

And I'll also put links in the show notes.

417

Let me know if you found

this episode useful.

418

Share it with a friend and

leave me a review, and I will

419

personally thank you for that.

420

Remember to trust yourself, believe

in yourself and be the wise Gardner

421

who keeps on watering the seed.

422

Get into the arena dare, greatly and try.