Jo gets tough and challenges coaches to adopt a "no excuses" whatever-it-takes mindset, especially in the early years of building their business. She shares the importance of hustle periods, taking imperfect action, being resourceful about generating income, and operating with a relentless determination to find a way to make your coaching business thrive no matter what.
Show Notes:
[00:00:00] - Introduction
[00:01:00] - The reality that building a coaching business requires intense periods of hustle and giving up things in the first 2 years.
[00:02:00] - Key mindsets for success: The Hustle Mindset of concentrated, intense effort for periods, then recuperating.
[00:03:00] - Example of Jo's recent 6-week launch period with intense, daily showing up.
[00:04:00] - Embracing a "no excuses" mentality of "I can and I will - watch me."
[00:05:00] - Getting past perfectionism/paralysis and taking imperfect action to build momentum.
[00:06:00] - Balancing hustle with feminine receiving energy. Don't underestimate the power of short hustle periods.
[00:07:00] - Jo's "Offer to Market in 30 Days" program that catapults clients forward through an intense 30-day sprint.
[00:08:00] - The need to develop emotional capacity for hustle through doing it.
[00:09:00] - You wouldn't stop/start this way in a job - be consistent with your business.
[00:10:00] - Using accountability partners and planning to take imperfect action daily.
[00:11:00] - Getting over the shame of making money outside of coaching when you need cashflow.
[00:12:00] - Being willing to do things you don't love if needed to generate income for your business.
[00:13:00] - Resourcefulness as a coach - finding creative ways to market, partner, create offers when resources are limited.
[00:14:00] - Case study of a client getting a part-time coaching job alongside her business.
[00:15:00] - The simple but not easy path of operating from "I'll find a way no matter what."
[00:16:00] - Closing thoughts - tap into grit, resilience and a resourceful mindset.
Useful Links
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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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Hello and welcome to Women in
the Coaching Arena podcast.
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:I'm so glad you are here.
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:I'm Jo Lott, a business mentor
and ICF accredited coach
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:Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone):
and I help coaches to
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:build brilliant businesses.
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:I know that when you prepare to enter
the arena, there is fear, self doubt,
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:comparison, anxiety, uncertainty.
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:You can tend to armor up and
protect yourself from vulnerability.
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:In this podcast, I'll be sharing
honest, not hype, practical and
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:emotional tools to support you to make
the difference that you are here for.
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:Dare greatly.
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:You belong in this arena.
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:Hello welcome to the 62nd episode
of women in the coaching arena.
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:I am so glad you are here.
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:Today, I'm doing a slightly different
exercise and it's quite harsh for me.
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:So it's called no excuses, developing
a, whatever it takes mindset as a coach.
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:Because when you start a business,
it requires a lot of energy.
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:And I think most people go into this work
because they want more work-life balance.
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:And that's why I went into this work.
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:But it's a bit like paying into
the value bank for a period.
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:Before you get paid, you are going
to need to pay into the value bank.
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:So I genuinely believe for your
first two years of business, it
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:genuinely is a lot of hustle.
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:You are going to have to learn a lot.
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:You are going to have to give up things
in order to have a successful business.
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:You are going to have to do
things like work in the evenings.
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:Weekends, or get up early if
you don't want to do that.
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:But there is going to have to
be some give in order to get
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:to take from your business.
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:So let's talk about some of the
key mindsets that I definitely
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:embrace in my business and my
successful clients embrace as well.
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:So firstly the hustle mindset, and
this doesn't mean burning yourself
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:to the ground, but it does mean at
some periods you are going to have
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:to put in a lot of time and energy.
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:And then recuperate in the
evenings, weekends, holidays.
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:Uh, further along in your business,
when you have done the building and
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:you do have more time to recuperate.
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:It's a bit like what I consider a launch
is a six week hugely time consuming
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:process of showing up every single day for
six weeks, often, multiple times a day,
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:often going live several times per week.
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:There are times in your business
when you will want to launch and
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:put that energy behind what you do.
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:And it's really tough.
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:And I hate the feeling that launching
creates in the coaches I work with.
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:But I also do believe that sometimes
for things to really, really take off,
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:we do need that intensified energy
behind what we are doing in order
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:to really, really build momentum.
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:If you took part in my recent
five day challenge, you will
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:know what a launch looks like.
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:So I showed up live for an hour every
single day for eight days on the trot.
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:I emailed and sent messages
several times a day.
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:I showed up on social media several
times a day for at least six weeks.
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:I recorded this podcast every week.
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:I blogged every week.
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:I did a LinkedIn article every week.
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:I spoke at live events.
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:It was an intense period in my
business and I am glad it's done.
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:I will not pretend that it was easy.
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:But in order to get my Elevate program,
which is what I was launching at the
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:time, off the ground effectively you
usually need to do more than just per
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:post out saying here's what I'm selling.
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:So these periods of intense activity
can drive your business forward rapidly.
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:If you operate from a no excuses mentality
telling yourself I can, and I will watch
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:me, then you will achieve more than
you could ever possibly have thought.
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:I had a postcard saying I can, and I will
watch me when I first started my business.
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:And I was, in my eyes,
rejected for an opportunity.
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:And I remember thinking I
can and I will watch me.
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:And that drove me forward for two
years at least in my business.
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:I've actually completely forgotten
about it until I'm reflecting on it now.
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:So if you have people that are
ridiculing you in your business or
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:are not supporting you, then use that
as a driver for good and a driver for
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:you and your no excuses mentality.
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:Of I can, and I will watch me.
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:During these hustle periods, you get past
perfectionism and paralysis analysis.
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:The quicker you move, the more you
do, the less you will get stuck.
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:When people say they're stuck, it
usually means they are not moving.
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:They are not taking action.
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:Because you cannot be stuck
if you are taking action of
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:any sort, no matter how small.
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:The name of the game is imperfect action.
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:My first five day challenge actually
was called start coaching business now.
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:Get perfect later.
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:So it just shows I have always
taken this mentality in my business.
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:Just get started.
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:Anyway, you can in whatever you
are doing and fix things later as
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:needed, but moving is so much more
important than getting things perfect.
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:We will all need to balance this
hustle with feminine receiving
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:energy to prevent burnout.
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:But if you know, you are going to put
a dedicated amount of energy for a
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:dedicated period, maybe 30 or 60 days.
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:That could otherwise take years, then
know that there will be an end to it.
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:And don't underestimate the
power of embracing this period
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:of hustle in your business.
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:I know that there is a huge
uproar against hustle and I'm not
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:normally one to suggest hustling.
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:But I do want you to succeed and
therefore I do need you to know
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:that it is going to require a
lot more the most people realize.
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:I have this program called offer to
market in 30 days, I haven't launched
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:it for a little while, actually.
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:But in that program, we essentially
do this process together.
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:We go big for 30 days.
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:And I don't like running it because
emotionally it does burn people out.
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:Because for example, we suggest
posting every day, Monday to
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:Friday for their business.
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:And if you have never done that
before, then it's going to take
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:a lot of emotional energy from
you to be able to do that thing.
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:But that program has catapulted
so many of my clients forward
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:for years in their business.
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:Kate waterfall hill.
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:Who's a leadership coach who now
posts on Tik TOK every day started
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:that consistent journey using Tik
TOK as part of my 30 day sprint.
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:I have another client who's joined
my business of coaching program now,
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:who did the sprints back in January.
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:And she has posted every
single day since then.
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:And before that she had completely gone
offline and wasn't really doing anything.
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:So despite the fact that I don't
really like it because I do
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:think, yes, we need to hustle.
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:But there is that delicate balance
because you genuinely might need to
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:be more emotionally able to do that.
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:But at the same time, I think you develop
that emotional capacity through doing.
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:So, yes, it's a fine balance.
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:I'm not saying work yourself into
the ground, but I am saying if your
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:business isn't working, then it
might need more energy behind it.
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:And have a think about how you can
bring a no excuses doing whatever it
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:takes mentality into your business.
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:The stop and start that I see a lot in
this coaching world is not something you
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:could do if you were in an employed job.
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:You would be sacked.
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:So therefore it's interesting why we
are not surprised when our business
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:is not thriving all the time.
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:When we have perhaps made
excuses that there were other
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:things going on in our lives.
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:So we couldn't do anything
on the business for a month.
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:And then we're surprised
why it's not working.
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:And if we think about having a performance
development review, What would that say?
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:What would your manager say if you
mentioned that you were feeling
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:a bit down in the dumps and
things weren't going fast enough.
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:So you decided to forget the whole thing.
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:I saw a post from Steven Bartlett
today, which talks about doing say
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:10,000 steps a day means you've
done seven marathons in a year.
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:Tiny tiny steps make huge results.
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:So even if you can't put a full day
into your business, Think about how you
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:can just take one tiny move forward,
because like I say, you cannot stay
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:stuck if you are moving forward.
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:I'm super excited to have partnered with
a daily accountability partner recently.
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:And we talk every single
evening at 5:30 PM.
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:We plan our next day, and we check
in at the end of the next day, via
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:phone to talk about how we got on.
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:If we didn't do it, why didn't we do it?
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:It's made such a difference and
something I was procrastinating on and
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:pretending to myself that I was too
busy and I didn't have the time for.
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:I managed to get completely done in one
day, which genuinely would have taken me
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:probably two months if I hadn't committed
that that was what I was going to do.
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:So really do think about what is going
to help you to actually do this thing.
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:Back to your performance
development review?
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:When are you going to fit the work in
that you were going to do in that period?
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:Let's now talk about
cashflow in your business.
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:Because I think there is this
shame around getting money from
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:anything other than coaching.
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:And when you first start your business
and even years into your business,
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:to be honest, there are periods where
you will need to make some money.
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:And if that is your priority right
now, then we need to think, how can you
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:make the money to be able to continue
your business and keep you afloat?
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:That might mean copywriting,
babysitting, freelancing, tutoring.
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:There are so many other things
that you could possibly do.
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:It might be getting a part-time
job, getting associate work.
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:But whether it's your preference or not.
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:At times in your business, when you
need cash, you might have to do things
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:that you don't particularly want to do.
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:And that isn't your absolute joy.
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:It's a bit like my
offer to market program.
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:I don't enjoy running that program
because it is very intense.
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:It's launching.
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:People get so emotional over
launching, and I don't blame them.
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:I get emotional over launching too.
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:But occasionally I run it because I know
that it will bring me income and people
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:want it and people will get results.
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:So I do that program, despite the
fact I love longer-term programs six
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:months, plus it's my absolute favorite.
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:I mean, a year plus would be even better.
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:Whereas my 30-day program
is just a 30-day program.
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:And that's why we have to go so big
in achieving a lot within that period.
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:So, like I said, it's not
my absolute preference.
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:It reminds me of my kids and cooking
dinner and I always say, great, it's
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:not your preference, spaghetti bolonaise
but that's what we're having tonight.
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:That's what we're going to have to
do because we need to eat something.
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:So it's a bit the same in your business.
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:Like what can you do to
generate cash when you need to?
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:Let's talk about resourcefulness now.
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:As we know as coaches, we are
resourceful, whole and good.
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:So we can find ways to do things if you
will allow yourself to open up and think
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:about different marketing strategies,
different partnerships, new offers.
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:Successful coaches don't let limited
resources fear or others doubts
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:become excuses or stop their progress.
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:You can operate with a whatever
it takes attitude to find
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:solutions and make things happen.
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:The more you can trust that there
is always a path forward, even
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:if you can't see it clearly the
more that inspiration will come.
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:One of the tasks I did last week was a
case study conversation with a client
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:of mine who has taken a part-time
job, where she gets to do coaching 18
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:hour a week alongside her business.
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:And she realized because she had
different home circumstances going
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:on and she needed that stable income
to get a mortgage for her home.
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:And she is having so much fun.
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:And she realized that everything she has
done in my program is helping her with
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:her ultimate goal of coaching people doing
work she loves and being paid for it.
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:So please think about everything
else that comes into your work.
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:Bearing in mind that the ICF state,
that 40% of a coach's income is
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:generally from coaching, that
there are 60% of other things that
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:you can bring into your business.
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:That might be training.
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:That might be online courses.
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:That might be a part-time role.
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:That might be freelance work.
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:There are so many options so, please
don't get yourself stuck thinking.
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:I said, I was going to
do this coaching thing.
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:So I only need to do this coaching thing.
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:Allow yourself to be free and spacious
and know that you can do whatever it
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:takes to make this coaching business work.
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:If you open your mind enough to see
the opportunities in front of you.
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:So through a no excuses mentality,
resourcefulness and imperfect action,
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:you will build your coaching business.
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:And this combination allows you to
create momentum quickly using hustle
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:when you need to in your business.
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:knowing that you can come back and
provide all the self care you need,
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:but for periods of your business, there
is going to be something that you are
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:going to have to pay into the value
bank in order to get paid in return.
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:The path is simple but, not easy.
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:It requires grit, resilience,
consistently operating from a mindset
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:of I'll find a way, no matter what.
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:I trust myself.
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:Don't think you're alone
in this every single month.
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:I think.
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:Oh, my goodness.
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:Like, what if I don't get any clients?
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:Or what if something goes horribly wrong?
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:And then immediately, the other
part of my mind pops in and says,
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:don't worry, you will figure it out.
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:And I think that's what we
all just need to remember.
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:We are resourceful and should
something happen we will figure
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:it out because that's what we do.
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:Let me know how you get
on with this episode.
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:I know it's not my usual stance,
but I also know that sometimes
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:we need some more tough love to
ensure the our business thrives.
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:And like I say, at the end of every
episode, trust yourself, believe
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:in yourself and be the wise Gardner
who keeps on watering the seed.
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:Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone):
Thank you so much for listening to this
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:episode of Women in the Coaching Arena.
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:I have a mess of free resources on
my website joannalottcoaching.com.
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:That's Joanna with an A
and Lott with two T's.
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:joannalottcoaching.com.
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:And I'll also put links in the show notes.
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:Let me know if you found
this episode useful.
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:Share it with a friend and
leave me a review, and I will
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:personally thank you for that.
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:Remember to trust yourself, believe
in yourself and be the wise Gardner
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:who keeps on watering the seed.
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:Get into the arena dare, greatly and try.