Joanna Lott shares her sixth annual business review, recorded on the cusp of Christmas and rooted in real life rather than perfect timing. In this reflective episode, she explores what growth has truly required this year, not just in revenue, but in energy, boundaries, and emotional capacity. It’s an honest look at what it takes to build something sustainable over time.

Timestamps

[00:00] Recording anyway, consistency as identity

[03:00] Big goals, slower timelines

[06:00] Capacity, clients, and emotional load

[09:00] Why monthly reflection matters

[12:00] Community, events, and what I’m proud of

[16:00] Letting go of good ideas

[21:00] Priorities for 2026 – spaciousness

“Every goal I’ve reached has taught me that success doesn’t expand your capacity automatically. You have to choose that deliberately.” - Jo Lott

This episode is for you if you’re building a coaching business and want a grounded, honest perspective on growth, energy, and what sustainable success actually looks like over time.

After listening to the episode, take one quiet hour this week to look back on your year and decide what you no longer want to take with you into the next one.

Useful Links

Join The Practice 2026 Cohort | Early Bird Price Until 31 December

Jo's Annual Reviews

Learn about The Business of Coaching programme

Signature Solution Course

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

Grow Your Business Without the Tech Overwhelm - One Stop Coach Shop

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

Enjoyed This Episode?

Don’t Miss the Next One! Hit subscribe on your favourite podcast app to be notified each time a new episode of Women in the Coaching Arena.

Mentioned in this episode:

About The Practice

The Practice is my new 12-month programme for coaches who want a steady rhythm in their business – not constant reinvention. It’s designed to support you with monthly reflection, planning, and focused action, so you can stay connected to what actually moves your business forward across the year. Inside The Practice, we: review what’s really happening in your business set clear priorities for the month ahead track the right things using a simple scorecard be coached and coach other thoughtful, ambitious coaches Doors are open until 31 December. You can join at the presale founder rate of £600 + VAT for the full year – just £50 per month. If you join now, I’ll also be posting you a welcome gift ahead of our January start. 👉 Find out more and join The Practice here: https://go.joannalottcoaching.com/thepractice

It is the 22nd of December and

we are about to head ice skating

2

to Battersea Power Station.

3

And before I go, I wanted

to record this episode.

4

Because tomorrow we are heading to Devon

for Christmas and not back until January.

5

My clients will often ask me how I

am so consistent and my response is

6

always, if I stopped, I don't think

I would ever get started again.

7

So that is why I am gonna record

this episode, even though it's

8

going out on Christmas Day

9

I feel like you really do need to embody.

10

"This is just what I do", and so if I

didn't do one of the things I usually

11

do like record my podcast, do my weekly

email, all the things that maybe I

12

usually do, then I would lose that

sense of identity and that sense of

13

identity is what has helped me to get

to where I am in this moment, recording,

14

my sixth annual review in my business.

15

I feel so fortunate to have created

an annual review and published

16

it on my website every single

year since I started my business.

17

And so you really can get to

see the true journey to having a

18

successful, profitable business.

19

But the real version, not the

shiny one that we often see online.

20

Because if you look back to

21

that I had zero paying clients.

22

And my goal was to get a paying

23

So you'll know that income was

really challenging at that time.

24

And therefore, I really do

get the journey of building a

25

successful coaching business.

26

What comes with this deep

understanding that I have of how it

27

feels, is the internal tiredness of

carrying so many people's emotions.

28

It is really hard to build a

business, so that is something I

29

am going to be working on in 2026.

30

My core goal is to have really

clean energy around what is

31

mine to carry and what is not.

32

I've signed up for a year's coaching

supervision with Teeresa Wilson,

33

and she does a lot of shadow work.

34

I don't know enough about that yet, but

she has spoken on this podcast about

35

it, and ever since I've been intrigued

and wanting to learn more, although in

36

equal measure, scared to learn more.

37

Because what triggers you

in others is often something

38

that is hidden in yourself.

39

This year, I worked with a finance

coach Lina Rimasauskiene, and

40

set my first tangible big goal

of £200,000 in revenue this year.

41

Setting goals has never come easy to me.

42

It often feels like you are just stating

something completely crazy and you have

43

no way of actually making it happen.

44

But looking back on a note, I found

45

audacious goal was: "by December,

46

60,000 pounds, which has come to me

via my course, a membership creation.

47

In return for this money, I give

the most authentic and connected

48

service to my clients who are

launching beautiful businesses.

49

I know that I have this

money in my possession.

50

My faith is so strong"

51

and I did not reach that goal

52

I remember finding this very card feeling

like, oh, well that was a waste of time.

53

Nothing ever works out or

nothing ever comes true for me.

54

What I think is my biggest learning

is that things do come, but they just

55

are always slower than you imagine.

56

There is that saying that we

overestimate what we can achieve

57

in one year, yet underestimate what

we can achieve in five years, and

58

that's a hundred percent true for me.

59

On the 16th of December, 2025, I

exceeded that goal of 200,000 pounds.

60

Yet what I find every single time

that I set a big goal is that it never

61

feels as good as you expect it to feel.

62

I had the same when I wrote a

book, which was a career book

63

called Your Dream Job Toolkit.

64

Back in maybe 2021 or 2022, I can't

remember now, and I had on my vision

65

board to be a number one bestselling

author, and when the book hit number

66

one and I have a photo of it to

prove it, I felt really unhappy.

67

Like I thought everything would change

and I would feel good in that moment.

68

But it never comes.

69

And so it's just that constant reminder.

70

And it's a real cliche, I know,

but we have to try and enjoy the

71

journey because actually it's all a

journey of who you are becoming in

72

the process of reaching that goal.

73

What this goal really means to me is

years of consistency and refinement.

74

Years of holding back all of the

shiny objects that I know would have

75

detracted me from reaching this goal.

76

Years of wanting to launch program

after program after program.

77

Yet restraining myself and sticking

mainly to my one program, the

78

business of coaching and making it

better and better every single time.

79

But what this goal doesn't represent

is really growing my emotional

80

ease or unlimited capacity.

81

I remember when I did my first

business course, and I said to the

82

coach at the time, well, I can just

have a membership or a group program.

83

And just have hundreds of people in it.

84

And he said there is

always a capacity point.

85

A tipping point where you'll need a

team or you'll need certain things

86

to make it actually sustainable.

87

And it's probably not until this last

year that I've really understood that.

88

I've worked with 70 plus clients in

my business of coaching program this

89

year, which is a lot of people to hold.

90

And if you add on my 10 Mastermind

clients on top of that, it is a lot

91

in school hours, term time only.

92

Especially because I do know every

single client that works with me.

93

I care about every single

client that works with me.

94

I want their success for them so

much that it is a lot to hold.

95

So whilst I've grown my team in

terms of some of the backend admin

96

things and other things to support

me, I haven't really focused on the

97

emotional ease that I could be feeling

if I had worked on that this year.

98

I've always had personal coaching in

my business up until this year where I

99

didn't make as much time for that personal

journey and all of the feelings that come

100

up along the way of building a business.

101

So it is really important that I make that

my priority this next year in business.

102

It makes me know that my new program,

The Practice has come at exactly

103

the right time for me because it's

exactly what I need in my own business.

104

A monthly process to look back on my

review and perhaps my word of the year,

105

which was meant to be boundaries for

106

I didn't look back to that annual review

until 12 months later, where now I'm

107

wishing I had prioritized creating

those emotional boundaries a lot sooner.

108

So what happens when intentions

aren't revisited often is that we

109

keep repeating the same patterns.

110

We maybe don't allow ourselves to

see where we are in this moment.

111

Celebrate maybe where you are in

this moment, and also decide what

112

is the next decision you need to

make to make next month slightly

113

more aligned with your intentions.

114

It's also that opportunity to

get coached every single month.

115

Something that we often don't do

as coaches because maybe you get

116

into your business and therefore

you are prioritizing that versus

117

your own personal development.

118

And there is that saying that

your success will never exceed the

119

level of your personal development.

120

So the practice is a place to review

your goals every single month.

121

Review your intentions and how

your business may be aligning with

122

your life or may not be aligning

with your life as the case may be.

123

A place to plan your intentions for

next month in your business and life.

124

And also to be coached and

to coach another coach.

125

It is going to be such a powerful

place to be able to understand that

126

you are not alone in your business.

127

I feel so privileged to work with the

most amazing coaches on the planet and

128

know that they are just the same as me

building their business through the chaos

129

of Christmas plays and exhaustion and

moving house, or whatever it is that's

130

going on for each and every individual.

131

My clients sometimes put me on a

pedestal and say, how do you manage

132

to achieve all of this stuff?

133

And I held a one-on-one call with one

amazing coach the other day who was

134

quizzing me on how I get so much done

in my business and she was mightily

135

disappointed or I actually quite

pleased to share with her that no, I

136

don't have 30 days content mapped out.

137

No, I don't have a podcast pre

lined up for Thursday, even

138

though it's already Tuesday.

139

I'm just doing my best in this

moment, just like you are.

140

So what I'm most proud of in 2025

is hosting my dare greatly events.

141

They are usually sell outs and fill

really easily, which is actually really

142

difficult for hosting in-person events.

143

Don't be fooled because nearly everybody

I know says, oh my gosh, I really

144

struggle to fill my in-person events.

145

How do you do it?

146

And how I do it is by creating a

space that people rave about online

147

and that people want to be part of.

148

It's by helping each and every

individual be part of that event.

149

Not be spoken at from a stage, but

actually be the center of that event.

150

It is also a pleasure that so

many of my business of coaching

151

clients come along to those events.

152

So I get to meet them in person.

153

They get to meet each other in person and

just really connect and make this business

154

building journey as enjoyable as possible.

155

I am also proud that I've started

to prioritize school trips.

156

I am certainly not the PTA type.

157

That's not saying it's not a treasured

role and my gosh, I look up to the

158

people that can do it, but it's just

not usually something that I prioritize.

159

This year is my daughter's last

year at primary school and my son

160

is eight, so he is in year four.

161

And I'm realizing that those days of

being asked to go on the school trip and

162

volunteer are slowly coming to an end.

163

So I was glad to take my daughter's class

to a Carol service last week my son's

164

class to Brooklyn's Museum last month.

165

And to actually come away from my desk

and realize that I have created complete

166

and utter freedom around my time.

167

At the moment, I've been just deciding

when I wake up that actually I'm gonna

168

go and have a swim and a sauna today

instead of go straight to my desk,

169

or I am going to volunteer on every

school trip that I feel like I can.

170

This is why I built my business, though

the work hard mentality is well and

171

truly embedded, and so I really need to

balance this with peace, ease, and joy,

172

which is ultimately what I'm seeking.

173

The thing that I'm also super

proud of is the clients and

174

community that I work with.

175

I absolutely adore every

single one of my clients.

176

They are knowledgeable,

talented, kind, compassionate.

177

They are everything that I want to be.

178

And I once heard the saying that you

will get the clients that you need

179

and that they are a reflection of you.

180

At the time getting the clients that

actually taught you the lessons that

181

you needed to embody as a coach.

182

And now I feel blessed to see a clear,

clean reflection in the mirror of

183

who they are and who I am as well.

184

The impact I most care about

creating for my clients is freedom

185

to be able to do what they wanna

do, when they want to do it from

186

wherever they want to do that work.

187

So this year I worked with 70 clients

inside the business of coaching.

188

10 clients in my next level Mastermind

65 or so, attendees across my two

189

Dare Greatly events, two private,

one-on-one clients outside of my

190

programs and some paid events delivered

for firework career coaching as well.

191

In a free capacity.

192

I held a 'your first a hundred

email subscribers' webinar to

193

launch my one stop coach shop.

194

I've had 278 downloads of

195

And over 50,000 downloads of this podcast.

196

Looking at these free events made

me realize something important that

197

could have hugely increased my revenue

this year is that I held zero launch

198

events for the business of coaching,

which is my main revenue stream.

199

When I learned how to create and

fill an evergreen group program,

200

a monthly workshop was key.

201

So people get to come along,

hear you, experience you, and

202

perhaps sign up to your program.

203

So the fact that I've gone over 12 months

without any workshops is kind of insane.

204

It's also completely humbling that I

have reached or exceeded my goal every

205

single month, filling that program.

206

But it's also a huge opportunity for 2026.

207

I had around 270 attendees at my first

a hundred email subscribers webinar.

208

This was to launch a one stop

coach shop, which would provide

209

digital products such as funnels

and LinkedIn profile kits and other

210

things that I know that coaches need.

211

I launched this with my sister

and we put so much work in.

212

Her with all the products,

me with marketing it.

213

The launch worked and it was my highest

ever attendees at a webinar, but it's been

214

really hard to promote a multi-product

shop alongside our two established

215

businesses already, so we made the sad

decision to close the One-Stop coach shop

216

this month and both focus back on our

own businesses and what already works.

217

I'm really, really sad about this because

if I didn't have my business of coaching

218

program and put my full focus on the

shop I know it could be a huge success.

219

But I already have a business and

as I share on this podcast all of

220

the time, every single offer you

have will slow down your progress.

221

And when you have a shop with multiple

offers, we're talking 50 plus offers.

222

It's a very different business model

than I am used to creating and promoting.

223

Low ticket products, need a lot of

traffic like running ads, very complicated

224

funnels that I haven't had time to build.

225

And full focus on

launching a new business.

226

The good news is you can still access

those amazing products that we created

227

through my sister's business Brandority.

228

I will link to that in the show notes

if you want any of the tech or the pages

229

or the templates that will help you in

practical terms to build your business.

230

My LinkedIn grew by 49% this

year because I put full focus on

231

it in quarter one of this year.

232

My podcast has grown hugely with this

month being my most ever listened

233

to month, and the podcast is in the

top 2% of all podcasts globally,

234

which is a complete and utter joy.

235

This year we moved house.

236

We made the move from a

three bed semi-detached into

237

a five bed detached home.

238

It's something that feels insane

for me with my family never

239

coming from having a big home.

240

And also with my own identity, I guess, of

genuinely being happy with what I've got.

241

When I moved into my previous

home, it was like a dream come true

242

to have my own picture perfect.

243

Three bed home.

244

I fortunately got that home around

two weeks before I went off on

245

maternity leave to have my first baby.

246

So I knew that I would never be able

to get a home if that hadn't have

247

gone through because I wouldn't be

working full time again for a long

248

time, and therefore it was my one shot.

249

We live there for 11 years, and in

that time I have been part-time,

250

which for me always meant less income.

251

So to have made this shift this

year of something I genuinely

252

never thought would be possible

for me or my family is just insane.

253

So I suppose this for me has probably

been the biggest shift of what is

254

possible, and I'm really excited

to remind myself and you what is

255

possible around part-time work.

256

In terms of team and support, I've been

continuing to work with Olga for around

257

a year and a bit now, and she supports

me every week as my core team member

258

talking to me, reminding me of all of

the work that I do need to do at some

259

point, and obviously helping me by doing

as much as she can in the background.

260

For me,

261

inside my program, the business of

coaching, I've had Jacqui Jagger,

262

who has been with me for a couple

of years now inside my program.

263

We also have Lisa York, who is our

resident digital sales expert, and she

264

brings fun and expertise to our funnels.

265

I've continued to work with Jo, my virtual

assistant, who I probably haven't spoken

266

to this year, that makes me sound like

a terrible manager, but Jo is so great

267

that she just does what I need her to

do without me ever blinking an eye.

268

So I think that speaks volumes

for how amazing she is.

269

I also worked with Franche

this year on my social media.

270

And Gabriela who created some lovely

branding for my socials and my LinkedIn.

271

You can find Gabriela's details

in case you need her for any of

272

your branding in the show notes.

273

My team treats me and my

business with so much care.

274

I cannot believe how lucky I am

considering how many people talk

275

about not wanting to grow a team and

not wanting the stress of a team.

276

All I can say is a team is not stressful.

277

It's utterly joyful.

278

So moving on to what

the year has felt like.

279

Is the energy has been

really hard this year.

280

I've wanted to exercise more, but i'm

in that sticky place of feeling too

281

tired to exercise, but then you're

tired because you don't exercise.

282

So I need to prioritize

283

I do practice yoga daily though,

so that is my one blessing.

284

It's not for very long, but it is

consistent and those moments just

285

helped me realize that it's often the

one moment that I breathe deeply all

286

day and how very important that is.

287

So my biggest challenge and lesson

this year was that energy management.

288

Taking on too much responsibility and

upleveling my own identity to match how

289

successful my business is right now.

290

Someone at an event recently said to

me you are so successful, but no one

291

would ever know, and I don't know if

it was a compliment or otherwise, but

292

I took it as a bit of a wake up call

to stop downplaying my own success,

293

share how I have built what I've built.

294

Because I do know from speaking

with lots of other business

295

coaches that this isn't normal.

296

With hindsight, the biggest thing I

would do differently is check in on

297

my priorities every single month.

298

That would 10 x.

299

Maybe 12 x my progress, which is exactly

why I've created the new program called

300

The Practice, which you can join at

the early bird rate this year only.

301

I'm opening it just once.

302

So do join now.

303

It's super valuable.

304

At around 50 pounds per month

for 12 months of support.

305

I know it's gonna be an amazing space

where you check in on your intentions

306

more regularly, make quick decisions, and

most importantly, act upon them quickly.

307

I was really excited to find the word

act in the middle of practice, which

308

I have highlighted in yellow, because

that is what the practice is about.

309

Yes, we reflect, but anybody that knows

me know that we act really quickly and

310

that is what's gonna make you successful.

311

So my priorities for 2026 are

clean energy, clear responsibility,

312

and deeper client results.

313

I'm mid contemplating a really

clear sales campaign, which I'm

314

gonna help my clients to implement

in January should they wish to.

315

I want to make that as easy as possible

so people can implement a really

316

clear campaign, know when they're

done, and actually enjoy their life.

317

My intention is for The Practice to

build a brand of its own, just like the

318

business of coaching and my next level

Mastermind have done as the place that

319

people come to and that every qualified

coach or coach in training is a part of.

320

One of my clients messaged me yesterday

and said, my word of the year is spacious.

321

Is that yours as well?

322

And it reminded me that I

usually set a word of the year.

323

And last year it was boundaries.

324

This year.

325

Hilarious enough, it's going to

be spacious which is very fitting

326

i've just said that I want to slow

down slightly, protect my energy, and

327

essentially just live a spacious life.

328

When I think of what I want in my

life, it is to go and work from

329

my gym and practice yoga at my

class there at least once a week.

330

It's to maybe move to a four day week.

331

Which feels a little bit extravagant

given that I hardly work at all

332

given school hours are so short.

333

But maybe that is one small seed planted

in this moment to allow myself time to

334

go to my gym and maybe not work from my

gym, but actually get in the hot tub, the

335

pool, the sauna, and enjoy just being.

336

I hope you enjoyed hearing

337

I encourage you to do the same and

write up your own annual review.

338

It's been such a wonderful thing that

I've started in my business and if

339

you want to head over to my website,

which is joannalottcoaching.com,

340

and go to the blog section, you will find

341

more detail, and you'll also find the

links to all other annual reviews that

342

I've done as well and remind yourself

what is possible with small steps.

343

So final a reminder.

344

Get in the show notes.

345

Join the practice.

346

My 12 month program.

347

You will build an amazing

business without information

348

overload, noise or distraction.

349

Just tuning into what you need each month.

350

If you do need that step-by-step knowledge

and support and personalised feedback

351

on all of your work from me, then I'm

excited to have also gifted sessions

352

to The Practice in both my business

of coaching and my mastermind clients

353

because I was completely in shock at how

many people were so interested in this

354

monthly place to come back, look at the

intentions every single month, look at

355

your numbers, make a plan for next month,

be coached and coach another coach.

356

So wishing you a wonderful

Christmas and a prosperous new year.

357

And like I say at the end of

every episode, trust yourself.

358

Believe in yourself and be the wise

gardener who keeps on watering the seed.

359

Microphone (Samson Q2U Microphone):

Thank you so much for listening to this

360

episode of Women in the Coaching Arena.

361

I have a mess of free resources on

my website joannalottcoaching.com.

362

That's Joanna with an A

and Lott with two T's.

363

joannalottcoaching.com.

364

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

365

Let me know if you found

this episode useful.

366

Share it with a friend and

leave me a review, and I will

367

personally thank you for that.

368

Remember to trust yourself, believe

in yourself and be the wise Gardner

369

who keeps on watering the seed.

370

Get into the arena dare, greatly and try.