So, You Love Coaching but the business stuff? Not so much, yes?
Susan Lane and I love coaching, and we love the business stuff. In fact, we have both previously had very successful careers in business including project and proposal management, risk management, working for international corporate as well as our own small businesses.
Even so, when we started our coaching practices, we discovered there was quite a bit about the business side of a coaching practice that we hadn’t considered or just didn’t know.
As Ralph Watson (President of the Association for Professional Coaching and the writer of the foreword in our book) once told me, “The best way to learn is from someone who has made the mistakes already”.
This is so true. As so many coaches do when they first start out, Susan and I tried to sort out everything ourselves, from scratch. We went on lots of courses (usually up-sell fests with just the odd teeny golden nugget we could use), we did much research on the internet, we created a zillion spreadsheets for our business. All of this hap-hazard, amateurish and time wasting.
Ultimately, we learned, simplified, organised and thrived. We created solid business processes for our businesses which meant that we could concentrate on what we loved, Coaching (and making money).
Then we met, realised that we had a great deal to share, and decided to help you, as we had become the people who had made the mistakes already, that you can now learn from. Saving you time, money and energy as you set up the business side of your coaching practice.
And so, Love Coaching, Hate Business was born.
Here are the steps we include in the book:
As with most things in business there is a logical progression to success. We wanted to keep it simple, no information overload or business jargon, just step by step guidance on getting your business foundation in place.
Step 1 Assess your Entrepreneurship (you da boss!)
Step 2 Nailing your Niche (target practice)
Step 3 Visibility in your marketplace (get seen)
Step 4 Do the Math (show me the money)
Step 5 Plan for Success (you gotta have one)
Step 6 Business Operations (the icky admin stuff)
Step 7 Equipment and Software (stuff you gotta get)
Step 8 The Business of Business (clients and stuff)
Step 9 Website (where the interaction happens)
Step 10 Marketing & Distribution (get out there)
Step 11 LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS
Next Steps: Planning For Growth
Each section takes you a step further towards building your business foundation.
And we have also added BONUS SECTIONS.
Final Words: Tips for Success
Recommended Further Reading – to increase your skills and knowledge
Business We Recommend – to support you on your journey
Why is a solid business foundation for your coaching practice so important? Well, I am so glad you asked. There are a few reasons, very important reasons why the business side of your practice must be in place and working well for you.
Here are just 10:
1. It helps you to avoid undue stress
2. It makes filling out your tax return a heck of a lot easier
3. It saves you time (and time is money, right?)
4. It helps you to focus on what you want to achieve in both the short and long term
5. It helps you to remember stuff (appointments, deadlines, responsibilities etc.)
6. Having a plan in place will streamline your efforts and save more time wasting
7. Understanding your budget keeps you in control and helps to avoid nasty surprises
8. Having protection in place, insurances, client contracts etc. is vital for your safety and peace of mind.
9. Establishing your ideal client and your niche from the outset will streamline almost everything.
10. Sorting your admin processes will save you hours of time and wasted effort.
So, yes this is pitch for our book. We want you to buy it. Two key reasons for this.
1. It will help you to grow a much more sustainable and smoothly running business, saving you time, money and effort so that you can concentrate on the coaching stuff.
2. It will make us money and get us recognised as the go to people for business support in our coaching community.
We are not ashamed to say that we do what we do, at least in part, to make enough money to pay our bills and have a decent lifestyle.
What about you? Yes, you love coaching, yes, this book will help you to organise and streamline the business side of your practice, and yes, that will give you more time to actually coach, the thing you love and that makes you the money you need to pay your bills and have a decent lifestyle.
The paperback is just £14.99. We believe that this might just be the best investment you’ll make in your business as you begin your coaching journey.