The other day I was telling someone this story, and I thought I’d share it. Before I started my coaching business, I owned a running apparel brand and ecommerce business. Before that, I had another business…and before that, I helped early stage startups grow and scale. And since I was successful at getting my apparel business off the ground, people started asking me questions like, “How did you do it? Can you tell me how to get started? Can you meet with me? Can I take you to coffee and tell me about your business?”
And I just started feeling really bad. These people came to me with their dreams and aspirations, but they weren’t getting anywhere…no real results.
I realized that if I wanted to help people get amazing results in their business, I needed to make them work with me for a period of time, and charge for my help. After being asked for coffee one more time, I said to myself, “I’m going to charge the next person who asks me for help.”
So I said, “Sure, I can help you! But I want you to work with me for a few months… and I’m going to charge you a monthly fee.”
He agreed to work with me and have me coach him. Bam! 💥 First coaching client EVER. 😊
After I worked with him and a few more clients, I figured out I was onto something. I was helping people transform their lives through their business… and I loved every minute of it. I remember saying to myself, “I would love to do this full time!”
As my business gears started turning, I ran into two specific challenges…
The first challenge was learning how to grow my coaching business quickly. The second was learning how to scale it. Although it started that way, I didn’t want to coach only as a side gig. I wanted to go fast and I wanted to go big. I wanted to do it full time. I just loved helping people and watch lives change so damn much. Back when I had my apparel business, my mentor would often say, “This isn’t a real business, it’s a hobby.” (He was a hard ass but he was right.)
Right away, I hired my own business coach. And to this day it was the best business move I’ve ever made. Now, I ALWAYS work with a coach. And I have invested in tons of personal development work over many, many years. For reals. I really don’t know what I’d do without coaches motivating me to grow and help me scale my business faster than I ever could on my own.
So what’s the lesson?
It’s NEVER going to be the “right time” to start your dream business.
But if you’re like me and you want to make coaching, healing or consulting your full-time business… and quit the rat-race working for others and start bringing new clients fast? Then let’s talk.
