She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

10 things Entrepreneurs Should Learn from Holly Holm by @xoxoamyjo

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by Amy Jo | Featured Contributor 

I have never been into watching fights on TV. Cage fighting, boxing, arm wrestling and all the other violent sports out there totally don’t tickle my fancy. But Holly Holm can teach EVERY entrepreneur a thing or two from her most recent fight against Ronda Rousey.

Last week, Holm took to the ring facing Rousey, the undefeated lady fighter. Can I just point out that if I ever stepping into the ring with another chick and she looked at me the way Rousey looked at Holm…I’d be runnin’. RUNNIN’ I SAY!

BUT! Curiosity totally won. So I watched. And I cringed. But I learned…

 

10

  • Yes, sometimes it will feel like you got punched in the face. KEEP GOING! Entrepreneur life is hard. Sometimes it’s going to seem like nothing is working for you. That everything is going wrong. KEEP GOING! Don’t stop just because things get hard. If you really want something, you’re going to do everything in your power to get it

 

  • Be quick on your feet– If you’ve been having the same idea pop up (whether it’s a business you’re thinking of starting or a new programs to offer, whatever) DO IT! Stop waiting around for everything to fall into place. Be quick on your feet and start before you’re ready. GET MOVING! It’s really hard to make things happen when you stay still. Start making little waves into the direction of what you desire.

 

  • Get serious– DO YOU WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND BE THE BOSS OF YOUR OWN LIFE?! I thought so. It’s time to get serious. If you’re not serious about being your own boss, it’ll never happen. You MUST get serious and make it happen. Like I said, if you want it bad enough, GO GET IT.

 

  • Look fear in the eye– Um…did I mention how scary Ronda Rousey looks when she’s ready to fight? Holy smokes. Holly fought her anyway. As entrepreneurs, we encounter so many fears (What if I don’t make any more? What if no one cares what I have to say? What if I don’t know enough). Look those fears in the eye right now and say “ ‘scuse me! Fears aren’t welcome in my brain. Buh-bye”. Yes. Say it just like that. Focus on the positives and what WILL happen as you face your fears. What’s going to open up for you?

 

  • Put on your confidence pants– Don’t have any yet? Get some. You MUST have confidence in your business and YOURSELF! You DO have value and you DO have an important voice that the world needs to hear. Find your confidence! TELL YOURSELF YOU’RE BRILLIANT!

 

  • Protect yourself– Fighters wear mouth guards to protect their teeth. YOU should be protecting your most valuable asset, your mindset! Protect your mindset by surrounding yourself ONLY with people and things that truly SERVE you. You are doing yourself NO favors by hanging around with negative people. Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you up, inspire you, and motivate you to GO BIG!

 

  • Believe in yourself– Holly Holm was probably the ONLY person who believed enough in herself to win the fight against Ronda Rousey. AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED! Holly defeated the undefeated champ. What do you think would have happened if she didn’t believe in herself?! My point exactly.

 

  • Don’t listen to the people who say you can’t do it – isn’t this self-explanatory?

 

  • Fight back– When life gets hard as an entrepreneur, FIGHT BACK! Don’t lets the hardships run you over. Stand up, brush off your shoulders, and keep going forward.

 

  • Get focused – What’s your next best step? Focus on a task TODAY what can benefit your business TOMORROW. What’s one task you can get really focused on. Is it marketing? Is it networking? Carve out time DAILY to do these focused tasks.

 

 

You were born to be awesome. Take these tips and remember to KEEP GOING!

 

xo Amy Jo

Let’s Connect: Facebook  Instagram  Twitter  Pinterest

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Amy Jo – International Success Coach + Soul Painter 

Amy Jo As a firm believer in listening to your body’s intuition, Amy Jo founded Soul Paint Co. as a way to encourage women to step into their spotlight. She coaches women around the world to balance their 5 “hot spots” in order to live an abundantly successful and fulfilling life. What are the 5 “hot spots”, you ask? They consist of: Health & Wellness, Emotional Wellbeing, Relationships, Career, & Spirituality. Amy Jo believes that how you do ONE thing is how you do EVERYTHING! When any of these “hot spots” are out of alignment, they affect other areas of your life as well. By balancing these areas, we create space for the magic to happen and to live the life we want! When she’s not coaching, Amy Jo is leading Soul Painting retreats focusing on listening to your intuition through the process of painting. These retreats are moving experiences that break through self judgement and open the heart to greater self love.

Amy Jo has her Bachelors of Arts in Art Therapy, as well as certifications in Holistic and Integrative Medicine, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She was awarded the POP Scholarship from the National Association of Women Business Owners and is a lover of beaches, elephants, and antique shops.

A Business Secret That Took Me FOREVER To Learn (So Feel Free To Steal It by @RevolutionsClub

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by Christie Mims | Featured ContributorBusiness Secrets You Should Steal

Have you ever taken FOREVER and a day to learn something?

And when you do, you think: “Ugh – why did this take me so long? It’s so important and SO OBVIOUS!”

I’ve been fortunate in my career coaching business, The Revolutionary Club, to get recognized by Forbes, grow my community into the 10’s of thousands, and reach millions of people through my writing and coaching.  It’s been a pretty wild ride (I have the crazy hair to prove it :)).

During my time building my business, I placed an emphasis on learning.  I found I not only loved coaching, but I also loooooved being an entrepreneur and I soaked up all the information I could find.

And sometimes as a part of that process of learning, I’d think to myself “Oh, I can do that [insert random thing] so much better than this person who’s teaching it.  I SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DO THAT.”

This is where I should note that I also suffer from shiny object syndrome :).

So, even though I’ve been in business for a few years, and have built a multi-six figure coaching practice, it wasn’t until this year that I finally got it.

“It” being the fact that doing things because I want to feel smart, or see someone else doing it, is not a recipe for success.  Doing things that feel right is. 

So simple and so obvious, right? *face palm*

Here’s what it looks like in practice:

Last month in August I bucked the trend that says everyone is on vacation and did three different launches to my career community.

Each of these launches has succeeded past my initial target goal. Two of them blew past my target, and one of them hit the nail exactly on the head of what I had hoped to accomplish.

The success of those launches should haven’t surprised me, but they did.  When I dig into the numbers and the results of each launch I kept coming back to one thing: Each one of them felt good and right.

And it’s obvious both now (and in the past) that I do better when I trust myself and only do what feels RIGHT to me.

“Feeling right” led me to create a new networking program and charge people only what they could afford to pay. And guess what? I more than doubled my target sales goal!

“Feeling right” led me to reactivate an old program I had retired, so I could talk to folks one-on-one and reconnect with their struggles and be hands-on with their progress. I sold so many of them that I end every day with a strong need to lie down. But it’s been SO worth it.

When I do something because I see someone else doing it, or because I want to prove myself it almost always crashes and burns.  You’ve got too much anxiety – and it’s not the fluttery fun kind, but the keeps-you-up-at-night-stressed-kind, or you feel like you are pushing too hard, or the only reason you are doing something is for ego-related reasons.  That’s the example of NOT feeling right.  And, I wish I could say I’ve always heeded it, but I haven’t.  The truth is that I’ve had MANY a *cough* epic lesson in my business past, and I don’t want you to fall into the same trap.

Mostly, I’m writing because as you grow in your business and learn – take the best of what you’ve learned and only use it if it FEELS RIGHT to you. There’s a calmness or certainty in your gut.  It feels good as you do the work, or something in you says: “yes” as you plot out that next move in your business.

This is so important.

Remember, in a coaching business what you are truly selling is yourself. YOU are your best product so you need to be on board.

So this is me asking you to check in with yourself and your gut the next time you get ready to create something new or you find yourself on a path that isn’t quite what you expected. Does it feel right? And if it doesn’t – walk away.

Want to join a free and amazing community of coaches who won’t let you fail? Come on over here... CLICK. We’ve got free action-packed workbooks, free webinars, and the best in the business working to build their coaching practices.

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Christie MimsChristie Mims is a professional Career Coach, founder of the Forbes Top 100 Website The Revolutionary Club, and lover of anything covered in chocolate. Her other big love? Business building! (Because world domination is fun). She’s been paid to speak, write, and help other coaches build their businesses (and make thousands) – because more than anything else, she wants you to have work you love.  In her opinion, owning a successful coaching business is a dream more people should be able make a reality.

Want her chocolate-covered help to solve your coaching business issues? Check out her magical coaching mentoring and her sparkly website right over here. CLICK. (It’s waaaay more fun than feeling stuck in your business).

10 Things Business Coaches Can Do to Help Repair the Industry’s Image by @NowWithNicole

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by Nicole Huffman Hollins  | Featured ContributorSame Song and Dance

Never Make Your Sales Funnel More Important Than Your Clients

As an entrepreneur, I am often privy to conversations regarding the benefits of hiring a business coach. I have heard many stories from fellow entrepreneurs regarding unpleasant experiences with coaches. Based upon these discussions, the following is a list of ten suggestions for business coaches to help repair the industry’s image.

1.) Say “No.”

All money is not good money. You must learn when saying “No” is in the best interest of you and the entrepreneur. You do not have to take on every client. If you cannot say ‘No” to money, pick a new profession.

2.) Say “I Don’t Know.”

If you don’t have the answer to a question, don’t pretend that you do. Tell your client, or potential client, that you cannot answer the question, but you will get back with him after researching the answer.

3.) Know when someone needs to be benched.

As a coach, part of your job is to determine whether someone is ready for your services. Have a system in place that helps in this determination. Before throwing an entrepreneur into a long-term program because it suits your financial needs, make an honest pre-assessment about her coaching needs and if you are the right person to provide them. Even when an entrepreneur thinks he is ready, if you want to be the coach, you have to be able to recognize when he is not. Michael Jordan thought he was ready in high school. The coach knew that he wasn’t. Michael Jordan did not play until he proved that he was ready. Take a note from Jordan’s coach and bench someone who is not ready to play or who is simply not a good fit for your team.

4.) Fulfill the terms of the agreement.

Do what you say you are going to do. If you can’t do it, tell your client. If you don’t want to do it, tell your client and return his money. Do not half-foot around the issue. You either can or you can’t. You will, or you won’t. You must pick a side. Do not take the entrepreneur’s money and not fulfill your end of the agreement.

5.) It is not your vision.

When an entrepreneur comes to you for coaching, respect the vision. If you are not able to see the vision, if you do not agree with the vision, or if you want to turn her vision into your vision, you need to decline the work. Furthermore, consider performing a self-check to make sure that you don’t have ulterior motives for wanting to steer someone in a certain direction. Ego has no place in service. Although you may have information the entrepreneur wants, there are other fish in the sea, and she may decide to go fishing in another area.

 

If you are too busy for your clients, you are too busy for business.

 

6.) Your sales funnel should not be more important than your clients.

If an entrepreneur signs-up for a long-term program, but you see that it is not working for him, consider ending the agreement and refunding monies paid or cancelling future payments. Additionally, if you are in business to serve people and not just your funnel- I detest that word- consider giving them an opt-out option. For instance, if your program is 6 months, give the entrepreneur the option to opt-out after month three if he decides it is not working. You are not running a sweatshop. If it is not working, release them. This is not Egypt. You are not Pharaoh. So, let the people go.

7.) Practice what you preach.

If you are not living the life that you are trying to motivate other people to live, you will not be successful. It is difficult for entrepreneurs to take you seriously if you have no experience doing what you are trying to teach them to do. How can you teach someone how to quit her job, but you are sitting on a 6-figure salary with no intention of ever leaving your corporate position? Furthermore, not only will you not quit your current job, you have never left a job in order to become an entrepreneur. Don’t teach what you don’t know.

8.) Be professional.

Your client is not your friend or your child. Do not become so familiar in the relationship that you don’t establish boundaries. Be professional in all of your communication. This is especially important if there is a difference of opinion over services.

9.) Do not treat your clients like an inconvenience.

If you are too busy for your clients, you are too busy for business. There should be some process in place where they are able to communicate with you regarding questions and concerns. Even if you are not always reachable by phone, there should be some system available that allows your clients the opportunity to communicate with you about business matters.

10.) Do. Not. Lie.

Do not, do not, lie to clients or potential clients about your background, skills, connections, past results, results you can achieve for the entrepreneur, or work that you have done on her behalf. Don’t. Do not.

In summary, business coaches need to act with integrity.

Connect with Nicole on Twitter at NowWithNicole.

photo credit: Same Song and Dance via photopin (license)

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Attorney Nicole Huffman Hollins from Money Fit Kids Houston, Texas

Hi! I’m Nicole. My life’s purpose is to help children, women, and families bring align their faith, family, and finances so that they may live in freedom. Part of my mission is to help people recognize their worth, own who they are, and succeed in life by being true to self. I am the founder of Now With Nicole where I have had the opportunity to author self-help books such as The Girlfriend Code and Peaceful Pain and appear as a contributing writer for many on-line and print publications. I am also the creator and host of Now With Nicole Radio where I discuss topics regarding your Faith, Family, and Finances.” In addition to my own show, I enjoy appearing as a guest on Internet and network radio shows.

As a former family law attorney, I spent countless hours with fighting couples. Trying to find a more productive way to help these fractured families, I decided that mediation was a better route. While working with women and couples, I found that communication about money was a huge sore spot. After years of helping couples master mindfulness in their marriage and money, I saw a pressing need to educate and empower financial literacy from an early age. As a result, Money Fit Kids was created to encourage children from an early age to align the core values of faith, family, and financial fitness.

I am a lover of the written and spoken word who holds a journalism degree and Juris Doctor from the University of Texas at Austin. I make my home in Houston, Texas with my husband and son.

Web  | Facebook | Twitter

The Easy Step Most New Coaches Skip When They Start Their Business (That Often Causes Them To Fail In The Long Run) by @RevolutionsClub

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Don't forgetby Christie Mims | Featured Contributor 

This is part one of a 6-part series on how to build a successful coaching practice.

So you want to own your own coaching practice, help others succeed in their lives, and also have a lifestyle that is flexible and lucrative, right?

Excellent! Coaching is a brilliant way to do that.

And I can say that with certainty: Over the last few years I’ve built my career coaching business, The Revolutionary Club, up from me alone in my basement with a computer, to winning an award from Forbes, building a community now in the tens of thousands, and making well over 6-figures of income. I’ve also gotten to travel, speak and write all on someone else’s dime, which is pretty darn fun.

 

Coaching Is A Fun Way To Make A Living

And I’m not alone – coaching is becoming more and more popular and mainstream as both a service AND a business (thank you Tony Robbins!): Thousands of people now train as coaches every year. BUT, did you know that most of them never actually make any money coaching?

When I think back to those who completed their coaching certification when I did, I can only think of two from my class who are supporting themselves entirely through coaching. The rest? Well, they are almost all back to what they were doing before….which is *nothing* related to coaching.

I know! That story is not one you want to hear when you are just starting out. *Ugh*

Building a coaching business is just like building any business – it takes hard work and can be challenging, but it can also be incredibly fun and rewarding.  I want it to be fun and rewarding for you, so  I’m writing this series to help you stand out in your new coaching business and take the world by storm (or whatever measure of success feels right for you!).

 

Step Negative One To Becoming a Successful Coach

Without further ado, let’s dive in:

Step Negative 1 to building a successful coaching practice is to get some training in coaching. You’ve probably got amazing life skills and experience already, but there is a specific coaching skill-set that I recommend you master, before you hang out your shingle.

For the purpose of this series, I’m going to assume you’ve already gotten the training you need, but if you haven’t, I recommend choosing a training program that has been accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and has an in-person component as a part of the training. Two programs with a good reputation and multiple campuses are IPEC and CTI.

 

Okay, Let’s Talk About Step One

Step One involves choosing your coaching business model and building your coaching network at the same time. Most coaches don’t do this to begin with, and as a result they waste a lot of time (and lose a lot of confidence), building the wrong business and feeling pretty alone while doing it.

So here’s the most important sentence I want you to remember from this blog: There are many ways to build a successful coaching practice, regardless of your niche. The right way is the way that works for YOU.

You can make plenty of money from:
1. Speaking and writing only (including self-publishing).
2. Coaching privately via the telephone, speaking and writing.
3. Coaching privately in-person, in your town or city.
4. Selling products like online programs.
5. Selling group coaching or training to corporations.
6. Working in-house as a coach for a company or organization.

or some combination of the above!

But how do you know which model is the one for you to pursue?

This is an important choice: If you want to build a coaching practice around coaching privately and locally to individuals, your activities, website, and marketing will be very different from building a global speaking and writing business!

Chasing the wrong model can cost you a lot of time and money, and ultimately lead you to frustration and even failure.

But not to worry, this is where we get to the second part of Step 1: It’s time to talk to other coaches who are supporting themselves via coaching (please don’t talk to coaches who aren’t, it won’t help you succeed).

 

Find People Who Know What They Are Doing And Learn From Them

How do you find these magical people?

The first and easiest way is through your own coaching certification program – they should be able to point you to successful alumni.

The next way is through your own network – coaching is more mainstream now, so it’s not that hard to find someone who knows someone who is a coach. Ask around, and see who knows who :).

Next stop? LinkedIn and the powers of Google. You’ve probably got an idea about what kind of coaching you want to do (and if you don’t, we’ll cover that in the next article!), so google “Career Coaches” or “Health Coaches” or “Date Coaching for 40 year-old women” and see who pops up in your search. Finally, spend some time on websites that cater to these topics and see which articles are written by coaches, and then go and check them out.

Then you need to talk to them. Busy and successful coaches are often VERY short on time, so if you are going after a medium-to-big name, you might want to buy one of their products or programs as a way of getting in the door. But most coaches are here to help in some way, so if you keep reaching out (and using flattery) you’ll probably find a few who will chat with you for 20 minutes.

During that 20 minutes ask questions about their business and experience, and see what you can learn. Here are some sample questions to get you started:
-How would you describe your business model?
-How and why did you choose it?
-What has really helped you grow over the last few years?
-What’s been the least helpful thing you’ve done over the last few years?
-What is some advice you have for a new coach, just starting out?
-What is one thing you wish that you had known before you began coaching?
-Is there another coach you think I should speak with, that could also share a little bit of their success story?

 

Reflect On What You’ve Learned

Your entire job is to listen and learn, and then reflect on what you have learned. What got you excited and inspired? What made you afraid? Who was really helpful, that you might be able to reach out to again?

And then finally ask yourself these three questions: Which business model sounded most interesting? How does it play to your strengths? Why is it right for you?

Congratulations! You’ve just gotten focused and completed your first step (and built a network of helpful and wise connections to boot). You are awesome!

Next up: How to choose your niche and more importantly, talk about it :).

Want Christie’s help to build your new coaching business? Voila – here you go!

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Christie MimsChristie Mims is a professional Career Coach, founder of the Forbes Top 100 Website The Revolutionary Club, and lover of anything covered in chocolate. Her other big love? Business building! (Because world domination is fun). She’s been paid to speak, write, and help other coaches build their businesses (and make thousands) – because more than anything else, she wants you to have work you love.  In her opinion, owning a successful coaching business is a dream more people should be able make a reality.

Want her chocolate-covered help to solve your coaching business issues? Check out her magical coaching mentoring and her sparkly website right over here. CLICK. (It’s waaaay more fun than feeling stuck in your business).

Why Women Must Own It: Communicating Confidence in the Boardroom and Beyond by @wsrapport

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SOI-SBW

Photo Credit: stockimages via FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

by Karima Mariama-Arthur | Featured Contributor

In business, communicating confidence is currency—it’s quantifiable and can translate huge dividends for those willing to brandish a little bit of old-fashion moxie. Now, while this notion has traditionally worked for men, it hasn’t always been such a sure bet for women. In a recent Bloomberg interview, BBC World News America anchor Katty Kay and “Good Morning America” contributor Claire Shipman explore this notion and expose the confidence gap between men and women. Katty and Claire are also co-authors of The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know. Read more about their research and findings here.

So, why is confidence such a big deal? And, why isn’t competence the “be-all and end-all” for women in business? Well, competence is really only part of the equation. Women, just like men, do better in business by experiencing confidence in 3D. By leaving valuable trump cards on the table—like confidence, for example—we set ourselves up for less than stellar results.

I’ve worked with numerous male and female business professionals during the course of my career and my experience confirms that being competent means nothing if you don’t believe it. Sure—we’ve all heard that you can “fake it until you make it”, but that’s simply a prophylactic measure. Confidence must be real. It must be visceral. It must be owned.

Confidence is compelling. When you harness its power, you win. How’s that? You gain immediate, first-class, strategic advantages in business, which allow you to advance your “pawns” to premium positioning: you elevate your thinking, your performance, and your results. You can’t get those kinds of outcomes by “faking it.” With the power to seal a deal, or break it, confidence is a golden calling card that women simply cannot afford to be without. So, if the evidence demonstrates that men have mastered this criterion in business, then quite frankly, why shouldn’t we?

Ladies, here are 4 key reasons why women must own it and communicate confidence in the boardroom and beyond:

Confidence is currency. Confidence is the necessary quid pro quo (“consideration”) in every business transaction. You need it and it will take you FAR. It raises the stakes and opens doors. It helps to position you as the expert, facilitate the exchange of value, and ultimately “transact” business. You would never think of making a new purchase without first giving value (payment), right? Well, doing business of any kind without confidence is a deal-breaker and will leave you strategically bankrupt. Don’t do it.

Confidence says “Take me SERIOUSLY.” Ladies, you want to play in the big league? Get ready to play full out. If you want to be taken seriously, bring some old-fashion moxie to the game and introduce it at the outset. Insecurity, self-doubt, and hesitation can all be seen from a mile away. And, if you’re not convinced of your own competence, then why should anyone else? That’s right. Don’t expect more from others than you expect of yourself. If you want to be taken seriously, demonstrate that you have confidence to be in the game and win it.

Confidence influences brand perception. Your brand is your billboard and it’s always at stake. And, if you’re in business, you are always in the business of managing your professional brand. Everything you say or do has the potential to impact it. With that in mind, brand yourself as someone who executes “boss moves” with confidence and you’ll hardly have to worry about earning a reputation for being an easy mark.

Confidence impacts performance. What the mind harbors, the body manifests. If you don’t believe that you can get the job done with excellence, then your performance will reflect it. Why risk showing up like an amateur? Why risk having your qualifications second-guessed? The odds are not in your favor. Increase your confidence and boost your performance. It’s just that simple.

Here’s the deal: Confidence is an essential life skill. And, it’s critical for business. Therefore, we must own it. Make confidence the gateway, and not a roadblock to your success. Play bigger, stand taller, and… own it!

Not sure where you fare on the confidence meter? Take Katty and Claire’s confidence code assessment here:

To your success!

Photo Credit: stockimages via FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
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Karima Mariama-Arthur, Esq.Karima Mariama-Arthur is a corporate attorney and the Founder and CEO of WordSmithRapport, an international consulting firm specializing in professional development. For helpful tips on increasing confidence and solving performance challenges, connect with her on Facebook,  and for a quick dose of #Leadership inspiration, follow her on Twitter, @wsrapport.

Beware of Cockroaches Posing as Business Coaches by @hkterry1

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by Heather K. Terry | Featured Contributor

You’re about to undergo an invasive operation. The procedure’s being done by a skilled surgeon with an excellent reputation. Her track record’s nearly perfect, and she’s been doing surgeries like this for years.

Fortunately for us, doctors aren’t allowed to operate on people before they study medicine for many years. Before they operate on real live humans, doctors must hone their skill on cadavers until they’re fully qualified to become practicing surgeons. (Grey’s Anatomy anyone?!)

Before hiring a business coachThis same basic principle applies across most occupations. You generally need to have the chops to back up whatever it is you’re doing in a professional capacity.

But have you noticed what’s been happening around les internets? There are dozens of smarmy people hiding behind splashy sales pages (in which they’ve invested a ton of cash), offering their services as business coaches.

Yet, the only business these individuals have ever run is their business coaching business. It’s shocking how deceptive a good looking website can be, convincing many people to invest 5 or 6 thousand dollars into working with the person claiming the ability to help them move their business forward.

I am absolutely sickened by these parasites who’ve taken a few mastermind classes and are calling themselves business coaches. How can you help me grow my business if you’ve never run an actual business?

These people are taking advantage of vulnerable entrepreneurs who are trying to eke out an honest living, when, really, they don’t know the first thing about what it’s like to be in the trenches as a business owner.

If you’re thinking about hiring a business coach, I want you to stop whatever it is you’re doing right now and REALLY listen to what I’m saying to you.

Do not be fooled by a pretty front. Dig deeper before you hire a business coach, and make sure of a couple of things before you waste a penny of your cash or a minute of your time (as cash and time are the most important things you’ve got!).

For starters, make sure the business coach is knowledgeable about your particular business.

I am the co-owner of a packaged goods company. My business partner and I have a wealth of experience and knowledge to share about business in this space because we’ve learned by doing what works and what doesn’t. We know about cold storage, packaging requirements, and what absolute hell it is to ship chocolate across the country.

But we would not be of any help to an online-based service provider, just as a coach specializing in online-based services would be of no help to a packaged goods business.

A great example of this is an entrepreneur who came to myself and my business partner, Jennifer Love, at one time to share her idea about starting a cashew milk company. Great idea, but we knew right away she had a product with massive spoilage issues. This product would have an extremely short shelf life, and we knew from experience that if this woman were to pursue this idea, she would be facing an uphill battle. So, we told her the honest-to-God truth and she decided not to pursue that idea. She saved herself a world of hurt by talking to the right people.

Do you think a coach who had never run a business in the food industry would have thought about this?

Do your homework.

Find out what businesses the coach has been involved in starting and/or operating. If this information isn’t available on his or her website, that’s a red flag, so call and ask for it. If the person has no experience running or starting a business, move on.

Ask to speak to some references.

Once you’ve found a business coach with experience in your line of business, ask for the contact information of three or more clients. Find out from these people whether the business coach was of help to them and whether they felt their investment in his or her services was worth it. Be sure to ask what the business coach did, specifically, to help them and what the result was. Often, when calling around for references we’re happy with the blanket, ‘It was great!’ statement. GET SPECIFIC! Money and time are on the line!

Find out if you can get your money back if things don’t work out.

Ask right up front if the coach offers a money-back guarantee. Many reputable coaches will give you a full refund if you feel you were not able to move your business forward with their advice.

I believe you will get much further ahead by seeking out people who have failed in the business you’re in, and talking to them than you will by spending thousands of dollars on one of these “coaches.”

Why?

Because the entrepreneurs who have failed in the business I want to succeed in will teach me where they went wrong. They learned what didn’t work. They have perspective, and that perspective is priceless. Seek someone like that out, or someone who is successful in your space, and offer to buy them dinner, or, if you can, hire them for a consulting contract.

Hiring the wrong business coach is a waste of cash and time, and, as an entrepreneur, those are precious assets that must not be wasted, especially not on snake oil.

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Heather K. TerryCelebrated health coach, cooking instructor, yogi, and writer, Heather K. Terry, is a true health aficionado. She is co-founder and COO of NibMor Chocolate, co-founder of the Gluten Free Sugar Cleanse, and a strong advocate of eating real, simply prepared, organic foods and avoiding genetically modified, highly-processed food-like objects. A graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and The French Culinary Institute of Manhattan, Heather’s passion for food and nutrition are palpable. www.heatherkterry.com