8 Little-Known Mistakes New Coaches Make (and What to Do Instead)
From the Zoom window in my laptop, I saw tears flowing from her eyes like a river passing the terrain of her cheeks and lips.
My eyes began to fill.
Love came alive in my chest like a flock of birds taking flight all at once.
I was guiding the client through a visualization in the final coaching session of her 4 month program.
We visited the key moments in her journey, honoring the lessons she learned, celebrating her wins, acknowledging her courage, and blessing her next adventure.
When my client opened her eyes, she said: “I couldn’t believe I did it, Milena.”
I said: “I knew you could right from the start. I’m so proud of you.”
We put our palms together at our chest forming a Namaste - the light in me sees the light in you.
I know that whatever journey she’d walk next, our coaching gave her feet wings.
On the business side of things, we’ve been breaking revenue records for 3 consecutive months in a row, enrolling clients on offers exceeding ten thousands dollars.
I did this after a few months returning from my maternity leave, nursing an infant child.
I feel blessed for my slow morning yoga, long mid-day nap, weekly massage, weekend family trips to the park, while being able to follow my creative interest to study interior design.
Being in the sweet spot where impact, abundance and freedom meet. That’s my definition of success.
I'm sharing this to show you that it’s possible.
I know you want to become an impactful coach. You’re called to make a difference in others’ lives. (Otherwise, you won't be reading this far.)
But I also know you have a million reasons why you're not ready for it yet.
You're not sure if you got what it takes. You fear failures. You doubt you can follow through. You’re afraid you can’t make a sustainable living from it.
I get it. I was there too.
Now you may expect me to tell you stuff like: “Do what you love and money will follow!”
But I won’t. Because that’s a lie.
Your concerns are valid.
Coaches are popping out like well-incubated oyster mushrooms.
Rich Litvin, one of the coaches I followed early on in my career said:
"The coaching industry has a very low entry bar but a very high success bar."
According to ICF's Global Coaching Study Report, between 2015 and 2019, the number of professional coaches worldwide increased by 33% globally.
I've been in this industry for 5 years.
(In one of my appearances on Vietnam National TV, the host asked me with a blank face moments before the shoot: "How do I translate 'coach' into Vietnamese?")
I’ve seen coaches succeed and I’ve seen coaches fail.
And I want to help you succeed.
Here are 8 things you should stop doing and 8 things you can start doing instead:
1
Stop collecting coach training certifications to compensate for your insecurity
Start offering your coaching service for a discounted price (never for free) right after receiving coach training. Surprise…Surprise… The fastest way for you to get better at coaching and to feel confident is… coaching.
2
Stop coaching everyone on everything because you’re afraid to turn clients away
Are you a relationship and career and wellness and life coach?
You cannot solve everyone’s every problem! The fact that you’re good at something also doesn’t mean you have to offer it, if it doesn’t make strategic sense for your business.
Start honing in your “soul niche” (I borrow this term from my coach Beverly Barnes). A niche is where, in the words of Theologian Frederick Buechner, “your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet”. It’s aligned with your both soul purpose and a real pain point in the market.
A niche answers 2 questions: who are you coaching and what transformations and concrete results you’re coaching them on.
For example, one client of mine helps new moms to go from losing their identity to finding themselves back, as they find the career they truly want.
Your niche does evolve over time. But once you’ve uncovered your niche, commit to it for at least 6 months before you pivot to build a reputation and expertise around it.
If you keep switching before giving it a real try, you won’t have enough data to know what works and what doesn’t.
3
Stop being unwilling to invest in hiring a coach yourself
How can you authentically promise the transformation of coaching if you have never experienced it for yourself?
Start looking for the right coaches to make breakthroughs in your life and business. You’ll save time while making more money that way.
When looking for coaches, it’s important to check their track records, get clear about the concrete results they have gotten for their clients, read their customers’ reviews, and have a real conversation to make sure you two are the right fit.
(Most coaches, myself included, offer a short complimentary session for them to understand your goals and for you to explore their services.)
4
Stop being on the social media content treadmill without a clear way to generate clients
This is a major time-waster.
Start having a clear and simple “sales vehicle” where you can help potential clients get clear on your offer and enroll in your program if they’re the right fit.
For me, it’s a complimentary coaching session called Breakthrough Session. Potential clients need to apply for this session by filling in a form.
I personally review each application and only invite the ones whom I believe I can help.
In the Breakthrough Session, I help them get radical clarity on their challenges, their goals, and the roadmap to get there.
At the end of the session, only if we both see the fit, they’ll get my professional recommendation on a coaching program that best meets their needs. If not, I won’t offer my coaching and direct them to a different resource.
5
Stop offering many different low-value programs
You’ll be spreading yourself too thin. And because the offers are low in value, you’re more likely to get non-committed clients, leading to low results.
Start creating ONE strong offer first. More comprehensive coaching program, longer in length, more in-depth in the level of support, higher in values.
We all know sustainable, meaningful changes take time. This attracts more committed clients, leading to bigger results.
6
Stop obsessing over the number of followers on your social media
That's a vanity metric. You can have millions of followers and still be scrambling for cash.
Start measuring revenue, profit, and the number of subscribers on your mailing list. Those are real metrics that inform you where you need to adjust your business strategy.
Your mailing list is your most important marketing asset because you own the contacts.
Attracting followers on Instagram is certainly the first step. But the end goal needs to be having them on your mailing list so you can nurture the relationship over the long run.
7
Stop creating ORIGINAL content every day on social media
This might be controversial. But I learned it the hard way.
Running on the social media treadmill, especially if you’re a team of one, is a sure-fire way to get creativity fatigue. Besides, you don’t own your IG or FB account. Never build your empire on rented land.
Start creating more valuable content on your website in the form of a blog, podcast, or video show. Ideally weekly, if not twice a month.
Then repurpose this valuable piece into smaller content for social media, while leaving a link to your website where they can go deeper. (You can outsource this to a VA or delegate it to a team member.)
8
Stop copying strategies that established coaches who you admire are using
They may have a 20 person team to carry that strategy for them. You may be a solopreneur mom with no team and a day job, who can carve out half a day a week to grow your business. You need a different strategy!
Start implementing a lean, simple, effective strategy that suits the unique stage in business and the unique season of your life. A good business coach should be able to help you with this.
I know you may still wonder: “Do I really have what it takes to become a successful coach?”
Here’s what I need you to hear.
You DO, if you have these 4 qualities:
You have created results. You've produced results for yourself or for others in a certain life’s area. Example: You've figured out how to cook healthy simple meals that make you feel great in your body. Or you've helped your friends overcome their procrastination to kick start a personal project.
In my experience, I can almost guarantee that you have created a certain result in your life. However, you may need help to see it.
You’re a giver at heart. You feel soulfully called to make a difference in others' lives. You’re committed to helping your clients create the results they want.
You’re a natural supporter. You have experienced supporting others, in the context of formal coach training or informal life situations. Your intuition tells you that you’re naturally good at it (even if your fear may tell you otherwise.)
You have a learner’s mind. You're willing to learn the methods and tools to become better at coaching AND at growing a coaching business.
That’s it!
“Feeling ready” is an illusion.
Real confidence is experiential.
If you wait until you feel confident to do it, you’ll never start.
Instead, gather the support you need, take micro steps. Gain small wins and build confidence along the way.
If you let fear holds you back, everyone loses.
Because it’s not just about you.
It’s about the lives you’re meant to touch.
PS: FAST-TRACK YOUR COACHING BUSINESS TODAY!
Here's a secret most new coaches don't know about building a sustainable coaching business: the key is knowing exactly who you’re serving.
Having absolute clarity on your ideal client allows you to approach them, communicate your message effectively, and enroll the right clients for your business - confidently and effortlessly.
That's why I created Unlocking Your Coaching Genius - a course that guides you through my proven, step-by-step process to locate your unique genius as a coach, define your soul-aligned and profitable coaching niche and make your communication a magnet to the clients you were born to serve.