What happened when I went full-time as a coach

It’s August 2012. I’ve just earned my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology.

But… I no longer want to get a job as a psychologist.

Instead, I want to become a coach.

I dream of working for myself. Changing my clients’ lives. And making a good living while doing so.

So naturally, I start my own coaching practice.

I hang out my shingle (i.e. publish my website)…

And I wait for clients to come flooding in…

…

…

…

…

LOL.

It does NOT work that way.

Fast forward 18 months later, and I’ve tried all sorts of things to try and get clients.

The result?

1 client. Paying me $50 per month (no, that’s not a typo).

Fortunately, I get lucky.

Because I’m offered a contract position with a coaching organization.

I work for them full-time for over four years.

And during those years my own coaching business becomes a side hustle.

Which means I’m able to take it slow.

I can stop stressing about money.

I can pay my bills.

I can have a roof over my head.

I can eat. 😉

I’m able to relax about my own business.

I can have enrollment conversations with potential clients and not feel like they HAVE to sign up so I can survive.

I have space to figure out what works for me (and doesn’t).

Counterintuitively… even though I have less time to work on my business…

I’m a lot less emotionally invested in it.

Which means I can be more objective about it. And see it with fresh eyes.

And I start to see why I hadn’t found success before, when I’d been working on it full-time.

Turns out, I’d been doing a LOT of things wrong.

(and I wasn’t alone – almost every new coach makes these same exact mistakes)

Because let’s face it.

Starting a coaching business is hard.

Especially if you’re new to entrepreneurship and being your own boss.

There’s a lot you have to learn about the art & science of owning a business. Doubly so when you’re a coach.

I’m sharing my story with you because I’ve had a lot of conversations recently with coaches who are still stuck in their full-time job.

Many feel bad that their coaching business is “only” a part-time thing right now.

Or they feel bad that they have to go out and get a job to pay the bills.

And I just want to say that if you’ve had those thoughts yourself, don’t feel bad.

If you’re like me, coaching is your calling in life.

You know it’s what you want to pursue.

And if you need to stay at your job, or get a job, to make sure it happens, then do that.

You’ll get there.

Just have faith.

And look out for my next blog post.

Because I’m going into more depth about how to set up your coaching “side hustle” to bring in extra income… while preparing it to replace your full-time job.

Talk soon.