Important Lessons Learned from Building a Coaching Business from Scratch

by Yota Schneider

It was spring of 1998 when I knew I had reached my threshold.

My twin girls were 2-years-old and I was an account executive with Clinique. I was working an ungodly amount of hours, trying to make it all work, thinking I could have it all.

Turns out there is no such thing as having it all.

Why Wait?

One rainy day, I was driving to work and having a heated conversation with myself. It was obvious that I was at a crossroads in my life. Do I continue like this or do I take the plunge and make a change?

My heart had been urging me to leave corporate, reminding me that my girls would not be 2-years-old forever. Simultaneously, the voice in my head was listing all the reasons why I should stay. I had worked hard to get where I was, I was making good money, and I loved my job–at least I loved it up until that point.

At that very moment, I found myself negotiating the timing of making a decision when all of a sudden, a car swerved in front of me, startling me. I stepped on the breaks and looked at the car, its license plate staring back at me…“Why Wait?”

That same week I gave my resignation.

Within a month, I went from an account executive, responsible for a 12 million dollar business and 120 consultants, to a stay-at-home mom of two adorable and strong-minded 2-year-olds.

Don’t Leave Your Job Without a Plan!

Because I had tried to go against the signs for the longest time, I left my job without a plan.

I would never recommend that to anyone. Having a plan B will ease your transition and give you room to negotiate the fallout. Whether you choose to make a change or a change is imposed upon you, there will always be a period of transition before you can find your footing and direction again.

Within a year of leaving, I realized that I needed a different kind of balance. There has always been a strong part of me that needs to be expressed and engaged outside the home. However, I wasn’t willing to go back to what was.

If I were to do anything new, it would have to fit in with who I was at that moment–a mother of twins, a wife, and a person with diverse and often conflicting interests and needs.

It was at that point that a good friend who was also contemplating a career change suggested collaborating. We decided to give it a go and began to brainstorm.

My Partner and I Realized We’d Like to Bring Our Skills to Small Business Owners

I began by answering these questions:

• What did I love doing while in corporate and other jobs I had held over the years? I was fortunate to be mentored by talented and strong women. I had the opportunity to participate in some top-notch professional development programs and eventually I started delivering programs on time management, business management, and sales development myself. I loved seeing people grow and succeed.
• How could my education support this new venture? My degree was in education and languages. I knew how to create curriculum and teach.
• I had been a long-time meditation practitioner. Could I incorporate the principles of mindfulness into my coaching and invite my clients to experience the benefits of practice?
• What would my offerings look like and who would benefit from them?
• What do I need to have in place before the launch?

As my partner and I explored our strengths and combined knowledge and experience, we realized that we would like to bring our set of skills to small business owners.

Being a small business owner means that you do it all. You spend more time on your business than in your business doing what you love. It can be exhausting and disillusioning. You also don’t have the time or resources for extra training or staff.

We interviewed small business owners, some of whom were friends, and soon we had our answer. Yes, there was a definite need and want for what we had to offer. We were on the right track.

We hired a website designer who understood what we needed but didn’t break the bank. We had business cards and brochures printed and started networking with the local business associations. We let family and friends know about our launch. In those days, social media did not exist so we depended on networking and word of mouth.

Cultivating Relationships Is What Drives a Business

Twenty-one years later, I still believe that cultivating relationships is what drives a business.

My coaching practice has gone through many changes and ups and downs. I’ve watched it shrink or expand according to what was going on in my life. I started working with small business owners; now, I work with women seeking clarity, inspiration, and purpose in the midst of change and uncertainty. My practice and I have evolved and grown together.

When the pace slows down, I take the opportunity to go deeper into myself and figure out what I need to change and develop in terms of both content and marketing. I use this time as a retreat. I reflect on my journey, consider new ways of doing things, design new programs, write new materials, experiment with new offerings, and gather feedback.

Marketing is important but I’ve learned that it has to reflect who you are. There is endless expert advice coming your way daily. For as valuable as the advice of experts may be, you have to take it with a grain of your own truth. When I do something that does not fit with who I am, I falter. What works for some doesn’t always work for me.

For example, I will engage through social media but I aim for quality not quantity. I focus on developing supportive relationships with like-minded people and posting meaningful content.

I offer courses, retreats, and Clarity Coaching sessions, lead a monthly gathering and a weekly meditation group, and publish on my blog regularly. This allows participants and readers to get to know me and my work, better and more intimately. I often evaluate and adjust my offerings to match the needs of my audience. With the pandemic, I had to become comfortable working with Zoom and I was pleasantly surprised to see how well it went.

Lessons I Learned from Building a Coaching Business

If what you do is a direct expression of who you are, then you have to become good at navigating change.

No matter how you see yourself and what you identify with, one thing is certain. Today, you are not the person you were yesterday or the person you will be tomorrow. Letting go of what used to be will allow you to step into your new chapter.

You are constantly in the process of reinvention. Things may be cruising along, when suddenly, it all comes to a halt. What can you do after that first gasp of panic? How can you ground yourself in the midst of uncertainty and decipher the opportunities and gifts that may be hidden in the situation you find yourself in?

You can begin by working with the following three principles.

1. Know Where You Stand

• You are here now. This very moment is the one certain. What is asking for your immediate attention? Is it your business, your family, a friend, your health, your mental well-being, that phone call you keep forgetting to return, a project? Take care of what is in front of you.
• Learn to recognize the stop-and-go signs. There are times when you’re asked to charge ahead and there are times when all you want is to sit down with a cup of tea and close the door to the world. Part of the creative process is being able to sit quietly and allow what wants to come forth bubble up.
• There may be opportunities and doors opening up in front of you. Are these the kind of opportunities you want to pursue?
• Review your support system. Do you have what you need in order to move forward? How can you best prepare?
• Notice whether you feel hesitant or held back. When we stand on the threshold between endings and new beginnings, we may notice familiar tendencies bubbling up…self-doubt, fear, the nagging feeling of not being good enough, impatience, and perfectionism. We all deal with these tendencies at various points in our lives and we all develop our own strategies for overcoming their stifling effect.
• Recognize these feelings for what they are, old companions who want to be seen and let go. Look at them, remind yourself that they’re not welcome, open the door, and show them the way out of your mind and heart.

2. Know Yourself

• The more clear you are about your vision, the easier it will be to design your action plan. Articulate what you want to create and why.
• Your definition of success is influenced by your family and your immediate environment. You can easily get dazzled by the success of other people and think that’s who you want to be. Check-in with yourself before you follow someone else’s blueprint. Define what success means to you. How does it look? Does this version of success fit into the life you want to live? Allow yourself to be inspired but don’t get lost in someone else’s trajectory.
• Your emotions are here to guide you. It’s worth taking the time to listen to what they are trying to tell you. How are you feeling? Are you scared, anxious, or excited?
• Listen to your instincts and have faith in the unfolding of your life. Remind yourself that you are the main character in the most important story you’ve ever written. The story has many chapters and many supporting characters. It’s written through many twists and turns, secrets, and revelations. You’ve probably gone through many revisions and drafts. What great fun!

3. Let It Go

• We all carry within us outdated beliefs, unproductive behaviors, no-win relationships, dead-upon-arrival expectations, and excess baggage that can drain our energy and weigh us down.
• Some of that may have served you in the past but even the best things in life can turn against you if they’re not in sync with the new direction of your life. Holding onto them can undermine your efforts to move forward.
• Your past has defined you and what was once challenging or painful has made you stronger. Letting go is a key ritual to moving forward. Recognize what weighs you down and release the burden.

4 Tips for Writers Who Are Considering Coaching

First, I would like to congratulate you on seeing the value of coaching and wanting to embark on this new adventure. I hope that sharing my process has given you some valuable insights on how to jump-start your coaching practice.

1. Clarify Your Vision

Any business endeavor begins with a strong desire and a vision. Take the time to lay the foundation by asking yourself the what, why, and how. Taking into account what is happening in your life, start with a manageable action plan and take it from there. Don’t hesitate to reach out to people who might be able to answer your questions, provide insights, and share their experience.

2. Choose Your Marketing Strategies Wisely

Building your practice will take commitment, discipline, and the willingness to take risks. You’ll spend more time marketing than coaching, especially at the beginning, but if you choose your marketing strategies wisely, you’ll do great. Evaluate your marketing efforts often. If something does not resonate with you or your audience, let it go.

3. Reach Out

Reach out, allow people to get to know you, develop relationships and engage in social media, but remember that not every platform is created equal. Begin with the one that resonates with you.

4. Stay True to Yourself

Above all, stay true to yourself and to your craft. Find ways to incorporate your passions and interests in everything you do.

I’ll leave you by sharing the words of one of my favorite poets and philosophers.

“To live a truly creative life, we always need to cast a critical look at where we presently are, attempting always to discern where we have become stagnant and where new beginning might be ripening. There can be no growth if we do not remain open and vulnerable to what is new and different. I have never seen anyone take a risk for growth that was not rewarded a thousand times over.”

– John O’ Donohue from “To Bless the Space Between Us”

I wish you all the best on your journey!

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As a life coach and retreat leader, Yota Schneider works with women seeking clarity, inspiration, and purpose in the midst of change and uncertainty. She is a CoachU Graduate and a certified Seasons of Change® Master Coach. Originally from Athens, Greece, she is no stranger to change and transition. Her life has evolved along detours, U-turns, and small miracles.

Her approach is intuitive and deeply influenced by her cultural roots, work and life experience, and her long-term practice of mindfulness meditation. Yota believes that building resilience, developing self-compassion, and meeting ourselves where we are, with kindness, are key ingredients to happiness and success. Her services include courses, retreats, and one-on-one coaching.

For more on Yota and her work, visit her website The Art of New Beginnings and connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. 

_{Featured photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash.}