Podcasts about prosperous coach podcast

So there you are. You're trying to choose your niche. You're trying to write your web copy. Or maybe you're trying to figure out exactly what you help your ideal clients accomplish in your Signature Program. And, I hope you are!But you feel stuck. Fears and doubts are clouding your judgment. You are in danger of playing too small in your coaching business, which will cost you.You are worried about promising too much. After all, who are you to take a client's fees and make them believe you can help them achieve … anything!?This 179th free episode of Prosperous Coach Podcast is about that worry that you might be promising too much. Get ready for a mindset shift! Find the full transcript of this episode at prosperouscoach.com/179Experienced Coaches Don't Worry About Promising Too MuchSo first, all new coaches worry about over-promising. But experienced coaches don't. What do you think is going on there? It's certainly NOT because they soft pedaled the specific outcomes they help their clients achieve. Because coaches who stay safe in their messaging will not attract and enroll enough clients to survive in their business.And it's NOT because they are lying. You can't stay in business long as a coach if you don't operate from integrity.So where is the line between what you can promise and what you shouldn't promise?Well, here's the eye opener … don't promise anything!Both Coach and Client Have Responsibilities But They Aren't the SameI don't promise my clients anything. I help them make smarter decisions and take more strategic actions.You see, I can't promise anything because ultimately my client's success is not up to me. No matter how good my guidance is and how well I work with them, in the end, THEY have to make things happen. That's why my motto and podcast sign off are: Stay inspired and make things happen! My motto is not: With my help you can achieve anything!If they don't make things happen that's not on me. That doesn't mean I don't care and do all I can to support them to success.This should be a relief, because your clients' results are not on you either. Period. And that may be a bit humbling because you might have been under the impression that you will make THE difference between whether your coaching clients sink or swim with regard to their goals and your niche.Nope.What Exactly Can You Control, Coach?Let's think this through. This is a matter of survival and mastery for you. Read about what you CAN control and CAN'T control and how that affects what you offer your clients.

This episode is an eye opener. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/175. I don't think there's a new coach anywhere who hasn't wondered … should I know more than my clients? Won't they expect that I have expertise to guide them? Otherwise, why would they pay me … right?I've heard coaches from all walks of life question their fitness to be a professional coach — whether the coach is younger or older, highly credentialed or not at all, has vast work experience or none. It's what I call a garden variety doubt. It comes with the territory of offering services in exchange for fees. Let's look into this powerful question a bit more because the answer is a paradox. And paradoxes are full of possibility. So, should you know more than your coaching clients? It completely depends on what you're offering – what you'll be doing with your coaching skills. And it's also a matter of semantics – what is knowing anyway?What Do You Want to Do with Your Coaching Skills?After coach training I was like a convert. I clung tightly to every aspect of the doctrine and guidelines. I read, listened and watched anything I could find about coaching. I attended all the local ICF chapter meetings and conferences.My coach training school taught me to create a Coaching Practice, not a business, so I had this vague vision of working with dozens of clients one on one in an office somewhere, much like a therapist does. I'd charge fees by the session. I'd hold professional distance.I was tempted to apply coaching skills to every conversation. I annoyed my friends and family because I felt that I knew THE secrets to communication. And I do think the tenets of coaching are best communication practices but I hadn't yet matured those skills with good timing and knowing when to stay silent.I was, in those early years, what I would now call a pure coach – a traditional coach the way that the ICF and my coach training school intended.But I was also a poor coach in the sense that I undercharged for years. I stayed in student mode and hoped for the best. I didn't consider the marketing required to attract clients or any other aspect of running a business and so bumbled around feeling I hadn't made it as a coach.You're probably much more savvy than I was because you know from the get go that you must build and run a financially strong business. How to do that is the next challenge and that's where my passion is now.I eventually realized there had to be a better way for me. Prosperous Coach Podcast is all about that better way.By the way, over time, every coach finds their style and their place — or they drop their coaching business and go get a job.I have become a non-traditional coach. I no longer feel that the pure coach model is for me. I still honor my coach training and use coaching skills but I've brought my full self into what I'm offering now, which includes expertise.About a certain set of things that I've studied deeply, I know more than most of my clients and it's why they hire me. But I want to make it clear, my clients and I collaborate. I guide and suggest while drawing their skills and wisdom out. It's a hybrid approach.Listen to Do You Fit One of These Coach Archetypes?  Check out episode 73 at prosperouscoach.com/73 or on your favorite app. Here I'm going to focus on the 2 archetypes — the teacher and healer archetypes.Read more about how to develop a hybrid business using coaching skills plus teaching, mentoring, or healing skills.

This episode is inspired by a rarely used skill that we all have and that can greatly help you attract more coaching clients that you'll love. Find the full transcript for this episode at prosperouscoach.com/154.I recommend you also listen to a previous episode called Can You Manifest Coaching Business Success with Your Mind?  Find that at prosperouscoach.com/106, that's episode 106 in your favorite podcast app. It talks about different aspects of manifesting.This episode won't be repetitive as it's about one particular part of manifesting, which is attracting ideal clients. Back in 2001 when I was writing curriculum for Coach Training Alliance I came up with the term ideal client. I doubt it was a wholly original idea but it was an aha in my mind.Coaches want to have a financially successful business. I love the idea of prosperity thinking and wanted to include elements of that in the curriculum. But I've also used this idea in my own coaching business.Every coach will have preferences about the best clients for them and every client will have preferences about the person that helps them transform. In an ideal world there would be that excellent fit more often than not.Fit is critical for excellent coaching to happen. And, fit is critical for you to earn well as a coach. Look, if you're attracting non-ideal clients a lot you're not going to be happy and neither are your clients.If your clients aren't happy, you have referrals and testimonials. If you're not happy, you'll feel drained and burned out.There's an art to attracting clients. I call it an art because it takes time to learn who is ideal for you and it takes conscious attraction practices to draw them to you.One powerful part of attraction is the words you use on your website, your social posts, your freebie, your content such as blogs, podcast episode and also the words you use to describe your Signature Program.If you're blessed as I am, you'll have that word fit reflected back to you. Here's a review I received for Prosperous Coach Podcast to illustrate what I mean:I absolutely love how open, sincere and generous Rhonda is with her time-tested wisdom in what it takes to build a successful coaching business from scratch. As a newbie coach still enrolled in a certification program, my mind-wheels are constantly spinning about how to build my new business. Rhonda's value-filled words and energy help ground and ignite me at the same time. She takes me out of the fog and into clarity, out of stumbling into jogging steadily forward.Wow! Thank you for that amazing review, Lena.How did I help ground and ignite something inside Lena — someone I didn't know before? How did I help her come out of the fog and into clarity? Two main ways:1.     By studying what words would land best with my ideal client within my chosen target audience.2.     By thinking of my ideal client while I create messaging to attract clients.What Are the Right Words to Attract Your Ideal Coaching Client?That's a discovery process that takes place BEFORE you do anything to attract clients. Before you build your website, before you put out content and social posts, before you design your Signature Program ...To read the full transcript and see the 24 Powerful Questions to Identify Your Ideal Coaching Clients go here.

This episode is inspired by YOU. You've helped me surpass 100,000 listens of Prosperous Coach Podcast. I'm so grateful to you for binge listening and sharing my podcast with other coaches.Now, maybe I can help you start your own podcast.I'll tell you what podcasting has meant for me and I'll share some details about what it takes, what it costs plus a few powerful questions to ask yourself about whether podcasting is right for you. Find the full transcript of this episode at prosperouscoach.com/146My podcast has revolutionized my business and also given me great joy.I posted a blog for over 8 years and it was hugely instrumental in attracting ideal clients to my services. But it was never as impactful as my podcast has been. I think it's because listeners hear my voice weekly so there's more of a sense of intimacy. People feel like they get to know me in ways that can't come across only in words on a page. And because my episodes are short and I'm consistent about putting out a weekly episode I have a lot of binge listeners. Isn't that fun!When I have a Discovery Call with a coach who wants to enroll in my 5 month VIP program, they often say: “You sound just like you do on your podcast!” That's reassuring to them.Some of the joy factor is in putting my voice out there. I say what I think and feel.Your voice is more than just sounds and words —it's an integral part of who you are. When you speak up and speak out you're stepping fully into your personal power. It's almost impossible to be anything but authentic when you show up weekly with your voice on air.I didn't expect the satisfaction of putting my voice out there. I can stumble over words, just be myself and my audience is forgiving. I can tell you personal things about myself and know that I'm relating not burdening. It's connective not self-deprecating.And I get so much positive feedback. It's nourishing to know that my philosophy, guidance and truth telling resonates with so many coaches. A few coaching training organizations suggest my podcast to their students. I know I'm helping people who will never hire me. And that's gratifying. But I also know that people I'm meant to work with will hire me and we're likely to start our journey with a deeper understanding between us.And when people reach out and fill out the application on my Work with Rhonda page of my website, they are 99% ready to enroll. Wow! No other form of messaging or marketing has brought me that kind of ease.And then there's the accessibility piece. People in over 100 countries hear my podcast and that's growing.So what is a podcast?You might have listened but not really known what a podcast is. It's similar to a radio show but it's delivered online in episodes that can be experienced on demand rather than by tuning into a specific station at a specific time. Listeners can subscribe to a podcast through apps they download onto their phone like Apple Podcast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio and other directories who, at this point, all offer free listening accounts and downloadable apps. My listeners can also hear my episodes on my website.When you subscribe to a podcast, the app brings new episodes up first. You can also click SEE ALL and explore the back catalog of a show. There are limited show notes or transcripts that listeners can see on their apps. I put links to other episodes and resources in my transcripts.To read about what podcasting costs and questions to decide if it's right for you read the

I’ve been promising this episode to you. Find the Show Notes at prosperouscoach.com/117.Before we dig in I want to thank you for all the 5 star ratings and great reviews you have bestowed on Prosperous Coach Podcast and me.Here’s a recent review from someone who used the moniker Soulful Coach. I think I know who you are and I’m bowing to you right now. Thank you for honoring me with your praise!Here’s what this coach said:This podcast is my go to for encouragement and quick reminders on specific topics that I’m struggling with. Rhonda is an amazing business coach and person. Her VIP program for coaches not only helps you identify your niche and much more but also helps you achieve personal growth in all dimensions of your life.This review fits today’s topic about attracting ideal clients. I feel so blessed that I get to work with amazing human beings like Soulful Coach. How did that happen?Most all of my clients apply to work with me because they like what they are hearing in my podcast episodes. My podcast is my content strategy.What’s your content strategy? Whatever it is, the content should strike a resonant chord with your audience. That’s the best way to attract ideal clients.And here’s the thing … if a new coach — my target audience — doesn’t resonate with what I’m saying in my episodes I know that they won’t be an ideal client for me. Nor will I be the best coaching business mentor for them. So through my podcast I’m calling in the absolute best clients for me.I can be authentic, share what I believe and have experienced both in my own coaching business as well as other coaches and be sure it’s going to land with some and not others.And that’s totally okay.This concept applies to so many aspects of your business.I remember feeling bummed out when early on in my business I looked at subscribe stats for my leads list and saw that people were unsubscribing from my list. I felt rejected and worried. What was I doing wrong?Now I know, it’s actually a gift when people choose to get off your leads list! You want those who will never hire you to move on — get off your list, stop participating in your Facebook groups or not show up to your free webinars.The people that are left are who you’re meant to work with.This happy attrition is partly what my last episode was about, which you can find at prosperouscoach.com/116. 3 Ways to Call In Coaching Clients Who Fit YouSo how can you call in clients who will fit you to a T?1. Through your target audience choice. (And this is the first step I help coaches take.)Before you can know what your niche is, you need to decide who you’re serving. What is the unique narrow group — the target audience — that will align best with your skills, your passion, your experience, and your personal story?Click here to read the other 2 ways and more Show Notes.

Today feels special. I’m airing my 100th podcast and celebrating my 2nd year anniversary of podcasting! Thanks to you — binge listening and sharing Prosperous Coach Podcast with other coaches — my show has hit 60,000 downloads and listenership is growing fast!I’m so grateful to you and to the podcasting community, which is filled with some of the kindest, most generous people I’ve met. They genuinely want every podcaster to thrive. And so I have!And I’m here to tell you that podcasting revolutionized my coaching business. Coaches reach out to me ready to enroll because they already trust me from listening to my podcast.That’s why I recommend podcasting to my clients. For coaches — who are willing to choose a narrow viable target audience full of seekers and taken the time to research what those people want so much they’ll invest in support to get there — podcasting is a great fit.Think about it … if you speak directly into the ear of your target audience every week about a top-of-mind issue and how to shift it, can you imagine how that would help you attract serious clients who are ready to hire you.It’s HUGELY impactful. It builds credibility fast and helps you reach an international audience for your niche.Of course you have to stand out in the crowd. Podcasting is growing so fast and for every topic and target audience you can think of there’s at least one podcast already out there.Helping coaches stand out is exactly why I encourage you NOT to sell a certain type of coaching. Instead to target a unique audience with BIG problems they want solved and gear your messaging and offers around that.So today, as I’m celebrating my own success with your help, I also want to celebrate 5 other coaches who have just leveraged their coaching niches into a podcast. I’m so impressed with every single one of them.They are all past or current clients in my 5 month VIP Coaching Business Breakthrough program where we started from scratch to develop strategic messaging, offers, web copy and their content strategy – podcasting – all customized for their unique target audience.As you’re listening to this episode today, notice these 3 things:1. How narrow and specific each coach’s target audience is.2. How compelling and unique their message is.3. And how they are NOT selling coaching (even though they are trained and certified coaches who use coaching to help their audience reach their top goals.)I recommend you check out their awesome websites and listen to their podcasts, which you can find on their website and also on popular podcast apps.Then please help them by sharing their podcasts with people you know who fit their audience. Someday someone will do the same for you.Shawna Warner and Cultivate Resilient TeensLet’s start with Shawna Warner who just launched her podcast a few weeks ago. In Shawna’s business at Cultivating Resilient Teens.com she helps parents empower their teenage daughters to build confidence, integrity and resilience for all of life’s adventures.I wish I’d had Shawna’s help when I was a teenager!Shawna has a Masters in clinical social work and was a social work intern in schools. That and her personal experience raising a teenage daughter who has thrived into an awesome young adult are reasons she chose her audience and niche.More Show Notes here.

This is the first episode in the new series called Money Mastery. In this series I’ll dig into pricing strategies, revenue planning and liberally sprinkle in money mindsets and prosperity thinking, which make all the difference in attracting coaching clients who pay well.Show Notes for this episode can be found at prosperouscoach.com/53After all, success is part mindset, part strategy and part right action.First for a bit of gratitude … Prosperous Coach Podcast has just hit 20,000 downloads and that’s because you have been generously passing forward this podcast to your coach friends and colleagues. Thank you!Every day I hear from another coach how much this podcast has meant to them and I feel so grateful. That fills me with joy.Speaking of gratitude … are YOU feeling it?I ask because I’ve seen a direct relationship to gratitude and financial success for coaches. For one thing, gratitude is attractive in the most literal sense of the word.And it goes both ways. When you’re grateful, you feel better. When you feel better, other people feel better. It’s a beautiful circle.Attitude and PracticeYou’ve heard of an attitude of gratitude.Gratitude isn’t just an attitude. It’s a practice that goes beyond counting your blessings. Although, naming what you’re grateful for is the centerpiece of prosperity.Not many people know this, I started my coaching business as a spiritual coach and prosperity building was my focus. No wonder I branded my company Prosperous Coach.I ended up helping coaches choose a profitable niche and launch their business with confidence because I found myself surrounded by coaches who wanted my help to get their business models set up powerfully.Well, how did that happen? The usual way. Angels and Surprises.In my 3rd year of coaching I was on the board of the Denver Coach Federation and the President at that time, Will Craig, was starting a coach training company called Coach Training Alliance.He invited me to be a trainer and after a year asked me to help him rewrite the curriculum and design a Certified Coach Program.Talk about gratitude. If not for Will, the opportunity he gave me, and his trust in me I’m not sure I’d still be in business.Will, if you’re listening, I love you, man. Our partnership has taken me places and brought me in connection with more wonderful people than I ever dreamed possible. I mean who knew?What’s wonderful is Coach Training Alliance is still going strong 18 years later. They’re still using my curriculum and certification program. And many of the trainers are the original bunch of the best coaches I know.Do you ever wonder what opportunities might be around the corner for you? What angels — real people — will show up and give you grace?Anyone you meet could be that person for you. Any opportunity you have could be one that catapults you to a better place. In fact, this happens every day.So, one powerful gratitude practice is to be grateful for ALL of your connections. Even the ones that don’t feel great.Here are some other gratitude practices you might not of thought of as gratitude or prosperity building: Share the Good StuffIf you get value out of something share it with others. Pass it forward.I’ve noticed something that worries me in the coaching community. Sometimes coaches get competitive. They are out there only for themselves and their clients. They build their business then put their head down in isolation and strive and strive. They write their blogs, put out their posts but that’s it.That makes for a lonely business. But it’s also shut down the flow of prosperity.This is how gratitude ties into integrity. What Comes Around Goes AroundThat can work both ways, you k

Last week I shared the Listeners’ Choice #1 Best Episode and again it had record plays!A shout out to Susan who wrote:“So Much truth. It was like a choice of angels harmonized in the background as I understood. Happy Anniversary to you and Prosperous Coach Podcast. You’ve helped me get to someplace new and exciting in my business, thank you.”I love that, Susan!Today, I’m sharing a second Listeners’ Choice for Best Episode in 2019 — How to Enroll More Coaching Clients Without Beings Salesy.I’m not surprised that this episode was super popular. For one thing who wants to be salesy? But also this episode also has a content upgrade – a downloadable guide you can get for free that walks you through my step by step questions to ask coaching prospects during your Discovery Session.The questions actually inspire people to hire you. So don't forget to get that download which you can find at https:prosperouscoach.com/19Next week I’ll be getting back into new episodes and talking about gratitude. Did you ever think about this — what comes around goes around … even in your coaching business. In other words if you put positive energy out to others it comes back to you.

I’m proud to say that Prosperous Coach Podcast is 1 year old and going strong with over 18,000 downloads thanks to you. I’m grateful for the continuous stream of enthusiasm I hear from you and how generously you’ve shared my episodes with other coaches.Keep that up because coaches need this kind of community support.We’re in this together. Whatever generosity you have towards other coaches comes back to you many fold.Very soon I have a new series for you. I’ll be digging into pricing, packaging and all the mindset issues that I know coaches have about asking for fees that pay you well. I had them and I see the same limiting beliefs in my clients.The good news is you can leap over those issues with a bit of coaching. I’ve seen lots of coaches go from stuck and limited to suddenly understanding why it’s so important to charge more than you think you’re worth in order to realize your worth and help clients transform significantly.More about that and all the MONEY topics very soon.To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Prosperous Coach Podcast, I wanted to share the Listeners’s Choice for the #1 best episode of 2019. For show notes go to https://prosperouscoach.com/7I’m not surprised that this is the clear #1 episode. And it’s so important for all coaches to hear. It’s called Why is Coaching a Hard Sell?Listen closely. You’re about to have your eyes opened. And it’s in a good way that will help you succeed as a coach.

Today I am diving into the 8th episode in the series called Client Winning Coaching Websites.Writing smart copy is both an art and science. You’ll be amazed how using these rules will turn you into a significantly better writer. And, you will attract and enroll more coaching clients because your communication speaks to the heart of your ideal clients.If you want support to write powerful copy for your coaching business, let’s talk. Fill out the questionnaire on my Work with Rhonda page of my website and I’ll be in touch quickly.I wished I'd had a list of copywriting tips back in the day when I started my coaching business. These rules apply to your:benefit statementstitles, subject lines, headingsweb copyemailsfreebiesblogsshow notes for your podcast episodessocial postsCopy that’s written with these 5 Rules will be evocative and action inspiring. Get Your Special Download of the 5 RulesGo to the Show Notes for this episode of Prosperous Coach Podcast to get your copy of the special download with all of these copywriting tips and tools. Get it. Print it out. Keep it next to your desk so that —whenever you write — you’ll apply and ultimately integrate these tools into your writing. One Copywriting Rule to Rule Them AllWrite to attract attention and keep your readers interested. We live in times where people read a lot less than they used to. So you can't write the way you used to when you were in school.Many of the academic rules of writing that you learned in school will not at all help you attract and keep attention these days. Learning how to write compelling copy is partially an unlearning of some of those old rules. Rule #1 - Specificity AttractsSpecific words and concepts are more attention getting than broad, sweeping, vague or abstract words and concepts. What I see a lot with coaches is they haven't yet niched and drilled down their target audience to a narrow, viable target audience. They want to cover all the bases. They want to write in a way that won't turn off someone.But trying to turn on everyone means you won’t turn on anyone.When you target a unique audience, you discover their psychographics through market research. https://prosperouscoach.com/22 You come away with valuable information —specific words and spoken phrases — that drive your target audience to action.Then use those keywords and phrases in your content. That helps you to boost search engine optimization (SEO).If you write any kind of copy, I don't care whether it's a social post or it's a blog or its copy on your website, go through it and replace the broad, vague, and abstract words with specifics that are highly relevant to your audience as it relates to your niche. Rule #2 - Less is MoreWriting well is always about making choices. Do not try to cover all the bases.Do not attempt to include everything in one sentence, paragraph, article or page on your website!Focus in on easy to digest ideas.Specificity ties in here too, but there are lots of little tips for this rule to guide you.Keep paragraphs short. No more than four lines deep in order to encourage reading. If people are looking at your website or whatever you've written on a mobile device, that four lines deep on a laptop is going to be 16-20 lines deep on a phone.Use single sentence paragraphs often. Emphasize a point or ask a powerful question.Reduce prepositional phrases in sentences. The more prepositional phrases you have in a sentence, the more complex it

This episode is part of a brand new series called Client Winning Coaching Websites. It's especially for new coaches who don't have a website yet. I want to help you do it right the first time.This series is also for you if you have a coaching website already and it's not serving you well. No one is going to the website, signing up on your list or contacting you for a Discovery Session. There are good reasons for that and I want to help you get your website working for you.So be sure to stay tuned for each successive episode in this series because I'll be going into details. And I truly believe you'll have some big AHAs about how to improve your website.This episode is about first steps to take BEFORE you create your coaching website. Before you hire a designer. Or before you decide to buy a Wix or Squarespace template and do it yourself. A dubious choice! Or, before you ask your kid or your best friend's cousin to slap up a website for you.All tough choices especially if you do that BEFORE you make these critical 3 decisions about your coaching business.First, I want you to know that I am not a web designer. But I am an international business mentor for coaches with 20 years of experience.And, because I'm the TEACHER Archetype, I tend to learn from my mistakes by studying and creating step-by-step guides for others. So, after I launched my 4th website, which is a client generating website, I decided to pass on what I learned. I created a step-by-step online training program called Client Winning Websites & Blogs for Coaches.It was a fantastic, comprehensive training that sold well for a long time.But, the world of the Internet changes so fast. I took the program off the market because there are constant subtle shifts in how things work, in Google's algorithms and in online trends. I didn't want to be updating that product every 6 months. I'd rather be helping coaches in Strategy Sessions and in my VIP 5 month Coaching Business Breakthrough program.Every coach I work with, I help them write client-winning copy for their website and manage the web design process because my website and my client's websites are proof that you can turn web visitors into clients if you create a friendly journey for your target audience on your site.I realized recently, why not repurpose and upgrade the material in Client Winning Websites & Blogs for Coaches into bite-sized insights for Prosperous Coach Podcast.So, over several weeks I'll cover in great detail what makes for a client-winning coaching website and I'll share some examples you can see online.Today's mini-episode is about 3 the things you should do before you create a coaching website so you don't waste time and money.And that's always my aim— to help you create a financially successful and rewarding coaching business from the get go, rather than getting stuck blindly following the masses of coaches who don't create a sustainable business. There's no reason why you should know how to do this without support from someone who has taken the less traveled road and found an easier way.Okay... let me tell you story ... and see if you see yourself anywhere in this.About 1 - 3 times a week a new coach reaches out to me. They've been referred to my podcast by another coach — and I'm grateful for that — or done a search for "coaching niche" and so they end up strolling around my website and filling out the application on my Work with Rhonda page.By the way that's called a funnel or conversion process. More about that soon in another episode.

This episode is part of the Smart Mindsets and Habits series. And it's a continuation from Episode 34 about client management systems.This questionnaire I'm about to take you through is one piece of a good client management system.This episode and the next 3 will be mini episodes because I'm moving house! So you'll get a bitesized idea in a short time. I hope you find them valuable.By the way, Prosperous Coach Podcast just passed 10,000 downloads! That's one sign among many that these episodes are landing well with you. Thank you for listening and sharing this with other coaches! We are growing a community.If you'd like to be part of that community, join us in the Prosperous Coach Club on Facebook. Questions are the life blood of what coaches do with clients. Open ended questions are so powerful that a single one can evoke a positive shift.It makes sense that the coaching client intake would include powerful open-ended questions!Here are the 10 questions I have in one document of my intake packet: 1. What are your strongest beliefs about yourself?2. What are your strongest beliefs about the world?3. What wisdom has come out of your greatest life lessons?4. When in your life have you felt the most generative?5. What does prosperity mean to you?6. How do you define your success?7. What is your BIG WHY for creating an ongoing business?8. How might you sabotage your own success? 9. What do you want me to do if I notice sabotaging behavior?10. How can I best empower you? The Next Episode is: 8 Powerful Questions to Ask Coaching Clients Anytime

This episode is part of the Start Smart series. It's worth the listen because this topic is eye-opening. And, if you're planning to transition from your job to full-time coaching, I've given you a 5-step plan near the end of this episode. Creating a smart transition plan to move into full-time coaching is an important step. If you're serious about making your dream happen, this is something you'll want to do with the help of someone who has transitioned.Sometimes coaches hire me when they don't have a current job. They've been raising kids or were laid off or they quit a job to create their coaching business. They have plenty of time to work on building their business foundation and launch in a systematic, organized way.Obviously, there are some huge advantages to that scenario. But there are also some hidden challenges. If you're not currently in the rhythm of working for a living, you might have trouble finding that rhythm and dedicating time to your business.On the opposite end of the spectrum is the person who currently has a full-time job, kids, and a busy life who wants to become a coach and shift to full-time coaching "someday."If you're this person, you've put time into training as a coach and into business development but haven't made the shift.Maybe you're dabbling at coaching and have a low fee client or two.But leaving your regular paycheck and benefits, especially when you have a family, is a risky step to take. It requires a big dose of courage and chutzpah.Some coaches never get off the bench and into the game. That's not you! That was the apt metaphor used by a coach I spoke with recently.The truth is that entrepreneurship — and that's what becoming a coach is — is risky business.No doubt you've heard the odds. They say 1 in 5 make a sustainable livelihood and that goes down over time.Entrepreneurship has a bunch of rewards that frankly I wouldn't want to live without. Freedom (I truly set my own schedule and work a lot less than I did in corporate.)Being your own bossGetting to bring your whole self to what you doInnovating and creatingThe huge feeling of accomplishmentA Common Myth About Coaching Business Startup BustedThe beauty of a coaching business is that there's no real barrier to entry except having the grit and focus to take the risk. The truth is you don't even have to have training or certification, although I think it's a good idea to be a trained coach.There's a common misconception that I run across and it's what inspired me to do an episode on this topic.Recently, I was having an On Air Coaching session —which hasn't aired yet — with a smart, confident man who has been coaching on and off (more off), while raising a family and engaged in a successful mid-management career.Odell was encouraged to become a coach by his pastor and friends. He took training and then found it hard to nail down his coaching niche. That's what motivated him to start Googling for help and he found me through Prosperous Coach Podcast.Odell said that he expected to replace his current income by working coaching as a side gig for two years.I wince when I hear people say that they'll transition from their full-time job to full-time coaching when they replace their income from their current job.Why? Because I've never seen anyone successfully do that.When coaches hire me to help them build their coaching business from the niche up, one of the first things I do is to assess how well positioned they are to bec

EPISODE OVERVIEW Rhonda discusses the importance of having practitioners that are knowledgeable about the trait of being Highly Sensitive, and she shares an experience she had with an insensitive doctor and how she handled it.   HIGHLIGHTS Rhonda shares about realizing she was a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) after reading Elaine Aron’s The Highly Sensitive Person We talk about the analogy of HSPs and orchids--and the limitations of this analogy We share our experience with online facebook groups and how we came to meet each other through a facebook group I started for podcasters Sometimes, as HSPs, we don’t realize the positive impact that we are having on the lives of others simply by showing up I share some of the ways that podcasting has been transformational that I did not expect Rhonda describes the various triggers that she has recognized as an HSP; how she navigates with this knowledge, and the emotional impact it sometimes has We discuss epigenetics and how emotional triggers can have generational echos Rhonda recalls early childhood memories of feeling ashamed or outcasted due to her highly sensitive traits We share our experiences as HSPs, with prescription medications and how HSPs tend to be more sensitive to medication than non-HSPs Rhonda talks about the dichotomy of growing up shy and self-conscious while being a courageous and bold person, starting her own business Rhonda explains her ability to somatically feel what is happening with her clients Rhonda recounts an interaction she had with an insensitive doctor, how she responded, and the result of their exchange   BIO Rhonda Hess is an international business coach and founder of Prosperous Coach since 2006. Her clients say she has a superpower for helping coaches choose a smart niche and launch their business with confidence. In 2001, she designed the certification program for Coach Training Alliance. After training 500 coaches herself she turned her focus to helping coaches with the marketing side because it doesn't matter how great a coach you are if no one knows about you. After 8 years of award-winning blogging, last year Rhonda started Prosperous Coach Podcast to help more coaches earn more and market less. It's so fun!     PODCAST HOST Patricia Young is a Life Coach in California. Patricia works with Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) helping them understand their HSPness, and turning their perceived shortcomings into superpowers. Patricia is passionate about providing education to help HSPs and non-HSPs understand and truly appreciate all the gifts we have to offer. Patricia works globally online with HSPS providing coaching. We meet over a private platform (similar to Skype), and you can have coaching from the privacy of your own home—when the kids are at school or are napping; from work; in your pajamas, or when you just can’t face sitting in traffic or going out. Patricia also facilitates online specialty groups for HSPs.   LINKS   Website - www.ProsperousCoachBlog.com Podcast - www.ProsperousCoachBlog.com/topics/Podcast/ Facebook - www.Facebook.com/ProsperousCoach   To write a review in itunes: click on this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-sensitive/id1440433481?mt=2 select “view in itunes” chose “open in itunes” choose “ratings and reviews” click to rate the number of stars click “write a review”   Website--www.unapologeticallysensitive.com Facebook-- https://www.facebook.com/Unapologetically-Sensitive-2296688923985657/ Facebook group Unapologetically Sensitive-- https://www.facebook.com/groups/2099705880047619/ Instagram-- https://www.instagram.com/unapologeticallysensitive/ Youtube-- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOE6fodj7RBdO3Iw0NrAllg/videos?view_as=subscriber e-mail-- unapologeticallysensitive@gmail.com Show hashtag--#unapologeticallysensitive Music-- Gravel Dance by Andy Robinson www.andyrobinson.com Editor -- David Petlansky of Pitseleh Pictures - www.facebook.com/PitselehPictures

Notes for this episode can be found here.This episode is part 1 about how to selectively and wisely decide where and when to invest your time, energy and money in opportunities that come your way as a coach. Opportunities such as:more skills traininghow-to programs that teach a marketing tactic offers to send you leads or promote youoffers to partner with another coach or expertToday, we'll dig into the bright shiny object syndrome. That's when you have a incredibly strong impulse to invest money in training, apps - all sorts of bells and whistles - for your coaching business.Have you ever taken expensive training or a mastermind and, though you enjoyed the experience, you didn't forward in your business? You couldn't apply what you learned.There's a simple reason for that ... you may not have been developmentally ready for that program yet.Spending like can quickly eat up your profits! So I have tips and mindset mastery coming your way here.Before we dive in, I want to thank you.With your support, Prosperous Coach Podcast has surpassed 4000 downloads with just our 20th episode. A shout out to Kate in Basel, Switzerland. Kate said:"I've really been enjoying your podcast and want to thank you for the really helpful, clear, and good vibes content that you are sharing. I always look forward to hearing your intro music!"Thank you, Kate!I put my heart into these episodes. And coaches need clear guidelines. Very soon I'm launching a Facebook group for subscribers of the podcast. All coaches are welcome. More on that next week.Okay let's breakthrough the bright shiny object pattern ...Why does this syndrome exist?When your coaching business is new and you've not yet filled your time serving clients, you're in a vulnerable place.You're vulnerable because you are yearning — for more coaching clients, for higher revenues, or simply for recognition that you're valuable — and you're looking outside yourself for answers.So you go surfing and get on a bunch of lists or click a bunch of ads.All manner of offers and opportunities are dangling like glittering diamonds in front of you.And your credit card is in hand. Maybe you've even memorized it.I've been there. Much less than I used to thanks to the tips I'm going to share, but it still snags me occasionally.I'm Not Skilled EnoughAs a coach, sometimes there's this voice saying "I'm not skilled enough yet" that has you reaching for more training to learn different types of coaching skills, get more certifications, to pile up credentials.There's a learned belief under that, that what you know now isn't enough for where you are now developmentally. And that's where the deepest wisdom is -- where you are now.Obviously, there are times when learning more skills will be right for your current situation. But I wonder ... how many purchases for more skills training are driven by a rational decision?Think about it this way, if you are endlessly in student mode, how are you ever going to succeed in your coaching business?Learning is a lot like breathing. The breath in is followed by the out breath. It's a natural rhythm. But if you breathe in and hold your breath, your lungs start to wither. And eventually the organism that is you forces your lungs to let out the CO2 so you can breathe in again.So the metaphor is this ... Information in needs to be followed by integration and action. That's a healthy rhythm.And that's how we develop ... as coaches, as business owners, as human beings.Kids learn by doing. They are in their bodies and in their spirit, not so much in their heads.As a new coach, you'll also integrate learning best b

In this episode I interview my first guest on Prosperous Coach Podcast — a coach who is 10 years into her unique and narrow coaching niche. And her business is going strong.Tami and I, 10 years and 20 years into our coaching business respectively, both targeted a unique audience and build our coaching niche around their top problem. It's the main reason for focus, longevity and financial success. Not to mention great joy!Tami is a great example of the Teacher Archetype because she turned her personal and professional challenges into solutions for others with the same challenges.Listen in as Tami effortlessly shares words of support and wisdom to all coaches. We want to see YOU reach 10 years of success and more! Tami Stackelhouse dreams of a day when all fibromyalgia patients have access to the care and support they need to thrive. She is doing all she can to make that dream come true. A fibromyalgia patient herself, Tami has gone from disabled to thriving. Her compassion, gentle support, and fun coaching style have helped fibromyalgia patients all over the world take back control of their lives. She is the Founder of the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute, where she teaches thriving patients to coach other fibromyalgia patients. And she is author of The Fibromyalgia Coach and Take Back Your Life. A stressful customer service job brought on Tami's fibromyalgia —a chronic condition — and she had to quit.Three years in and about to apply for disability, she was talking to her doctor about the downhill trajectory of her life.Then her doctor referred her to a health coach who helped her come up with a healing strategy.Six months later Tami decided to become a health coach herself.After being a general health coach, which was okay but not particularly thrilling, a friend encouraged her to niche more narrowly around what she knew best.Smart friend!Tami's "burning bush moment" came around in her first conversation with another fibromyalgia patient.It's a magic moment, when your background, your story, your experience coalesce into clarity about how to pivot your niche and business model for greater satisfaction and success.But here's the thing ... don't wait for your own burning bush moment to happen.It will happen by staying in action and allowing, not pushing for answers to come.I always suggest that you narrow to one viable audience and niche around their top challenges as a way to open yourself to those magical moments. How Does a Coach Make it To Their 10th Year Business Anniversary?Now Tami is 10 years in and very successful.Like a true entrepreneur, Tami has shifted and pivoted her business to align with what's going on with her and her audience.One major pivot came when Tami had a wait list of clients and realized she simply could not help all the fibromyalgia patients that were coming her way.A wonderful, but still troubling, problem to have!Fibromyalgia affects one in twenty women. MDs don't have a clear treatment for the condition, which can be quite debilitating.In the manner of a Teacher Archetype Coach, Tami decided to create her Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute. (The Teacher Archetype responds to a problem by creating a viable solution for others.)She felt she needed to duplicate herself.But instead of finding Let Your Journey Tell You What To DoBe open to letting your journey inform you instead of staying stuck in how you think things should go.Tami's clients were so enthusiastic about the idea of helping others that instead of finding existing coaches to coach the patients, Tami decided to train her own clients in coaching skills specific to helping fibro patients.Now she has 40 coaches in 5 countries wh

Prosperous Coach Podcast is hosted by Rhonda Hess, international business coach and niche strategist. This bi-monthly show offers practical guidance and inspiration to emerging coaches who want to launch their own successful coaching business. Episodes will cover how to choose a profitable coaching niche, create authentic messaging, design magnetic coaching programs and other topics to help you get noticed by ideal clients who will pay well. The show will also delve into coaching tools, coaching client challenges, money mindset and moving beyond limiting beliefs.