Making a Difference While Making a Living - Bev James

Is it possible to make a difference while making a living? This is a philosophy that is close to my heart and one that I have been thinking about a lot lately. There is a new and exciting wave of philanthropy sweeping the business world & it reminded me exactly why I got into Coaching. Most people who train to be a coach are motivated first and foremost by their desire to make a difference. Most find it easy to give their time and energy to help other people but may struggle to build a thriving business because they are reluctant to “sell” their services, or have a lack of business know-how. It is not enough to simply want to succeed – we have to believe it is possible too and we have to take action. The reality is, is that you can’t make a difference while making a living, without having clients. I believe excellent coaches have a duty to tell as many people as they can reach about the services they offer and in so doing make the biggest positive impact as possible.

Building a business is not down to luck – it is a process, and a skill that can be learned like any other. You will need to put as much time and effort into building your business as you did into your training. Tell as many people as possible that you exist and keep communicating that message as often and as clearly as you can. It is not enough to believe, ‘When I am qualified, they will come.’ I know what it is like to train as a coach and set up a coaching business from scratch and can still remember the excitement of securing my very first client. I also know what it is like to run several successful businesses, which is why I am on a mission to help others adopt my philosophy of combining a coaching heart with a commercial mind. As coaches, you already know that your attitude of mind influences the outcome of your behaviour. Success is literally a habit – of mind and behaviour.

1.) Commit to your belief - Change starts with everybody making a conscious commitment – no matter how small.

2.) Take advice – Seek advice from people who have been there and done that.

The internet is full of resources, The Coaching Academy blog is full of advice and tips for coaches and my own website has several free downloadable resources for helping budding entrepreneurs to get going. I often find that the business people I work with are short of time, but they’re great at making things happen. There is no need to wait until you reach a certain point in your coaching journey. We can all start now!