The Burnout Trap: From "What's Wrong With Me?" to a New Career

In this episode, Sarah talks with the "marvellous" Paul Bridel, a coach who shares his powerful and personal journey from a 20-year career in IT to a complete breakdown from burnout.

Paul opens up about his multi-year struggle in a project management role, where he lost all his energy, confidence, and desire to be at his job. He describes the awful feeling of being trapped —too exhausted and lacking the self-belief to even go through a job search.

This conversation is a must-listen for any professional who feels stuck, hopeless, or is asking themselves, "What's wrong with me?".

Paul explains how he finally found coaching and turned his "great experience" of burnout into a new mission.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Paul's Background: Paul spent two decades in IT, moving from support to project management. In the late 2000s, he began to burn out from the workload and pressure.

• The Burnout Trap: He shares the experience of being stuck in a loop of no energy and no confidence. The worst part was this sense of being trapped, believing he couldn't get another job and not having the energy to try.

• Discovering Coaching: Paul found coaching while devouring self-help books and after receiving some counselling. He was drawn to coaching's forward-looking approach, but he never actually hired a coach himself.

• The Long Road: Paul believes that if he had hired a coach, he would have "sorted himself out" much more quickly. Instead, it took him "years and years" to make progress on his own. He eventually left his job after being offered redundancy.

• The Stigma of Struggling: Paul and Sarah discuss why highly conscientious people with a strong sense of duty are often hit the hardest. In competitive corporate environments, people are afraid to be seen as "the one that's struggling" , which leads to isolation, loneliness , and a sense of shame.

  
  

• His New Book: Paul is writing a book based on his experience, with the working title "What's Wrong With Me". It's the book he wishes he'd had , written to help people in the thick of burnout understand what's happening to them and to show them that they are not broken.

• • Book Release: The book is planned for release by the end of October, and "definitely before Christmas".

  
  

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In this candid episode, Sarah explores a peculiar and frustrating challenge she has encountered repeatedly after years of running The Coaching Revolution: highly intelligent coaches are often the most difficult to teach.

While it's reasonable to assume brilliant minds would be quick to implement proven strategies, Sarah reveals that the opposite is often true. She explains how intelligence, when combined with professional success, can create the most stubborn barrier to learning. This episode is a must-listen for any coach who prides themselves on their intellect but finds themselves struggling to get results.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Paradox of Intelligence: Why the assumption that highly intelligent individuals are easier to work with is "entirely wrong". Their advanced education and success often create a "stubborn barrier to learning".

  
  

• The "Special Case" Syndrome: How highly intelligent coaches resist new strategies. They don't question the methodology directly; instead, they "claim exemption", insisting their situation and their potential clients are special cases where the normal rules don't apply.

  
  

• Ego and Counter-Intuition: The resistance often stems from the "uncomfortable collision between intelligence and ego". Effective marketing can feel "counterintuitive" or simply "wrong", causing analytical minds to retreat into exceptionalism.

  
  

• The Power of Peer Validation: Why breakthroughs for intelligent coaches rarely come from expert instruction. The resistance only disappears when they engage with other highly intelligent professionals in a community who validate the process. Hearing from a peer carries more weight than instruction from a teacher.

  
  

• The High Cost of Resistance: Coaches who remain convinced they are special cases consistently fail, not because the teaching doesn't work, but because they won't implement it properly. They become their own biggest obstacle.

  
  

• The Path to Success: The most successful outcomes happen when intelligent coaches "temporarily suspend their need to understand why something works before they try it". True progress comes when they show humility and accept that brilliance in one field doesn't automatically translate to expertise in another.

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Ever wonder why so many talented, qualified coaches have empty client lists? In this episode, Sarah Short, founder of The Coaching Revolution, tackles this question head-on, starting with the principle that inspired her nearly eight-year journey: Simon Sinek's "Start with Why."

Sarah gets personal, sharing the "why" behind The Coaching Revolution's mission: to transform passionate, qualified coaches into well-paid professionals by fixing the single biggest obstacle they face. This episode is a must-listen for any coach who feels frustrated with client acquisition and is ready to build a real, sustainable business.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Coaching Revolution's "Why": The organisation was founded to bridge the gap between skilled coaches and genuine, paid coaching opportunities. Its vision is to empower coaches who have been transformed by coaching to have a positive impact on others.

  
  

• The Non-Negotiable Standard: The Coaching Revolution only works with coaches who have completed 60+ hours of specific training. Sarah explains that many people who believe they've been "coaching informally" for years are actually mentoring, a critical distinction they discover after formal training.

  
  

• The Core Problem in the Industry: Most coaches don't lack skill; they lack clients. The fundamental reason is that coaches are notoriously bad at explaining the benefits of what they do in simple, accessible language. They use industry jargon like "co-creating environments" and "thinking partner," which means nothing to potential clients and can even sound patronising.

  
  

• A Broken System: The competition for clients is so fierce that many coaches work for platforms that don't pay them, in exchange for "community" or supervision. Sarah critiques the industry practice of logging hours that are "paid in inverted commas"—meaning an exchange of value like a cup of coffee, not actual money—which allows this to happen.

  
  

• • The Solution - Building the Bridge: The key to getting clients is learning how to articulate the problems you solve in words that are intelligible to non-coaches. The Coaching Revolution teaches coaches how to have conversations that demonstrate empathy and offer hope, building trust long before a contract is ever signed.

  
  

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Meet AmyAmy Wolfe joins us from Johannesburg, South Africa, sharing her journey from struggling healthcare manager to leadership coach. After experiencing transformational coaching herself, she trained to become a coach—only to discover she had no idea how to market her new business.

The "Smart Person" ProblemAmy has a master's degree, extensive healthcare CPD experience, and qualified coaching credentials. Yet marketing stumped her completely. Sound familiar? Western education trains us to be employees, not entrepreneurs. We learn to advocate for promotions—not build businesses from scratch.

What Corporate Doesn't Teach You

• In corporate, people understand your job title and skillset
• You're taught NOT to talk about yourself (it's seen as arrogant)
• Corporate marketing aims for massive reach—solopreneurs only need 20-50 clients
• You can't boil the ocean, but you can boil a drop

The Real Marketing ShiftAmy's breakthrough came from talking to a neighbour. Instead of explaining her coaching process, she described the problems she solves. Instant recognition: "Maybe I need to come see you."

The Hidden Truth About Coaching Businesses

• 93% of coaches run portfolio businesses (ICF 2023)
• Most aren't transparent about how long success took
• That "successful" coach might only earn 10% from coaching
• It's not about being smarter—it's about having the right skillset

Why Coaches Are VulnerableBy the time we realise traditional self-promotion doesn't work, we're feeling foolish, embarrassed, and ashamed. Perfect prey for predatory "six figures in 90 days" schemes.

Amy's Advice"It's not you. It's just a skillset you don't have—and anyone can learn it."

Start with Sarah's book, join the Nail Your Niche challenge, or book a conversation. Mind the gap in your skills and fill it.

Sarah tackles an uncomfortable truth that coaches need to hear: AI tools like ChatGPT can't build your marketing for you—at least not effectively. While AI can generate content, it can't replace the critical thinking required for marketing that actually converts clients.

Key Takeaways:

The Core Problem: If you haven't done the foundational thinking, AI-generated marketing won't achieve your desired outcomes. Coaches are selling a service most people don't understand, which means marketing must educate before it can persuade.

Why Coaches Fail: The 82% global failure rate for coaches isn't due to poor coaching skills—it's because they never learned how to acquire clients. Many mistake marketing for something superficial that can be automated without understanding it first.

The GIGO Principle: Garbage in, garbage out. Vague inputs like "I coach professionals in transition to find clarity and confidence" produce vague, ineffective content that won't resonate with potential clients.

What's Required Instead:

• Select a niche based on both your knowledge and commercial viability
• Define your ideal client from real-world experience, not AI guesswork
• Learn to describe your audience's problems in their own words
• Understand their lived experience through direct observation

AI as a Multiplier, Not a Substitute: Once you've done the foundational work—identified your niche, understood your ideal client, and clarified your marketing message—AI becomes powerful for amplifying reach, saving time, and refining ideas. Use it for the grunt work, not the groundwork.

Bottom Line

Marketing and commercial thinking are professional skills that require learning, just like coaching itself. Master these fundamentals first, then leverage AI to scale your efforts. There are no shortcuts to building a thriving coaching practice.

Want to learn expert-level AI skills after doing the foundational thinking? Connect with Sarah to discover how to use AI effectively in your coaching business.

In this inspiring episode, Sarah sits down with the "rather marvellous" Alex Atherton to explore his incredible journey from education leader to award-winning keynote speaker and author. After 25 years in education (including over 12 years as a secondary school head teacher), Alex took a leap of faith in 2018 to build something entirely new.

What started as school consultancy evolved into coaching, then blossomed into a thriving speaking business that now generates the largest chunk of his income. Along the way, Alex wrote his debut book The Snowflake Myth, challenging negative stereotypes about Generation Z - the very students he spent years supporting in challenging inner-city schools.

Key Takeaways

Start With Your Background (But Don't Stay There) - Alex emphasises that while you shouldn't limit yourself to your past, you absolutely must start there. His coaching clients weren't just educators - they were senior leaders across public sector organisations he'd worked alongside: police chiefs, NHS managers, local authority executives. The common thread? Complex, exhausting leadership roles that society needs done well.

The 82% Reality Check - Alex credits understanding that "more of this journey is about marketing than being able to coach" as crucial to avoiding the 82% of coaching businesses that fail. Having expertise isn't enough - you need robust marketing systems and ongoing support.

Business Evolution is Natural - From "coach who does some speaking" to "speaker who does some coaching" to "someone who knows about this stuff" - Alex shows how businesses naturally evolve when you stay open to opportunities and listen to market demand.

Community Makes the Difference - The ongoing support network proved invaluable. As Alex puts it: "The game changes continually" - algorithms, pain points, client expectations all shift. Having engaged peers to navigate these changes together provides a crucial competitive advantage.

About Alex's New Book

The Snowflake Myth challenges the tired stereotypes about Generation Z that Alex grew tired of hearing about his former students. Born from his speaking work, the book became his vehicle to engage with audiences far beyond education - from corporate leaders to farmers.

Get your copy:

📚 Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowflake-Myth-Explaining-workplace-beyond/dp/1836284713

🌐 Alex's Website: https://www.alexatherton.com/snowflake-myth

Available now (released September 28th)

The Transformation Timeline

• 2018: Left education after 25 years to give himself one year to earn a living differently
• 2020: COVID pivoted him from education consultancy toward coaching
• 2022: Discovered Know Your Niche and The Coaching Revolution
• 2023: Speaking business overtook coaching as the primary income source
• 2024: Became an award-winning speaker, published first book

• 
  

For Aspiring Coaches

Alex's advice is refreshingly honest: expect to put in serious hours, especially on the marketing side, where you "know nothing or next to nothing." But he's proof that with patience, proper guidance, and willingness to evolve, you can build something remarkable.

His parting wisdom? If you're not prepared to invest in learning from people who really know what they're doing, "your coaching business is gonna come to an end pretty quickly and you might be going back to what you used to do with your tail between your legs."

The image of that outcome was "quite a driver" for Alex to engage fully - and look where it got him. Currently twinkling, as Sarah puts it, and loving every minute of the journey ahead.

Want to follow Alex's journey? Connect with him through his website or grab his book to see how he's challenging workplace myths and supporting the next generation of leaders.

The AI Shortcut TrapNew AI-powered tools promise to build your ideal client avatar (ICA) in minutes. But here's the problem: they're often created by people who've never done the deep work themselves—like a web designer selling ICA tools while having no defined niche of her own.

Why This Matters for CoachesWe'd never accept that someone could become a coach by chatting with a custom GPT for 30 minutes. So why do we think a generic AI prompt can solve our most foundational marketing challenge?

The Real Cost of ShortcutsWhen coaches use superficial tools, they get:

• Superficial ICAs that apply to half the population
• Wasted time and money on ineffective marketing
• Loss of faith in marketing itself
• Generic messaging that attracts no one

The Hard Questions You Can't AutomateBuilding a viable coaching business requires grappling with:

• Who exactly is your audience?
• What keeps them awake at night?
• What have they already tried to fix this?
• Why didn't their previous attempts work?
• What specific words do they use to describe their problem?

The Truth About Marketing StrategyThese aren't one-line prompts; they're deep strategic questions requiring time, thoughtful consideration, and real-world context. No tool can replace the uncomfortable work of truly understanding your ideal client.

Bottom LineMarketing a coaching business is a specialist subject. If your ICA could apply to anyone, you haven't done the work. Be sceptical of shortcuts - superficial strategies lead to serious business consequences.

Depth matters. There are no shortcuts to clarity.

Ready to Transform Your Message?Join Sarah's free 4-day "Nail Your Niche" challenge at ⁠⁠thecoachingrevolution.com/nailyourniche⁠⁠

Stop being invisible. Start being indispensable.

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The Problem with "Coach"While coaching is a superpower, the title itself creates massive confusion. Unlike tennis coaches or driving instructors who clearly demonstrate and teach skills, professional coaches use inquiry-based methods—asking powerful questions rather than transferring knowledge. Yet we're stuck with Thomas Leonard's 1990s job title that sets completely wrong expectations.

The Expectation Mismatch CrisisWhen you say "I'm a coach," potential clients expect:

• Knowledge transfer from an expert
• Teaching and demonstration
• Clear methodologies they can understand

But professional coaching is the opposite—we facilitate self-discovery through questioning, not teaching.

Why This Kills Your Business

• Forces endless process explanations instead of value conversations
• Makes premium pricing impossible to justify
• Creates invisibility—people don't know when they need you
• Turns LinkedIn into methodology tutorials instead of client attraction

The Golden Sentence SolutionReplace your job title with this format:"I work with [X] to help them [Y] so that they can [Z]"

Examples:

• "I work with VPs in financial services to help them move to top-tier firms so they can accelerate career progression"
• "I work with small business owners to help them overcome decision paralysis so they can scale operations confidently"

Why This Works

• Instantly clarifies who you serve
• Speaks directly to recognised problems
• Eliminates defensive explanations
• Attracts premium clients who see their exact challenge
• Stops pricing objections before they start

Ready to Transform Your Message?Join Sarah's free 4-day "Nail Your Niche" challenge at thecoachingrevolution.com/nailyourniche

Stop being invisible. Start being indispensable.

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