In this solo episode, Sarah dismantles the common misconception that being a skilled coach is enough to build a successful business. She explores the dangerous confusion between Professional Development (becoming a better coach) and Business Development (learning how to acquire clients).

Sarah explains why highly intelligent coaches—especially those with HR or procurement backgrounds—often struggle the most, and why the industry sees an 82% failure rate. She offers a liberating perspective: struggling to find clients isn't a failure of your coaching ability, but simply a lack of a separate, learnable skill set.

Key Takeaways

1. The Misunderstanding of Client Acquisition

Most coaches graduate believing client acquisition is intuitive, assuming that "casting a wide net" is the right strategy

2. Defining the Two Disciplines

• Professional Development: This covers what your qualification taught you: core competencies, listening skills, ethics, and facilitating transformation. It ensures you are qualified to coach

• Business Development: This encompasses market research, pricing psychology, sales processes, and sustainable business modelling. It requires translating what you do into language that potential clients actually understand.

3. The "Content Creation" Trap

Believing that competence attracts clients, coaches often default to writing about "confidence," "resilience," or their specific methodology.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠⁠

Competitors or Collaborators? The Truth About the Coaching Industry with Tim Brownson

Sarah welcomes a guest you might not expect: Tim Brownson. While they both teach coaches how to find clients, Tim and Sarah prove that collaboration is far more powerful than competition.

Together, they pull back the curtain on the coaching industry, dismantling the myths sold by training schools and having a candid conversation about the "charlatans" giving the profession a bad name. They also dive deep into the controversial topic of AI, exploring why fear is holding many coaches back from the future.

Key Takeaways

• Competition vs. Collaboration: Sarah and Tim discuss why they don't view each other as rivals, despite working in the same space. They explore why many coaches hold their cards close to their chest out of fear, rather than embracing community.
• The "Field of Dreams" Myth: The duo critiques the pervasive lie told by training organisations: that if you are a good enough coach, clients will simply find you. Tim shares his own experience of having a wall full of certificates that brought him "the grand total of no clients".
• The Reality of AI in Coaching: Far from believing AI will never catch on, Tim predicts it will "wipe out coaches at the bottom end" who compete on price. They agree that while AI shouldn't be used to churn out lazy content ("sludge"), it is an essential tool for productivity and thinking.

Memorable Quotes

"We genuinely believe that our success came purely from having good conversations and quality coaching, but we fail to recognise the structural advantage that we started with." — Sarah Short

"I think AI is going to wipe out coaches at the bottom end... the kind of person that's looking for the cheapest coach is the kind of person that's going to turn to AI first." — Tim Brownson

"Brilliant coaches with no clients and the shit coaches with loads of clients because they understand marketing and that's just how it is." — Tim Brownson

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠⁠

In this solo episode, Sarah dismantles the dangerous and pervasive belief that a sustainable coaching business can be built solely on referrals. She explores why "doing good work" is rarely enough to generate a consistent client flow, especially for coaches starting without a high-level corporate network.

Sarah introduces the concept of "Monetisable Credibility" and explains why copying the business models of coaches with established networks often leads to failure for those starting from scratch.

Key Takeaways

1. The Stubborn Myth of Referrals

• There is a widespread belief among coaches that you only need to land your first one or two clients, and word of mouth will handle the rest.

• For the majority of coaches, this is not true; while referrals do come eventually, the timeline is typically years, not months

  
  

2. Understanding "Monetizable Credibility"

• "Starting from scratch" refers to coaches who lack existing networks of senior decision-makers who can approve budgets or afford premium rates based on pre-existing trust.

• Coaches without this credibility cannot leverage established relationships; they must build trust entirely through marketing efforts.

• Those with high-level networks often fail to recognise their own privilege, mistaking their structural advantage for the success of the "conversation".

3. The Structural Limitations of Coaching Referrals

• Coaching referrals face unique hurdles compared to other professions like accounting or law.

• Because coaching is often confidential, clients may not want others to know they are receiving support, meaning they will never refer you, regardless of their results.

• Referrals are often shared behind closed doors rather than as open professional recommendations, making the process much slower.

4. The Danger of Improvisation

• Many coaches try to "improvise" their business development without learning the fundamentals of marketing.

• Sarah compares this to "trying to improvise surgery without medical training".

• When these improvised methods fail, coaches often internalise the failure and blame themselves, rather than recognising they simply lack the necessary skills.

5. Moving to Systematic Client Acquisition

• Coaches who succeed are those who accept that building a business requires different skills than delivering coaching.

• Effective marketing requires specificity in targeting and language, rather than the "broad appeal" approach encouraged by the referral myth.

• Referrals should be viewed as a bonus, not a business strategy.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠⁠

In this episode of "Success Leaves Clues," Sarah Short speaks with Alex Nunn, a former charity sector leader turned executive coach. Alex shares her journey from navigating burnout in the non-profit world to building a thriving coaching business that supports the very sector she left.

Alex opens up about the myth that "clients will just find you," the power of narrowing your niche, and how she now helps charity CEOs avoid the burnout she experienced herself.

Key Takeaways

1. The Path from Accidental Leader to Coach - Alex spent her career in the charity sector, focusing on mental health and homelessness, eventually becoming an "accidental leader" as she progressed through senior roles. However, during the pandemic, balancing work and motherhood led to burnout. After receiving coaching herself, she realised she wanted to help people thrive through the science of positive psychology.

2. The Marketing Reality Check - Despite holding a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, Alex realised that qualifications alone don't build a business.

• She was initially told, "You never need to market your business... people will just find you," but quickly discovered this was not the case.

• This realisation led her to seek out The Coaching Revolution to learn the necessary business development skills.

  
  

3. The Power of "Nailing the Niche" - Alex describes her experience with the Nail Your Niche Challenge:

• Initially, she marketed herself broadly around "wellbeing," attracting a mix of people.

• Through the challenge, she realised that tightening her focus to female CEOs in the charity sector made her messaging stronger.

• Alex notes that "the tighter I focus, the louder my voice," echoing advice from her mentors.

  
  

4. Impacting the Sector from the Outside - Alex now works adjacent to the charity sector rather than inside it, which allows her to make a significant impact without the internal burnout.

• She notes that charity leaders often face unique pressures to "deliver more for less" and suffer from the loneliness of the CEO role.

• By coaching the CEO, she creates a ripple effect that improves the well-being of the entire organisation and helps them achieve their charitable aims.

  
  

5. Resilience in Business - Alex shares a candid look at the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. After early success using platforms like TikTok, she faced a personal bereavement that slowed her momentum. However, by re-engaging fully with her marketing and being authentic, her business picked up again, leading to speaking engagements and ideal client work.

The Nail Your Niche Challenge: A free, four-day challenge run by Sarah Short three times a year (September, January, and after Easter). Designed to help coaches understand why a target audience sets you free rather than restricting you.

Join the waiting list: thecoachingrevolution.com/nailyourniche.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠⁠

Many coaches shy away from sales and marketing, viewing them as a "necessary evil" or worrying that they are manipulative and inauthentic. In this episode, Sarah Short challenges this mindset, arguing that sales and marketing are actually "allies in providing excellent customer service".

Sarah breaks down why marketing is simply about visibility and why a sale is actually a positive change in status for your client. This episode is essential for any coach who feels uncomfortable with the business side of their practice.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Marketing is Not Shouting: Marketing isn't about standing on a chair yelling, "Buy my stuff!" It is about communicating quietly and consistently to a well-defined niche.
• The Power of a Niche: A niche is a defined segment of the population with a specific challenge your services can address. Focusing on a niche allows you to tailor your message so it resonates deeply with your target audience.
• Marketing for Good: Your marketing can have a positive impact on the world, even for those who don't become clients, by providing "light bulb moments" and relief.
• Honest Language: Sarah urges coaches to be "grown up" and use correct language: it is not a chemistry or discovery session, it is a "sales conversation".
• The Persuasion Myth: If you have marketed well, the sales conversation is simple because the potential client already knows what you do and what it costs; the persuasion part is already done.
• Sales as Service: Selling is simply an opportunity to help a client understand how coaching can support them to resolve their problems. It is about guiding them through a decision-making process with empathy.
• A Change in Status: A sale represents a "change in status" for the client, signifying their readiness to invest in their own growth and step into a new phase of life.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠⁠

In this episode, Sarah has the pleasure of talking to Cecile Emery, a self-described "introvert's introvert". Cecile shares her journey from a successful career in the mobile gaming industry to a period of burnout and existential crisis that led her to retrain as a coach.

Cecile gets candid about the reality of launching a business in March 2020 and the two years she spent "faffing around" before a critical lightbulb moment. She explains how she learned to embrace her identity as an entrepreneur and build a successful business as an introvert, without being "loud and shouty".

In this episode, you will learn:

• Cecile's "Aha" Moment: How, as a "massive introvert," she volunteered to give a company talk just to get her own hotel room—and was shocked when 100 people showed up to hear her speak about introversion. This was the moment she realised her words could help people.

• The Post-Graduation Reality: Cecile describes the struggle of launching her business in March 2020. The advice from her training about "having the right energy" didn't translate into clients, and she spent two years working for platforms without building her own business.

• The Biggest Mindset Shift: The most significant change came from joining The Coaching Revolution: the realisation that she wasn't just a coach, she was "running a business" and was an "entrepreneur".

• Marketing as an Introvert: You don't have to be an extrovert to market effectively. Cecile shares her strategy of building systems to manage her energy drain, attending the same networking events to build community, and focusing on having deep conversations with one or two people instead of working the whole room.

• Her Niche - The "Good Girl Syndrome": Cecile works with "quiet leaders"—the introverted, sensitive, and reliable people who do the work. She helps those struggling with the "good girl syndrome," who get overlooked for promotions because they are too "convenient" where they are.

• The Power of Community: Cecile highlights the value of The Coaching Revolution's supportive, non-competitive Facebook group, describing it as a place to get "instantaneous support" from colleagues around the world, especially for urgent business needs like proposals or contracts.

• What's Next: Cecile is expanding her business after getting certified in supervision.

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠⁠

Let's talk about money. In this hard-hitting episode, Sarah tackles the "elephant in the room" that the coaching profession seems to ignore: the financial Return on Investment (ROI) on coach training.

While many training providers highlight the magnificent fees experienced coaches can command, they often fail to discuss the harsh financial realities. Sarah breaks down the real costs of qualifications—which can range from £3,300 to over £25,000 —and questions how many graduates ever earn enough to justify their investment. This is a critical listen for anyone considering a coaching qualification or any coach who feels misled about the business side of coaching.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The Big Disconnect: Coach training programs provide valuable skills and personal transformation, but they typically only offer 50% of what you need. The other 50%—client acquisition and business development—is often "completely absent or given superficial treatment".

• The "Monetisable Credibility" Privilege: Training providers don't explain that unless you already have a network of people who know, like, and trust you (and are in a position to hire you for coaching), you will likely struggle to find clients.

• The "Add-On" Myth: Business building is often treated as an afterthought, sold as a self-paced video course. Sarah argues this isn't enough, as implementation is complex and requires ongoing, supported learning.

• Cognitive Dissonance: Coaches rarely regret their investment. The personal transformation is so profound that it's "psychologically easier to justify the expense, even when the financial returns we hoped for don't materialise".

• A Broken System: Associate work is scarce, to the point where some coaches work for free just to build their hours —an arrangement accepted by professional bodies to help coaches meet credentialing requirements.

• 3 Questions to Ask Before You Invest: If you are looking for a financial ROI, Sarah urges you to ask yourself three questions:

  1. Do I have monetisable credibility?
  2. If not, am I prepared to invest additional time and money to learn client acquisition?
  3. Can I afford to build my practice slowly while earning very little, or am I prepared to work alongside it?

Have you enjoyed this episode?

Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠⁠

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".

  
  

  Have you enjoyed this episode?

  Find out more and take the FREE quiz at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thecoachingrevolution.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Join the FREE Facebook group at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/buildacoachingbusiness⁠