17 Apr Do you want to know about my sin?
Last week I was a guest on a webinar run by Amanda Alexander of www.coachingmums.com.
Her webinar was talking about the 7 sins of Mums who are coaches, but really, I think they’re applicable to most business owners, whether you’re a mum or not.
My own sin that I was there to talk about was ‘hiding behind my PC’.
When I started my own coaching business I had this perception that I needed to get a fantastic website up and running and then clients would find me there and want to work with me.
So, this led to me spending the first few weeks of business sitting in my office, working on my website, writing my marketing material, thinking about logo’s, writing business plans, reading lots of interesting books – working really hard in fact. But guess what? No clients!
During a coaching call with Amanda I had a lightbulb moment – you know, when you suddenly realise where you’ve been going wrong? She suggested to me I needed to be getting out and having conversations with people, meeting up for coffee and a chat.
‘Coffee and a chat?’ I said. ‘But that’s not working. I love going for a coffee and a chat but I need to be working when I’ve got Freya in nursery’.
And that’s when the lightbulb came on for me – my perception of working was being on my own, busily typing away on the laptop. I was being busy but not productive. Also, how on earth was anyone going to discover me if I didn’t get out there and start telling people what I do?
Duh! When I look back I don’t know what I was thinking.
Since that moment I make it one of my highest priorities to be out meeting people – networking events, conferences, one to ones etc.
Most of my coaching is done over the phone but I always make sure I have at least one thing booked in each week where I’m physically getting out of the house and meeting up with people.
What are the benefits this has brought me?
1. I’ve built a great support network, and continue to strengthen this, as I meet lots of really interesting people who have something to share with me.
2. I feel much more energised – it’s a great feeling to bounce ideas around with someone else or just have a really interesting conversation.
3. I’m getting clients
You may relate to this or not, but we all have a ‘sin’ when we’re running a business – something we are doing that is holding us back. The key is to get aware of it and start doing something about it.
Maybe you’re always getting distracted by the latest shiny thing and struggle to focus.
Maybe you’re treating your business more like a hobby and are only really playing at it.
Maybe you’re trying to do everything yourself and not getting the support you need to move forward.
Alison Bradford
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