My coaching business was my first foray into entrepreneurship after 20 years in corporate roles. Talk about an identity crisis! Okay, let’s reframe that to a chance to blossom and mature. ; )
Many of my clients are in the same place making that transition from employee to full time coaching.
It’s going to require some recalibration of your mindset and reorientation to your responsibilities.
Think of it like a makeover.
You uncover parts of yourself that have been buried under a persona you felt was necessary for your corporate job. You can help those parts to find their voice. It is hugely empowering to bring more of your authentic self to your business.
The good news is that your identity is more fluid and innate than you might think. Plus, all of your core values, talents and skills can come with you into your business.
It will take courage and patience. You’ve got loads of that and you don’t have to make this identity transition alone.
6 Big Shifts From Employee to Full Time Coach
Building a business and then sustaining it is an amazing personal journey. More and more people are deciding to be their own boss because they want to have more lifestyle freedom and to be at the cause of their own circumstances.
Still, if you are taking the leap from employment into entrepreneurship it’s no small thing. There are 6 big shifts that require mindset mastery as you transition.
- You go from being directed by a boss to supervising yourself in every way.
- You go from a defined infrastructure and role to creating your own systems and functions from scratch.
- You go from working collaboratively to working more autonomously, at least at first.
- You had a regular paycheck. Now your income will vary and you have to generate it on your own.
- Someone else administered your payroll, taxes and benefits and now you’ll manage that yourself.
- And, you leave behind an established organizational culture and now you create your own with colleagues, clients and a community you build.
All of this is very satisfying while also challenging. It helps to be aware of those 6 shifts in your day-to-day experience not only so you can manifest the internal and external changes but also to be compassionate with yourself as you are finding YOUR way.
Your business is your business and you can do it your way.
Leverage Your Background into Your Coaching Niche
Two years ago, one of my VIP clients was shifting from a career of nearly two decades, all in one industry, into her own coaching business. Her previous position had status, significant responsibilities and a salary to match.
And, understandably, she was terrified about shifting to full time self employment as a coach.
Fortunately for her she decided to leverage her work experience by choosing a related audience and niche. And this is something I highly recommend to coaches when they can.
She had instant credibility with her audience because she had been where they are now. And, it was easy to put together relevant messaging and offers because she knew the context her audience lives in.
So, leveraging your background into your target audience and coaching niche will somewhat reduce the stress of the transition because there’s common ground into the thing you’re going to be doing.
You’ll be glad to know that 2 years into her full time coaching business she is thriving, getting tons of transaction, making a big splash in her space and earning multiple 6 figures.
When you’re a free agent you’ll need to think a bit differently here are 7 tips to help you make that transition
7 Ways to Make Your Transition to Entrepreneurial Coach
- Let your fear be your fuel.
And don’t let fear control you. Look, everyone entering new territory feels fear. It’s natural. It’s uncomfortable but it’s not life threatening. So make the feeling of it work for you by dedicating yourself to your business success and stepping fully into the CEO role.
That’s, by the way, how you will feel more comfortable over time and you won’t worry about fear even when you feel it.
If you want to do things right the first time and wade into the experience rather than diving into the deep end all on your own, find a mentor who will hold your hand through the first 5 months.
- See your mistakes as opportunities.
I know you’ve heard this before but truly this is entrepreneurship 101. You can’t survive this if you get uptight about every mistake you make because you’re going to make a lot … and that’s how you learn … and that’s how you’ll become a success.
- Create a grounding morning routine and stick to it.
Hopefully you already have one of these but if you don’t this is time to change this. A daily walk or other exercise, meditation and a good breakfast helps you to sail through the week.
- Think both intuitively and strategically about everything.
Whether it’s planning, who you talk to, or how you spend your time, where your money goes – all of that!
- Look for a platform that will help your star rise.
No one succeeds alone. Who or what organization can help you reach your audience and confirm your credibility for them. I was very lucky that in my 3rd year of coaching, Coach Training Alliance asked me to be a trainer and create their certification program. That put me in front of an avid audience of coach and was perfect for me.
- Be a good boss.
Put boundaries around your business. Create space in your calendar for you. Celebrate your wins. Look for ways to continuously improve. Give yourself a promotion by raising your fees. And review what’s going on in your business and how you’re going to do things differently.
I know you’re going to be able to weather your transition to full time coaching. Entrepreneurship is different and it’s boundless. You never know what you’ll end up learning or doing. Your business will bring you wonderful surprises and help you become a better you.
