In this episode of ‘Conversations With Coaches’, we speak with Kia Aileen. Kia is a soul clarity coach in her 5th year of business. Her mission is to help new coaches, therapists and healers to create freedom, abundance and ease in their lives and business, by following the aligned action that comes from the soul. Our conversation was enlightening and uplifting. Her dedication to her clients and her mission really shone through, and is likely to motivate and inspire anyone taking those first few steps into a new career in coaching!
With her experience in supporting new coaches and healers as they discover what it means to follow their aligned action, Kia shares some of her most valuable tips that she’s learned along the way.
1.Following Your Nudge
We all have a ‘nudge’. We all have our own callings and inspirations. But what is yours and how can you identify it?
It’s so important to take the time to think about this, to explore who we truly are and to listen to what our inner-self has to say. Kia stresses the importance of following the inner voice that will lead us to our true dreams and desires, placing them front and centre and making them the driving force behind everything we do.
‘Quieten the noise and get really still so we can hear what’s coming from inside- and then when we follow that path, it becomes really easy. It becomes joyful’.
After a lifetime of working in Law, Finance and Trading, Kia decided to take the leap and follow her nudge, which she identified as a passion for coaching. By leaving her comfort zone and following her inner voice, she was able to transition to her dream job of becoming a full time coach. But following your nudge isn’t always a simple task!
Fear, uncertainty, imposter syndrome and financial insecurity are all real and challenging obstacles. The right support is imperative, and working a few extra hours until you can get yourself established is pretty much a given, but as Kia explains, the true cost of NOT following your dreams is worthy of some serious consideration.
‘Even if you follow your nudge, it doesn’t mean that you’re not going to have challenging times or scary times, but I always have faith that if I’m following that thing, I don’t know where it’s gonna lead me, but I know that it’s the thing I’m meant to do…’
‘...The universe is trying to give us an experience. It’s up to us to choose whether or not we want to follow it’.
Life is a balancing act. Although extra commitment and grit is required, it’s also important not to fall into the trap of constantly chasing success and remember to set aside time to simply be. By living in the moment we can quieten down our anxieties, our ‘what if’s?’ and surrender to our inner knowing, which can sometimes bring us the answers we were looking for more effortlessly than we could have imagined.
2.Let’s talk ‘niche’
When starting out, you may take on a larger array of clients in order to find out what you’re best at, what areas you need to improve and what you are truly passionate about in your work. But as your business grows and develops, the time will arrive to identify your niche and focus solely on those clients. Take a step back, think about your favourite aspects of your work.
Ask yourself some of the following questions:
By answering these questions, you will be able to identify your niche and focus on growing your business accordingly.
Kia shares how her daily practices and commitment to her own personal development have been intrinsic to the process of identifying her niche and her ideal client.
‘Make sure you’re constantly doing your own PD, because quite often, the thing you just experienced or healed yourself from, will be the types of clients that will show up for you…’
‘... Tap into that thing that feels good to you, that feels easy and flows, and just keep following that.’
Once you have identified your niche, your next step is to focus on identifying your ideal client. Find out where those clients ‘hang out’, (online communities, Facebook groups, etc) and network with them. Share your skills, experience, knowledge and opinions. By putting your true, authentic self out there and coming from a place of service, you will naturally begin to attract your tribe.
Additionally, remember it’s okay to say no. If a potential client isn’t right for you, or you for them, it’s important to be honest. It’s in everybody's best interests to refer them to another coach or practice who would be better suited to them. It’s so important to remember that, as coaches, we are there to help and guide. Our priority should always be the client, not the cheque. Equally, by letting a client go that isn’t a good fit, you are making space for someone that can really benefit from your skills, experience and wisdom.
3.The elusive first client...
A vast majority of starter coaches find the task of securing their first client a daunting one. With less experience, confidence and references, finding that first client can seem like a very tough task.
As Kia explains first and foremost, you simply have to put yourself out there!
‘I just decided to get myself out there and put messages on Facebook and ads on Facebook. I talked to friends, got recommendations. People that I worked with in the past, asked them to pass my details along. I networked locally.’
By talking to colleagues, friends, coach communities, and more, she was able to share her work and build her confidence. Nowadays, it has become easy to network with others through online communities. Most individuals and businesses are either part of, or have built their own communities on Facebook and Linkedin, within coaching organisations and associations, and through platforms like Delenta where we’ve created a tight-knit community of coaches and professionals. Our coaches share their work, feedback and questions with one another. In so doing, the community helps each member grow their business, as well as learning about each other to better aid in cross referral and progression.
4.Don’t get led down someone else's path
With so many coaches using their own fail-safe formulas and 5 figure launch stories to market their businesses, it’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you should be doing it how they’re doing it, in order to reach your business and financial goals. There are a million different pathways to success. Everyone's definition of success is different, and it’s important not to measure yourself by other people’s benchmarks, but rather to stay authentic to who you are and retain focus on what success means to you. Your success will ultimately come from your own authenticity and unique offering, so focus on your own strengths, experiences and values, as that’s where the magic lies.
‘We all have a unique set of fingerprints. We all have a unique ability to create impact in the world and we can only do that by following our own path..’
5.Creating a routine
Finally, Kia touches upon the importance of having a routine. Following a daily plan makes it easier to focus and be productive.
Kia’s routine always begins with a glass of water and a walk through nature. The outdoors helps her clear her head and focus on the day’s events. Planning out her day and following a routine allows her to complete all of her tasks with clarity and focus.
Following a routine is also beneficial in terms of knowing when to switch off. This is essential to establish a healthy and sustainable work / life balance, especially when working from home. It’s important to schedule your work day end, and stick to it as far as possible. Learn to organise your time so that your work doesn’t feel like a chore. Platforms such Delenta can help you organise your schedule, payments and bookings - all in one place. This can maximise your productivity and help you save time. You will then, in turn, have more time to spend away from work to focus on yourself, your body, and your mind.
Final words of wisdom- Get a coach!
If there’s one thing Kia would have done differently which she feels could have propelled her success, it was to get a coach of her own much sooner than she did.
‘Surround yourself with people who understand your journey, and hire a coach! It took me a while to hire my own coach and I wished I'd done it sooner…’
‘... The reason that coaching works so well is that we can help our clients see the blind spots that they might not necessarily see, and why wouldn’t we (coaches) need that same kind of support?’
The expense of employing your own coach can be scary and off-putting, particularly when you don’t feel in a financially robust place in terms of your emerging coaching business. It’s up to you how you want to address that, but do address it as soon as you can. Communities like Delenta offer a safe and nurturing environment where you can get to know other coaches at various stages of their journeys. Pro-bono arrangements/ coach swaps are one option worth considering, but whatever you do, Kia’s advice is not to put off getting your own coach as that will be key to your success.
Would you like to make a positive and lasting difference to others, just like Kia does?
Would you like to craft a sustainable coaching business from the comfort of your own home?
Become the coach you’ve always wanted to be!
Join our Growing Delenta Community Today!
