The following is taken from David’s interview with Michael O. Cooper in 10 Super Coaches.
What are your coaching niche(s)? How did you discover this?
Leadership Coaching: I have always held a fascination about leaders and how they ticked, how they inspire and motivate others, and unfortunately, often how their unchecked egos ruin their influence. I discovered the 15 Leadership Proficiencies developed by Thomas Leonard and started using them with a client on a whim. Within a few months I was asked to present at a conference on leadership and have been speaking and coaching ever since. Serendipity really.
Coaching financial advisors to market themselves effectively: I developed this nice out of necessity when I was near bankruptcy and needed to double my income in one month. I had worked with one financial advisor on a pro bono basis and he doubled his business within a few months. I was desperate and began interviewing other financial advisors to understand their market better. Essentially, they developed a “guided coaching program” for me. Within four weeks I quadrupled my business with this program. Note: I didn’t have a passion or experience in this niche, but the need already existed in the market.
The following is taken from David’s interview in 10 Super Coaches.
Would you advise coaches to pursue certification?
Choose a school/training that you admire and respect. And do it to become a better coach. Or do it for the thrill of learning and the good of the profession. But don’t let the ‘piece of paper’ run you. It’s a common myth that a certification will get you more clients. In my experience, it’s simply not true. Try to get certified so you can feel confidend is not the smartest reason.
I got my formal PCC certificatin through the International Coach Federation and I found that it actually wasn’t important at all. I think I may have been asked once in the whole first three years of my coaching what qualification I had, and in that case it was by a magazine that wanted to do a story on me.
I would say to coaches starting out, don’t be panicked or worried by the fact that you may not have a formal certification. Build up your testimonials from clients and let that speak for you.
The following is taken from David’s interview in 10 Super Coaches.
What words of advice would you give to a coach starting out?
I would say, make sure you’ve got some good guidance. Whether that’s through a school or through a mentor coach or a good circle of support around you that also has good business sense.
And, you need to coach. You can’t just wait for it to happen, you can’t just wait to get confident and you can’t just wait for people to float through your door at $300 or $400 a month.
You need to coach fifty people, I’d say, even if it’s just one session, so that you can develop some confidence as a coach and that’s when your career can really take off. When you know that you’ve got the skills, when you know that people are getting results, that’s what’s got to happen and it won’t happen until you actually coach.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Marcia Reynolds in 10 Super Coaches.
What was the most interesting or exciting thing for you about building your practice?
Learning to trust that the flow and speed of building my business is perfect. Even when I had cancellations, if I didn’t get scared and just accepted that the cancellation was making room for something better, I found that my business developed in the form and at the speed that was best for me. And the more I focused on learning and practicing, the quicker my business grew.
Also, I gave up on the idea of having a business plan. I offer corporate seminars and public speaking services as well as coaching. When business goes down in one area, it often picks up in one of the other two. Therefore, I always have work. I’m never sure what the balance will look like at the beginning of the year. I just go with the people and opportunities that appear and my success has grown every year.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Philip Cohen in 10 Super Coaches.
Do you recommend offering free coaching?
Offering free coaching is one of the best techniques a new coach has to fill their practice. I suggest offering a free coaching session to anyone who is willing to take advantage of it. It’s a great way for a prospect to experience coaching and for the coach to get practice.
After the first session, I suggest the coach does what ever is necessary to fill their practice. Sometimes that means offering free coaching for several weeks or months, however I prefer the coach offers coaching at a reduced rate instead of coaching for free.
It’s important that the coach tell the client at the beginning of the relationship the amount of their usual fee and how long the reduced coaching will last.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Anna Dargitz in 10 Super Coaches.
What words of advice would you give to a coach starting out?
Coaching is more than a calling and more than a business. It transcends both because it’s about evolution. You are setting out to become a mentor for those who are ready and willing to evolve. Don’t take it lightly. It’s not as easy as it looks. And the rewards are more abundant than they appear.
Be prepared to dedicate your life to discovering, living and teaching others who you really are and who you really aren’t. Plan to learn and relish all kinds of truths about the underlying dynamics of people, situations and life. Plan to express yourself fully. The field of coaching is evolving fast: Plan to keep up.
Before you can help others evolve faster, you’ll need to immerse yourself in your own evolution. Don’t scrimp here. Find a good mentor. When you’ve given up all your attachments to how you thought you, life, others, coaching, and almost everything else is supposed to be, you’ll be ready for the noble role of Personal, Business and Professional Coach. And people will flock to you. Where are you now on that path?
