fees to clients
* Need to expand your comfort zone
* How to keep focused on one main thing, without getting side-tracked by your many ideas
* Nervous about leaving the security of a full-time job
* Coming from a background of employment where you had lots of resources at your finger-tip (e.g. access to IT technical support) you may sub-consciously expect the same in their small business
* Time-management problems - What to "do", "dump" or "delegate"
* Need to quickly recoup the costs of your training
* Starting in business after the camaraderie of college, you may feel isolated - fellow students have suddenly become competitors for your clients!
A coach can help you, not only in the above business areas, but also in the rest of your Wheel of Life. Complementary therapists are often sole-traders, new to running their own business. Caught up in the excitement of a new qualification it's easy to lose sight of other areas of life that need nurturing. It's typical for all small business proprietors to need help working on areas outside the business e.g.
* Lack of time and feeling overwhelmed with the number of jobs you have to do
* Work-life balance - there IS a life outside your business
How does coaching differ from mentoring? A mentor will generally guide someone and support them in a specific task, or in this case therapy. This is a very valuable service, but coaching can offer a more holistic approach.
A mentor knows the answers to specific problems, whereas a coach works with you to help you discover the questions AND their answers, not just in your business, but in the rest of your life.
Effective coaching doesn't require that the coach has specific experience of a client's occupation - often the very absence of this adds to the effectiveness of the coaching procedure, as the coach will stand apart and "see the wood from the trees".
However, although a coach will take a holistic approach to working with you, it can be beneficial if the coach comes from a similar background to yourself, as they will more readily understand your problems.
With a background in nutritional therapy I originally studied coaching as an add-on, to support and motivate weight loss clients. My training required me to work with a wide variety of clients and I found that I particularly enjoyed working with recently qualified practitioners, as they were setting up their businesses. This is now a focal point in my client development programme.
Article Source: http://www.articleblender.com
Joy Healey is a qualified life-coach, conducting telephone or face-to-face sessions. To learn more about coaching visit her website www.life-coaching-london.co.uk "target="_blank">for a free monthly newsletter to help you in various areas of your life.
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