In this week’s guest post, young coach, Marlon Fihosy shares his experience and lessons learnt so far:
How can we guide what we have no plan for?
In this guest post I want to focus on two main topics; building coaching clients and overcoming initial hurdles. Although these topics have been written about many times before, as a younger coach, I hope to highlight a different perspective.
I trained to be a Coach during 2010 in Belgium, on a course accredited by the ICF (International Coach Federation). Having previously set up a relatively successful Social Enterprise (hybrid of charity and business) I felt ready to build a coaching consultancy which I did: www.dividendconsultants.com
One thing I have learnt during this journey is that you cannot be successful sitting at home.
This is something that is integral to how I approach building my consultancy. On and offline networking is a must for new coaches and must be an active part of creating a client base.
During a personal coaching session I was asked: “Who knows that you coach?”
This question initiated a paradigm shift which was the catalyst for me to build my practice.
“How can we guide what we have a plan for?”
The main obstacle I face is being a young coach and how this affects me getting older clients.
I have had to come up with a unique sales pitch to sell my services. My main idea is inspired by elite sports personalities, for example Tiger Woods, who is arguably the best Golf player ever.
The role of the coach in this scenario is to train him how to use his existing skills better rather than teach him new skills. Since adopting this approach, my only challenge is to fight the doubts that I am too young to be a coach.
When building our client base we have to do for ourselves what we do for our clients: raise awareness of our limiting attitudes.
Finding your core client base
Initially the most important thing for me was building a client base rather than earning money, I have always known that the money would come eventually.
I know my target client base, their needs and I have developed an appropriate price strategy.
I tend to coach 18-30 year olds who are starting a business or want to change and/or improve their careers. My clients do not want me to be removed from their reality. Daily quotes are good for some client bases but my target clients want me to have an authentic presence with a story. Acting as a Guru with no human interaction puts up a barrier which is not congruent with the work I do for my clients.
With this knowledge, I attend career days, send content out to mailing lists and try to be where my coachees are.
From taking the steps I have mentioned, I have managed to build a consultancy where I can get paid doing what I love, and make a difference to my coachees.
For clients who re-tweet or recommend me I tend to offer a free session at the end of our initial agreed coaching sessions, or for someone new I may offer an initial free taster coaching session (depending if I’m in a good mood or not). The point I make here is that it is important to be flexible within a framework.
I have found this is a great way to introduce people to the power of coaching, and whilst they may not become a regular client, they do become brand advocates.
I have learnt that being a young coach is an opportunity not a problem. Clients will not flock to you and it can be difficult not to get discouraged, but the most important lesson I have learnt can be summed up by this quote:
“When you sit, sit; when you stand; stand. Whatever you do don’t wobble. Once you make a choice do it will all your spirit.”
- Way Of The Peaceful Warrior, Dan Millman
Once I have decided to run a consultancy I must run it.
I would summarise this blog in the following 5 Marlonisms
1. Create your niche
2. Find out what they want
3. Find out where these people are and peacefully infiltrate their space
4. Give them what they want
5. “Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up.” – Winston Churchill
About the Author/Further Resources
In early 2010 Marlon attended his first NLP training session at the NLP Academy in Croydon. In 2009, Marlon and two friends set up a social enterprise project – delivering motivational workshops, peer mentoring and personal development programmes to 11-18 year olds across South London boroughs.
Upon recommendation, Marlon was invited to train as a coach in Belgium at International Consultancy Boas Transforming Leadership.
He applies the Boas via™ (vocational integration and alignment) model as a guide in all coaching dialogues. The focus of via™ is on raising self awareness, exercising new skills and transcending limiting attitudes. Via™ coaches support and challenge leaders to define their own life work, integrate their different roles and relationships and align their personal goals with those of their friends, family, colleagues, organisation, relationships and the wider community.”
Marlon left University with a Law degree in 2006. Prior to working in the mentoring and coaching arena Marlon worked for FTSE100 companies as an HR Specialist.
Twitter: @MarlonFihosy
Website: www.dividendconsultants.com
February 11th, 2011 8:19 am
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February 16th, 2011 4:41 pm
Marlon DOES guide what he has a plan for… because of his great ability to genuinely CONNECT which is a key coaching competence not really to be learned… and this transcends time and age!