Let's be real. Starting a new business isn't free. 

Must have:

• Website - Kajabi for your website, paid program and coaching, 30-day free trial
• Domain - Website domain URL such as GoDaddy, Square Space, etc. (about $25 a year)
• Email - Custom email domain (Gmail is $7.50 a month)
• Legal - Privacy Policy on your website to legally collect names and emails + optional legal templates to protect theft of your program materials (legal templates, code Stockwell10 for 10% off)

Nice to Have:

• Headshots - Business headshots (AI headshots are $20)
• Images - Canva or similar platform to design images and graphics for your website, thumbnails and PDFs

Optional:

• Video Chat - 1:1 or group coaching can be through Zoom or run through Kajabi
• Scheduling Tool - Scheduling can be through Kajabi or connected to Calendly or other platform
• Video Editing - Video editing software (free software at Shotcut)
• Legal Protection - Protect your online program with legal Terms & Conditions (legal templates code Stockwell10 for 10% off)
• Trademark - Register your trademark (Markavo DIGICOURSE50 for $50 off)

When someone sets up a consultation, all they're thinking is, "how can you help me?" They just want to know if you’re able to help them with their problem. They’re not at all wondering where you went to school or how long you’ve been in business. Their only concern is how you can help them. Regardless of your education or business experience, there are clients for every background, experienced or novice. Everyone had to start somewhere and everyone has a first day in business. 

• Do you have a solid foundation of education, training or knowledge in your niche?
• Do you hold any certifications, degrees, or specialized training in your niche?
• Have you successfully applied your knowledge in real-world situations?
• Are you a good communicator and have great interpersonal skills?
• Have you worked or studied in your niche for a sufficient amount of time to gain expertise?
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If you’re confident in your knowledge and skills as well as genuinely passionate about helping others, you are well-suited to offer coaching or consulting. You would start by offering your services on a small scale and gradually expand as you gain more experience and positive feedback from clients.

While both roles involve assisting clients in achieving their goals, there are distinct differences in their approaches, methodologies, and the nature of the services they provide.

• Coaching revolves around guiding individuals or groups towards personal and professional development. Coaches focus on helping clients identify and achieve specific goals, overcome obstacles, and enhance their overall well-being. The coaching relationship is typically client-driven, emphasizing self-discovery and personal growth. Coaches often employ a range of techniques, including active listening, powerful questioning, and accountability structures, to empower clients in their journey.
• Consulting centers on providing expert advice, strategic solutions, and specialized knowledge to clients facing specific challenges or seeking improvements in their businesses or projects. They are hired for their expertise in a particular field and their role is to analyze, recommend, and implement solutions based on their knowledge and experience. Consultants may take a more directive approach, offering clear guidance and actionable strategies to address client needs.

Once you understand your target market, you’ll know better where to find new clients online. Consistency, authenticity, and a genuine desire to help others will contribute to the success of your business. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Share valuable content related to your niche through blog posts, YouTube videos, a podcast, and/or social media that your target market frequents.
• On social media, you’ll position yourself as an expert by providing useful information and insights while encouraging followers to visit your free resources that could be a webinar, eBook, or mini course that showcases your expertise and builds trust.
• Moving social media followers over to your email list allows you to create an email sales sequence that shares your origin story, why you’re the authority in this niche, and introduces ways your followers can work with you.
• Network in online events, join relevant forums, and participate in discussions.
• Form partnerships or collaborations with influencers or complementary service providers.
• Encourage satisfied clients to provide testimonials or reviews that you can display on your website. Positive feedback can build credibility.
• Provide potential clients with a taste of your coaching style by offering a free consult.
• Establish a referral program where existing clients or contacts can refer new clients to you in exchange for incentives.

Working with clients is the fun part of running the business! 

...but attracting clients that lead to sales is the part that can feel daunting...

If you think about the big picture of this business, it’s broken up into quite a few components:

• Marketing: growing your email list and marketing to them until purchase
• Creating Offers: designing new programs that your audience is asking for
• Research & Education: keeping current on trends, coming up with innovative ideas
• Administrative: bookkeeping, web design, project management, business planning 
• Communication: replying to emails, social media comments, and direct messages
• Client/student interactions: coaching calls, recording videos
• Content Creation: putting out weekly long form content to be broken up into smaller repurposing 

You’ll likely start out by wearing all these hats then later decide which bring you joy and provides the most amount of return for your time. From there, you’ll hire experts and assistants to propel your business to the level you wish to climb.

👉Over and over, I see this situation of overwhelm stop online coaches and consultants from reaching success. 

What if instead of jumping around trying to pull all the pieces together, you had daily guidance on what actions to take that would move you step-by-step closer to success, then you could finally design your work from home business.

You would transition from merely dabbling in coaching or consulting to taking intentional actions toward profitability.

I've created just the program for you, learn more here.

As with any entrepreneurial venture, your success is dependent on you! The systems you have in place will dictate your success. The more automated your systems, the more you can concentrate on serving your audience. 

That said, simple calculations will tell you potential income and of course success means different things to different people. Here’s a sample of business offers: 

• Online Course at $297
• 1:1 coaching at $150 an hour
• Group Coaching at $25 per person per session

How many will you sell? That is likely determined by the size of your audience. How many followers or email subscribers do you have now? It may surprise you that only 1-3% of your audience will end up purchasing anything from you. 

Based on those calculations, how big of an audience will you need to reach your goal income? The answer to “how long until I reach success” is very dependent on how fast you can grow your audience and what marketing efforts you’re putting in place to do so.

Knowing what could derail your business in advance may prevent it from happening! 

• Lack of Clear Niche: Failing to define a specific niche can result in unclear positioning and difficulty in attracting the right clients.
• Poor Marketing Strategy: Ineffective or inconsistent marketing efforts may lead to a lack of visibility and difficulty in reaching the target audience.
• Insufficient Online Presence: If the business lacks a professional website or social media presence, potential clients may not find or trust the consulting services.
• Inadequate Expertise: Insufficient knowledge or skills in the chosen consulting area can lead to a lack of credibility and trust among clients.
• Failure to Adapt to Industry Changes: Neglecting to stay updated on industry trends and failing to adapt to changes can make services outdated and less competitive.
• Poor Client Communication: Ineffective communication with clients, including delayed responses or unclear expectations, can result in dissatisfaction and lost business.
• Overpricing or Underpricing Services: Setting prices too high may deter potential clients, while underpricing may undervalue the services and lead to financial challenges.
• Inadequate Client Management: Poor project management, missed deadlines, or unmet client expectations can damage the reputation and lead to client dissatisfaction.
• Lack of Continued Education: Failing to invest time in ongoing professional development can result in outdated knowledge and an inability to provide valuable insights to clients.
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The decision in choosing between the three products depends upon your expertise, target audience, and how much time you have to put toward your new business. 

Online Course:

• Ideal for sharing specific knowledge or skills.
• Can be pre-recorded and offered as self-paced which appeals to independent learners.
• Suitable for topics with a clear structure and progression.

Membership:

• Offers ongoing value through exclusive content, resources, or community access.
• Builds a sense of community among members and allows for recurring monthly revenue.
• Effective for topics that require continuous updates or evolving content.

Group Coaching:

• Provides a more personalized and interactive experience with live sessions.
• Suitable for topics that benefit from real-time interaction and guidance.
• Allows you to establish a deeper connection with your audience.