Don't Make These Mistakes as a New Coach

Emily Merrell and Lexie Smith reflect on the most common mistakes they see new coaches making across the industry. Hear their personal lessons learned, actionable tips on how to avoid making common mistakes as a new coach, and homework geared towards auditing your own coaching practice.

Here’s what you’ll learn: 

• Em and Lexie’s own experiences starting out in the online coaching business
• The most common mistakes new coaches make across the industry
• Tips on how to avoid the most common mistakes coaches make when starting their coaching journey
• The reality of what happens behind the scenes when launching an online course or program (what does and doesn’t happen)
• Strategic ways Em and Lex teach their clients to avoid common pitfalls and what to do instead
• And More!
   

Follow Em & Lex on Instagram at @readysetcoachprogram

Learn more about the Ready Set Coach Program at Readysetcoachprogram.com

Learn more about Six Degrees Society and THEPRBAR inc.

Transcript

Don't Make These Mistakes as a New Coach - Podcast Transcript

Emily Merrell

Hey, hello there. How's it going?

Lexie Smith  

Good. How are you? Emily?

Emily Merrell  

Why am I so weird when I start these things?

Lexie Smith  

Are we always feel awkward? I have to give everyone a visual for what I just popped on to zoom to look at Emily is in an insane asylum. I think literally.

Emily Merrell  

It's time it finally happened. They finally bowed to me.

Lexie Smith  

No, but seriously, she's in a tiny room with white walls. Where are you, Emily?

Emily Merrell  

I'm in a co working space. And I think this is the reason why I can't join a co working space because I'm on called all day long. Without natural sunlight. So I have to be in my home office or, or at my home backyard. So I can be exposed to sunlight because I'd be like the worst person to co work out in the general public where it is superduper quiet.

Lexie Smith  

Okay, and this brings up a thought for me. I am not someone who has really dabbled in much co working spaces because I was the kid in college that like put the earplugs in don't talk to me sit in a corner don't even I can't listen to music when I work unless it's fairly creative. Yeah, no, I need dead silence to concentrate. And so obviously you're not that way. Right? I'm assuming

Emily Merrell  

I can I can plug in and do work like a coffee shop is pretty productive for me or like having general noise around me. But I will have my headphones and typically and or be able to just sit and focus. It is interesting though, as my business has grown, I feel like I have so many more calls. But my hack when I lived in New York City, I would work at hotels and hotels were like the most wonderful place to work and the most glamorous place to take coffee meetings. My favorite hotel was called the Marlton hotel in Greenwich Village. And lax. It was like so sexy it had had a fireplace going in the winter. And then the music started getting turned up like as the night progressed or as the day came to an end. So you could stay for a cocktail or turn it into a date if you wanted to. But I really liked hotel bars they like gave me good inspiration and give me the energy I needed if I was feeling well,

Lexie Smith  

my literal office was the rooftop of a hotel because I came quick context for everyone. I was the director of PR and marketing of a Hospitality Group across Los Angeles and New York and our primary property that I worked out from was in Beverly Hills. And we had this insane rooftop and so often, I would go and just sit in a cabana. So I'm actually going to retract what I initially said. dependent, if I'm writing or if I need to use like sincere brain power. I need dead silence. If it's creative, it's just like moving and grooving type stuff, then I'm down to vibe. Yeah,

Emily Merrell  

I think that's fair. I think that's fair. And well, we haven't really properly like CO worked next to each other. I feel like we had screaming babies. So we need to figure out what that looks like as well. So more on that to stay on. Stay tuned.

Lexie Smith  

Stay tuned. I do have to say let's give a shout out to the physical co working space you're at right now.

Emily Merrell  

Oh yes. So this is Merritt workspace in Denver, Colorado. It's super cute. It's super like it's super quiet if you want to get shit done. And then adjacent to it is a church that is also an event space. And so I hosted my event here last week for six degrees society and that's how I found out about this co working space and one of my friends works here and it's it's nice to be in something that I love like a good we work and whatnot but it feels more local and homespun than the the big behemoth that is a we work

Lexie Smith  

well and what you guys just not witnessed, I guess heard when I listened learned is some self reflections that we just had. You heard me in real time self correct my working style. I did that through reflections and today we are going to reflect on On the top mistakes, we see new coaches making turned on.

Emily Merrell  

Could this be our Halloween episode? I feel like it's spooky scary stuff. Oh, let's do it.

Lexie Smith  

Yes, I'm super down. Um, we're recording it. It's October. I don't have any makeup on. So it looks scary. I came into the part. So yeah, we're talking about the scary mistakes we see coaches making Emily, do you want to kick us off?

Emily Merrell  

Sure. But first, it's spooky, scary. So I just wanted to make sure that was corrected.

Lexie Smith  

terrible mistake. I'm so sorry. Spooky.

Emily Merrell  

Okay, so I think, oh, gosh, my heart kind of hurts, like just even talking about this topic, because I see it so often. And truth be told, I probably was this person at some point in self reflection. But I think the first thing that I see that's really challenging and problematic, and also like a big swift kick to the belly is going after a volume model before they have volume to sell to. So what I mean by that, that's a coach that's like, I'm launching a group program. I've been around for one and a half weeks, everyone signed up for my group program. And then they sell, like, send one newsletter out, and they post once on social media. And then they are disappointed and exhausted and like, feel like they're failures.

Lexie Smith  

Yeah, so I'm gonna like hardcore call out someone who did this. Lexie Smith 2019 thought that she would she was really attracted to the online business coaching model and heard all the rage about this online course world, right. And so I built and this is going to kind of tee us up into another mistake. But I built an online coach online course I think it was on teachable, I built it and I thought they would come. Which is another mistake kind of to volume. So quick. I don't want to move on from volume yet why this is a mistake. But if you are new to this space, if you don't have a cultivated community or an audience, or volume to sell to, then how are you going to sell? Right? It seems counterintuitive,

Emily Merrell  

I think with the volume unless you are, you have a mailing list that's pretty active and engaged. And again, I don't want to say that you have to have a big mailing list to have lots of clients, you just need to have an engaged mailing list or an engaged following and or people know should be able to be at a cocktail party and be like, Oh, Lexie Smith, she's that badass and PR, like, be able to know what the heck you do for, for your thing to sell and creating a group offering when you haven't even been out there very long or created that like no interest is, or that volume model. It's hard. And I'm not saying it's not doable, but it is really, really, really hard. And it's a quick road to defeat sometimes.

Lexie Smith  

Yeah, and, of course, guys, there's exceptions to every rule. But generally speaking, we do see it very, very difficult for someone who's just starting out into the coaching space, to launch to market and offer that requires a lot of seats to be to be filled. To that No. And what a kind of teed up, the next mistake that we see is creating everything and hoping they will come that will mindset of I'm just going to build it. And then they will come being mistake we see. And Emily, what is the advice we have, and we like to dish out in our program,

Emily Merrell  

build it as, as it happens. So what we mean by that like great, the framework for it great the foundation of what your program is going to be, but build to that first module once you've got half of the seats filled, because what we've had happen and what we've done ourselves, and what we've seen happen is you create the most beautiful program or modules or workshop worksheets or all of the things and then you are sitting twiddling your thumbs hoping that someone is going to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Right? Yeah,

Lexie Smith  

yeah. And you know, that's obviously if you're looking into a curriculum based program, is what we're referring to there. But we suggest with anything that you're creating in the coaching space, to co create, it's to everyone's benefit, it's to your benefit, it's to your clients benefit. And here's why. You don't know your curriculum works yet. Sorry. You don't know how it's going to land you don't know how it's going to be received. So if you allow yourself the flexibility to, to employ have an outline, understand like high level what you're going to be coaching them on, but give yourself and your client, the grace to, to tweak and ideate as you go, it's just going to make them much more tailored. are successful experience.

Emily Merrell  

And I think we can use the example of ReadySet coach where we had everything hammered out, we knew exactly what we were going to be teaching. But maybe we thought PR was going to be taught module three, and we realized PR should be module 10. And we were able to make real time decisions that weren't going to impact our client, they were still getting the same deliverables, it was just in a different order. So we could meet the client where they were. And and this is awesome, especially for your first cohort. In a way, you're creating each module every single week. So then for Module Two, or for Cohort Two, you have the modules already created, like future, you will thank you, it's going to be a little bit cumbersome during the time of creation. But it's a work of love, rather than like anticipating the needs of every person without knowing the people in your cohort.

Lexie Smith  

Yeah, and kind of on that note, too, guys, if you this is kind of bridging together on that first mistake we highlighted. How do you know the online course or the group program is what the market wants, one of the best ways to create an effective volume offering is by first going at a more one on one offering and learning about the consistent things that are being brought up. Let your clients show you and teach you problems that you can then for phase two of your business, when you have a larger, you know, audience anyways, convert into more of a volume program or a online course that sells more passively.

Emily Merrell  

100%. And I think it's beneficial, if not, like the most important thing to do when starting your business to do market research. A lot of times coaches will make assumptions on the needs of their clients what they want, like, Oh, my client just wants to lose weight. Like is that really it, the client just wants to lose weight, or they want the confidence to tackle restaurant menus with with grace and with be on a date and not be that girl that has to say all the allergies, but feel really equipped and empowered to stay healthy and go out to dinner. So having the words of your customer and I think this is this is something we coached on yesterday, actually, in our cohort, one of our individuals was just trying to find the right words for like what she does. And I was like, go to your customers, what did the testimonials or what are the how would they describe you to a friend. And sometimes the words are too close to us or like what we do is too close to us that we get, we get confused. And so you might need an outside customer or client or someone trusted that can advise you accordingly.

Lexie Smith  

So just to summarize that skipping the market research or assuming you know, what the market wants is a huge mistake that we see. Another mistake we see is having Gore going to market with too many offerings, which is actually very much in alignment with assuming that you know what everyone wants. A lot of coaches make the mistake of having five to 10 brilliant ideas. And so they start to ideate, five to 10 different offerings, because they think that, okay, if I have this many offerings, and I can reach more people and service more people, when in reality that makes your business model really, really confusing. And what happens when you try to speak to everybody, you run the risk of speaking to nobody

Emily Merrell  

100% And I think, Oh God, it's such an interesting idea to where people think like, well, I need to create something because this one person said that they want to learn this thing. So I'm going to just create a whole new course for it. And then you see these like these, these very stocked shelves that no one that are getting dusty. That's the visual I'll leave you with.

Lexie Smith  

I love that. So how do you prevent that guys a little bit of market research and not building it before they come? Like do your due diligence, right?

Emily Merrell  

lacks another thing. I see new coaches mistakes that they make. And we've probably heard this like 1000 times. I hate social media. And that's what they say like, I don't want to do social media. It's not for me. And if they do get around to doing social media, they'll post and then they'll ghost and then there'll be disappointed. Yeah,

Lexie Smith  

the poster and Ghoster just posting on social media. I'm so sorry to burst everyone's bubble is not enough.

Emily Merrell  

Right and what is enough then?

Lexie Smith  

So I'd like to highlight part of the word social media, social media one to one we're talking the kids media The point of social media, the way you make it work for you is to engage is to activate is to show up consistently, not just post and piece out, but like take the time to interact and be social with others on that platform.

Emily Merrell  

Legs, I'm a new coach, and I'm doing all the things when am I going to find time to do this?

Lexie Smith  

Make time dammit.

Emily Merrell  

Wow, wow. Likes coaches or basketball team and minds like a gentle hug.

Lexie Smith  

You know, I think that with the million things on every business owners plate, which there is a million things on your plate plus looks like add in, you know, outside factors of life, and maybe you're a partner, maybe you're a mom. Time is a struggle. But there comes a point in time where you have to make a decision if you want to have a successful coaching business and social media is one of the ways in which you're going to activate that, then you need to find ways you need to be creative to carve out time to do this. It could be calendar blocking 10 to 15 minutes a day. That's it 10 minutes a day to dedicate, it could be while you're on a spin bike, right? That's your 10 minutes a day that you're going on, and you're engaging. Get creative, make the decision time block, what do you think?

Emily Merrell  

I think exactly the same. I think you can have it stuck it. I think it could be like you're doing abs and you are you are commenting and you were replying to the comments. I think the biggest mistake I've ever made was like, people would comment and then I would just let them hang out there. And they wouldn't respond back. So I was just taking advantage of the comments. And then I wasn't engaging in anyone else's posts. I wasn't responding to stories. And once I started getting social, not only did the algorithm reward me more, not only did my stuff start showing up for other people more, but I was also developing friendships and relationships and potential clients within the DMS. Heck on the toilet in the morning, right time for social media,

Lexie Smith  

or word of paper, pick up your phone unsanitary. No, but But seriously, you know, we want to remind you guys coaching the coaching industry, that active coaching is intimate, it's relationship based. If you're gonna go towards the high ticket world, then it's even more important to have relationships. So while yes, we can moan and groan about social media, Emily and I of course have our you know, gripes with it too. It really is an opportunity and advantage we have that we can foster relationships, virtually. So work on shifting, shifting your mindset a little bit and seeing social media more as an opportunity to network maybe then just another burden on your plate

Emily Merrell  

100%. And I also want to just make one more note for social media content. A lot of people feel like, Oh, well, I'm a coach, I have to be the expert, I have to have the All Knowing and polished and perfect. And yes, sure. However, you are human too. And you can also bring in the real life and the vulnerability and wax I think about some of the posts that you've posted or posts that I've posted where it's like, we're pulling back the curtain of motherhood or we're pulling back the curtain of juggling both recording the podcast and the screaming child at the same time. Like those are the ones that really resonate with people more than like, everything's perfect over here. Carry on.

Lexie Smith  

If you're an ambitious professional, consultant, or business owner, who is feeling called to do more, be more or make more, we'd like to invite you to learn more about ReadySet. Coach,

Emily Merrell  

do you feel called to create change, help others do something outside of your day to day that generates true impact.

Lexie Smith  

While you may or may not be content with your day job or existing business? Do you feel called to dip your toes into something more? Whether it's tapping into another zone of genius or the side hustle is calling your name? Are you ready to explore what being more would look like?

Emily Merrell  

Do you feel like your business or career is leaving money on the table or you're looking to launch a new revenue stream or side hustle?

Lexie Smith  

Turning your expertise into a coaching revenue stream or side hustle is rewarding, impactful and a great business model. It's the Triple Threat multibillion dollar industry that Perhaps you've been looking for this full time if

Emily Merrell  

you want to explore more on how to add a coaching revenue stream into your life. We invite you to explore our website ReadySet coach program.com

Lexie Smith  

applications are now open for our 2023 cohort. So literally today's we're recording this someone posted about our one of our past podcast episodes. She didn't she didn't call out the insightful nuggets that we dropped about whatever tips we were given what she called out for some person little anecdotes from Emily and I's chatter at the first few minutes proving the point of, we're living circa 2022. At a time where people are craving to get to know the human behind the brands, especially in the coaching industry, you are your brand, you are your product, you are your service. So you don't need to share everything in the kitchen sink. By all means. We're not saying that, but allow, you know, people to get to know you.

Emily Merrell  

I think people have commented to me and my clients, our clients, like I love hearing about your failures. Like what? No, I failed. And like, No, I love hearing about him, because you hear you are standing in front of us not having failed. Like, while those might have been temporarily setbacks or failures at the moment, years later you you power through. So remember that that sometimes the vulnerability and like being I hate these words, but I'm going to pull them all out of my hat like being the authentic version of yourself. And like being the genuine person you are and talking about the shameful thing that you're holding back your what your comfort level is, of course, but you know, bringing that to the forefront is very relatable.

Lexie Smith  

And you just highlighted our next mistake. Thinking success happens over night. It does sounds like such a simple Yeah, it sounds like such a simple thing to say. But we run into coaches who two three months into their journey are panicking, that their six figure coach just yet. And Emily, and I want you to hear us when we say, hey, we did not become or get to where we are today in three months. Did we

Emily Merrell  

know? No? Do you know how much stuff I did for free? Do you know how I like everyone listen to this. I operated from generosity for a very long time before I started flying my flag and charging money for things. And I took like multiple side jobs. So I could do that. But it then led me to the point when I when I offered my coaching business up like I built that like no interest. So so many people will be like, well, I'm going to be a coach, I haven't been active on social media for two years. I was in the corporate world, and I should have my stadium filled. And then they don't,

Lexie Smith  

it doesn't happen. We made so many mistakes before today, which I mean, really, is why we built the business we built in why we have the ReadySet coach program is to teach others about you know, the mistakes and lessons learned along the way. Because no, you don't need to take 1010 years to get to where you're going. But give yourself grace and prepare that building a business takes time. It takes time and it takes consistency. And the people who make it in the coaching industry are the people who who don't stop, don't give up who show up consistently, who when one campaign doesn't work. They don't throw in the towel, they go back to the drawing board. They they reflect on lessons learned and they keep moving forward.

Emily Merrell  

Can you imagine if we had done like one advertisement at ReadySet coach and then her which we heard nothing back from from anyone you know, like one one email, and then just given up, we wouldn't have had three filled cohorts?

Lexie Smith  

No, guys, if we don't snap our fingers and fill the cohorts like there's work involved. I'm sorry, if that's not what you want to hear. But you know, there's work that goes on into, to fill in spots, to for any business when you're new now it's getting easier because you know, we were going into our fourth cohort, depending on when you're listening to this, it's becoming a lot easier than our first cohort. So there's light at the end of the tunnel, for sure, keep going. But if you really, really want this, do your self a favor and commit to the long haul.

Emily Merrell  

Yeah, commit to the long haul because it's worth it. And it's kind of like when you don't want to use dieting but basically like, you're like, oh God I am without carbs for this whole month but I want to fit into my wedding dress or whatnot. And you're you're so angry in the moment but the in the pictures you look awesome. And you're like oh, all the carbs are revealed available to me on the other side of things. But it's like a little temporary discomfort to get to your desired result.

Lexie Smith  

Yeah, and I'm going to call out another coach hardcore for this next one. Her name was Lexie Smith also. And Lexie Smith did something that isn't hate you. I know Lexie well, don't hold a grudge Lex. Um, but no. So committing to the long haul means that you're gonna have highs and lows. When we talk about highs and lows. We're talking about mindset. This is something I did not mind and did not mind my mindset when I first started out and that was a really big mistake. One of the biggest gifts I gave myself was investing in focusing on mindset.

Emily Merrell  

Yeah. What did mindset teach you?

Lexie Smith  

First and foremost, it's ever evolving. I have not mastered mindset, I don't think it will ever master mindset. I continue to need mindset reminders all the time, hence why I love my therapist, aka Emily Merrill.

Emily Merrell  

But what does that make you feel?

Lexie Smith  

How does that make you feel as I lie down? But no, it made me feel, especially in entrepreneurship, this actually is applicable outside of the coaching industry as well. The highs and lows and getting past, you know, failures. And when you get a no one a phone call, or when you have a down month, those are hard. And if you don't work on your mindset, you can let those hard things stop you dead in the tracks. Right? You are, I think so gifted in this realm. Emily, what are some of your best Oh, this is such a hard question. Okay, some of your top advice, pieces of advice for coaches in the mindset,

Emily Merrell  

where oh, my gosh, you are so sweet to say that because if you look at journals from my corporate world, they were sad. It was sad, Emily, very, very sad. But I do think journaling is an incredible outlets for mindset, gratitude, gratitude journals, writing what you've actually accomplished so much. With so much we focus on like, what we haven't accomplished or what we need to accomplish. And we forget to pat ourselves on the back from what you've actually accomplished. I remember receiving a notification on LinkedIn that I had been featured in Forbes. And it was an article I'd written so I knew is coming out. But I didn't know when and I got all these notes. And I think I felt that moment of like, enlightenment, enlightenment or excitement for like, 27 seconds. And then I was like, Well, I'm not in Fast Company yet. I'm not in SELF magazine yet. I'm not in you know, and like, everything better was on the other side, like, Well, screw Forbes, you always just want what's not something that you have. So I think that was one thing. So one of the things that I love to do is I keep a praise folder. It's called praise email. So anytime I get an email saying like how their life was changed at an event, or like that coaching call really made my day or I was feeling this and now I'm feeling this thanks to you. I put it in the praise folder. And I've, when I'm down, I open up that folder and I I read them and I remind myself like you're not going to win with everyone, you're not going to be able to help everyone. And that's that's a big reminder for someone like me who is a golden retriever of helping like, I truly feel like I want to chase all the balls sometimes I want to help everyone I want to change like as many lives as possible. But I'm not, I'm not going to. And that's something I have to make peace with. It sucks like it sucks if you can lead your client to water and they don't change or they don't make make it to where you think their potential lies. But then you dust yourself off you read those praise emails and you you keep moving forward.

Lexie Smith  

Great, great advice. My Folders called Lexi feel good. Anytime I need to feel good, I go look at that folder. And, you know, also thinks I think to give yourself Grace guys, right and know that put things around you to help communities a big one, surrounding yourself with people who you know, understand what you're going through. That's why we so thoughtfully curated the ReadySet coach community because these are coaches and human beings that understand what each other going through. can celebrate the wins when you do get that Forbes article celebrate the goddamn win. So good.

Emily Merrell  

I have like three more things that I need to just I need to add, they're bursting at my bursting inside of me.

Lexie Smith  

First amount Eminem.

Emily Merrell  

Network, literally put yourself out there, be it on Facebook groups, be it in communities, be it like searching your entire LinkedIn for people local in your area. But make other people your activators make them your ambassador, where they're the ones that are able to then be at the cocktail party talking about you and solving a problem your solution to a problem at a cocktail party. And then intros can come so most of my business and Lex I actually want to ask you this question too. But it has come from referrals. And it has come from introductions. And and I am not in a BNI I'm not in a referral group. But it is from people that have heard my spiel and are like, Oh my god. Susie's new to Denver she needs to meet Emily, she will act as a cruise director and and get her to where she needs to be.

Lexie Smith  

Great point Emily and I think what you're also highlighting is you are really really consistent at networking. So if social media isn't the you know, your jam, what can be for Emily it's been networking same community has been amazing, but what you're going to choose to learn, you're going to choose, be consistent at it. So that was you'd want that you said three, um, that was one I'm gonna allow you to get to other more before.

Emily Merrell  

Okay, here's my other mistake. People don't tell the people close, like coaches kind of act in silo, they act. Like I have to figure it out before I tell anyone, it has to be perfect before I release it to the world. So this is your opportunity to ask for help. Or some mistakes could be like not creating referral partners right out of the gate in terms of like like minded people that could bring in business for you. And then number three, I have no idea what I was gonna say I forgot sorry.

Lexie Smith  

I feel like I slowed your roll my bad. There's tons of mistakes out there guys. I'm gonna recap real quick. Some of the ones we went over today. Some of the coaching mistakes we see are going after a volume model before you have volume to sell to being too broad or having too many offerings, posting and ghosting, do not do it. Also thinking success can happen overnight, throwing in the towel too soon, creating everything firsthand and hoping they will come and not minding mindset and not being consistent. So your homework, aside from the actionable things that Emily just shared, is to audit yourself. Are you making any of these mistakes? If so, good news, guys. Doesn't mean you failed. Just course. Correct, right. Just know, Oh, okay. Maybe that's what that's what's going wrong. And can you find a more positive path forward? Can you decide okay, well, frankly, like, realistically, I'm not going to be consistent on social media. So I'm going to try the Emily way and start networking more.

Emily Merrell  

Networking doesn't have to be a scary word. It could be a whole podcast episode. So with that, that is our homework. That is our episode. Thank you so much for tuning in Lex. See you the next time on the ready,

Lexie Smith  

Coach podcast.

Emily Merrell  

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