I keep intending to change my career, but then it goes nowhere…

So does this sound familiar?

You wake up one morning and decide “right that’s it, I’m finally going to do something about my career”.

You’re going to find a new direction, or get that promotion, or take a leap and start your own business, either on the side of your 9 to 5 or full time.

But then the fear creeps in and you start thinking “well, maybe things aren’t as bad as I think they are. I’ll keep going a bit longer and see how it goes”.

And suddenly it’s 3 months later and nothing has changed.

And you’re a bit frustrated with yourself for having not taken action.

Well don’t worry, you’re definitely not alone in this.

Often my clients tell me that they’ve decided to try coaching, because they’ve been through this cycle of thinking too many times:

Reach breaking point. Plan to change. Get scared. Back away.

It’s exhausting. And I know how it feels because I went through the cycle many times before making my own career change. 

Finding a new career or starting a new business isn’t easy. It feels like a risk and you don’t know what will happen if you take that leap.

But here’s a thought:

You do know what will happen if you don’t take the leap.

Nothing at all. 

However, if you start taking some baby steps and gaining momentum, then something will start to happen. and if the status quo is making you really unhappy, then something changing is better than nothing changing.

If you want help creating an action plan, and need some support and accountability along the way to make sure you stick to it, then just get in touch to book an introductory 45min coaching session for just £97.

Speak soon,
Juliette xx

Fledgling Freedom-preneur Interview: Rachel Boon

Hi folks, so here's the latest in my blog interview series, where I chat with other freedom-preneurs about their first baby steps in business. 

The idea behind it is that by reading their stories, you can pick up some tips as you start out on your own business journey and get inspired!

This month I've been chatting with Naturopath and Medical Herbalist Rachel Boon, who swapped working as an administrator for running her own naturopathic practice. 

So how long have you had your business?

12 years in total. My first 10 years were part-time alongside my 9-5, then in the last two years I took the plunge and went full-time freelance

Did you have any business background or experience before you started?

God no! Other than doing lots of temp secretarial jobs which meant I could type quickly, as I'm naturally fairly organised and MS Office literate.

What were the 3 most important things you invested in when you were starting out?

1) Good stock. I've always gone for organic or wild crafted herbs despite them being more expensive as I didn't want to compromise on quality.

2) Myself! I've always done more than the recommended CPD (Continuing Professional Development) hours as I feel it's important to keep up with developments in your respective field to feed back to patients.

3) Other than the above, I really had very little opening expenditure. Room rental was on a week by week basis, we already had a laptop, and I spent a little on stock.

Is there anything that you spent time/money on, that now with hindsight, you would do differently?

I wouldn't have spent a small fortune on a newspaper advert in a Health and Wellbeing Special. It was expensive and I only got one lead on the back of it. Also, printed materials. I designed and had printed some postcards which I then paid to be distributed locally as part of a multiple leaflet drop. Not a single call!

How did you get your first customers?

My very first patients were already using the clinic I was practicing from so it was via the receptionist team there. But over the years, I've got the vast majority of my patients via good old word of mouth.

It takes time but is free and ultimately, I feel it's one of the best forms of recommendation when it comes to something personal like 1:1 therapy.

What tips do you have for starting a business whilst still in your 9 to 5?

Don't give up! It takes time, patience and genuine love for what you do so make sure you are pursuing something that won't bore you in a few years time.

If I could change anything from my early days in practice, it would be to have more faith in myself and work less conservatively and more intuitively.

Also, boundaries! Try to keep to time on your appointments (even more so if you are still working hard at your 9-5 as time will be extra precious) so patients respect your professionalism and you learn to respect yourself! I over-ran ALOT in my early days!

You can check out Rachel's services  at www.facebook.com/naturopathandherbalist

So do you know anyone who would like to share their story and lessons learned from their early days in business? Then ask them to email me at hello@thecoastalcoach.com

Fledgling Freedom-preneur Interview: Paul Townsend

So we're back with a new instalment of my blog interview series, where I chat with other freedom-preneurs about their first baby steps in business. 

By sharing their stories, warts and all, the aim is to help you find more clarity as you start out on your own business journey, get inspired, and see that all entrepreneurs have to start somewhere!  

This month I've been chatting with online retailer and silversmith Paul Townsend, who swapped working for an international airline for running his own male oriented gift store, For The Man I Love.

So how long have you had your business?

We started setting up For the Man I Love in 2012, and then began approaching web designers about writing the website, as it was quite complicated having many shops but one storefront, a bit like a department store.

Once we had sorted that it was early 2014. Then we had our first sale on our 25th Wedding Anniversary and haven't looked back!

Did you have any business background or experience before you started?

I worked for a large international airline running their rewards scheme, as well as on board duty free, so was used to retail. Plus I am a silversmith and have been selling successfully on Etsy for over 10 years. My wife (Claire) has worked in the retail and customer service industry her entire working life, so knows what people want and how to treat them.

What were the 3 most important things you invested in when you were starting out?

A great website, a decent laptop and some business cards!

Is there anything that you spent time/money on, that now with hindsight, you would do differently?

Yes – Google AdWords – for us (especially since we are international) it is a very expensive way of getting customers, and we soon stopped paying for this service and moved over to Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc…

How did you get your first customers?

By having great social media with constant updates and occasional advertising, plus the inevitable word of mouth.

What tips do you have for starting a business whilst still in your 9 to 5?

Organisation! Put aside a day at the weekend, or certain evenings to kickstart your business, as the social media side especially is very time consuming. I can remember sitting on a sunbed in Thailand constantly on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter whilst everyone else was reading their favourite novel or asleep!

You can check out Paul's unique gifts at www.formanilove.com

So do you know anyone who would like to share their story and lessons learned from their early days in business? Then ask them to email me at hello@thecoastalcoach.com