Building your own business is anything but straightforward...

I’ve faced moments of self-doubt, financial instability, and the emotional weight of supporting others while grappling with my own challenges and a sense of responsibility to my family and to the world.

There are internal battles that often go unspoken for coaches, mentors, consultants and freelancers. Despite qualifications and a passion for helping others, we learn that even the most prepared individuals can find themselves overwhelmed.

The Competitive Coaching Industry

The coaching industry is booming, with over 100 training providers in the UK alone. Graduating coaches must get their coaching hours up, acquire their first paying clients and constantly differentiate themselves as well as managing client expectations, maintaining personal boundaries and demonstrating continued professional development.

They must - often with little professional experience outside of employed work and a regular pay check - become savvy and independent entrepreneurs... usually with no financial investment, business mentoring or supervision and an overwhelming amount of information about how best to build a business.

The absence of comprehensive ethical marketing training and business development support on graduating as a coach can greatly exacerbate these challenges.

Without job security, we are constantly having to look in the mirror and ask ourselves what we want to be doing with our lives and how we might be building a business better...

Us "People-Helpers" face a unique and ironic combination of mental health challenges given our self-awareness and professional expertise... financial uncertainty, market saturation, and the emotional toll of supporting others - all whilst managing our own business-related and personal pressures.

Unlike traditional employment, coaching, community building and client work comes with inherent stress—from marketing to maintaining relationships, prioritising time, pricing, producing educational and supportive content and continuing to bravely present ourselves to the world.

Asking for Support

Recognising these struggles is the first step toward creating a more supportive environment for yourself. By seeking company, coaches can build more sustainable and fulfilling practices and thus do more good in the world, whilst maintaining good personal boundaries and practices, and prioritising our own mental health.

Taking Action

I encourage you to complete this survey designed by Leapers to gather insights into the mental health experiences of freelancers. The survey aims to highlight the struggles many face, such as financial instability, isolation, and the pressures of self-employment. The data collected will be used to inform better support systems and resources tailored to the needs of freelancers.

And of course I encourage you to consider joining the Better Bolder Braver community for coaches and to get in touch with me if you need any personal support.

Ours is the only international community dedicated to Good Ethical Marketing just for Life and Executive Coaches.

The Coach's Marketing Journey course, which is accredited by the Association For Coaching CPD Hours Scheme, is included in community membership along with a host of events and other resources to support you.

We support each other to create financially sustainable and rewarding coaching business without compromising our limits, needs, wants or boundaries... or those of our clients.

We are inspired to put ourselves out there with greater clarity, confidence and joy to do good in the world.

There is no need to do it all alone... Indeed, a collective effort of support for one another and for our clients will reap greater rewards personally and, no doubt, globally too.

Try Better Bolder Braver on a complimentary basis for two weeks.