It’s taken me a few years to work out exactly who I am right for in terms of my work as a coach and who my ideal clients are, but now I finally get it!
It’s possibly a similar journey with friends too :D
Some people know straight away what their ‘niche’ will be or who their customers are.
I had to go on a journey to eventually work this out. Quite an unexpected one at that!
I always had a passion for coaching and change, for people to become more than they thought possible, myself included!
Along the journey, I had my ‘first’ experience of anxiety (only to discover later that I had been living with it for most of my life)!
So that struck something inside me, I was determined to find out what was the true root of anxiety and emotions and how could I help other people learn from it and heal.
I have always loved coaching, psychology, development and learning, but I didn’t know my exact audience for a long time.
I had to do the coaching for a few years and figure it out along the way. I tried different things, I experimented to see what worked.
There wasn’t an obvious answer initially, I couldn’t narrow down the ever-expanding areas my work covered and that’s OK.
I now realise it was because as I went along my own journey, each layer peeled like an onion, I learned so much through my own self-analysis and exploration as well as working with clients and studying.
I wouldn’t realise my niche until I had mined the depths of my own psyche and discovered parts of myself I never knew existed! In short…sceptic to psychic!
My clients aren’t connected to a specific job or industry either, it is more a ‘type’ of person.
I am from a business background so I naturally gravitate towards business owners and people in leadership, Directors, C Suite and management, often HR.
However, I then began to attract other coaches and then it expanded out to teachers, healers, artists, actors, pro-athletes and more!
I am very grateful to connect with the wonderful people I have the honour of calling clients and friends.
At the same, time, I really didn’t know where to direct my marketing and it has been a bit hap hazard.
I realise that you are not really limiting yourself by focusing on a niche (I have had advice from some absolute experts, in fact, some of my clients are stars in the field of PR and Marketing and Social Media)!
But I also had this feeling that I needed to go with the flow and not try to mould it so hard.
This was excruciating for someone like me who loves a good strategy and sometimes finds ‘going with the flow’ a bit like p!ssing in the wind if I am being totally honest! :D
I now know that it was because I hadn’t reached the fullness of my own story, so I still didn’t know exactly who I was aiming for! It was absolutely right that I chilled out about it.
My 60 second intro / pitch for networking meetings literally changed every month as I experimented to see what the words coming out of my mouth felt like.
It was a bit like getting dressed when you are going through the menopause! Half the stuff in my wardrobe I can’t get into now.
Some clothes feel all wrong and make me look like a bag of spuds and then something surprises me! I didn’t think it would work, but strangely it does!
I found it challenging to strike the balance between the work I had always known in the world of business and the spiritual side of life that I have become ‘initiated’ into.
At times, I got stuck in ‘either or’ thinking rather than appreciating the combination of skills I had.
Essentially it is all focused-on growth.
If you want to make change in your world, be that in relationships or your business, you need to consider yourself in the equation. Personal development feeds everything else.
The four corners of our being are intimately interwoven with all aspects of our lives; the physical, the mental, the emotional and yes, the spiritual.
To deny one is to deny the essence of our existence. I know, I tried it for a long time!
Anyhow, I digress! Let’s get back on track, even with the annoyance of not being able to put together a firm marketing strategy, it did not seem to prevent me from attracting the right clients and opportunities and having a great business.
At the same time, it helped me to work out what I didn't want to do and what really lit me up.
It also kept me on the path to discovery because I knew I wasn’t ‘there yet’ but that does not mean that you don’t stay in the game!
Fact: Regardless of my lack of having it all figured out, I could still help people enormously!
Being of service is a deep value and driver for me and so I did.
I know I couldn’t have discovered my niche any faster, not even with all that fantastic niche discovering training out there. I tried it, it is good, but I still wasn’t ready.
My ego was ready but there were deeper parts of me that laughed in the face of this impatient and limited element!
They knew better, they were wiser. “Retreat or surrender” came the cry waaoooh haaa haaaaaaaa!
Sorry, went a bit weird on you there :D
In truth, it had to come from within and it had to come from experience.
Again, this isn’t the same for everyone, it’s just my meandering path and I am not really the meandering type either!
I also like to be inclusive, but the reality is, I am not for everyone and there are enough people out there and, I LOVE working with my people.
I have called myself a few things over the years, other people have too (obviously I am talking about professional titles) ;D
My preference nowadays is ‘Transformation Coach’ because I have genuinely been on a transformational journey and I love helping others on their version of that.
I still am on that journey, as my journey of transformation is seemingly akin to that classic film; the (insert bleep of choice) never-ending story! :D I love it really, I think ;)
One of the things that concerned me when I went into my private coaching practice full time was the volume of coaches out there. There are a lot!
Then I realised how brilliant that is, because we are all different and yet the same in some ways. Several of my friends are coaches. I love working with and talking with coaches.
In fact, it is such a magnificent thing, because coaching is one of the most powerful experiences on the planet (I am slightly biased of course, but it would be a bit suspicious if I wasn’t passionate about my profession)!
Coaching is my trade but I have become my own unique blend and version.
The key is in finding the right coach for you and I am only interested in working with the right clients for me – that is where the magic happens and the most fulfilment for both parties and I love a win-win!
The legend that is Stephen Covey taught me the power of win-win! It’s a very interesting lesson to learn when you have worked in sales for 20 odd years….because you see a lot that isn’t win-win.
'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' is still one of the greats in my eyes. If you haven’t read it for a long time, it’s worth a recap. One of my favourite subjects exists in there – Personal Leadership.
The type of coaches we need also changes throughout the course of our lives.
So much happens to us in a lifetime (well it does to me anyway!) that our stage of life, current transition, and circumstances will influence this.
As I have now discovered the right people for me, I thought it would be helpful to share this information.
Not everyone I work with fits this exact mould, there are variations of course and we are always evolving as humans.
Group work can bring a different mix also but generally if you have ‘chosen’ to work with me (different to my corporate work) then you will resonate with some of this.
If you work with me already, you may read the blog link below with a knowing nod and smile! Even better, you will recognise some of the things you have already changed through our work together!
If you read this (link below) and it strikes a chord….you might have just found your new best coach for now, how exciting!
If that’s the case, let’s chat! I offer 121 Coaching and I am about to launch some exciting new workshops and programmes!
Good Vibes, Amanda G
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