I've been working as a coach since 2005 and always thought of myself as doing that part of my work "self employed". I had a day job on top of that and always thought about how when I was a coach, I'd be doing work completely that I loved, all day and every day. After I got made redundant in November last year, I realised it was really time to know how to start that self employed life - and lifestyle!
I found some surprises in starting self employed life, I just wasn't expecting. So, as I like to, I thought I'd share them with you along with some useful tips. Now, I know my journey isn't your journey, so your experiences may be completely different.
Tip One: How to go self employed is not the same as how to be self employed
Sounds like the same thing to you? Here is what I mean! In some ways, depending on where you are and what you want to do, it's easy to work out how to go self employed and actually, physically set up your business. When you train to become a coach, it's easy to say that this means that I am going to go self employed, decide a business name, maybe get a website set up, define what sort of business you want to have set up.
How to be self employed, for me, is much more of a mindset piece. How to get used to the fact that what you love doing is now part of what you need to do, and get paid for, to bring in the income you need to live off. Or, how to bring in part time income whilst you are building up.
How to be self employed, is to recognise that it is different from being employed. You are in charge. The buck stops here. The ability to get work, built contacts, build visibility, credibility and reach out to people, all stop with you.
So, you need to start planning and working through ready for this mindset of independence and 100% accountability to your dream of being successfully self employed.
Tip Two: It's not money in the bank, until it is money in the bank
I think I talked about this before. How to be self employed is about recognising that your financial situation is different now. You may have contacts, opportunities - until they are actually invoiced and paid - that is what they are, opportunities for work. Recognising that will help you keep your eyes open for new opportunities until they start to pay off with money in the bank and the next commitment in the diary. This is based on the fact that you may be working with people who themselves have to justify why their spend, why your company. Talk about what benefits their are to working with you, for your solutions. Answer their pain.
This also means you need to realistically understand how much money you spend, what on and what you can change or cut down on. Build yourself a full picture of what money you need, both for your personal life and your business. Then you can see what can change in the short term, and what sacrifices or changes you may need to make. Talk to your friends and family about what changes you are making, and why.
Tip Three: Get as much support as you can
I am a gregarious, chatty person and one thing I have found very new is the whole idea that working for home could mean I go all day without talking to someone. (For someone who was known in their last employed role for the size of their laugh, that's a challenge!)
Currently, I have a great support network. As well as my informal network of support, in the shape of my fiance, friends, family etc, I also have my own coach, and my own supervisor. I am also working on business building, and am using a contra coaching coach whilst I also coach a contra coaching client.
All this helps me to stay on track, stay accountable and above all, focused and motivated. I have also been using Business Link to find out what support is available in my area.
Tip Four: Use resources to focus you on gratitude and abundance
Becoming self employed, means being persistant in the knowledge, the certainty that it will work. And this takes belief, especially when it takes longer than you would like it to! I find I go through periods of being up, and periods of being down. It's good to recognise that this can be the case, and also build yourself strategies and resources for moving yourself back up when you are feeling low and unresourceful.
Keep a list of all the things you are great at.
Update your CV to show your new status - consider building a new, skills based CV (I can help you with this!)
Find out useful resources about abundance, wealth, and motivation. I am just getting into Sandy Forster on wealth and abundance
Tip Five - Be direct as well as indirect.
I've built up a good name, especially on the internet as I have my Grow as a Coach site , Career Coaching website and supervision for coaches website
What I realised recently is that although I've done a lot of work, most of that has been behind the scenes, meaning I have visibility, and credibility, however I need to work on my outreach - my getting out and actually talking to people about what I do, showcasing it and putting myself in a position where people have experienced me, and/ or how I work. How would you rate yourself as actually getting out there, and talking to people about what you do?
Since I have realised this and started taking action, offers are pouring in!
