This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Friends, listeners, community. Thanks for tuning in. It's Chris Guillebeau here, your host of Side Hustle School. Excited to bring you daily episodes. Daily is in seven days a week, a new episode, a new case study, a tip, a question and answer, a feature of a side hustler, small business owner, somebody who is making extra money without quitting their job.
And hopefully in a way that's inspirational and helpful to you. That's what it's all about, trying to get you motivated and not just motivated, but also equipped to go out and start or grow your own side hustle, okay? So often what we do is look at ideas that require some iteration or development, like somebody has an idea and then they need to improve that idea or they get some feedback or they just have some experience that shows them, okay, that was a good start, but here's a better way of doing it. And so in today's episode, we've got an ideal example of that. This is Throwback Thursday also.
In this segment, we take an in-depth look at someone whose story has evolved since we first featured them, okay? So in some cases, they could transform their business entirely. In some cases, they could move from one business idea to another. In other cases, they might scale their business, all kinds of variations. But last week we heard from a book launch manager who gets paid to pitch authors and specifically she helps upcoming and newly released books to get more attention by any means necessary.
So she's a publicist of sorts, not quite a publicist actually, but working to launch books. And today in our latest feature, we'll hear from a coach who transformed from general life coaching to focusing more specifically on self-confidence. Now this is important because there are a lot of coaches out there and aspiring coaches. And I've said for years, general life coaching is really difficult to make work. There's a lot of life coaches that don't have any clients.
But I understand the idea, like you want to help people improve their lives to be happier, healthier, and so on. You just need to get more targeted in what your actual benefit is, what the outcomes are that you want people to experience. And so let's hear the story from her. I'll come back at the end with a quick little wrap up. [Music]
- Hi, everyone.
My name is Michelle. I had been working as a life coach for several years, but after noticing many of my clients struggled specifically with self-confidence, I decided to specialize. I knew that by focusing my services, I could provide more impactful assistance to those in need. Transitioning from general life coach to specializing in self-confidence wasn't just a change in title. It required a deep understanding of the specific psychological barriers that hamper self-confidence.
I enrolled in a specialist course on cognitive behavioral therapy, investing around $600 in that alone. That knowledge has since become invaluable in helping clients tackle self-limiting beliefs and build authentic confidence. To professionalize my services, I dedicated a room in my house to be my office. From soundproofing the room, $200, to purchasing a high quality webcam, $150, and ergonomic furniture, $500, I wanted to create an environment that was conducive for both me and my clients, who I'd be seeing virtually. Initially, I set my hourly rate at a sliding scale of $40 to $70, with a few different packages to choose from.
However, I quickly realized that the inconsistency of this model was causing stress. So after four months, I pivoted to a monthly package model, charging a flat $500 for four sessions. This not only increased my monthly earnings to around $3,000, but also promoted a consistent relationship with my clients, which is vital in confidence building. One of the high points of my year was when a client who had been struggling with severe imposter syndrome successfully secured her dream job. After four months of coaching, seeing her transform and overcome her fears was a gratifying moment that reminded me of the impact of my work.
A significant lesson learned in this journey is a necessity of continuous learning and self-improvement. I've subscribed to a monthly coaching group, attended webinars and seminars, and dedicated two hours a week to researching new methodologies. The reality of being a self-confidence coach is understanding that your services go beyond business transactions. You are dealing with people's emotions and fears, and it's your responsibility to equip yourself with the right knowledge and tools. It's also crucial to build a network of satisfied clients who then refer you to their peers.
Over half my clients came through referrals. If you're considering this path, understand that it's a substantial investment, both financially and emotionally. It's rewarding, but it demands constant growth and adaptation. You have to stay updated on the latest in popular psychology, while also understanding how to run and market your business. As I reflect on my first year, I am grateful for the ups and downs.
Each provided a lesson that shaped me into a better coach and businesswoman. As I step into my second year, I'm excited to continue this journey, helping individuals become the best versions of themselves. - Thanks so much for sharing those updates with us. I totally believe that going from being a general life coach to focusing on that clear, specific improvement, that really specific deliverable that you want to create in your clients, I'm not surprised that it's worked well. And I always encourage any of our listeners interested in coaching or consulting to really kind of hone in on what are those improvements?
Like how are you going to change people's lives? And then let's lead with that. Lead with that in your messaging, in your copywriting, in your social sharing. Just the more you can kind of hit on that message as opposed to just general coaching, the more successful you're going to be. I am absolutely convinced.
So listeners, let me know what you think and who you'd like to see featured from our archives of more than a thousand stories coming up on 2,500 total episodes here in about 80 days, which I guess doesn't seem like it's next week, but when you've been doing something for 2,400 days and counting 80 days is short. So stick with me. If you've got a question or an update for us about your hustle, sidehustleschool.com/questions, next week and beyond, I'll be on tour as well, chrisguillebeau.com/tour. We'd love to see you out on the road. Today's notes, lastly, sidehustleschool.com/2420.
All right, that's it for now. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is "Side Hustle School." [Music]
From the Onward Project.
