Posts Tagged ‘Ellia Communications’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Do America’s Employers Really Care about Women’s Issues?

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Last Thursday, I had a wonderfully powerful meeting with three inspiring colleagues who are authors affiliated with the publisher of my book Breakdown Breakthrough – Berrett-Koehler Publishers.  Each of these folks has a breadth of knowledge and diversity of experience that boggles the mind – they are exciting to be with, and fascinating to learn from.  They are Larry Ackerman of The Identity Circle, Jesse Stoner of The Seapoint Center, and Katherine Armstrong. (Thanks, my friends, for a deeply enlivening gathering!)  I highly recommend following their work – you’ll be glad you did.

Based on what happened in our gathering, I’m reminded once again of the immense power of groups, and the transformative effect of open-hearted, authentic connection and collaboration. 

One question we explored a bit that is near and dear to my heart was this – Do American employers really care about women’s issues in the workplace, or about advancing women into the ranks of corporate leadership?  

I’m saddened to say that based on my work with thousands of women nationwide from hundreds of organizations around the country, I’m not at all convinced that a critical mass of U.S. employers care about advancing women to the senior ranks, or are ready to commit hard dollars to it – not yet.   Data speaks, and today, women represent only 15% of the leadership in U.S. corporations.

In other countries (Norway, for instance), there are official, stated mandates and goals for the number of women who are to be supported to advance to leadership within corporations.  As far as I know, no such stated goals or mandates exist today in the U.S. Further, the U.S. ranks 72nd in the world, in terms of the percentage of women leaders elected to a national governing body, behind Cuba and China.   How can this be? And why is it?

The word on the street in my consulting and coaching circles is that “women’s issues don’t pay,” and “women’s empowerment efforts just don’t get traction.”  I believe this has indeed been true here in the US during the past years, and I want to get to the bottom of this notable lack of a sanctioned commitment to advancing women in corporate leadership. 

What do you think are the real reasons behind this?

From the qualitative research I’ve conducted, there are numerous possible explanations, including:

1)      Those of us who care about this cause haven’t made a compelling enough fact-based argument to government or to American corporate leadership that advancing women is a MUST HAVE for the success of American business.

And/Or

2)      We HAVE made a compelling argument with irrefutable data, research, and statistics, but the underlying “white male competitive career model” in place in corporate America remains intractable.

And/Or

3)      As with most things in life, if we’re not forced to change (by an outside intervention, event or mandate), we won’t shift, even if we know we’re currently not on the right track.

I’m on a mission to address all of these issues, and to support a breakthrough movement for corporate women.   For instance, I’m in the process of co-developing a new software assessment tool (based on my yearlong research and book Breakdown Breakthrough) that will help professional women explore their efficacy, productivity and engagement in their current job and workplace.  It aims to uncover too the risk level of women in all ranks of experiencing at least one of the 12 common yet “hidden” crises working women face today.  Where risk is widespread, we’ll provide follow-up support and training to help women overcome these crises. 

Secondly, I’m focused on the development of new leadership training models and consulting programs that will help both men and women in corporate America deconstruct the outmoded “ male competitive career model” that many workplaces still support, and build a new, inclusive model that honors and nurtures diversity. 

I simply refuse to give up.  For me, this outcome – of ushering women into the ranks of corporate leadership in greater and greater numbers each year — is a MUST have for American business.  Supporting a full-out breakthrough movement for women in America is where it’s at for me. 

So, what about you?  Do you think America truly cares about women’s issues as they relate to the workforce? Are you seeing evidence that corporations across the country are taking up the charge to help women grow in their leadership and management roles – and committing time, energy, and resources to this in an outward, measurable manner?  Are they walking the talk, or simply giving lip-service?

Please share your candid views and experience.   Tell me where I’m wrong – show me proof that corporate America does care in a big and widespread way about advancing women.  Show me where it’s working.  And tell me – What do you think we need to do today to make measurable strides in advancing a critical mass of women into corporate leadership.

Thank you for your input!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Breakthroughs, Careers, Challenges, Kathy Caprino, Women in Business, Women in Leadership | 5 Comments »

Why “Good” Marketing Advice Can Lead You Astray

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

A significant number of my awesome coaching and consulting colleagues and friends across the country have shared with me in the past year that they’ve hired outside marketing help with disappointing (or disastrous) results.  Despite finding “experts” who seem to have good reputations and produce solid results for others, my colleagues found that the marketing advice they received simply wasn’t effective or helpful.

Curious as to deeper reasons behind the lack of efficacy of this marketing  help,  I asked my friends some questions about it:

  1. Did the marketing advice you get “feel” right to you when you got it
  2. Did you feel that the marketing expert really “got” you – understood you and respected where you were coming from, was supportive of you
  3. Was the marketing advice aligned with what you really believe, deep in your heart
  4. Did the advice honor your unique views, perspectives and experiences
  5. Did the copy, products and programs you were led to create feel like a natural outgrowth of you?
  6. Did the new website or program or free gift that you created with the marketing expert make you feel proud and happy with the end result?
  7. Did you feel equal in the relationship, or did you feel that they were the expert and you were the beginner?

If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” it turns out that the marketing advice may have been “sound,” but it wasn’t RIGHT for them.

The process of finding the right marketing support provider is exactly the same as going about finding the right doctor, financial consultant, virtual assistant, or other support professional.   It’s not enough that the individual has helped others, or has a “good reputation,” or seems successful.  There are skillions of folks who fit that bill.

What does matter is that they are the right fit for you – that they are empowered supporters of you, and understand what you want, why you want it, and how you want to go about getting it.  It’s about process here, not just about content. 

Further, it’s critical that you like and trust your helper.  If you follow the advice of someone you don’t like or respect, you subconsciously sabotage yourself and limit your success.  You’re telling yourself that despite this person feeling “off” to you, they must know better than you, and that you don’t know enough.  That core self-message undermines the entire outcome of what you’re trying to achieve – bringing about great, new aligned clients and customers whom you wish to serve.

How to Choose the Right Helper for You

Here are several key criteria that must be met in order for a marketing consultant or coach to be a good fit and to give you more than you pay for.  If you want to be pleased with the outcome, and find enlivening marketing support that helps you achieve the outcomes you want in ways that are aligned with who you are, ask yourself:

Does the provider:

  • Take into account your uniqueness and differences from others in your field
  • Feel  in alignment with you, in terms of aesthetics, values, priorities, authenticity, communication, and style
  • Want you to be happy with their services, and will do what is necessary for you to be more than satisfied?
  • Have proven results with others who are like-minded with you?
  • Have marketing materials, website, programs, and products that you feel are high-quality and high-content and that you’d like to emulate?
  • Price their programs in a way that ensures you’ll generate significantly more money within a year from the outcomes of their support than you’ll pay them?

Finally, does it feel “right” and “good” to work with this individual?  Does s/he empower you, or bring you down?

Spending money wisely is a hallmark of successful individuals and business owners.  Please…think carefully before investing in outside support.  Make sure that your service providers are capable of helping you be all you wish to be in the world.  Feel free to say “no” when it’s not working.  Bring up your concerns and ask for change or resolution.  If you don’t get want you need, be prepared to walk away from the relationship when you sense that this partnership is not for you or for your highest good.  Don’t wait to ask for what you know you need and want.

Are you spending money today in a support relationship that isn’t supportive?  Might today be the day to say “no more?”

 

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Challenges, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Marketing Support, Small Business, Uncategorized, Women in Business | 4 Comments »

Why We Find “Make Money Quick!” Promises Such a Turn-off

Sunday, January 30th, 2011

In speaking to many of my coaching and consulting friends in the past few months, I’ve noticed that the folks I’m most connected with — those with whom I share the most emotional, spiritual and behavioral common ground – are all feeling the same way about the trend we’ve seen during the recession of marketers offering promises like these:

-          Double your income in weeks!
-          Recession-proof your practice!
-          Earn six figures now!
-          Kiss your money worries goodbye!
-          Make money while you sleep!

And so on…

Why do some of these marketing programs make us sit up and pay attention, and others make us press “delete” before we read the tenth word?

As a women’s researcher and a marketing consultant, I myself am offering an ongoing marketing success program for women coaches, consultants and practitioners called Prosperity Marketing Mindset.  I believe that this program helps you name and claim greater success and fulfillment on terms that meaningful to you.  But I make no promises of doubling your money, making money while you sleep, recession-proofing your practice, or finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  I’m careful about what I indicate are the potential outcomes of this program.  I feel that I can authentically and with integrity back up what I’m saying are the probable outcomes, with proven results.

Of course, most of us want to make more money, but the key outcome we want in making more money is doing what we love and doing it with more ease.  Many of us come from a place of wanting to give what we love to give, and we’re NOT drawn to making more money through constructing empty, inauthentic passive revenue projects, affiliation schemes, programs and partnerships that don’t, in the end, bring us closer to what we love to do.

In the wonderful book The Energy of Money (highly recommended), author Maria Nemeth shares this:

“We are all happiest when we are demonstrating in the physical reality what we know to be true about ourselves, when we are giving form to our Life’s Intentions in a way that contributes to others.

I think that this statement sums it up so beautifully and powerfully.  The folks I resonate with want to:

  • Create in life and work that which reflects what they know to be true about themselves
  • Honor their Life Intentions (truest visions and goals) in ways that serve others
  • Make great money doing what they love
  • Expand themselves in the process of being of service

If we can stretch ourselves to do the above better, more effectively and with greater ease, now we’re talking!

So what makes some money messages highly distasteful and a complete turn-off, and others more authentic, believable and compelling? 

Here are five ingredients I’ve found in inauthentic money promises that make us want to run:

1)  They talk about shifting yourself to double your income as if it can happen tomorrow – and in most people’s experience, it’s a process that takes a good deal of time

2)   They promise that because others have done it you can do it too in the same way – and that’s just not always the case.  Financial success is a unique and specialized journey based on the individual’s needs, desires, beliefs, and visions.

3)  They focus on money to the exclusion of other factors that go into creating success, fulfillment, reward, and results

4)  They hold up money as the ultimate outcome we desire – whereas being of service that reflects our Life Intentions is the true outcome we want

5) They ring of self-service – not of uplifting messages that will help US

Coaches, consultants, practitioners, and others who come from the heart want to be of service in the largest way possible, while earning a living that reflects what we know to be true about ourselves.  It’s simple but not easy, and we know it.  There are challenging steps involved in clearing and stretching us to be able to give of ourselves in a healthy and generous way, and strike a beautiful balance with the energy of money.

In the end, it’s vitally important to embrace messages that feel authentic and compelling to you.  Please don’t worry that’s something wrong with you (or that you’re not doing what you should) if you feel out of synch with these make-money-quick messages and schemes.  Make yourself RIGHT, and not wrong!

I’d love to hear from you – Do many of these “double your money!” messages turn you off?  Why, exactly?  And what money messages are attractive and exciting to you?  Please SHARE!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Empowerment, Kathy Caprino, Marketing Support, success | 1 Comment »

Brush Those “Haters” Off

Thursday, January 20th, 2011
Hello! How’s your week going?  Great, I hope.

Personally, I’ve had a few hard knocks this week from several people who indicated they’d like to offer constructive feedback, but then proceeded to tear down and put down.

Helpful or Hurtful?

It’s an interesting experience, to come open-hearted to someone to receive their feedback, thinking it will be a growing experience to hear their thoughts, only to discover that the input is not coming from a kind, compassionate or caring place, or being offered as a means of help.  Know what I mean? 
Have you experienced that lately too? 

As a trained therapist, communicator and energy worker, I feel energy.  I feel a vast energetic difference between words that come from someone who has clear vision, who’s done the inner work, and who is offering feedback from a caring, service-oriented place, versus input from one who hasn’t done the hard work of examining herself and understanding her own fears, vulnerabilities or dark side.  Sure, there are times when we hear critical input and it hurts, but we know deep down that it’s well-intended and important to take in.  But in the cases where the giver is not intending to be helpful, (and is just lashing out instead), we should NOT take it in.

It’s vitally important to be able to differentiate.  After all, (as my new friend just shared), “You don’t have to catch every ball that’s thrown at you.”

As hard as it is to be “torn down,” I’m using it as fodder for growth. I’m taking the time to settle into it and feel what it’s teaching me.  I’m looking at how I co-created the space for it. I’m also continuing to build stronger boundaries, and remembering that not everyone is going to like us! 

As You Spread Your Wings, You Bump into More Things

I’ve heard, and now believe, that the clearer we get about who we are and what we’re doing here, the more powerful and purposeful we are on that path, the more people will find us off-putting or threatening (and unlikable)!  I’ve heard it said that if you’re not offending anyone, you’re not taking a strong enough stand!  Intriguing concept, and I’m seeing a good deal of validity in it.

As I’ve been experiencing some challenging feedback that didn’t feel as if it were coming from a pure place, perhaps you have too?  I hope not, but if so, please remember this: 

You’re awesome, and you’re working very diligently to come from a place of service and to help many, from your heart.  You are special, and it’s time to stop shying away from your specialness. 

You have the right to share your uniqueness in a powerful way with others.  And if others bristle or lash out, don’t dishonor yourself by beating yourself up that you’ve done something wrong.  Treat yourself with love and compassion (and find compassion in your heart for the “hater”).  But also find the courage (and take the time) to learn the important lessons you need to experience, all along the way.
 
Brush Those “Haters” Off!
 
If someone tears you down with cruelty or out of spite or jealously, brush the “hater” off and pick yourself up!  Don’t be dragged down.  Certainly, find compassion and understanding in your heart, but remember that only you can understand and recognize your true path.  Keep true to yourself, and don’t let the detractors knock you down.
(Deep thanks go to my amazing virtual assistant — Yoana Brecker, of Advantage Virtual Support — for that sound and caring piece of advice!)
 
Have you been “put down” lately out of the blue?  What did it teach you?  Please SHARE.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Books, Breakthroughs, Empowerment, Kathy Caprino, Wake Up Calls | 8 Comments »

Three Critical Success Steps for Professional Women

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

In the past several years, I’ve had the great pleasure of coaching and partnering with some amazing women in the U.S. – senior managers and leaders in Fortune 500 companies and non-profits who absolutely love their work, relish their roles, and feel they’re able to apply their many gifts and talents to achieve heart-aligned professional goals.  These women are fortunate indeed, but they’ve also co-created their great success through hard work, commitment, and dedication.

Yet even among women leaders who’ve accomplished much, I’ve observed one behavior that holds women back from greater leadership success.  It’s this – when women are concerned about their perceived weaknesses or knowledge gaps, they tend to isolate, and work hard to hide their “imperfections.”  They don’t realize that we simply can’t reach our potential if we don’t 1) admit the need for growth and 2) find empowering help to get it.

In order for professional women to stretch to reach their best, they need to take action to close their power gaps, and find support on a continual basis from inspiring, successful, heart-aligned women leaders.  But how?

Take these three action steps:

1)      Find a Visual Role Model/Mentor Who Inspires You – OUTSIDE of your company

Find an inspiring female mentor who is a living, breathing example of where you want to go and who you wish to be.  Make sure this female leader is speaking, behaving, managing and leading as you wish to. And have your most relied-upon mentor come from OUTSIDE of your firm.

 A wonderful client of mine mentioned to me that her male boss liked the idea of her finding a mentor, and recommended she use a fellow one level above her at the company as her mentor.  My response to that was, “Sure, that’s fine, but it’s not enough.”

You need to find a powerful mentor OUTSIDE your company as well, and make sure it’s a woman!  Yes, men can and will be wonderful supporters of your work, and you can find fabulous mentors within your company.  Do it. 

 But for the one mentor who is going to help you be all you wish to be, ask a female leader outside your immediate realm – someone with whom you can be perfectly authentic and candid —  a woman who will have your best interests at heart.  Find an individual who isn’t tempted to feel competitive with you, doesn’t have an agenda working with you, and isn’t compromised when you tell her exactly how you feel. 

Why choose a woman as your mentor?  Because we believe what we see – and when you interact closely with other powerful and enlightening female leaders who are expert at achieving their passion, power, and purpose at work, then you’ll be one step closer to that as well.

2)      Join Your Industry’s Best National and Regional Organizations for Women

As female leaders and managers, it’s essential that you connect with women in your region and nationally who are engaged in developing your profession and moving it forward for women. This is not to bash men, but corporate America was founded on a “white male competitive career model” that simply doesn’t fit a majority of women.   This will change – it has to.  But it will take a very long time. 

In the meantime, there are still powerful assumptions and expectations about what makes a successful professional that don’t, in general, align with thousands of women’s priorities, values and goals today.  (See my book Breakdown Breakthrough for more about this ill-fitting model and the 12 “hidden” crises working women face today).

So don’t wait. Locate the leading organizations in your field that support women, and join them.  Invest in membership (yes, my friends, you must invest in yourself) and become active in your chapter and nationally – it will change how you see yourself, your work, and your possibilities.

3)      Close Your “Power Gaps”

Finally, no matter who you are, you have insecurities (unless you’re a narcissist).  There will always be areas that you wish were stronger, that you’re afraid others will shine the light on, exposing your flaws and “weaknesses.”  It’s universal – we’re ALL afraid of being “found out” to some degree. 

So rather than spend any more precious time and energy hiding or over-compensating for the areas in which you need to grow,  get into the cage with your fears and do something about them.  Figure out exactly what training, education, credentials, experiences or new knowledge you need to acquire to feel more competent in your job, and go out and get them. And if you can, ask your employer to support you in this training and education.  Once you’ve addressed your perceived weaknesses, you’ll be amazed at how much more powerful and confident you feel and act.

Trust me when I say that getting help to courageously address your competency gaps will change you, and you’ll be delighted with the outcome.

What are your “power gaps?”  Where do you feel “less than?”  And who can serve as your powerful female mentor to help you overcome these gaps?

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Breakthroughs, Careers, Empowerment, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Women in Leadership | No Comments »

Top 10 Things I Love About Running My Own Small Business

Friday, January 7th, 2011

I saw a neat HARO (@helpareporter) query today asking for the top things folks love best about running their own small businesses.  It felt SO good to think about this question, and to bring again to my heart and mind my gratitude for what Ellia Communications allows for me in my life.

Here’s my Top Ten list of what I love about running a small business:

1)      Making a Difference: I can make a difference in a way that matters to me – I’m not constrained by others’ agendas

2)      Leadership: I can lead and manage following my own vision, priorities, values and standards of integrity – not someone else’s

3)      Creativity: I can create and deliver products and programs that are authentic, useful and need-based, and get them to market very quickly (no red tape)

4)      Authenticity: There are zero politics in my world now – I work only with people, partners and organizations that are aligned with my mission and purpose

5)      Control: I can say “NO” and “YES! “as I want and need to – I’m in control of my schedule, my endeavors, my professional life

6)      Management: I can hire and collaborate with exactly the folks I want to be in association with– there are no other parties to cater to in my decisions

7)      Freedom of Speech: I can speak freely (hallelujah!), use my own voice and share honest views and perspectives without worrying about repercussions

8)      Balance: I achieve much greater work-life balance because I set my own priorities, which include time with my family

9)      Clarity – I know who I am professionally and where I’m going, with much greater clarity and focus than I achieved when working for others or larger businesses

10)   Passion, Power, Purpose – My own small business allows me to embrace everything that matters to me, and furthers me on my path of helping others reclaim their passion, power, and purpose.

Yes, I’ve made some big mistakes and there have been deep challenges.  But I love Ellia Communications and am grateful for everything it makes possible for me.

What do you LOVE about running your small business?  Let’s hear it!

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Breakthroughs, Careers, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Kathy Caprino, Small Business, Women in Business, Women in Leadership, success | No Comments »

Mistake #3 – Letting the “Pendulum Effect” Rule My Life

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Hi Friends,

Happy to share my latest vblog on my Mistake #3 – Letting the “Pendulum Effect” Rule My Life – another installment of My 52 Mistakes.

This mistake is all about waiting too long to make change, resisting what is, then being devastating and jumping to the opposite extreme, only to discover the same yucky stuff awaits (because you haven’t done the inner and outer work to overcome these same challenges).

I’d love your thoughts.  Does the Pendulum Effect rule your life? And what have you done to stay more balanced and grounded rather than swinging from extreme to extreme?

Please send me a video blog or story of your own, and share it on the new facebook page for this project, My 52 Mistakes.  Thanks so much for commenting and spreading it along!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Advice, Challenges, Empowerment, Featured, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, My 52 Mistakes | No Comments »

Get Over Yourself and Get Going

Monday, December 20th, 2010

Hi Friends – happy to share that More.com published my piece “Get Over Yourself and Get Going” today – about the secret sauce to real, heartfelt and authentic success.  I’m not talking here about the kind of success that makes you happy for one second, then flits off like a firefly.  I’m talking about success that fills you up, makes you feel whole, reinforces what matters, strengthens you, and reminds you why you’re on the planet now, even during these terribly trying times.

Here’s the piece:
http://www.more.com/4879/26355-the-secret-sauce-to-your

I’ve thought long and hard over these past years of reinvention about success.  My goodness…my vision and worldview about success have changed dramatically.  Frankly, my views about success keep morphing, but one thing I know for sure – if you don’t have deep and powerful clarity about what a joyful, successful life is for you, then “success” is elusive at best.

Hope this story spurs some action and reaction.  Please comment and share! Do you think it might be time to name and claim your heartfilled visions of success?  Let’s make 2011 the year we all get over ourselves and get going!

Love and success to you in 2011,
Kathy

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Kathy Caprino, Support for Change, Tips for Empowerment, success | No Comments »

The Top 10 Things Coaching Marketers and Training Schools Won’t Tell You

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

This week, I had a fabulous conversation with Starla Sireno – Founder of www.Fearlessnessinc.com and the Fearless Women Entrepreneur Network – an empowering forum for women entrepreneurs in San Francisco and beyond, providing the knowledge and support women need to become fearless entrepreneurs. 

Starla and I both found so much validation and confirmation in sharing our honest and frank views about the coaching business, entrepreneurship, women’s challenges in launching their ventures to great success, and the onslaught of false information that is damaging to thousands of women today.

I realized in speaking with Starla that I’ve officially had it with the thousands of false and empty promises I keep hearing from hundreds of coaching marketers and product developers for coaches, and organizations that train beginning coaches.  Their talk is SO full of misleading guidance, that it’s time to speak out. 

I’m sharing below what I know to be true about the coaching business, based on not only my personal experience, but also my honest and authentic conversations and connections with hundreds of coaches nationwide and in other countries.

*Note: The following information excludes reference to executive and business coaches who are paid by an organization, not by individuals.  There are exceptions to the statements that follow, but not many, and only under special conditions:

What I know to be true about coaching: 

1) “Coaching” per se doesn’t sell.  People still don’t know what coaching is or what it delivers.  To get new clients and continually fill a pipeline to make a good living, you must promote and market the substantial benefits and outcomes you deliver, not sell “coaching”

2) Your delivered outcomes must be highly compelling.  The benefits and outcomes you deliver through coaching must be compelling and highly valuable in the eyes of your clients, not yours.  For people to part with their money today, you must address a pain point that has to be resolved, or a benefit that is deeply coveted, in the client’s opinion.

3) Don’t count on workshops for your living. You won’t make any money running workshops, selling passive income products, or engaging in affiliate relationships if you don’t have a large enough community (in the multiple thousands) to sell to.

4) The strength of your brand matters. With the massive influx of data and information today, you need a compelling brand and powerful unique positioning, website and other marketing materials that work, to stand out and help you attract new clients and customers — unless you only want to work only through word-of-mouth.

5) You need a large platform or community in order to sell books. Creating books and e-books in general won’t make you money either – again unless you have thousands of potential customers within your reach.  Books (and only well-developed ones that offer something of value) will, however, generate other benefits for you (credibility, recognition, exposure, a new affordable way to reach people, etc.).

6) Hundreds of coaches nationwide are not making it.  The median annual salary for a life coach is $30,000 – and many more coaches make much less than that.  If you want a bigger income, you must embrace a different business model that includes not just one-on-one coaching but also other high-quality and useful services, products and programs.

7) Publishers will be interested in your book only when you command significant attention. Publishers won’t consider publishing your book unless you have a sizable platform and community (in the many multiple thousands) and can command attention, through traditional or social media, or through others means.

 8) Publicity doesn’t have the financial impact you think it does.  National publicity is awesome to get, but it doesn’t necessarily move any important needle in your business financials – including in your revenue, clients, customers or speaking fees.  Don’t chase publicity for publicity’s sake.

9) Paid speaking gigs don’t come easy. If you want to be a paid speaker, it takes a great deal of training, powerfully-crafted programs, credibility, in-depth experience, and hard-earned knowledge about how to engage, inform, and enliven an audience.  All of that takes years.  Don’t expect high fees (or fees at all) as a beginning speaker.

10) Coaching is NOT a quick and lucrative way out to your corporate job. 
DON’T engage in a coaching practice if you think it’s an easy, profitable way to run from your corporate life.  And please don’t launch a coaching or consulting practice (or other business) if you aren’t ready to focus on and continually attend to the business-building and marketing actions essential to creating a thriving business.  If it’s contrary to your personality to go out and pursue business opportunities daily and promote your business with gusto and energy – then definitely think again.

*  *  *  *

Coaching can be a very rewarding and exciting profession, but it takes time, energy, business and marketing know-how, sound investment, and an ongoing commitment to making it work.  False promises about how easy it is to earn six figures, create compelling information products that sell, or attract clients who’ll flock to your door, are misleading at best, destructive at worst. 

Some helpful TO-DO tips:

1) If you’re building a coaching practice, seek out reliable and highly respected coaching marketers and business-builders who understand the realities of the business and will share with you the core strategies they’ve used to overcome the inherent challenges. 

2) Please be judicious in what you invest in outside help to develop your business. Don’t spend thousands of dollars on outside marketing help if there’s no way you can recoup that money within the year. 

3) Find helpers who are strong role models whom you respect, and whose products and programs are of high quality.

4) Believe only the advice of people who want you to succeed as much as — if not more than – they want to fill their own pipelines.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for real-life stories of successful coaches who have navigated powerfully through each of the above realities.

I’d love to hear from you.  What else do coaching marketers and schools NOT tell you? Leave a comment!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Careers, Challenges, Kathy Caprino, Living Real, Marketing Support, Powerful Self-Marketing, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Why Million-Dollar Coaching Promises Should Make You Leery

Friday, November 19th, 2010

“It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.” – Winston Churchill

These past few years I’ve been connected with literally dozens of coaches who promise that, if you follow their work and their model, you’ll be a millionaire. 

 Really?

I’ve listened intently to numerous coaching teleseminars these past months about how to make a million dollars, and so many are all about the insider “secrets” to making seven figures, and if you follow their “five easy steps” (or whatever model they’re pitching), you too can do it easily and effortlessly.

I don’t know about you, but I’m up to my craw with these ridiculous promises.  Why do they annoy me so much?  Because they’re misleading and unethical, and leading thousands of people down a path that is clearly not in their best interest.

I’m not saying that people can’t make a million dollars in their coaching practice, or other forms of business, and I’m not saying that there aren’t some great coaches out there who help people reach the million-dollar mark and higher. 

I am saying that there are many more ineffective, self-serving coaches who aren’t capable of helping you reach your high goals.  If you’re broke, and are told you can go from that to a millionaire in a year because you’re following this one coach’s program (and not doing all the inner and outer work it truly takes to be abundantly successful), then you’ll be sorely disappointed and waste a great deal of time and money in the process.

Here’s the rundown of my serious complaints about so many “millionaire” coaches:

Often millionaire coaches end up telling you exactly how they made their million, and recommend that you should follow their “five easy steps”.  However, my many years of training as a therapist, coach, marketing and business exec, writer and researcher of women tell me that:

  1. Easy Steps aren’t the ones that bring about life change: If it were easy, you’d be doing it!  What brings about massive shifting and change is the challenging stuff – the actions that make us fearful or take us WAY out of our comfort zone.  And “easy” steps are not necessarily easy or right or aligned with everyone.  Offering specific “easy” tactics to help people make more money is fine as far as it goes, but it’s not far enough without helping the individual identify specifically the powerful internal shifts they need to make to bring about far greater success.
  2. Broke to Millionaire – it’s doable, but I can tell you, if you’re flat broke, and are given a promise you can make half a million next year, it’s misleading at best, devastatingly off-track at worst.  The reason for that is that we all operate on a level that we’re comfortable at right now, and launching yourself 10 levels higher doesn’t typically work.  What does work is slow and steady progress to the next level higher, then the next and the next, and continuing that process with vigilance and commitment.
  3. Cookie-cutter models are ineffective – A cookie-cutter model to generate a million dollars in revenue is absurd.  To make seven figures, you have to power yourself up in ways that you don’t even realize right now – in your mindset, beliefs, actions, offerings, sense of worth, expectations, financial planning savvy, boundaries, self-advocacy, and in your relationship with money and success.  And you don’t do that by following someone else’s basic tactical strategy.  You do that through intently focused inner and outer work that brings you – step by step, day by day – to a new place that is right for you specifically.
  4.  These promises are entirely self-serving – These millionaire coaches want you to think it’s easy to follow their plan and succeed, because that’s how they make their millions!  Signing people up for programs that cost thousands of dollars, when in many cases the individual being coached can’t possibly recoup those thousands of dollars that year (or in the several years to come) given their mindset, capabilities (at the moment), and business model—that’s just plain wrong.

I come from a perspective of social and ethical consciousness, so seeing these promises being made in sleek and sleazy teleseminars and long-copy marketing pages – the whole thing makes my head spin.  They talk about offering high value and content in the teleseminar, but literally 60% of the seminar is selling their next event (using a cookie-cutter marketing approach for selling events!).

About money – I’ve made six figures in many years throughout my career, and I know what it takes to do it, and it’s not “5 Easy Steps.”  In winning the Make Mine a Million Dollar Business “Micro to Millions” program award in 2008, that one event in my life stepped up my goals and visions for my company significantly, and took me to new heights overnight.  Of course you can power up your career and your business and make great money – and a million dollars is within your reach if the necessary events, factors and ingredients are there, but it’s not through an easy five-step coaching model.

If you too are tired of (and disgusted with) these empty, over-simplistic and grandiose claims and selling tactics, you’re not alone!!  And don’t worry – you’re not being resistant or pushing away your millions to say that that these coaches and messages turn you way off.  There are other ways and means (and empowering mentors, coaches and consultants) who can truly help you achieve what you long for.

The key is in discernment – figure out how to tell the difference between a flashy, self-serving promise (that makes the process sound far easier than it is) vs. a heart-felt commitment to your success — with the intellectual, spiritual and ethical chops to make it work for you. Find helpers who wish to be of true service in helping you become exactly what you want to be in the world.

Thanks for listening to my rant!  And PLEASE share – are you tired of these empty, vacuous and absurd promises?  I’d love to hear.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Advice, Careers, Challenges, Empowerment, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Living Real, Marketing Support, Women in Business, success | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »