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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!

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

Why Asking for Money Is So Hard

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

I’ve been watching my clients – and myself – this past year around the experience of charging fees, asking for payment, suggesting folks re-enroll in our programs, etc., and here’s what I’ve found…

Very few people like asking for money, and no one finds it easy – we universally hate it.

Why? 

Because asking for money brings up thousands of insecurities and doubts.  We’re scared to look money in the face, and to put ourselves out there, formally stating where we stand in a value equation.  And we’re unsure of our worthiness.

Folks tell me that when they ask for money from clients or customers, questions swim inside their heads about value, impact, and “appeal.”  They fear that asking for money is the opposite of being “pleasing” to people, and will be a huge turn-off.  (For a fascinating discussion around if we should worry about what other people think of us, see Jonathan Fields’s recent post “What Other People Think IS Your Business.”)

In tough times like these, consultants, coaches, practitioners and entrepreneurs struggle hard to stand up for what they want/deserve in compensation or fees, fearing no one will pay.  And in the end, many aren’t sure themselves what their services are worth.

At the root of this money challenge are shame, doubt and insecurity:  Am I good enough? How can I put a value on what I offer?  Will there be enough people to pay this?  Will they come back?  Did they think my work was a good value?  How do I fare against the competition?  Did I give them great results?

While I continue to struggle with asking for money, I’ve found greater success this year only after figuring out beyond a reasonable doubt what I feel my services are worth.  I didn’t make the numbers up – I did the work of obtaining valid information and feedback.  I conducted diligent, open-hearted research – with clients, competition, experts, role models, the marketplace, etc.  I asked my clients how they assessed the value of our work together, and the impact it made in their lives.  And I left my ego at the door when these conversations occurred. 

Asking for money IS hard, but it gets easier when we become crystal clear about what our services/products are worth to those we serve.  Once we know in our hearts and minds what to charge, then it’s time to speak up and ask for it. 

Curious about your thoughts – Do you find asking for money hard, and what makes it easier?

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Posted in Challenges, Empowerment, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Marketing Support, Women in Business, success | No Comments »

The 12 Hidden Crises of Entrepreneurial Women

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

Several years ago I conducted a yearlong research study with over 100 working women across the country about professional crises in women and how we can reclaim our lives to overcome them.  I was astounded by the findings, and felt they were so universal and important for women, I wrote a book called Breakdown Breakthrough about these 12 crises, offering a three-step holistic model to break through these challenges once and for all.

Since the book came out in 2008, women from all over the country have written to me sharing sentiments such as, “You are writing to me, about me, and for me,” and “It’s as if you know exactly what I’m living and feeling!”  My research shows that 9 out of 10 working women are experiencing at least one of these 12 “hidden” crises, and on average, women are experiencing three at the same time!  And over half of these women don’t know what to do about it.

These 12 crises are not just tiny “bumps” in the road but full-out, serious challenges that are marked by chronic disempowered thinking and a serious lack of ability to move oneself forward in positive, powerful ways towards one’s goals and visions.

These 12 crises fall into four categories that represent how we relate to ourselves and the world. 

These four levels depict the nature of our:

  • Relationship with Ourselves
  • Relationship with Others
  • Relationship with the World
  • Relationship with Our Higher Selves

In general, each crisis is characterized by an “I can’t do this!” mantra, or some form of disempowered thinking, beliefs and actions.  The crises include:

  • “I can’t speak up for myself.”
  • “I can’t get out of this financial trap.”
  • “I can’t escape this crushing competition.”
  • “I can’t resolve my chronic health problems.”
  • “I don’t like who I’ve become.”
  • “I can’t use my real talents in my work.”
  • “I can’t balance life and work.”
  • “I can’t do work and play that I love.”

Entrepreneurial Women Face these Same Challenges

As I move forward with marketing consulting work for entrepreneurial women around the country, I’m finding that these same 12 crises are challenging women in their entrepreneurial ventures as well, and in the ways in which they view and run their businesses!

Entrepreneurial women are challenged on these same four levels:

Relationship With Themselves as Entrepreneurs 
Key issue: “Do I have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, and am I “good” or “smart” enough to run this business?”

Relationship With Others
Key issue: “How can I forge a mutually-beneficial and supporting relationship with clients, customers, colleagues, and peers?”

Relationship With The World
Key issue: “Am I using my real gifts and talents in this business, and is my business providing a service to the world that I care about delivering, that others need and want?”

Relationship With the Higher Self 
Key issue: “Does my business have a higher mission, vision and values that mean more  to me than simply making money?”

If you’re an entrepreneurial woman and are challenged with any of the above issues in your life and work, please know that there is indeed help out there for you, and these are very common challenges that entrepreneurial women face.  Also know that new thinking and actions can indeed shift you away from feeling disempowered and unable to tackle the issues at hand.  You can do this, and you can do it well, loving your work and thriving in the process. But you have to take action, and a kind of action that is different from what you normally would engage in.

There are four key steps to overcoming these types of challenges:

1. Step Back – to gain a fresh, empowered perspective of your situation and what it is telling you about what needs to change

2. Let Go – of the thinking, actions, and behaviors that are keeping you stuck and holding you back

3. Say Yes! – to your compelling future visions of your business and of your success as an entrepreneurial woman.

4. Create It – create a S.M.A.R.T. plan with concrete, measurable goals and action steps – and find someone to help you become accountable – for moving on your way to achieving your visions of success and fulfillment.

Try this experiment! Pick up a copy of my book Breakdown Breakthrough and read it.  (Commit to carving out a bit of time just for yourself over the holidays and read the chapters that really speak to you.)  As you read the book and the powerful stories and advice presented by women who have transformed their lives and work, focus specifically on the concepts and information that elicit a feeing of “resistance” in you – ideas or words that make you say to yourself, “Oh, I really don’t want to look at that,” or “That’s not me!”  Then take one, targeted action that will help you address the area you resist the most.

One of the most powerful concepts I learned in therapy training is, “What you resist, persists.”  Watch closely what you resist, because resistance is a sign that you’re overly attached to one particular view or approach, and you’ve closed yourself off from openly exploring other avenues.  I’ve found that the biggest breakthroughs, learning and growth come when we muster the courage to walk directly toward — and through — what we resist the most.

*  *  *  *  *

Let me know how the experiment works!  What is your deepest entrepreneurial struggle, and what did you learn when you mustered the courage to walk through your resistance to Say Yes! to yourself and your business.

Thank you for sharing, and wishing you many happy breakthroughs.

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Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Careers, Challenges, Empowerment, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Marketing Support, Uncategorized, Wake Up Calls, success | No Comments »

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.

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

My 52 Mistakes Project – Mistake #52 – The Biggest

Monday, November 15th, 2010

Hi Friends – happy to share the second installment of my project “My 52 Mistakes” – a social media and research project aimed at providing an open, authentic forum for women to explore, understand and grow from their biggest mistakes in life and work, and to help other women by sharing the amazing lessons we’ve learned from our missteps.

Today, I’m talking about my Mistake #52 – the biggest, most impactful error I made (so far!).  This mistake involved my remaining deeply stuck in struggle, sickness, and sadness for years in my worklife, not grasping until I was in my forties that I am special, unique, and powerful, and can make the difference I truly want to, in my life and in the world.

Hope you enjoy it!  PLEASE share this link with every woman you know, and please comment – let me know what you think of this mistake, if it resonates, your biggest mistake, what you learned, and where you are today.

Thank you so much for your honest and courageous sharing.  It means the world.

Wishing you many happy breakthroughs.

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Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Challenges, Empowerment, Following Your Dreams, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, My 52 Mistakes, Women in Business | No Comments »

7 Reasons You Hate Marketing – And How to Learn to Love It

Saturday, November 13th, 2010

In ramping up my marketing consulting work with women consultants, practitioners, and entrepreneurs these past months, I’ve heard these words over and over:

 “I hate marketing.”

 or, more specifically…

 “I hate promoting myself.”

It’s an amazing thing to observe – that so many women today view marketing as sleazy, embarrassing, scary, or simply overwhelming.

Women tell me that marketing and networking are deeply challenging (and scare the pants off of them) for the following reasons (these are exact quotes):

 “I just feel like that sleazy used car salesman I hate.”

 “I don’t know how to go up to people and share what I do.”

 “I feel so intrusive to just blurt out that I can help someone.”

 “I’m too shy to do what’s necessary.”

 “I don’t understand how to do this – it’s all so overwhelming.”

 “I think I have to be like her (an aggressive, in-your-face networker) to be successful, and I just can’t.”

 “I love the work I do – why do I have to do this other marketing stuff?”

If these statements resonate with you, help is out there for you!

I’m here to tell you – marketing is not what you think.  And the sooner you can embrace your “inner marketer,” and learn to love her, the happier and more fulfilled you’ll be in your work.

 What Is Marketing?

First, marketing is not the hairy monster you’ve imagined.  It’s simply about letting people know you exist – via any and all of the many neat methods and forms available today – so that you can be of powerful and joyful service to the world. 

It’s about sharing your unique messages in an authentic, compelling way so that the people you love to serve can find you, and identify that you’re the right one to help them. 

Marketing is about bringing yourself to the market you want to help, and communicating, “I’m really awesome at what I do and offer, and I LOVE my work.  May I be of service to you?”

How to Embrace Your “Inner Marketer”

Let’s break this down to look at what’s really beneath the challenges you face in marketing. 

The key marketing obstacles for women fall into the same four categories that I uncovered in my national research with career women.  (For more about the 12 “hidden” crises working women face today, and how to overcome them, see my  book Breakdown, Breakthrough.)

These categories represent levels at which we interact with ourselves and our world, and can be characterized as either empowered or disempowered, based on each individual’s specific situation, in:

  • Your Relationship with Yourself
  • Your Relationship with the World
  • Your Relationship with Others
  • Your Relationship with Your Higher Self

These same relationship categories apply to your marketing endeavors and marketing persona. 

Here’s what you need to understand to become a comfortable and easy marketer and networker who likes it:

Your Relationship with Yourself

Confidence and Worthiness:

The key marketing challenges for women are confidence and worthiness.  Deep down, many are not quite sure they’re great at their work, and don’t have the self-confidence to come out say “I’m very talented at this work, and would love to be of service to you!”

Tip: You need to step up to embrace how great you are in your work.  And if you don’t feel you offer high-quality products and services, then you need a shift.  Identify the new skills, talents and experiences that will bring your work to the next level.  Go out and get those skills and experiences.  Don’t wait.

Your Relationship with Others

Two key marketing challenges come up here: speaking up with power and authority, and connecting deeply with others in your communications and your interactions.

Speaking Up:
Many women are challenged in speaking up about and for themselves with power, authority, and command. 

Tip: If you believe that speaking out about your gifts and talents means you’re bragging, think again.  How can people know about your work if you don’t tell them about it – in your speaking, writing, and interactions? Release this misguided belief that talking about your work is pushy or arrogant.

Connecting:
Getting out there in the world with your products and services means you have to connect to people from the heart, help them find their pain points and show how your work addresses want they want most.  People do business with people they know, like and trust, so you’ve got to give them the opportunity to know you.

Tip: If you’re shy and uncomfortable about connecting and interacting with people, get out there and do more of it.  If you’re too self-focused and self-limiting, you’ll find it hard to make the authentic connections you need to bring your work and business out there in a bigger way.

Relationship with the World:

The two core challenges here are: Money and Service

Embracing Money:
Many women are simply disempowered around their finances, and around earning, managing, and investing their money.  Often, they can’t seem to establish great fees/prices for their work, and or command these fees on a consistent basis.  Further, many women don’t have the financial planning experience to make their marketing efforts profitable.

Tip: Get financial help!  First, you must have a very clear sense of what your products and services are worth in the marketplace – not what you think they SHOULD be worth, but the true and perceived value of the outcomes you give to others.  Then you must acquire the confidence and strength to obtain these prices and fees, and negotiate powerfully for them when needed.  Secondly, don’t overspend on your business (on marketing or other initiatives) before you’ve learned how to earn.

Being of Service:
You need to know how you want to serve the world, and how you do it best, above and beyond the competition.  If you don’t know how you’re different from your competitors, the marketplace won’t know either, and you won’t get the business you want.

Tip: Name and claim the niche you serve best and are most joyful at working in.  Find ways to become an expert and truly gifted in the areas that light you up the most, and communicate your stand-apart qualities.

Relationship with Your Higher Self

Finally, the two essential marketing blocks here in terms of accessing your most expansive, highest self in your work are: Finding Role Models and Being Open to Angels (the human kind – and others, if you wish!)

Finding Role Models:
If you think that the only way to do marketing is the sleazy, intrusive and shameless kind, you’re just stuck in a misguided story that’s holding you back.  You need a new set of role models that you can see, hear, and follow, who are doing it the way you want to.

Tip: Find fabulous visual role models of marketers who are doing it the way you love.  Follow my “marketingpeeps” list on twitter (@kathycaprino) for a start.  These men and women are just a sampling of amazing communicators and marketers who do great work in the most authentic, heart-aligned and compelling way possible on the planet!

Opening to Angels:
If you hate marketing, you’re going to struggle in your business and creative ventures.  It’s that simple.  So get help to overcome your fears about it.  Be open to the angels that come in your life who want to help you move forward.  Find people you trust and respect, and ask them for their critique (yes, critique!), advice and support.  You don’t have to do this alone.  Angels are waiting in the wings to help you.

*  *  *  *

Learning how to get yourself out there and share your authentic messages with the world – and powering up to deal with this success outcomes that will follow – is one of the most enlivening and exciting processes you can undertake.

 Are you ready to embrace your Inner Marketer? I think Yes!

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Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Following Your Dreams, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Levels of Disempowerment, Powerful Self-Marketing, Women in Business, success | No Comments »

The “Secret Sauce” to Your Success

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

Lately I’ve been focusing a good deal on “success” in my writing and workshops, and this month I had a startling realization:

“Success” is a concept and an experience that is utterly intimidating to many women.

In my experience, women view “success” as a label that automatically refers to wealth, power, influence, and control.  Rather than success referring to one’s own definition of achieving what you truly want in life and work, it’s become a reflection of how much money you’ve made and what you’ve put in the bank, along with other outer trappings of financial achievement.

Well, I don’t view success that way at all (anymore).  To me, success is this…

Achieving what you want — on your own personal terms, and following your own definition – and doing so in a way that is fulfilling and enriching to you. 

That’s success to me.

What is success to you? 

Turns out, most women fear and shudder at success. While they might say they want it, there’s a chronic lack of readiness for it. 

The Secret Sauce to Success

After years of reinventing myself and my life (and unfortunately being overly-attached to struggle), I’m in the process of letting go of struggle and letting in more peace and joy.  I’m finding my pathway to success is less bumpy as I let go of needing to struggle.

In doing so, my conceptualization and experience of “success” has changed dramatically.  I believe now that “success’ is all about claiming what you want, and doing the inner and out work of creating a joyful, peaceful and exciting life experience. 

For me, that includes building a purposeful career, for others it means something else.  Whatever it means to you, success offers the opportunity for a lifelong journey of learning, growing, applying what you’ve learned, and stretching to be the largest version of yourself.

My recipe for success – the “secret sauce” if you will, that I help others create — involves both “inner” and “outer” ingredients.  Both are needed for optimal success. 

The Inner ingredients you need:

Clarity – to experience yourself as successful, you must know what you want and tune out what society and culture and your “tribe” insist that you should have. 

Courage – once you know what you want, you can’t have it unless you risk parts of yourself to get it.

Faith – You must believe that success is possible; otherwise it won’t be.

Readiness – While we hanker for success, most of us aren’t ready for it.  We fear it, dread it and run from it.  To experience success, you must release what keeps from wanting change.

Positivity – If all you see in your worldview is negativity, you won’t have success.  You’ll miss vital opportunities and new pathways to your own growth

The Outer ingredients for success are:

Aligned and Inspired Action – We must take action to move forward – but the action needs to feel right and be in integrity, not coming from desperation or anger. 

Resourcefulness – If things aren’t working as they are, you must tap into all your inner and outer resources and support to make the right changes for you. 

Flexibility – Being overly attached how it must “look” is a recipe for struggle, not success. 

Openness – Success involves being open to those who are sent to us to offer just the help we need, and just the right time.  (And critique is important and necessary.)

Energy – You need energy, and lots of it, to create what you want. 

I’ve observed that my own attention to each of these ingredients in the last year has unlocked me powerfully, and moved me forward to my definition of success.

As a personal example, regarding Courage – I’ve known for a long time that having a speaking demo is essential for me if I wish to be invited to speak more frequently at the national level.  But I held back in filming myself in action, for many reasons, including: the timing wasn’t right, the venue wasn’t right, the topic wasn’t perfectly honed yet, etc.  But truthfully, deep down, the inner reason I held back was my lack of readiness to launch to the next level, and that I downright afraid of putting myself out there to be critiqued.

Last month, I finally bit the bullet and all things conspired for me to film my talk to 200+ career women at the Business Women’s Forum in Hartford, CT.  I did it! 

Here’s a look:

Is it perfect? No.  But is it perfect for me right now?  Yup! 

And it moved me forward in a powerful way to put myself out there.  Wonderful, aligned gigs, opportunities, partners and clients have come my way because of it.  Why? Because I decided “I am ready!” – I got over myself and got going.

What is your definition of success?  And do you feel ready for it today?  If not, can you muster the courage to increase your readiness and move forward, despite your fears?

Please share your thoughts about what scares you most about moving forward to your definition of “knock- your-socks-off” success.

Thank you for your openness and courage to share – you help others so much when you do.

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Posted in Breakthroughs, Careers, Empowerment, Inspiration for Change, Kathy Caprino, Living Real, success | No Comments »

5 Top Mistakes to Avoid in Your Career Reinvention

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

After spending nine years reinventing myself from a miserable and chronically ill corporate VP to women’s career and executive coach, marketing consultant, author, speaker and women’s work-life expert, I’ve made a good number of huge mistakes and missteps that have tripped me up, and at times, caused me to hang my head in my hands in despair.  I consciously avoid spending time in regret, but these mistakes were gruelling.  Yet I do believe that each and every one of these lessons has made me stronger, more expansive, more connected to who I really am, and ultimately more confident in my abilities to direct my life with satisfaction and joy. 

To help others learn from my mistakes, I’ve launched a new social media series called My 52 Mistakes, to share my top mistakes in life and work, and help others bypass the major pitfalls I encountered.  Here’s my list of my top 52.  Check it out and share your lessons!!

Here are the top five mistakes to avoid when in career transition and embarking on professional reinvention.  I’ve lived through these mistakes myself, and am stronger for it…but you don’t have to!

Mistake #1:

Don’t have a “build it and they will come” mentality without utilizing powerful financial, professional, and business-building tactics and strategies

Don’t make the mistake of confusing wishful thinking with powerful strategies for moving forward.  Certainly, faith and optimism are essential, but so are sound business and professional goals, plans and tactics, developed with deep know-how and expertise (your own or a great consulting partner), fueled by conscious intention and fierce commitment.  There are 5 “M’s” required for entrepreneurial success – ignore these at your peril.

 Mistake #2:

Don’t underestimate how long it will take you to build a successful new career

Leave your ego at the door when you’re evaluating how long reinvention will take.  Get advice from true experts in the field on the amount of time it will take to launch your new career, and make it successful and earn you a good living (that’s what you want, after all, isn’t it?).  It’s been said that becoming an expert in a field takes 10 years (I believe that’s true), and creating a self-sustaining small business or consulting practice often takes at least five years.

Mistake #3:

Don’t neglect having a Plan B, and moving to it when it’s time

In my book Breakdown, Breakthrough, I talk about what it takes to reinvent yourself.  Often it requires that you simply refuse to let in (mentally, emotionally, or spiritually) the possibility that you will fail (see Chapter 11 about the amazing comedian Monique Marvez’s journey to hell and back).  If you want something badly enough, most likely you’ll find a way to get it.  However, if you have a family to support, and other critical financial and other obligations that you feel you must fulfill in life, then you need a Plan B that will get you through the tough financial times.  Use Plan B to help you stay afloat while all along moving forward to your career dreams.

Mistake #4

Don’t wait too long to correct your course when you misstep or discover steps on your new path that are wrong for you

Set milestones (“I will achieve this by this date,” etc.), and review your progess frequently – quarterly at the least.   If you’re way off course, you need to course-correct.  Also, if where you’re going ends up feeling wrong, don’t keep going in the same direction.  Don’t make yourself “wrong” for how you feel.   Realize a change is necessary, and power up to make that change, and don’t wait until disaster strikes to make the correction.

Mistake #5

Don’t forget: A fantastic life takes fantastic risks

There’s an enormous difference between a “job” and a “calling.”  Neither is better or worse – it simply depends on what you want for your life, based on your values and priorities.  If it’s a calling you’ve be given to follow (a calling is not a voluntary pursuit, I’ve found), know now that it will require everything you’ve got to give, and then some.  Please don’t expect a fantastic life without understanding that you must risk a great deal to live your life on the cutting edge of experience.

 Other lessons I’ve learned through my nine-year reinvention:

1.There will be times (many, in fact) that you have no idea what to do, and despite all your efforts, you fail at the task at hand
2. If you don’t remain “teachable” at all times, you’ll suffer
3. If you think you’re immune (to anything – the economy, challenges in the workplace, problems in building your business to a satisfactory level), you’re wrong
4. When you lose your compassion for others who are challenged in their reinvention or in their efforts to launch themselves successfully, you’ll suddenly experience something that brings you back to humility
5. You’ll need faith, patience, and perseverance in greater supply than you ever thought possible
6. It’s not all up to you – things happen outside your sphere of influence that can shift your course
7. Reaching out for help is essential when you’re not where you want to be
8. Being part of a like-minded community that offers support, guidance, and encouragement is a blessing and a good business strategy
9. Career reinventing is a life-long process (not a one-time deal), and once you embark on it, it changes you forever.  It’s a process that leads you to feel so appreciative of all that you are – flaws, gifts, strengths, blindspots and all – and so excited for each new day that brings you closer to yourself.
10. Reinvention is not for the faint of heart, but oh my…if you’re up for it, what gifts it brings.

What are the biggest mistakes you’ve made in reinventing your career?  I’d love to hear.  Share your insights with us! We all learn from each other.

Wishing you a joyful career reinvention!  And let me know if you’d like some help – I’ve been there.

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Posted in Advice, Careers, Challenges, Empowerment, Following Your Dreams, Inspiring Thoughts, Kathy Caprino, Living Real, Support for Change, success | No Comments »

If Your Business Model is Flawed, Your Marketing Won’t Work

Monday, September 27th, 2010

In working with hundreds of professional women these past several years, and launching my new Breakthrough Vision marketing and Prosperity Marketing Mindset programs, I’ve uncovered one key truth that was hidden to me in the past:

If your business model is flawed, no amount of great marketing will help you make the money you need and want.

Here’s a case study of what I mean, using my personal experience (I’m sharing here the real insider story about small business – something you’ll seldom hear from thousands of professed “experts,” many of whom aren’t making a living).

I launched a career coaching practice after long, hard research about what it takes to be successful, and earning the credentials, experiences and know-how to be respected and recognized in my field, and to rise above the competition. 

I followed all the core marketing and business development strategies that one needs to achieve national recognition, and be considered an acclaimed “expert” as coach, author, and speaker.

Throughout this 9-year development process, I learned some hard-earned insights about myself as professional and about what it takes for me to be a successful entrepreneur, namely:

1) I LOVE helping women achieve breakthrough in their lives and work, relationships, and in themselves – to create life and work as they truly want it.

2) I LOVE to help a select group of women.  Here are my personal criteria for folks I’ll work with as clients:

- Above the line thinkers (those who believe they are accountable, capable, responsible and ready to commit to reclaiming their lives)
- Ready and able to do the inner and out work of real change
- Able to invest time, money, energy in the process of life and career change
- Not expecting an easy fix or magic bullet
- Not viewing me as the answer to all their problems
- Able to make the financial investment of working with me, without it adding stress to their already stressed-out lives

3) I DON’T WANT to work (and to be paid) only on an hourly basis (even if my hourly wage is substantial, as a coach or consultant).  I DO want to have several different avenues of generating revenue, including one-on-one work, group coaching, speaking engagements, marketing and business consulting, and successful passive-income coaching and marketing programs and streams — top programs and resources that help a wide global network of women, without my having to necessarily provide them with direct, in-person service.  I’d like to make money while I sleep!

4) I’ve EMBRACED what it takes to identify exactly what I want to create, produce, and sell in terms of products and programs, and have a solid plan for building those

But You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

I was trucking along these past years building my coaching business, and everything I was doing felt and sounded “right,” until about six months ago, when I finally realized, “You don’t know what you don’t know!”

Here’s what I realized I hadn’t known, in developing my coaching business model:

The Big Flaw

There was a big flaw in my business model.  The FLAWED part of my model is that, after years of serving as a career coach for women, I realized that my business is simply too limited in focus and too narrow in terms of the types of products and services I offered, to be financially successful at the level I wanted it to be.

My narrow service niche (career coaching for women) — which I deliberately and intentionally designed — has turned out to be too confining and limiting for me.  Career coaching alone isn’t tapping into all the many marketing, business development, communications, and strategic planning skills, talents and experience that I’ve earned in my 20 years in the corporate arena.  I had chucked out the idea of using those marketing and business development skills (or, more accurately, before now it hadn’t even occurred to me to utilize these skills as a consultant) because much of my corporate experience had been so emotionally unsatisfying for me that I threw the baby out with the bathwater!  But doing so meant I was stopping myself from serving thousands more women whom I truly want to support, in ways I’m uniquely capable.

As a result, the financial and emotional success results of my business were limited for me as well.

Here are several core nuggets of learning from these past 10 years of shaping my new professional life and business:

1) Marketing won’t help you, when your business model is flawed

No matter how strong your marketing is – no matter how well planned or executed  – if your business, services and focus are too narrow or only tap into a very limited group of clients/customers, then your rewards will be limited as well.

Scrutinize your business model intensively – look at the niche you serve and the products and services you offer – and make sure there’s sufficient breadth, depth, and reach to make the money you need to, each and every month.

2) Marketing also won’t help you in you don’t know how to run a business or manage money.

There are 5 “M’s” that are essential to running a successful business.  They are:

  • Management
  • Money
  • Marketing
  • Mastery
  • Mission

Don’t skimp on mastering these “M’s” or getting outside help to do it.  Running a business successfully is a large endeavor, and you can’t do it alone.

3) Determine ALL the talents you have that you want to use, and create a plan to utilize them all

 For me, I’ve learned that there’s another vast and growing group — women entrepreneurs – whom I want to help and support, along with all the women in corporate America who are in urgent need of career transition assistance.  I know now that I want to offer career growth support, as well as top-level strategic marketing, business planning and development, and financial guidance to help women entrepreneurs create their businesses to succeed and thrive, from the moment their business launches and onward.  And it turns out I have the experience and skill to do it.

4) Make sure that the niche you want to serve is big enough, and has the ability to utilize, hire and pay you

Another truism in business – if you want to be profitable, you have to make money.  This is NOT a volunteer endeavor, this is a business.  So make sure that the target group you serve is big enough to support your business, and full of thousands of people whom you can reach, who are in the emotional, financial, and behavioral condition to utilize your products and services fully, and can pay for them easily, without strain.

5) Spend money on marketing your business only after you have clarity – After you’ve developed a sound business model, then and only then should you invest in marketing your business and branding.  Don’t spend thousands of dollars on marketing before you know what you need to offer and provide.

6) Think bigger about yourself – Identifying a defined niche and serving it well is essential, but in doing that, don’t limit yourself to only one facet of yourself and your skills.  Use all of your talents and skills, and expand to new dimensions that allow you to use ALL of who you are, for the greater good of your business, and for the world.

*  *  *  *  *  *

There’s a great deal involved in creating a successful entrepreneurial venture, and crafting a long-term career that you love and that brings you success and fulfillment.   But you can do it!  Get help to master the 5 M’s of business, and build a strong model and foundation for your business, get help where you need it, and be open to learning what you don’t now know.  Then, you’ll be well on your way.

Take a look at your business model – can you see where there might a tiny flaw or crack that’s holding back the success you long for?  Share your comments here please!

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Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Careers, Challenges, Marketing Support, Resources, Women in Business, success | 2 Comments »

The New Rules of Marketing – Five Key Principles of Care, Credibility, Connection, Clarity and Calling

Monday, September 13th, 2010
As many of my friends and community members know, I’m a huge fan of Scott Stratten, President of Un-marketing (www.un-marketing.com). Almost every word this guy says and writes resonates 100% with me, and reflects my views and feelings about what it means to engage authentically, build relationships, and “market” yourself, your products and services, in the highest and best sense of the word. You can read all about Scott on his site, his blog, and follow him on Twitter at @unmarketing (he’s considered one of the top influencers on Twitter, with 60,000 folks following his tweets.) His new book Unmarketing: Stop Marketing, Start Engaging is a must-read for anyone doing marketing or in business, and if you want to see him in person (highly recommended), here’s his 30-city book tour schedule. Don’t miss him! I’m going to Hartford, CT on October 5th to see him. If you’re in Connecticut, hope to see you there!What I’ve learned from Scott and other top marketing thinkers, and in the eight years of building my own business, community and platform, is that your marketing efforts will not be successful unless they come from a place of caring, credibility, connection, clarity, and calling.

My personal take on 5 key ingredients to successful, prosperity-minded marketing:

1) CARE: You’ve got to truly care about the welfare of your clients/customers

2) CREDIBILITY: You must build trust and gain credibility with people before they care about what you do

3) CONNECTION: Create a true, mutual connection with others by giving of yourself and your work, and listening and learning from others, through different avenues that engage and enliven

4) CLARITY: Know who you are, stay true to that, and share a viewpoint that enlightens, entertains or educates in some essential way

5) CALLING: If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, change directions

 If you’re wondering how these principles look and feel like in the practical world, below are some tactics that support these core principles:

 1) Care – About Your Customers, Clients, and Community

 The world has changed. Everything you do today as an entrepreneur, marketer, writer, thinker, speaker, etc. is transparent, clear for all to see. Your motivations, your desired outcomes, your behaviors and thinking – it’s all out there now. The truth is, if you don’t really care about the welfare and success of your clients and customers, and if you’re thinking only about is how you can succeed, you won’t. To succeed and thrive, you must create a world of mutuality and reciprocity – give and get, love and be loved, support and be supported. If you don’t hold up your end, and if you don’t start from a place of “How can I best serve?,” you just won’t succeed in the big way you dream of. If deeply loving and caring about the people you serve is difficult or impossible for you, it’s a sign that you have to change what you’re doing.

 2) Credibility – Build Trust and Respect

 Thousands of entrepreneurs and marketers today don’t understand one key marketing concept – that people do business only with people they like, trust and know (thanks, Scott, for making that crystal clear). You must build a relationship with people first, before they’ll engage in buying your services or supporting your work. And you have to demonstrate that you’re a credible, reliable voice in your chosen area over time.

I and many others mistakenly believed the “build it and they will come” myth – that simply because I’ve hung my shingle as a coach and consultant (and am a darn good one at that), that I’ll have customers and clients aplenty and the flow will be constant. It ain’t so! You must create a way to a build relationships over time with people that serve them well, and then – perhaps – they’ll buy or enlist in your services (and only when they’re ready and only if your services and prices and packages fit their needs, not yours). Develop engagement strategies (a newsletter, speaking, tweeting, free articles and information, blog, social media, free resources) that allow you to give of yourself and your expertise in ways that energize you, but also that build trust and credibility.

3) Connection — Listen, Respond, and Serve

Think about the great, fulfilling connections you have in your personal life – they’re typically based on common interest, caring, curiosity, like-mindedness, love, mutuality, reciprocity, and authenticity. So it is in the business world as well. Connect with those you wish to serve – in person, at events, in writing, in social media, through your blog or newsletter, etc.. Find ways that you enjoy to connect with your community, and listen to what they’re saying and caring about deeply. If you’re sitting alone in your office day after day, disconnected and disengaged from others, you’re marketing into a vacuum. Also a must – truly listen to your community, and elicit their feedback, comments, and ideas, and integrate these ideas and comments – respond!. In short, create a real connection and authentic conversation with those you wish to serve.

4) Clarity – Know Who You Are and Share It

One thing I love about following Scott’s work is that he 1) knows exactly who he is (foibles and imperfections and all), and 2) unabashedly shares who he is with the world. There’s a neat list on his blog of “25 things you didn’t know about me.” It takes guts to publish a list like this. Do you have that kind of courage to share yourself openly and nakedly with your community? What’s your list of 25? Are you clear about who you are, uniquely? What makes you tick, what lights you up, what makes you so mad your head will explode? Know these things about yourself, and make use of them in all you do! Understand who you are and let that specialness shine out, in your writing, your services, your products, and your community.

If you don’t, you’ll never be able to be your true self in your work, or stand apart from the many thousands of others who are afraid to be who they really are, or share with honesty and courage what they stand for.

5) Calling- Passion is a Must-Have

There’s a very large difference between a job and a calling. To be successful as an entrepreneur or marketer or service provider, you have to have passion for it – a deep, abiding drive to make a difference and be of service. If you don’t have it, “marketing” yourself and your products will be extremely challenging at best, a terrible failure at worst. So figure out what you’re passionate about, and if it’s not your business or your practice or your creative endeavors, it’s time to make some significant changes.

I was a corporate marketing director and VP for many years, and truthfully, I stopped liking it early on and was often bored silly by it, (the whole thing felt like “theatre” – ya know?) because I was marketing products and services I simply didn’t connect with or feel excited to support. It’s a terrible feeling to dislike intensely what you do for a living, and feel absolutely no connection with it, right?

Now, I’m really jazzed about using my marketing skills to help others thrive in their careers and businesses, and to grow my own business. If you’re proud and excited about what you’re marketing or promoting, then put your whole self into it. If you have no connection to what you’re marketing, you most likely won’t have anywhere near the success or fulfillment you want.

The bottom line

The “new marketing” is this…connecting and engaging authentically with others you love so as to be of the highest service possible, drawing on the many talents and skills you love to offer.

The ultimate outcome of well-executed marketing is that you get to build a like-minded, interrelated (and fascinating) community that truly “gets” you, and receives deep benefit from learning with and from you. In the end, it’s about creating a global network of people you love (yes, LOVE!), and who find in your work something that helps them become more of who they truly want to be.

And you get to become more of who you want to be by being of service in a way that draws on everything that makes you special.

Now that’s a lot more exciting than just “marketing,” yes?

Please share your comments below about what marketing is and means for you.  Let’s do this together!

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Posted in Advice, Breakthroughs, Kathy Caprino, Marketing Support, Powerful Self-Marketing, Women in Business | 2 Comments »

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