OPINION: Why you need 1:1 coaching right now

[with one caveat]

I want to start today’s newsletter off with a story.

Over ten years ago, I invested in a high-level mastermind to get business coaching help.

I was running my Zumba® business at the time.

I didn’t have dreams of growing it to a full scale fitness BUSINESS because I knew it was something I was doing then, but not forever. 

Now let me be clear that running that business, growing that community, mentoring new instructors, and teaching those classes are some of the happiest memories of my life and I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything.

That being said, deep down I knew it wasn’t sustainable for me and I knew I needed a business beyond Zumba®.

I had joined a high level mastermind group with hopes of growing my fledgling energy work business (EFT Tapping).

I was in NO PLACE to be in that mastermind AT. ALL. 

I was not making enough money.

I was in a constant state of indecision and stress about everything (my offers, my niche, my dream clients, you name it). 

I would go beet red any time I had to venture towards a sales conversation. 

I felt completely lost about where I was going, what I wanted, and what I was doing.

I just hadn’t walked far enough along my path yet to be in any kind of advanced business coaching group. 

Period. 

That mastermind was not a good fit for me. 

Had I been more experienced in business or more tuned into my intuition, I would have self selected out or not signed up at all. 

Looking back as a business coach now, I also know that the woman who sold me into that mastermind should have vetted me more before pushing me so hard to buy. 

(Coaches I respect have income limits for their high level masterminds and I think that’s not only smart and strategic—because the client will fare better in that environment—but also because it’s the right thing to do.)

ANyway, what I needed back then was very specific HELP and not highlights.

Here’s what I mean… 

There were 15 business owners in the mastermind. 

We were able to ask questions in a group format about what we needed that week. 

Most of the time, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to ask. 

I didn’t know what I didn’t know. 

And also, I felt so spun out about making my next payment for the mastermind that I was existing in survival mode. 

There were modules to do, but I was so stressed and unsure that I couldn’t make a decision about my niche and offer and that was NECESSARY before doing the modules.

I felt 100% stuck. 

On top of that, my mindset was defeated, indecisive, perfectionistic, panicked, and focused on all the unhelpful things for me to grow and thrive. 

Talk about a nightmare.

My coach didn’t really know me or my business because she hadn’t taken the time (and she didn’t have the time, really) to learn about me or my business. 

She didn’t know that I had crippling performance anxiety that stitled every sales call.

She didn’t know that I was in a cul-de-sac about picking my niche.

She didn’t know that I didn’t actually know the right questions to ask on our group calls because I was basically frozen in fear.

If I had been right for that mastermind, I would have had most of those things figured out already. 

As a coach, it’s SO important to find the right fit for your potential clients so that they can actually thrive with your coaching. 

It wasn’t her or me that was the problem when it came down to it. 

It’s that I was the wrong person at the wrong time in my business journey (too soon) flailing around in the wrong format (an advanced group program). 

Do I think group coaching is wrong for newbies?

No! Not always.

Here’s the caveat: 

If you have a super solid mindset already and you’re crystal clear about what you want to do for your business, I think you can knock it out of the park in a group coaching environment.

However, what I see again and again is people who haven’t laid the foundation of having a strong mindset and figured out what the heck they want to do for business, jumping in headfirst to a group coaching program because it feels more cost effective or safer. 

And then, besides making some new friends and a little headway, they end up frustrated and ashamed that they didn’t take more action.

It totally bums me out. 

This, my dear, is why you need 1:1 coaching right now: 

ESPECIALLY in the beginning. 

ESPECIALLY if you haven’t developed a strong mindset yet.

ESPECIALLY if you feel lost or tend to hide in a group or expect your group coaches to give you steady individualized attention.

They can’t; it’s not set up that way.

They’re banking on you knowing yourself and having enough confidence to really go for it.

You’ve got to know yourself and check-in with whether you can actually thrive in that environment. 

Historically, business coaching has been set up like this: 

Low cost group coaching for newbies.

Higher cost mastermind or 1:1 coaching for more advanced/successful folks.

But the coaching world is changing. 

People are getting fed up with groups where they don’t make any progress. 

People want more 1:1 attention and there are lots of coaches out there that are shifting to accommodate those needs.

Does this mean that all group coaching is bad? 

Absolutely not.  

I was in a group coaching container a few years ago where I knocked it out of the park. 

It was the right fit at the right time with the right coaches. 

AND I made amazing friends AND I even met some now-clients there. 

It was a total win for me on so many levels.

You need to check in with yourself and see what’s right for YOU at the stage of business you’re in.

If you’re learning to build a strong mindset…

If you tend to hesitate on taking action when you’re on your own…

If you’re in a decision making cul-de-sac about the crucial components of your business…

If you don’t know what you don’t know… 

Then I’d encourage you to connect with a 1:1 coach rather than joining a group. 

I love working 1:1 with my clients because I get to know them, get to know their business, get to work on strategy and tactics and mindset… it’s fun AND we make headway!

Awesome. 

If you’re interested in learning more about my 1:1 business coaching container, I’d love to chat.

I’ve got two slots open at the current price point and then prices will be going up. So, don’t wait if you need the help now.  

You can book a time to talk here. 

Until next week…

Rebecca*

PS: Know someone who could use this perspective? Share it with them! You could change their life for the better. Thank you! <3