When you are sick, you do not self diagnose, you go see a Doctor. Who is an expert at getting you well again.
When your car is faulty you do not tinker with it to try and figure it out, you go to an expert a Mechanic to do what they do best and get your vehicle road worthy again.
When you have an issue with your plumbing, heating or electrics, you go seek out a professional to get the job done right the first time and well, so you are safe, compliant and covered.
So why is it when you start out in Business you think that you do not need an expert to help you establish yourself?
This is the normal behaviour and thinking of what I see, to go it alone and struggle. So, I would like to tell you why you are making a vital mistake with this logic.
Your business is an expression of you. You are the most important person in your life and this soul business you are establishing is not only being created to bring you an income to support all your material needs, it is bringing vitality to your life force too.
When you are designing a purposeful Business why would you put yourself on hold, or in the practise arena. When you can seek out an expert to build you and your business in a shorter, more efficient and effective time. So that you can start reaping the benefits of this new found freedom?
I used to be safe with my money, I used to make sure I didn’t over extend myself. Until one day I realised I couldn’t keep putting myself last in the priorities, or waiting to make money before spending it.
When you are designing a purposeful Business why would you put yourself on hold, or in the practise arena. When you can seek out an expert to build you and your business in a shorter, more efficient and effective time. So that you can start reaping the benefits of this new found freedom?
I invested in a Coach to be the expert in business to support me to get my brand, my life and my expertise crafted quickly, efficiently and practically.
This was not only an investment in a coach but in myself and my future.
I can tell you that I never regretted this investment because quite simply I am the very best investment I can ever make, because I’m a sure thing. Counting on myself and working on myself will always be critical to my success, and learning from experts as I go is fundamental.
When you invest like this and show the world you are stepping up, the world steps up to meet you where you are at, it is expansive and extraordinary. This is quite simply what you’ve been willing into existence, but you have to show your commitment to be able to receive your match.
So tell me….
• Do you believe you are a sure thing?
• Are you worth investing in?
• Is there anyone else out there that’s an expert you could learn from?
• Are you terrified to back yourself?
Whether you say yes or no to any or all of those questions it doesn’t matter because I can tell you right now, You are a sure thing, you are worthy of investing in and there is always someone ahead of you in the game that you can learn from and of course you’re always a little terrified to back yourself because failing is scary and so is succeeding, believe it or not!
If you have a desire to be in a purposeful business but are lost as to what that looks like, then I am the expert to help you. I can see intuitively what you bring to the world and the potential and possibilities to create something magical. Just check out my testimonials.
And, if you have a conscious business that you are looking to begin, design, build, develop or scale then I am the expert to support you to bring even more of yourself to the world successfully with immense clarity. Just check out my Conscious Creation Business Accelerator, or book in to discuss working with me…
The only decision you really have to make is, are you ready to step into who you are becoming?
Yes or no? Find your expert to help you – simple as that!
So, tell me because I am so curious to know, what do you currently need an expert for in your Business or Life?
With Gratitude always,
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an Internationally Accredited Coach and Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker and #1 Best Selling Co-Author of the book ‘You Are Meant For More’.
Alison is committed to helping You mindfully align with your mission to create Conscious Business with Purpose, Confidence and Ease. So that you live a life you love and deserve with Clarity through Conscious Creation.
What does it mean to run a spiritual business in this day and age? Courage, Commitment, vulnerability and a deep sense of self awareness? And what in fact is a spiritual business anyway? All big questions so let’s break it down.
I am noticing a lot of people are starting to find that they are at peace in the quiet, at one with themselves when in alignment, are being called to more spiritual practises where they engage their bodies and minds using methods like meditation and yoga and this helps them to settle in the rush of their days. What I see happen alongside this is the fact that those people begin to get curious and start to awaken to needing more out of life. Yet they cannot find the ‘more’ they are looking for because it doesn’t exist in a material thing, it’s purpose, passion, fulfilment even calling which is the beginning of a journey of spiritual awakening where they seek a soul connection and purpose.
What happens with this change in the dynamic of the world and society is that a lot more spiritually gifted people come in to support this evolution and, guess what, make it radically ‘normal’, where it used to be seen as new age. Well, I consider that the ‘age’ has arrived and it’s not so new anymore.
It is therefore becoming more frequent now for the spiritually gifted to be starting businesses and being of service to others legitimately, receiving the value of their services. Which is about time in my opinion. I believe we all have talents and gifts and we deserve to be able to use them as our vocation to support our living fully in the world, just as we would if working in any other industry and receive financial reward and recognition accordingly.
A spiritual business could be anything holistic from clairvoyants to kinesiologists, astrologists, healers, naturopaths, energy workers, intuitives , witches, and everything in between. There is no end to the wisdom and talents and these gifted individuals and practises and methods are continuously evolving. So the idea of labelling them into a singular function is merely a way of communicating as transparently as possible the method and tools they utilise most frequently to provide their specialised and unique service.
There are talented, honest spiritual workers out there and they should no longer feel held back, judged or less than what they are because of societies expectations or previous treatment of those in fields that they don’t fully understand, yet. As the world is changing and becoming more open and available to the wealth of holistic practitioners, and as our needs to be more flexible and work in our own rhythms and with our truest natures and purposes, we are starting to redefine what our own spiritual businesses could be. And the value in these services and the welcome relief they provide is on the increase. This is where spiritual business owners require support, the fine line between logical and successful business ideas and unique approaches that support the building of their purposeful brand, into a functional business.
So how do you build a successful business when you are a spiritual practitioner? Most of the time the two attempt to repel one another, a logical and structured business model or plan with the fluidity of ease and flow and inspired action of the soul. I want to tell you that it most definitely can be done, but it takes a little work to define the best approach for each person, and that’s where I feel it runs a little differently for Spiritual business owners. And let’s be clear right now, you do not have to sell out or be anything other than what you are to make a business work for you. To try and take a path travelled by a successful business owner already can sometimes feel unwelcome, and uncomfortable. We need to appreciate that we can learn all the options available in business and then we find our own pathway, as we were not made to follow the functionality of another, we need to seek out what feels aligned for us and pick and choose the methods that we feel can challenge us yet also provide us with the best platforms and foundations.
So how can you get started? Here are my questions for you to establish a solid foundation for your business, and understanding of what the business provides and who you are serving.
What does success look like?
To have a successful business it’s important to define what success means to you. It’s not just monetary terms that fulfil a spiritual business owner but education, recognition, changing lives, improving things etc. So please define what success would mean to you and how you would know when you’ve achieved it.
What does value feel like?
When we talk about money we can feel uncomfortable and price our services too cheaply through fear. You have to determine what feels like a fair and aligned energetic exchange when it comes to receiving value for the services you provide. It may be that you choose to work for receiving other items you need, so that often times money isn’t involved directly but that you get what you need. This is an older way of working yet it should not be discounted as we need to realise money is energy and if we get what we need ultimately then we have what we want. So in alignment with the question about regarding success, what does value feel like to you as an fair energetic exchange for your services, and how can you get comfortable transparently advertising and talking about that amount?
What contribution do you want to make in the world and why?
What is the ultimate purpose of the gift you offer the world through your business and how does this fulfil your souls calling? This is a time to think big and determine what you bring to the world through your existence and the existence of your business. Once you have established this you can repurpose it to use as mission statements, values for your brand and also to guide you when making decisions.
Who do you serve?
Think about who you connect with the most, who you enjoy working with the most and the types of people who benefit from your services the most. Define those people in age, life experiences, gender, personality traits and characteristics. Get to know the reason you connect with these people the most and how you support and help them the most. Then you can determine who you are meant to work with and how you can connect with them.
What are your services?
Now is the time to create approximately 2-3 services, types of services with differing lengths and price points. Once you are in business and serving clients you will evolve and change these, so do not worry about the perfection of these, just go with what works for you now and what you can offer so you have something to sell and work with. Once people have experienced what you do you can work with them to improve the experiences, services and get testimonials to support your attraction marketing in the future also.
How do you want to let people know you exist?
Once you have the foundations of your business you need to get started, you need to go out there and get clients, so how do you want to market your business, maybe through social media, maybe through fliers, expos, word of mouth or even friends and family. See what feels in alignment with your values and what supports your why in business and you’ll get there. All you have to do is start with one particular method and allow the others to grow after you have mastered one initially.
It is never easy to start a business, whether it is spiritual or not, you will come up against a lot of your own mental blocks and challenges, these are all opportunities for your growth, because once you are more on your purposeful path you evolve and grow and that is through facing the things that could hold you back. So use the courage, the commitment, the vulnerability you have and tap into your self awareness to know these triggers, your personal blind spots and see them for what they are, your guide posts for evolving and being able to help even more people on the other side.
I hope this has enlightened and connected you, to bring a greater sense of purpose to you and your gifts, and if you’d like to delve deeper you can take part in my 7 day Business Building Challenge (www.alisoncallan.com/7daybizchallenge) , which will take you on a further journey to define and create your conscious business foundations, with logic and fulfilment.
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an Internationally Accredited Coach and Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker and #1 Best Selling Co-Author of the book ‘You Are Meant For More’.
Alison is committed to helping You mindfully align with your mission to create Conscious Business with Purpose, Confidence and Ease. So that you live a life you love and deserve with Clarity through Conscious Creation.
Well, this can be an alien concept, when so much of the time we spend wishing for a magical time of year, yet in reality we end up being triggered, a little disappointed, if not overworked and then somewhat under appreciated – sound familiar?
Christmas time and even New Years are prime examples of how imprints of our perceived and entrenched beliefs about this time of year dictate our expectations and what the holidays represent for us each. For me, I grew up dreaming of a white Christmas, a roaring fire, the smell of a freshly cut tree, the sparkle of lights and lots of laughs, traditions and merriment. It was a perfect image I had of happiness and love, a day filled with friends, family, lots of engaging conversation, magic and Christmas movies. Most of the time I actually got a lot of this, but in reality there were other aspects that came with it. Cooking, cleaning, serving, misunderstandings, obligations, and exhaustion for me and others.
My image of Christmas was distorted from movies and my imagination of what I believed Christmas should be, a time when everyone puts aside their differences and lived harmoniously. But in reality who can honestly do that? The pressure we put on ourselves, and more over others, to be able to achieve this is inaccurate and perhaps impossible.
Why should one day be any different than any other? We can decide to put aside all differences, obligations and our expectations of ourselves and others any time when we actually choose to follow through on that singular thought process and intention. It won’t happen automatically, it will take time, but it can be done. And maybe that’s what this time of year actually reminds us of? Our abilities to adapt and change, the holiday season gives us the gift of time, and reflection to be able to make the change and be surrounded by others who are also journeying in the same direction, therefore there’s a greater level of compassion and empathy.
Christmas and the holiday season for me now is more of a stark reminder of the choices I make to be the person I want to be and how if I choose I can temper my behaviours, thought processes and reactions. Even in the time of the most overwhelming emotional world state, which for an empath can be extremely heightened.
So, at this time of year I invite you to get reflective and lower the expectations, by beginning with a light reflection. You can check in on the following to start to support you towards this change of view:
What has your year been filled with, how you have found the majority of your time has been spent? (thinking, feeling & doing)
Have you felt fulfilled and purposeful? When was this?
What feels important for you to acknowledge and address in order to make amends, improve going forwards or be more receptive to in the future? (take each situation in turn to respond, as it comes to mind)
And what do you want Christmas and this holiday season to be a trigger for? Reflection, family time, relaxation, relationships?
What has occurred in this festive season that has enabled you to be more of who you want to be usually (if at all), and how can you invite more of that into your life?
I know that reflecting on the space I’m in, the life I want to live and the legacy I want to leave behind has made me appreciate this time of year in a unique way. I hope that these questions and a little of my perspective will give you pause for a deeper enquiry, to get out of the expectations of Christmas and more into a new way of feeling and being – your way.
Here’s to an enlightening, and happy holiday!
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an Internationally Accredited Coach and Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker and #1 Best Selling Co-Author of the book ‘You Are Meant For More’.
Alison is committed to helping You mindfully align with your mission to create Conscious Business with Purpose, Confidence and Ease. So that you live a life you love and deserve with Clarity through Conscious Creation.
What exactly is a Brand? I’m sure you’re familiar with some big and well known products like Coca-Cola or Cadbury’s, even Bentley or Apple. Each of them has a distinct Brand, but they are selling products right?
Yes, however those products appeal to certain people and repel others. So surely your Brand is all about connection with Customers or Clients, as well as being well known for logos and image. Well, from my perspective, especially from working with Conscious Aspiring Entrepreneurs, it’s a little more than that….
Breaking it down, and a really great way to remember the impact that your Brand has is to imagine it as that ‘something’ that you’re noticed or known for. So that after you’ve left a room you’re still remembered and known for that special ‘something‘.
Whether you’re in business or not, your Brand is a critical part of your identity. It dictates how you like to be seen in the world, as well as how the world sees you. And I certainly like to focus more on authenticity of how you want to be seen in the world, as much as how you are seen, because YOU alone are experiencing the moment – your Brand is the imprint, the essence and mark that you were there!
Maybe you’re known for a visual aspect like the person who always wears beautiful glasses, a particular colour combination, always having perfectly placed hair (even when it’s blowing a gale!) or even make-up. And writing this list I can think of specific friends and peers who totally fit into each of those categories, they immediately spring to mind! Either way they are each utterly unique and probably oblivious that to me they are synonymous with that one thing. And what if I said to you that each one of those people were in fact not in Business at all, but they certainly had characteristics and an identity that surrounded them and was so much more to me that what in fact they do.
Now friendship is much more open, lengthy, personal and there is a level of trust and confidence that’s built over time with a relationship that’s formed that’s mutual. You have shared experiences and long conversations which create a bond. Yet becoming a Brand is far more common today especially through social media, so it’s important to notice how you are portraying yourself. It is becoming much more common now within Organisations and Corporations to build a Brand for yourself to get known, in order to be a remembered individual so when opportunities arise, YOU are the person that springs to mind immediately. And this is so much more important now for those in Business. What do you want to be known for? And how do you portray that to others through the things you say, the way you respond and how you leave people feeling.
There are plenty of people out there advising on the best way to connect with your ideal Client, your Boss and your network of influencers. But remember, we talked about Brand and what in fact it is, which is what you are known for, remembered for, by colleagues, peers, Clients and Customers etc, when you aren’t even in the room. So let’s take it one step further, how do you create the connection for people to know you for something if you cannot create those shared experiences or have those lengthy conversations? And when we are talking about getting promotions, establishing client relationships and selling – Well, perfect hair, makeup or a killer logo won’t cut it on it’s own.
So let’s talk about Value. When you consider anyone that you know who has an identifiable Brand they have usually gotten known for something in particular. They have most likely provided significant value through work, advise, experience, product or outputs. Consider a Brand like Nike who specialised initially in running shoes, they provided expertise in becoming a leader in that market with an exceptional product. But you can start contributing Value when you ultimately know your strengths and what you are good at. Apple is one Brand who knew what they were good at and keep improving the product time and time again, to give Value to those who are specifically on team Apple. Once you’ve identified your strengths you can work towards them and use them to your advantage, these are the things you are likely already known for, so start to leverage from that place. See your strength in the value you can give to others.
And have you ever considered the feeling that you want to leave people with once you’ve parted ways on each occasion, or at each interaction? You will probably all know what I’m talking about when I say there are again some people, friends, colleagues and Business influencers who just enter and leave a room with either a positive or negative essence. Now stay with me here, because this is a significant part of your Brand in regards how you make people feel, and it is a very little known aspect that people actively talk about. But it is crucial when you are winning hearts, minds and influencing people. Do you leave people believing that you have utter unwavering confidence in what you do and can deliver, or do you leave them feeling as though you are willing to try and are a little nervous of the prospect or challenge? Again take the time to think of people that you are inspired by at this point. And ask yourself after each interaction with that person, be it from a formal meeting place at work, or via an online presence or in a social setting, how do they leave you feeling? Motivated, inspired and light, confident, important and valued or annoyed, heavy and down? Most likely it’s the former (fingers crossed!).
So have you ever considered then, how you want to affect people’s emotions and more importantly their feelings? And I mention feelings because they last the longest and remain attached to memories, which assist the process of identity and Brand recognition. So let’s compound this thinking even more now and have you recall a wonderful memory something that made you feel excited….. See what I did there? I immediately attached a feeling to the memory to assist you in identifying, most likely a happy one. So whether you like to consider feelings a part of the Branding process or not, they are critical in defining how you are known and most importantly remembered!
I know from experience and the numerous Clients that I work with who want to get significant promotions, move Companies or be headhunted for Leadership roles, benefit greatly from having a recognised Brand and using it as a way to connect with others.
So how do you start identifying your personal or professional Brand? And then what?
Follow these steps to get your Brand awareness and identity cemented!
Value – get to know your strengths, be honest with yourself, ask your friends, colleagues, Clients or Customers, Managers and Trusted Advisors and note what they say. Then whittle them down into what you know to be your strengths. Choose your top 3 and define them. Notice what it is about them that makes you strong within that area of specialism or expertise. And then define what it is about those strengths that you enjoy. It’s so important to enjoy the process of adding Value and playing to your strengths.
Identity – This can be broken down into many areas, but for here I’m discussing the 2 main areas to focus on:
Visual – This is how you are physically seen in the world, be it through having fabulous glasses, always wearing pink or being renowned for wearing a suit. One of the first things people notice is appearance, and this goes for Business logo and Branding also, so be consistent and be very comfortable in your choice of visual branding. Again if you’re not sure what people might initially notice about you then ask some trusted friends and advisors. Ultimately you want to be comfortable with how you show up visually in the world as self-confidence and self-awareness is a great look on everyone!
Language – What words do you use, and what words do you want to be known for? Tag lines and strong sentences about what you actually achieve, deliver and produce make very compelling talking point, Clarity for yourself initially and build confidence. I know someone who uses the word Awesome all the time, because its seen to be part of the excited, high vibe and accelerant he wants to be in the world, it lifts his vibration when he uses it, aligns him with his mission and tells others what a positive person he is! Now if this repels certain people that’s ok, we are not meant to please everyone, and whittling down your circle of fans is preferable, so do not conform – be the true you!
Personal Identity Affirmation – This is for you, a way to set an intention and be very clear about who you are and how you will be seen in the world, as well as incorporating the essence you want to leave people with when you are no longer in the room. This is a statement that affirms to you;
Who you are,
What Value you Bring through your strengths, and
How you enable others to Feel.
Repeat this to yourself many times a day, setting your intention of your Brand before you even interact in your day. Use it as a morning ritual practice as well as a daily affirmation – this is a way of being, becoming who you truly are.
Comment below and let me know what your Brand is, and how you’re using this information to affect action and improve how you are seen consistently in the world.
And if you’re keen to work with me to gain real traction to mindfully align with your mission and create conscious business with purpose, confidence and ease. Check out my 12-month Transformation Program. Which will give you weekly Coaching, support from other aspiring entrepreneurs, opportunities to collaborate, a safe space to test, challenge and improve your Business and your Life so that you can better serve the world through aligning with your own personal mission.
In the meantime, know your Brand and get comfy with it,
With gratitude,
Alison xoxo
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an Internationally Accredited Coach and Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator and Speaker.
Committed to helping You mindfully align with your mission to create Conscious Business with Purpose, Confidence and Ease. So that you live a life you love and deserve with Clarity through Conscious Creation.
The prospect of going on a silent mindfulness retreat was quite exciting to me, especially when I booked it. The allure of a sense of peace and stillness appealed. Over the past few months I came to notice the desire within me to be quiet. I had found talking, socially, to be so energetic, draining and it took up so much time and didn’t always convey what I was trying to impart. Not to mention the noise of everyday life, it was deafening at times. So for me, some time to be in silence felt like a luxury and a very rare opportunity.
However, after a while I began to question it, the experience in itself, especially when I was telling people my plans. I started to wonder what would it be like? How would I interact? What would the other participants be like? And what was their motivation for wanting silence? And why when I talked to others about it did they seem to think it was likely to be difficult or unnatural? So many questions, and my ‘monkey mind’ was having a field day!
It’s quite natural for me to question, I am used to it and I understand it and can observe it for what it is – thank you Mindfulness! I recognise it now as my thirst for knowledge, impatience and excitement mainly. I have a keen neural pathway that kicks in regularly, which is wanting to know the outcome before experiencing it. But through self awareness and acknowledging myself and my mind, it’s come to be an enjoyable part of the process. Especially when I step outside the norm, adventure past the boundary of my comfort zone into unknown territory.
The venue was lovely and commanded silence in it’s very stature. The surrounding bush was still and inviting and the birds’ song created most of the sound waves. A sense of peace seemed to be a fabric of the buildings foundation. And aptly so, the centre was called Aio Wira, Peace Wheel.
The silence wasn’t immediate although each of us as we arrived were probably more reserved than we would have been, knowing what was to come. So we got to know about one another in the very usual ways, learning about our careers, families, experiences and sharing our anticipations over what this retreat would come to offer us.
The silence began on the Friday night, after group introductions, a mindfulness practise and a greater understanding of the weekends agenda. And at this point I was ready, although I later came to realise all the questions I should have asked that I didn’t think of at the time. For instance, would it be frowned upon to use my laptop to journal? Could I use my phone to write messages if I couldn’t speak? What was the protocol for apologising or saying thank you or excuse me, where did our manners come into play? And my resistance around forgoing my politeness, in the most conventional of ways, was startling.
My experience of being silent with a group of people came easily, or so I thought. I didn’t find that I blurted words out at all unexpectedly like some, nor did I find it hard to make eye contact if I didn’t feel the need. After the settling in period I actually felt free. For me, the settling in period lasted a few hours and I actually noticed that I started to experience worry. Not at all what I was expecting. Worry about what other people were thinking – which was a shock to me as I’m acutely aware of how I cannot control that, nor should I want to. However, I digress. I was worried about not being able to explain my behaviours to those around me, apologise if I was in their way and hadn’t realised or what they might be thinking about me or judging me on given the fact we were all mostly strangers. It was a shocking revelation and not one I much liked in all honesty. Immediately I felt disappointed that I hadn’t already worked through this, as I assumed I had, I doubted my previous work and the release of the worry surrounding others opinions long ago. However, I realised what I was doing and through the discomfort I practised what I teach – and I’m not an ideal student, but I went with it anyway.
To move past the settling in period and become at ease, with my underlying worries I made the conscious decision to adapt wherever I could. I started to actively listen more, notice body language and make more eye contact to connect. I tried to pick up on subtle cues to answer my worries and adapt to enable more ease for others. That’s when it came to me. This was my weekend, my time to connect with myself not navigate others ease. I needed to find my own.
With that I relaxed, I accepted me in that moment by moment situation, knowing that everyone there was focused on themselves too and the silence was an aid. I did what I wanted, within reason, so as to be considerate of others, but to look after myself. I found myself hugging these strangers, my companions in the silence, to say thank you for their kind gestures, smiling a lot to connect, I noticed that I wanted to compliment people on their beautiful habits, of movements or features. Yet I didn’t need words, we could laugh at silly things that happened, organise walks together without words, share with each other the sights around us if one of us might have missed seeing a rare bird.
For me the things that I learnt most in the silence were, that:
There is actually never pure silence, in the extreme. There is always a sound of something no matter how faint if you are still to listening.
I was totally right, talking does take up a lot of energy!
You don’t need words to console or comfort someone, your presence is support enough.
There is so much noise, even the small noises become deafening when you’re still.
That it is necessary to gather thoughts, be still and disconnect from technology driven sounds to appreciate the beauty in nature, the sounds from within.
That connection isn’t always through verbal communication, closeness comes from a shared understanding and appreciation of a person’s journey and respecting it.
Compassion for oneself is a generous gift, and easier to receive without outside influences.
You never know what someone else is thinking whether you’re speaking to them or not.
There is no magic answer awaiting you in the silence, but it is pleasant and something quite extraordinary to do.
So where to now, for me and silence?
Well I have a greater appreciation for it and I will respect and enjoy it when I find the rare times when it happens. And I will also aim to notice it when it happens (hopefully a couple of times a week).
The experience was eye opening in what it brought up for me in regards my concerns over judgements from others and how I dealt with that. I have a greater capacity for acceptance of myself and my concerns when they may be brought up, and I know that I have the ultimate ability to control them, if I choose to.
But one thing is for sure, as I write this, I have missed hearing my kids say ‘Mumma’, my husband and the dog snoring in unison and the laughter that we have at our home. So after three days away, I truly cannot wait to see and hear my tribe again!
With Warmth,
Alison xox
Alison Callan is a Mindfulness Consultant, Life, Career and Business Coach. Committed to creating positive and lasting change for individuals, teams and organisations through Mindfulness.
As a small to medium enterprise business owner you will have no doubt heard of coaching, but you may not have taken the time until now to explore the significant benefits that coaching can bring to you, your team and ultimately your enterprise.
I completely appreciate that coaching may seem like a luxury at first glance, as there is a time commitment required as well as monetary investment. Both of which are precious commodities when you are running your own business. However, here’s my perspective as a Coach on why your investment could ultimately be significantly worthwhile on multiple levels.
Firstly, let’s take a look at coaching in its most commonly associated form, from a sporting perspective. As a business owner, at CEO/ Director level the buck starts and stops with you so let’s look at a solitary sport for now in this example, running.
Are you out for a jog or are you planning a marathon? From a coaching perspective the intent and clarity required to answer this question informs the approach and outcome. You see, in the first instance a jog can take you anywhere, you don’t need an excessive warm up regime, or to plan your breaks or meet a time limit. Your primary goal is on planning to exercise with no specific long term investment in the outcome of that jog or where it might be leading to, you’ll see how it goes. With a marathon however, a lot more is involved, it requires planning, commitment, training and mental preparation as well as having all the necessary gear. Most marathon runners set expectations and have made significant lifestyle choices to meet their goal. With this in mind most invest in a Coach to train with, to raise their awareness, focus their mind-set, shed light on blind spots and develop some fundamentals directed at enhancing their performance and meeting their goal. Same thing in business. High performers have Coaches to raise their game.
Here’s my couple of cents worth, or in fact 7 of them, on the value of working with a Coach at a small to medium enterprise level in business.
1. Focus
A Coach is skilled in creating the space to enable you to get clear on what’s important, to uncovered your core drivers and reminding you of the visions you’ve created, and how your present focus is aligning you purposefully, by asking the hard questions to challenge your perspective, known ability and consequently shed light on any unknown quantities for exploration where deemed appropriate. All the while ensuring you are working towards your required outcome. Your Coach is keeping the focus of the outcome in sight to align your discovery to what you need to achieve.
2. Setting goals and reaching them
Being a visionary and blue sky thinker is greatly required in business, but being able to relate those visions to specific, measurable and timely incremental goals is key to making the vision a reality. A Coach is accustomed to challenging, motivating and driving honest and relatable thinking into this process to support you in setting your strategy for success.
3. Accountability is crucial when working towards something
A Coach is a great partner in creating your strategies, testing your commitment to achieving your goals and checking the practicalities of your assigned actions through powerful questions that challenge your thinking, boundaries and expectations.
4. You can brainstorm and bounce ideas off your Coach
A truly great coach enables a safe, confidential space removing all judgement, preconceived ideas of right and wrong to allow you to open up to truly original, fresh and forward thinking concepts. Things you might have dismissed or resisted due to your personal self-limiting beliefs or fear. Through coaching you get to follow your thoughts through via answering powerful questions and create links, and master a self-awareness that you could have previously overlooked.
5. Provide opportunity for reflection
With a Coach you can explore what you’ve done, and what you’d like to learn from it, replicate or give a wide birth too in the future. Your Coach will hold a mirror up for you to ask the hard questions to get you to see different perspectives, possibilities and opportunities. In this space you can identify and break negative or damaging cycles, expose any self-limiting beliefs, patterns and shine a light on where your focus is needed to achieve more of what you want, and discard that which you don’t.
6. Be real and exposed
Who can you be truly real with about your business, talk about your vulnerabilities, concerns and actually be confident that the person you’re confiding in has only the best intentions for empowering you to develop strategies to build, strengthen, stabilise and grow? It can be hard to carry the fears or concerns single-handedly and will eventually take its toll, but there is no need to struggle alone with this. Once shared with your Coach you’ve given yourself permission to take action and deal accordingly without concern that you’ve impaired your credibility or reputation.
7. Team engagement
Working with a business Coach enables teams to become more efficient in their thinking as a collective. Creating a space for teams to engage in challenges together, devising team led appropriate solutions that everyone is signed up to is the Coaches focus. Allowing the team to recognise evolution, flexibility and adaptability in ever changing circumstances – thus building resilience, compassion, empathy and a collective desire to succeed.
The common theme in working with a Coach is that the Coach is there for you, driven by the outcomes you value, they are not personally or professionally attached to a specific outcome, they are impartial and that is how they are able to ask the hard questions and challenge thinking and beliefs through curiosity not judgement or expectation. It is crucial that there is a co-active collaborative way in which you and your Coach engage to build the level of trust, openness and honesty required for you to benefit fully in all of these aspects.
So the value of coaching resides in the mental toolbox the Coachee learns and develops throughout the coaching relationship, the resource of mental strategies that can be called on and applied in a multitude of different situations. All of which have been designed and developed through personal discovery and insights gained through the coaching process, helping to navigate toward success both personally and professionally. And as I said earlier a professional athlete works with a Coach to bring out their best performance, it’s the same in business!
With Immense Gratitude,
Alison
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an Internationally Accredited Coach and Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator and Speaker.
Committed to helping You mindfully align with your mission to create Conscious Business with Purpose, Confidence and Ease. So that you live a life you love and deserve with Clarity through Conscious Creation.
Alison Callan is The Clarity and Success Coach for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, as well as an Internationally Accredited Coach and Mindfulness Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker and #1 Best Selling Co-Author of the book ‘You Are Meant For More’.
