153 - Building the Confidence to Show Up for Your Business with Erin Thompson
Building a successful business isn't a walk in the park, but what truly matters is the journey, not just the destination. A world of possibilities can open up if you have the confidence to commit and take action, even if you make mistakes along the way. It’s completely normal to feel worried, scared, and even terrible at times. What's important is to push through and just do it anyway.
In today's episode, I will be speaking with Erin Thompson, a Performance and Confidence Coach for Senior Living Leaders who is graduating from my Business Building Boutique program. Listen in as she shares her valuable insights for anyone building their coaching business and the challenges and wins she encountered in her journey. She candidly shares her experience about her decision to invest in herself, embracing the power of a positive mindset, and the crucial role of having a supportive coach and a thriving community in your corner.
Success doesn't always come easy, but it's not impossible either. Keep going until you get there.
Connect with our guest!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erin_thompson32/
Erin’s I Have Fallen and Need Some Help Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2068628
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Transcript
(Preview) Erin: There's nothing about it that's glamorous. But when it does look glamorous, it's because there was a lot of work that went into it, And yeah, I can make things look better now than I did before, but that's because it's more confidence than it was. And I learned what it was like to start small again. And that in itself is a journey. And it's a journey we all need to do when we forget what it's like to be new at something and to start small. And I'm also, embarrassing versus empowering. At the beginning you may be embarrassed, but at the end you're empowered.
Intro: Hello, I'm Debbie Shadid, the host of the Life Coach Business Building podcast. If you are ready to have more clients in your life coach business, then you're in the right spot. Each week I'm gonna teach you super simple strategies to grow your business without feeling overwhelmed and without spending money on paid ads. If that sounds interesting. Stick around and let's get started.
Debbie: Welcome to the podcast. I am excited to be able to reintroduce you to a client that's already been on once and maybe twice. Have you been on my podcast twice?
Erin: Couple of times. One by myself and then the groups. Yeah.
Debbie: With the summit. Yeah. So I want you to meet Erin Thompson. This was not actually planned that Erin was going to be on the podcast today. I had invited Erin to come and be part of the marketing series where we talked about kind of the growth of her business.
And today, as I was having my exit phone call with her as she is graduating from my program, I thought, you know what? Let's do this as a podcast and let's just have this conversation for everybody that is building their coaching businesses to really be able to listen to what happens as you build a coaching business.
So Erin, thank you for being here and for being so willing to share all that's happened for you. So welcome.
Erin: Thank you. Happy to do it.
Debbie: All right. So let's reintroduce your business to everybody. Tell 'em who you coach and kind of what your niche is.
Erin: well, I'd like to say that I educate, equip and empower family members caring for their elderly, loved ones through the caregiving process, finding what the next step would be, whether it's senior living or helping them have ideas at home, or even small financial planning type conversations.
And then also for the senior living leaders to be a mentor, support and a coach of helping them through their career. Like I got an email, somebody who wants to know if I can help them get an executive director job. and so that's, that was neat, to do that. So I really just help senior living leaders make it through one of the toughest career field is there, which is senior living.
Debbie: Yeah, that's right. Well, alright, so we have discussed in a past podcast, we won't go back over it. kind of uh, Erin narrowing down her niche upon my advice, but let's take it kind of from there. You were needing to build a business and you needed a website, you needed your marketing message, you needed to decide how you were going to reach your people.
Do you wanna sort of share? I think the initial stage would've been branding and website and messaging. Do you wanna talk a little bit about that?
Erin: Yes. You helped me understand what branding was because I don't think I really understood the power of a brand from just the consistency point.
And understanding why all that is important and then how to make that into all your social media and the emails and all that kind of stuff, and you, um, inspired me to wear clothes with my colors. And I kind of grew into actually that bringing, some peace in my life too. And consistency is something that I'm really good at anyways, so I can see where that helps other people with, my message as well.
And just simple ways to instill trust through your brand, which was important. And then how to use that in the several different tech options that I do.
Debbie: Yeah, so I remember that you were kept saying, I'm not good, I'm not creative or I'm not, uh, like, I need your help with this.
And I kept thinking, well, yes you are. I mean, the beautiful part about getting your brand done is like the colors are there, the fonts are there. You had a beautiful logo created, and so it's like we just need to consistently use those. It really was easier than you thought I think.
Erin: Yes, yes. I came into the program with a lot of roadblocks, mindset roadblocks, and although I'm not as creative as you, but I am getting there. So I'm proud of that.
Debbie: Yeah, you are. You are. So the first marketing that you did with your business was a podcast. So do you wanna share why a podcast? How did that get started? Give us the details.
Erin: I loved helping family members that came into my community to help them find and solve their problems.
That was just the best part of my job. And I love to listen to podcasts. And I listened to your podcast before we met and had a consult call, and I have always found value in that and I like to talk. So I said, I'm gonna give this a shot and at that time, I didn't have any kind of visual, like YouTube or anything, so it kind of helped me fly under the radar.
I could talk and do everything and not have to worry about it being my face or anything like that. And that made me feel like I was just leading a meeting in my community. So it was the most non-invasive form of marketing for me, and I liked it and I kept, I just kept going with it. it did challenge me at the beginning to learn the editing piece.
And that was my first mindset exercise that you can do hard things, Erin, and it's gonna be hard at the very beginning, but you're gonna get through it. And I'm glad that I. So that was my first step of investing in myself and watching lots of YouTube videos.
Debbie: There you go. That's right. So you mentioned one thing which was mindset and you also have mentioned like, hanging around with life coaches.
Now I see things differently. One of the pieces that has been part of the program that the coaching that I offer is spending time on thinking about business mindset to try to find out, so much comes up about the roadblocks that are preventing you or that will prevent you from having a successful business.
Would you, you know, without sharing any details, do you wanna make some comments about sort of how the mindset coaching, some of the things that we cleared up might have really helped you in your business?
Erin: Yes. What held me back inside of corporate America, held me back inside being an entrepreneur.
And what that was was this right here? This little mind of mine. And I was very uncomfortable, as an entrepreneur because I didn't have a corporate logo to hide behind or a team to brag upon. I had to brag on myself. I had to do all the things that I've never done before and I had a lot of confidence issues, anyways.
And so it was forcing me to see myself differently and I really fought that at the very beginning, which is a pattern in my life. But I fought that and through the mindset coaching and actually, through seeing other people in the program itself try things and not succeed, but yet learn from them.
Mm-hmm. Everything that I was scared of, I was able to reclassify as a rite of passage. And when I changed The fear to a rite of passage, I was able to actually be proud of myself and each little thing stacked on the other. And I had, you know, a first workshop, and one person came and I was just so proud of that.
And then the next workshop, no one came, but I was still so proud of that. and then the next, my latest workshop, six people came. And I'm beyond proud of that. Mm-hmm. And I'm growing an email list because of it. And it's really more than anything else, it has helped me understand that success is a journey.
It is not a destination. And when you can assign your worth and the value that you're desperately looking for through the destination, through the acts to succeed, instead of the success, there is so much more joy in that. And more than anything, that is the life-changing business realization that I had and what I'm taking with me to other people that I coach as well.
Debbie: Wow, that's good. Well, you have not mentioned the biggest thing that I'm, I as your coach, I'm so proud of that you did too, which was this speaking engagement that you had. So when Erin came to work with me, she said, you know, I'm gonna be doing this thing like in six months. And I was like, all right, we need to get some stuff together.
Like we've gotta have a website, you gotta have your branding, your messaging. And you said, well, could you help me get all that ready? Yes, yes, yes. But you really did something remarkable. So you created a talk and you spoke, you wanna share about that? So good.
Erin: Yeah, so I talked about vulnerability and courage and shame and fear at an Alabama Assisted Living Association, which was filled with my peers and people that I used to work with.
And, those were, I believe, the biggest hurdles in my life. The shame and the fear part was certainly something that I struggled with and rejection and all those things. And through this journey, I was able to understand that that is really what was on my heart to share. And I was able to share a very personal, speech that resonated heavily with the crowd that I was in.
And that speech alone, I believe, propelled respect in my field that I so desperately was looking for. And I was scared of Canva. I was scared of PowerPoint in trying to make those slides look good. And through, you know, your coaching and all your tools, you kind of helped make that go away, which was really just a projection of what I was really scared of anyways.
But it helped me understand how important it was, and it was such a, um, important moment for me. It really was. And I was able to have the tools of the mindset, but when I walked on there, helped me not fall on my face. It helped me stand upright and talk proudly. So I would not have done, be able to do what I did in that moment without this program for sure.
Debbie: Well, and you had all the pieces together. So you had the mindset work that you knew you could tap into to walk out there and as I always say, have your bratty brain complaining and also have, you know, the person who's in charge up there talking and do it really well because you had practiced and you were prepared.
But also just knowing that you had a really professional-looking image. You looked amazing. you know, you looked great that day. And just that your brand and all the pieces that went with that collectively really looked like you were a big company.
Erin: Yeah. But even dressing in your colors, like after you understand what that does for you and then you wear one of those colors up on stage like that, that just builds confidence too. And it's just so funny how all the pieces do fit together. Like if I would've worn a non-color would ha if I'd been that comfortable, I don't know. But because I did, I was like, yeah, I'm right on brand. You know, I'm fucking up there. Like that was just a powerful thing for me. You know, it was funny.
Debbie: You know, it takes a leap of faith to build a business in many, and maybe I should say it takes lots of leaps of faith to build a business, and it takes a leap of faith, definitely to hire a coach, particularly the way that I coach, because some of it doesn't really make sense.
and as you said, like why would branding and, and your personal brand really matter, but the empowerment that you felt from that and knowing how you wanted to show up and how you wanted to represent yourself because you had intentionally decided ahead of time is just really, I'm sure created confidence for you.
Erin: Yes, absolutely it did. So what
Debbie: was your biggest takeaway? I mean, in six months' time we've been together, we've been within our group coaching with a bunch of amazing women. You know, you've had some mindset coaching. You've learned lots and lots and lots of things. You have many pieces put into place in your business. Let's share some of your takeaways from the work that we did together.
Erin: It's not easy. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. And I think I listened to a lot of people before and thought that it was easy. And I think a lot of people start this and they think that it's easy. And there's a lot of people that had more experience with certain things than I do.
but still don't find it easy. So I would've never, ever, ever been able to do the things that I can do now in such a short time. Right. Smart people write a check for speed. And that is one thing that you get, you get the speed of knowing how to do things very quickly with all the access to the videos and stuff like that.
the mindset clearly is more than anything from a personal standpoint, I am a completely different person from day one to the last day. And we say this all the time in coaching or even inside the assisted living industry. What is the price that you pay for that? And for me that's priceless. And I was the one who was scared to death of checks.
You know, like that was the first time that I ever invested in me. And You know, I would do that again in a heartbeat because of who I was then and who I am now. And there is no price that you can put on the effect that it had from that standpoint. and then obviously the camaraderie of the team and learning from, yes, you have your teacher and I have always been one who doubted leaders sometimes, and teachers and always kind of had that outlier thought process.
But when I started and listening to the people who had been in the program for two or three months and what they were saying, like that gave me the confidence to realize that I have to go out there and get the lumps. It's not glamorous. There's nothing about it that's glamorous. But when it does look glamorous, it's because there was a lot of work that went into it, And yeah, I can make things look better now than I did before, but that's because it's more confidence than it was. And I learned what it was like to start small again. And that in itself is a journey. And it's a journey we all need to do when we forget what it's like to be new at something and to start small.
And I'm also embarrassing versus empowering. At the beginning you may be embarrassed, but at the end you're empowered. you know, there's a lot of business stuff that she can give you. And, you know, I hope I can do that justice, but all the business stuff in the world doesn't change the fact if you're too scared to start small or you're too embarrassed to start small, To finish being empowered, you know? And empowerment gives you the ability to do the things.
Debbie: Yeah. And Erin, I just have to say, I mean, the thing is, is that you were the one who did the things, and that is just a whole bunch of discomfort in that alone. Like it's not only just learning the tech and doing that stuff, but really, talking to people even about your business and what you want to do.
And we all come, no matter what our niche is, we all come with thoughts about how we're going to be judged and what are other people gonna think, and what are my peers gonna think? And what if somebody says something like, I'm not qualified, or, we have lots of stories that go on and, you really did a great job of just deciding to do it anyway. Like, yeah. Feel terrible, feel scared. Feel worried and do it anyway.
Erin: Yes. I like the sentence, it's just a decision. Is that all it's,
Debbie: yeah. All right.
Erin: It's just a decision. And I'm like, oh, okay. I mean, these are all just words that put things into perspective for me. Like I make things so complicated, but really it's just a decision.
I'm like, oh, okay. It's just a decision. That's all we have to do. It's just a decision. and it was that way for email marketing that really freaked me out. And I just had to make a decision that you're gonna learn how to do that. and just different things like that and all of it I'm still getting better at.
But you have, I think that one-on-one coaching is powerful, but I also, there are times where we need group coaching, and I think at the beginning of a business, from my perspective, I think group coaching is probably the biggest asset that you have because you're not alone. I got asked yesterday the same question.
How is it, it must be hard for you to start over so small and not have everybody around you that you used to have. And then sure, it's been an adjustment, a big adjustment for me. But what people don't understand is that I did have people around me, you know? I did. And
Debbie: Just not in your office, just not in the office place that you went to work at. Yeah. But you have community. Oh yeah.
Erin: Yeah. And there is something about at the very beginning when your mind is telling you not to do all the things that you have a community there that's telling you Yes. Do all the things. And you actually have people who've been, who's farther along than you that you would think is a hindrance to you, but really it's a cheerleader to you because you're like, oh, okay, they're doing it.
They're struggling, but they're not dying. Okay, I could probably do that. Okay. So when I get there, I'm gonna feel like that. Okay. Oh, I do feel like that, but she didn't, so I'm gonna do it. You know, those types of things. That's how I rationalize everything. Um, so I believe 100% in group coaching.
Debbie: That's awesome. Well, typically, if we were doing a real exit interview, I would take these last few minutes and really talk about what I see for you in the future. And let's make just a little kind of mini plan of where you're going and what's gonna happen.
So, I'm just gonna speak to you and everybody can listen. So Erin, the. The speaking event that you did was, obviously incredible and the follow-up that you've done afterward has been kind of incredible. Let me just say there's been, um, I think the energy that was before with the talk has dwindled a little bit and I think part of that is because we're back into unknown territory again.
So we're back doing something now in launching a group coaching program with a lot of questions and uncertainty behind it. And, um, you know, until we do that enough times and given enough tries and enough effort, we can't get to the other side of where you were after all the talks. So, I think we need to revisit what it looks like to do a launch and sort of really intentionally decide to not let yourself off the hook of, if I'm gonna launch a group program, there's gonna be 10 people in it. Where am I gonna find 10 people? How's this gonna work out? what do I need to say to these 10 people? what do I have to believe about my offer to find these 10 people? Like if we just picked a number, what would be a number that you would have in your group program?
Erin: I was thinking 10.
Debbie: Okay. 10. Do you believe that there are 10 people in your world that you know, that you could connect with that would say yes to working with you?
Erin: I think I could find them, yes.
Debbie: Yeah, I think they're there. that's all. I'll hold the space while you work on board that. So I think they're there. So then it becomes a question of what is it actually that we need to do to reach those people, to help those people feel confident in what you have to offer, and to understand what coaching even is. So I think that needs to be mapped out.
Erin: Yes, yes. think, I think they're starting to understand a little bit. Yeah. And I need to do a better job of explaining that to the professional side of my niche.
Debbie: So what would that look like? I mean, I think we can't solve it all in the next couple of minutes, but I mean, to grab a piece of paper and think of what are all the things that they need to know too that will create confidence in them, that what you have to offer really is of value, really is worth the investment of money and time. What is it that you would have to expose them to, to help them see that?
Erin: Probably more about my growth. I have a plan to do a podcast about it. I think that video On LinkedIn is kind of where my sweet spot is. I kind of learned that over the last three weeks cuz I've been saying everything about coaching and writing.
Yeah. But I don't have the excitement of video and I learned that through my last workshop. So I think I'm going to do a little bit more of the video marketing about coaching. And just through the interaction over the last six days, I see that their interests are peaked and just people asking me questions and even someone we're even maybe partnering with somebody about the odds of having a retreat for senior living leaders has kind of come up.
And that in itself is exciting and a great opportunity to expose people to what coaching actually is. So that may be a little far off because I inspired her to say yes, I think it is possible with this perspective. but I think the key is going to be more video and more marketing with my emails.
I make an intentional point with written social media LinkedIn messaging. I need to get better at the email marketing about it. but the video is where I believe the sweet spot is with how I describe it.
Debbie: I would agree with that. So it's like, let's put a hyper-focus on video and really aggressively go after it, because what I would like for you to do is decide the date that your next group program is starting, or the group program is starting, and then let's work backwards from there.
So, you know, if it's, if it's June 1st, let's say, then you, you get outta wall calendar, you put that on there, and then we work backwards from there. What day is the cart gonna close? you have to have three emails in the last day, maybe two on the day before, and then sort of chart out messaging and then decide what are the things, you know, I, by the way, I have that guide that tells what the emails are, but what are the things that my people really need to hear from me?
Who do I need to maybe do some, uh, mini coaching sessions with that I can create some results with where they could be, testimonials for me. You know, talk about the work that you two have done. this is just gonna be a time where I would take every available hour that you have and offer to give your services, your coaching, your support, your guidance, your mentorship away to anyone who will take it because you need a load of testimonials.
You need feedback. You need people talking about you referring you. Couple that with this really intentional, what do they need to hear? And then, Last thing would be a goal that you won't give up on. Yeah. Where you say, right? If it's 10, I am not stopping until I have 10. And it doesn't matter if it's June 1st, whatever date I just said, I'm going to keep going anyway until I have the 10 that need to be there.
Erin: Yeah, you're right. I start my training with the state, in quarter two. And I didn't do as well with the group push because it was the first time. Yeah. And I learned so much through that, that, I will be more prepared. I wasn't prepared email marketing-wise.
Yeah. Yeah. I can certainly improve that. And then now I know that video is kind of my thing which I've always known that, but I tried it with my workshop and I had success with it. So now I really know, and I'll go into it purposefully mapping out my steps, which I didn't do the first time. And I think that it will be a much better success for me.
Debbie: And then, the icing on the cake is going to be, you're gonna have to do your mindset work every day about believing whatever thoughts you document the thoughts that you can actually believe that there are 10 people within my reach that will hear what I have to say.
That will say, yes. All I have to do is keep going until I find those 10 people. I don't know what the thoughts are. You have a gift to give. You have like you were meant for a moment like this. You have to keep doing that so that there's not an opportunity for you to say like a few is okay. Like four or five.
That's good. That's good. No, we're not gonna settle for that. We're gonna go for 10. 10. 10, 10. So it's like, what do you have? If that was like, your life depended on those 10, how do we just keep going? Because you know that your primitive brain is going to tell you that a smaller number is okay. And I mean, I guess it would be, but like, let's go for our goal, Keep going until you get there. Because long term, once this first group is done and then you have testimonials from some of this free coaching that you offer, then you have testimonials from this group and you know you're doing some contract work. I mean, you're on your way and then it's just a matter of you mapping out for the rest of the year.
What speaking events can I do to build my reputation? what other podcasts can I get on to build my reputation and what's it gonna look like as my program continues to roll out, what are gonna be the open and closed dates? Like you do a planning session of what the rest of the year is gonna look like?
All the dates that the groups are gonna start, the dates groups are gonna end. And you have it all mapped out as if it's happening.
Erin: Yes. So my goal is going to be time prioritization. You can't manage time, but you have to prioritize time. And that is where I have lacked and where I am now. My focus will be on having it all mapped out. You are correct.
Debbie: So good. All right. I can hardly wait to find out what is happening. I am not going anywhere, Erin. I want you to report to me what you're gonna do. Gosh. I hope that you guys who listen to this podcast are inspired. There is so much that can happen in six months' time when you decide to commit, and when you come in and you implement what you've been taught and you just do it like you don't question it, you just do it. You do it whether it's good, B minus work, failing, or nobody shows up.
You just do it because that is the path to success. You're on your way because you've done all those other things.
Erin: Absolutely.
Debbie: I cannot wait. What a treat has been. Honestly, I hate goodbyes, so I won't say goodbye. But it is just honestly been my honor to be able to support you and to coach you and as I've said before, I'll say it again, you're gonna be my big money maker, so, so proud to have you in my world. Thank you so much, Erin.
Erin: Thank you for leading me to who I am today. Cause it's very much different than who I was six months ago. So thank you very much.
Debbie: So good. All right guys, have an amazing week. Until next time, bye-bye.
Outro: Okay, ladies, that is it for today. Before we go, I want to invite you to head over to debbieshadid.com. I have this incredible Canva training, specifically designed for life coaches where I'm gonna teach you how to use Canva to create beautiful graphics to market your life coaching. All right. Have an amazing week.
I'll talk to you very soon. Bye bye.