I own a business of one. I get up and make business decisions by myself. I plan goals and tasks by myself. In my business, I don’t have a partner or employee or a boss—I have me.
But I’m not completely alone. My first real people investment in my business was hiring a coach. I had 1-on-1 time with a sales-focused coach, as well as weekly group calls with some ladies I share an infinite bond with (I’m still with them a year later in a mastermind).
These are the people who help me decide if a service sounds like a good idea to test out. They’ve introduced me to Honeybook, helped me choose an email service provider, and copy edited my welcome sequence. They are the people who cheer for me on the sidelines and in the comments and motivate me to honor the promises I make myself. With the help of my group, I turned turned my passion into profit and fell in love with the process of it all.
Along the way, I’ve also learned that many of the things I told myself about mentorship just aren’t true at all. If you want to find the perfect program for you, stop believing in these common business coaching myths:
1. “I have to pick the coach with the best reputation.”
Business coaching can be a large investment, so you need to set yourself up for success. You shouldn’t just hire the most popular or expensive coach and assume you’ll get the same results as other people. If you and your coach have different philosophies, you’ll struggle at implementing their advice. For example, if you’re leading a heart-centered business and they’re encouraging you to stick with a bad-spirited client because the money is great, the two of you are not aligned. Most coaches are going to offer some form of consultation so you can “try before you buy”—take advantage of them before making your decision.
2. “If my coach is not a financial stretch, they probably don’t have much to teach me.”
If you have to take out a line of credit, put 20K on a credit card, or stop paying your mortgage to work with someone, it might not be the best time. You’ll spend a lot of your time focusing on replacing that expense with income and may not have the flexibility to stay patient and execute your coach’s teachings. Yes, risks brings reward and it’s okay to feel a little stretched with a business investment, but investing yourself into financial ruin is never a good idea.
3. “You don’t get enough personalized attention in group programs.”
A lot of curriculum-based group programs include some kind of community such as a Facebook group, Slack group, or accountability partners. You may have to work a little harder for the support, but it’s there. If a 1-on-1 programs seems too expensive, group programs can be a more affordable to conquer a fundamental task in your business.
4. “Masterminds don’t work unless we’re all in the same industry.”
One of my favorite things about my mastermind is that we’re not all in the same industry. It’s not that I’m scared of competition, it’s that I enjoy having that outside perspective in my business. When you’re all different, it’s like you have a ready-made group of prospective clients waiting to give input on your business.
5. “I’m too inexperienced to provide value in a mastermind group.”
This is one of the worst lies that we tell ourselves! If everyone in the mastermind is at the same places in their business with the same level of the expertise, how do you expect for anyone to learn from one another? The best groups have people with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you’re six months into your business as a photographer or web developer, you can provide value to a someone who will eventually hire a photographer or web developer.
