Building Relationships Are The Key To Business Success
This interview features Sadia Ghazanfar, founder of Slay Your Dragons.
Sadia’s coaching focus is helping diverse women overcome imposter feelings when stepping up at work so they can be career-confident and courageous.
Key Insights
Network actively: Building relationships with others will help expand your client base and create valuable connections.
Outsource non-coaching tasks: Delegate administrative tasks and communication to free up more time for coaching.
Get help with marketing and branding: Consider support for content creation and design to keep your brand strong.
Push through self-doubt: Trust the process, and don’t let fear stop you from taking the leap into coaching.
Focus on client transformations: Find fulfillment in seeing your clients’ growth and success.
The Interview
What’s the most important thing for new coaches to focus on when starting their business?
New coaches should focus on both their coaching skills and business skills. I think it’s crucial to understand how to manage the business side of things, including client management, marketing, and operations, alongside coaching.
How important is networking for a new coach?
Networking is essential. I love connecting with people, and I really do believe that building relationships and expanding your network is a great way to attract clients and grow a coaching business. But also to find camaraderie and companionship in what could be an otherwise lonely work environment.
Was there a time when you doubted yourself when starting your coaching business? If yes, how did you overcome that?
Despite experiencing self-doubt, I managed to push through my fears and really lean into the ‘trust the process’ idea that everyone talks about, but is a challenge to put into practice. I believe that everything aligns when the time is right. New coaches should trust their journey and take the leap even when they feel unsure.
What do you find most rewarding about coaching?
The most rewarding part for me is witnessing the transformation of my clients, particularly the women that I coach in leadership positions. Helping them overcome challenges and succeed is deeply fulfilling.
What tasks should new coaches consider outsourcing?
I’d say the administrative tasks and constant back-and-forth communication are areas that can be outsourced. New coaches should identify tasks they don't enjoy or that take up too much time so they can focus more on coaching and client relationships.
Some people thrive on the admin and emailing. Others thrive on creating content. Find the thing that brings you pleasure and keep it–but outsource the rest. Work that you don’t love can end up taking a lot more time to complete than is necessary or smart!
How would you say new coaches should approach the marketing and branding of the coaching businesses?
Marketing and creating visually appealing content can be really time-consuming. I think that new coaches should seek support in areas like branding and design, allowing them to focus on coaching while ensuring their business maintains a strong visual presence.
Having said that, having a solid brand can make it a lot easier.
What would you advise to maintain a good work-life balance?
Definitely having a strong support system and outsourcing tasks that don’t align with your strengths. Managing time efficiently and taking care of yourself is key to preventing burnout and maintaining a healthy balance.
And finally, what tools do you use to run your business?
Squarespace, Zoom, Calendar, and Notion.
Using tech tools that streamline my operations, help with client management, and support my content creation process have been game-changers!
