And I want to thank Sheila for being so willing to share her story and her journey with us, because I have no doubt that as you listen to this coaching session, you are going to pull little gems, little insights that you can apply to your own coaching practice. So I want to introduce you to Sheila. 

Sheila Tucker is a coach, consultant, therapist, and writer living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She helps creatives with an entrepreneurial spirit to create business opportunities that honor and align their values, without feeling depleted and overwhelmed. So you can learn more about Sheila at her website, https://www.sheilatucker.com, and be sure to follow her on Instagram @sheilatuckercc. So without further ado, let's get right into my coaching call with Sheila Tucker. 

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LEE: Sheila, thank you so much for coming on the Coach with Clarity podcast today. I am so excited to have you here.

SHEILA: Thank you.

LEE: So before we get into the coaching session, why don't you share a little bit about yourself with those who are listening and what you hope to get out of the session today?

SHEILA: Sure. So I'm Sheila Tucker. I am a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have a private practice on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. And, when anybody that's been in private practice, you know, we are confined, we're confined by the limitations of our state of which we're licensed. And I'd really like to reach outside of that. 

And not only that, but I've noticed that several of the people that I see are that I end up taking on his clients, although they do have an element of being diagnosable, there's also this element of not. So there's a lot of people that are coming in that just need some tweaks here and there. And because of that, I started looking into coaching as a way to expand what I'm doing and to have more outreach to more people. 

And so that's why I'm here, and so my question though, lies in that because I do have a private practice and I do want to keep that license active, at least for now, and I don't want to step all over the toes of private practice and want to niche and something that is totally separate from what I'm doing now, and how to make that happen when there are so many great options out there.

LEE: That makes so much sense. And I am so excited to dive into this topic with you today, in part because you are not alone. There are so many therapists and other health care providers who hold a license or a registration in their state, and they're interested in adding coaching on to their repertoire of services, but they really want to make sure that they're doing so in a way that's both legal and ethical. 

And I believe the foundation in approaching this is making sure we're very clear on your niche and who you serve and how you serve them as a coach, versus who you serve and how you serve them as a therapist. And so I'm really excited to dive into this with you today. 

And I do want to say to the listeners out there who are not mental health professionals are not in health care, this is going to be applicable to you as well, because many of you are coming into coaching from a different profession. So it's also going to be important for you to think about how do I coach people versus showing up and serving them within my current service based profession, so getting really clear on your niche is definitely step one. And so Sheila, I'm just super excited to dive in on this with you today.

SHEILA: I'm excited as well. Thank you.

LEE: So let's start kind of with the basics. When you think about who you want to coach, tell me how much progress you've made there, in terms of identifying that ideal client.

SHEILA: So it depends on the day. My experience has been, I will, I'll make some headway, and I'll say yes, this is who I want to work with. And then it can be later the same day, a day later, like, maybe that's not who I want. Maybe, maybe I want to work with this group of people instead. Yeah, that's the group of people. 

And so it seems that I oscillate a bit and not even between two different groups. It seems to be even broader than that, it just seems that I'm not able to truly just pick one. It's not like I'm going to make a bad decision. But it's just picking one and running with it longer than a few days to see how it plays out.

LEE: That's really understandable. And again, what you're facing is something that almost every coach faces when they first start defining their practice. And I want to start by sharing my philosophy on identifying an ideal client or creating a niche. And my philosophy is that this is a wonderful marketing strategy, but it does not have to be a service strategy. 

So what I mean is that when we think about who we most want to serve, and who our audience is, and what their needs are, that really helps us when it comes time to market our services, to go out there and talk about who we are and what we do, so that we can attract people that we want to work with. 

But that doesn't mean we only have to work with those people, and in fact what you might find is that as you get out there and start talking about your coaching work, you may attract people that don't necessarily tick every box on your list of ideal client characteristics. And that's okay. There may be something else about you that resonates with that person, and they think to themselves, I really want to work with Sheila, I don't know why I know I might not be her, you know, who she's going after. But there's something about her, I just feel really connected to her, and I want to work with her. 

So we can leave a little room for the magic for that to happen, and then it puts you in the position of getting to decide is this someone that I want to work with or not? So, when it comes to defining your ideal client, I want us to think about it as a helpful marketing strategy, but not necessarily something that has to limit your service provision. Does that make sense? 

SHEILA: It totally makes sense, and I've even noticed what you were saying play out in my own private practice. So if you were to look at my website, I am totally geared towards women, and I have several male clients that come in, and they are a match. Somehow, some way we end up matching up. And it's, it's an amazing experience. 

And so it's, I've definitely experienced what you're talking about firsthand and that it's, you know, the ideal client is amazing and the niche is great, but then there's also these off-wires that kind of come in and find you, so where it doesn't make up 100% of my practice. 

LEE: I love that. So really, we can take this experience that you've already had marketing your private practice for therapy and kind of remember that, that might happen with your coaching practice, too. And that's 100% okay, if it does. 

So let me come back to what you said before about sometimes, you know, maybe you'll come up with an ideal client and then a little later, maybe that day or later in the week, I almost get the sense that there's some second guessing going on. Is that is that accurate. 

SHEILA: 100%. Second guessing and impostor syndrome.

LEE: Oh, yeah. All that good mindset stuff. 

SHEILA: All of it just comes in, and it's it's, yeah, it's just a tidal wave of… “Ooh, can I actually help these people?” Or one of my favorite go-tos is “Who am I to think I can help these people?” Oh, yeah. You know, what's my experience with doing this? And what would that look like? And I really start to overthink it. And then I change my ideal client, and then we, then the same stuff just comes up with that client as well.

LEE: Yeah, and you know, Sheila, what I'm hearing underneath that is this really strong desire to show up and serve that client powerfully. I get the sense that being of service is really a strong value for you. And maybe that value might even be getting in your way before you even get started. Because it's this idea of if I don't do it right and I don't show up and really help these people then what's the point? And then imposter syndrome comes in and says, Yeah, right. What is the point? Who are you to do this and it just reinforces that idea. 

But before we go down that rabbit hole, I just want to pull back and reflect back to you just how much I hear this desire to serve others coming up in why you want to be a coach, and seeing this as an expansion of the work that you're already doing as a therapist, but serving a different population in a deep and powerful way. How does that resonate with you?

SHEILA: It totally does. That's exactly where I am right now with what's going on.

LEE: Okay. So here's the good news. Because you are just starting out with coaching, this is the perfect time to experiment and try new things. And whatever happens, whether it's an outcome that you want, or whether it's an outcome that's unexpected, all it is, is data. It's going to give us more information about how we can move forward in your practice and who you can serve. 

And what I find is that, especially within the first year or two a coaching practice, it's pretty common for someone's ideal client or someone's niche to evolve. And so as we kind of approach this conversation today, let's keep in mind that we're not carving anything in stone. Really all we're doing is creating a jumping off point for you. 

And as you get out there and you start talking to your ideal client and you start working with people and providing coaching services, let's create room for some of that fluctuation to occur. So that it's okay, if that happens, and it's okay, if something doesn't go as planned, because all that is is data to inform how we're going to get back out there and do it next time.

SHEILA: Yes, and that definitely takes a lot of the pressure off and knowing that it's not, it's not forever, it's for right now. I need to figure out right now what's happening.

LEE: Exactly. And I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, when I think back to some of my very first clients, like I was still in my coach training program, I'd maybe been coaching for a month or two where I was working with one client who signed up for one session, and I think back on that session and I'm just like, oh my God, what was I doing? Like, I had no idea what was going on. And yet I'm so grateful for that session because it helped me clarify, wait, what am I doing? What is the difference between how I show up as a therapist and how I show up as a coach? And why is this not working? Could it be that I'm not really putting myself out there to attract the right people? 

And quite honestly, this client was a wonderful person, but not a good fit for me, and not the kind of work I wanted to do. And so I had that initial feeling of, wow, I failed, and I didn't do this right, and oh my gosh, who am I to do this? But in hindsight, I really viewed that first session as being absolutely necessary on my path towards really getting clear on who I wanted to serve. So those sessions have a purpose as well.

SHEILA: Sure. I joke all the time about how I might not know what I want, but I definitely know what I don't want. Yeah, that's definitely information to, to feed into, like you said, just for the informational point of that.

LEE: Yeah. So why don't we start there? Tell me a little bit about what you know you want or what you know you don't want in an ideal client.

SHEILA: So gosh, and this is where I freeze up and I'm like, I don't know there's so many to choose from. I will tell you what I've been finding. I, I go on a lot of just networking dates with other colleagues and other people, whether it's life coaches, or therapists, or pharmacists, I go out with everybody, you know, lunches and, and walks on the beach and coffees. 

And what I've noticed coming up most when I go to these meetings, and usually it's just one on one, that I usually end up helping people with whatever is coming up for them in their business. Whether it's marketing or whether it's It's just whatever else is going on, I end up talking to them about, oh, well, have you tried this? Or there's this that's out there? What about this? And we end up talking business stuff about what's going on and how to make things better, and systems and putting things in order. And so I find that coming up over and over and over again. 

And that's kind of after I did the five days to finding your niche over at Coach with Clarity, so it's been interesting to see how that keeps coming up over and over. And at my last coffee date with a friend, she made the comment, she's like, you could probably turn this into some kind of a business Sheila. She's like, whenever we meet, and I have a question about business or about things that are going on and my own private practice, she's like, you're always giving this really good information that I'm able to run with. 

And she said, was there any way I can start helping you to make this into something that you could actually benefit from? So I found that rather interesting because I'm still growing my practice, and I'm thinking, just telling you what I know, but I'm definitely not there yet.

LEE: Oh, this is such good stuff. I've so many questions now. First and foremost, let me ask you, when you are talking business, and you're really getting into strategy and talking about systems and providing that level of consultation, how does it feel? Like in your body and emotionally, what's going on for you in that moment?

SHEILA: It's good. I mean, it's definitely a flow moment. For me, it feels very natural. It doesn't feel forced at all. And there are actually some times where I feel like I have to check myself because I'm like, Well, I'm doing a lot of talking here. Let me check in. But it's good. 

LEE: It sounds like it feels like a flow state, and that's a wonderful sign, when things don't feel forced, when they come naturally, I think that's where we're really starting to tap into to our zone of excellence, if not our zone of genius. But I wanted to check in to kind of make sure like this was something that you found joy in doing, because let's be honest, if this is not bringing us pleasure, if we don't enjoy the work, then we need to reevaluate whether this is something we want to do. But I get the sense that you enter this flow state, and it really does bring you a sense of purpose and joy, is that fair to say? 

SHEILA: Oh, definitely fair to say. And it's wonderful, because I also get to see the other person who will say, oftentimes, Oh, this is so beneficial, either at the moment, or, you know, I'll get a text message later on saying, wow, thank you so much. This is working. I appreciate this. That was a great resource.

LEE: Excellent. And I want to go back to what you said, which I think was something like, wow, I'm really doing this. But wait, this is just stuff I've tried myself. I mean, I'm still doing it myself, I don't really know. This is also one of those sneaky places where sometimes imposter syndrome can come in and we start to doubt ourselves. 

But what I want to suggest is when we think about being a coach or bringing our expertise to the situation, we don't need to know everything 100% we don't need to be at the end point of our journey, in order to help someone else on a similar path. We simply need to be a few steps ahead of them. And it sounds like that's where you are, that you have the knowledge and the first hand experience to now turn around and help others who are a few steps behind you on that path.

SHEILA: I think that's fair. Still even hearing you say that, and even knowing that that is the absolute truth, right? I'm still in the back of my head, the whole mindset thing of yeah, but… you're still building your practice and you're not where you want to be. And you're not even really that close right now. And so then there's the, “So who are you to help other people when you can't even say that you've been there?”

LEE: Yeah. Oh, believe me, that resonates with me so hard. And yet the other thing is, if you don't put yourself out there and you don't start doing it, then you're not going to get any closer to where you want to be. And so then it becomes this double-edged sword where our fear justifies our decision not to move forward, and then we just get stuck. 

So this is all about getting unstuck, and moving forward, and I get the sense that you're coming from a place of maybe knowing how you want to serve. This idea of providing business coaching and business strategy seems to be emerging as a really natural next step for you. But the part about who am I serving – that's maybe where things are a little fuzzy. Okay. So let's dig into that a little bit. When you care about the people that you've had these conversations with, where it's felt natural and that flow state has occurred, tell me about them. Not specifics, of course, but in general, like what are some common factors that unite them. 

SHEILA: They are typically in the healing profession of some way, shape or form. They're typically creative. They're also a little bit more, I guess, free spirited, maybe that comes with the creativity of it. And if they're not healers of some sort, they're definitely within the creative arts. So think like photography or writers or people along those lines.

LEE: Yes. So we have our helper/healer types, but we also have maybe our more artistic or creative entrepreneurial types as well.

SHEILA: Correct. And the majority of these people, well, a good number of them, seem to be I was gonna say highly sensitive. But at least kind of going in that direction.

LEE:  Yes. Tell me more about that. What qualities do they exhibit that gives you the sense that they may be highly sensitive.

SHEILA: A few different things. They'll tell me that people often refer to them as being overly sensitive to things, taking things to heart a little bit too much. But then there's also the, you know, going into a crowded room or being around a lot of different people and the way they express it, it sounds like that they're really picking up on the energy of the room, and not knowing what to do with that. So what's mine? What's yours? What do I keep? What do I give back? And having those concerns, especially when it has to do with business because of the networking piece of it, or the putting themselves out there portion of it as well, such as picking up on all of the stuff that's coming back.

LEE: This is really great, because now we're starting to shift from who they are into, what challenges are they dealing with, which is kind of part two. And so the idea that they are highly sensitive and they're very connected to the energy of others and to the environment around them. And that being that aware of the energy, it's both a strength but also a limitation if you don't know how to manage that. So I would imagine that that's something that may unite these people is how can I establish energetic boundaries so that I'm showing up and I'm, you know, standing strong in my sensitivity and in my business without getting completely like, wiped out at the end of the day,

SHEILA: Right, or run over or, whatever else comes up from some other energy suck that just happens to be in its place.

LEE: Excellent. Okay. So before we get any further down the path of what they're struggling with, so let me let me clarify what's emerging here as your ideal client. We really are talking about someone who's creative, who's independent, you used the word free spirited, and I would imagine sometimes that when we bring in the highly sensitive piece as well, it both complements and sometimes conflicts with those traits. I can imagine that free spirited and highly sensitive sometimes those compete. Do you find that in the people that you've been working with?

SHEILA: Definitely, definitely. Yeah, there's a lot of push-pull, because there's the want to be, I guess, vulnerable in some regards, especially just with creative endeavors, so with them doing the actual work. And then there's the experience of the outside world, and feeling like they're putting their guard down too much. I don't know if that makes sense. But then that exchange just starts to feel like it's not very balanced.

LEE: Yes. Okay. So I just want to stop and reflect that I think you're really clear about who this person is from a psychographic perspective. And I talked about demographics versus psychographics. Demographics are the things that are very easily measurable that you'd find on, like, census data, you know, age, gender, location, income, occupation, that sort of thing. And we've talked about that a little bit, particularly with regard to occupation. Maybe we're looking at healers or helpers, or creatives. But really where you are connecting with your client, and I'm really excited about this, is in terms of psychographics, knowing what motivates them, knowing what their values are, knowing their personality traits and what drives them. I get the sense that there's quite a bit of clarity from that perspective. What's your sense of that?

SHEILA: It sounds so clear when you say it, but when it happens in my own head, it does not have that same clarity.

LEE: Tell me more about that. So is that because we haven't quite nailed down the ideal client? Or is this maybe kind of the mindset issues coming in and second guessing?

SHEILA: I think it's the mindset issues coming in and taking over. And I say that because, I'm trying to deal with both to kind of look at facts too, right. So I pulled up my notes from when I was doing some niche work, however you say that word. And so I was looking and so much of what I'm telling you now is what I have written down. So people who are a little bit you know, I have highly sensitive, I have introverted down, as well, so kind of leaning towards introversion. I also have written down, you know, this is a person that maybe wants to start a business but hasn't started one yet. So the people that have already started their own business and then there are the people that haven't started it yet, but want to and those are the people that are hanging out in their cubicle, hating life, wanting to get out from under the fluorescent lights.

LEE: Yes. May I share with you something that just came up for me as I was listening to you speak? The word permission just kept coming through, this idea that your ideal clients on some level need permission or desire permission to break out of what they're doing and to move forward. And that's certainly something that you can address with them in coaching. And I'm also getting the sense of giving yourself permission to show up and serve these people in that way. And so interestingly, you and your clients need the same thing. 

SHEILA: Mm hmm. That sounds right.

LEE: Yeah. So we could kind of come at this at two different ways, but I want to stay with the client for a second. I want to ask you really specifically, if your clients gave themselves permission to really break out of their current way of doing things and to take that risk. and if they had the tools they needed to do so, and that includes managing those energetic boundaries, so that they can use their sensitivity as a strength and not feel like it's holding them back… If they had all of that, what would be possible for them?

SHEILA: The general answer would be whatever they wanted. Whatever they desire to do, so being able to get that business off the ground, put systems into place so they're not as overwhelmed with what's going on externally and internally. And to use one of your words, to gain more clarity about what it is they're doing, where they're going, what direction that they're headed in.

LEE: Yeah. I get the sense, though, that they have some clarity already about what they want. It's not the not knowing what's blocking them. It's the fear of actually moving forward and doing this. 

SHEILA: And so, yeah, well, as you started to talk, I was having that same thought as well. I just wrote a blog article actually on standing on the high dive, right? So you get up, you climb up all the stairs and your toes are hanging off the edge, and it's like, you know, there's water down there and all the other kids have done it and it looks fun, but you're too afraid to take that step and jump off. So there's definitely some of that and I have to say too, hearing you retell the story that I just told, and hearing myself say it, I was in that position. I was the one that was working in a cubicle and hating my life and getting sick while doing so, physically sick, like the doctor was like, you need to make some changes, or you're going to end up in the hospital. And I ended up quitting my job and going back to school to become a therapist. You know, I did that in my early 40s. And so I've not been out of school for that long and starting my own private practice. So I've definitely been in that position of, something needs to change, and I've got to move forward.

LEE: Thank you so much for sharing that. And I think this is such a powerful example of how for many of us in the coaching profession, our ideal client is simply a younger, earlier version of ourselves. And there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, in most cases, I think that is such a benefit because in addition to having the formal knowledge that you bring as a therapist and as a coach, and the professional experience of working with other people, you're also bringing your personal experience of having lived through it. 

And that, I mean, you weave all of that together. And all of a sudden, the question is, who are you not to do this work? I mean, there's no one better equipped and better suited to really step into this and support people through this than you, because you've been there, and you can back it up with the training and experience that you have. So when we're talking about imposter syndrome, and that question keeps coming up, like Who am I to do this? I think you've just illustrated that there's no one else but you to do this.

SHEILA: Yeah, I guess logically, I know that I bring something different to it, having made a different career choice, a little later in life, so to speak, not late by any means. I think it was right on time. But to be able to do that and to be able to take a leap and not really know, I mean, I only applied to one graduate school, and I got in. Who does that? But yeah, so there is some life experience and some jumping off the diving board that I've done at my own to be able to do it. 

And I know deep down like I'm bringing something unique. Otherwise, why would I have this desire to do what I'm doing and to go down this path? And so I also realized that I am the speed bump in the road that is slowing me down. 

LEE: Yeah. And you're not alone. And having that experience. Let me let me say that from the top. I have felt that way. So many of my clients have, I think on some level, every coach struggles with being their own block. So you're in good company.

And I also think that there is a way to view those blocks that come up, those fears and those critical inner messages, as actually being signs that we're on the right path because it takes bravery and courage to step out and do something differently, to say, I'm going to start a business, I'm going to put myself out there as a coach, and I'm going to engage with people in a way that I've never done before. Well, when you do that you really are putting yourself out there, you're making yourself vulnerable, and there is a risk of failure. 

And so naturally, then the mind comes in and starts saying, whoa, whoa, what do you think you're doing here? This is not safe, come on back, come on in the fold. And your mind is going to use every trick it has at its disposal to bring you back in, and so pummeling you with those messages of “Who do you think you are?” and “You don't know what you're doing” and “You're not far enough ahead.” That's your mind's way of trying to bring you back, like get you back off this, you know, what do you think you're doing track and into what is known. 

And so this is where we have to pause and ask ourselves, Okay, I see what my mind is doing here. Is this what is going to serve me best right now? Do I need to be safe? Do I need to stay on this track that I've always been on, or is it time for me to branch out and try something new? And if I'm making the intentional conscious choice to branch out and try something new, well, then all of a sudden, this fear isn't serving me anymore. It makes sense why it's coming up. But it's not the appropriate response. What do I need, instead of this fear, in order to move forward. And for your clients, and for you, that's where that permission comes in. So I want to bring this back to you for a second and ask you what it would look like to give yourself permission to take the next step in your coaching practice?

SHEILA: It would definitely be more freeing and more empowering to be able to move forward and stead of just standing back, you know, tap dancing in one spot, waiting for the scenery to change when it's not going to if I don't move forward, or move in any direction really. So it is, it's more empowering. And I will say that I have done some things like I went ahead and, you know, registered a name for an LLC, I have a domain, I have those things right in place. And this will help me to be able to create content so I can move forward with all of that stuff.

LEE: So let me ask you, is the next step that needs to happen for you to feel a little more secure in your ideal client and in your niche? Like, how can we kind of move forward and say, My name is Sheila, and this is who I serve?

SHEILA: I think for me, it will be some writing, definitely creating a little bit of content to… for it to be more real, I guess, does that make sense? And whether that's in the form of starting to create content for a website, or blog, or at least starting to post a little bit about it on Instagram or Facebook or whatever.

LEE: I love that as a way of connecting with this ideal client that you've described, this healer or this creative, who is free spirited and highly sensitive and struggling with how to build their business in a way that honors their energy and honors their creativity without completely overwhelming them. And a couple times, you talked about systems and strategy really being the key to that. And that's where you come in, as this independent sensitive coach who's done the work, who's walked this road and you understand what's needed to create that structure, both within the business, from a systems perspective, but also within the self, from an energetic boundary perspective. I really see the two going hand in hand with you and approaching this work from both the external and the internal perspectives. How does that sit with you?

SHEILA, No, that sits very well. When I was in grad school, I had the In honor of working with a shaman who was amazing. And I remember when I first started training with clients, there were a couple of clients in particular that I could feel when they drove into the parking lot of the center where I worked. I knew they were there, like I would have this visceral reaction to them just pulling in. So he was very, he was amazing at helping me to be able to regulate a little bit better with all of this outside stuff coming at me. So by hearing, again, you reframe what I was saying about the overwhelm, and about, you know, building the business and protecting yourself externally and internally… yeah, I mean, I've had my own struggles with that and I've had my own overcoming with it. I have my own rituals that I do daily, to help with the same energetic poles that are all around us.

LEE: This is extraordinary. And again, this just comes back to why you are the right person to be doing this work for your people. They need you. They are out there waiting for you. So how are they going to find you? That's the next step. Now that we've got a better idea of who it is you're serving, how can we help them find you? How can we make that easy for them?

SHEILA: Well, I mean, that comes down to me being seen. So putting myself out there and getting things moving in that direction. So you know, preparing some kind of a… something for them to go to and check out.

LEE: Yeah, I love where you're heading with this. You're right there, you're talking visibility strategies. That is the next logical step. After you feel really comfortable about who you're serving, and how you serve them, then it's time to spread the word. 

And so the good news for you because you're in Coach with Clarity, there's plenty of resources in there to serve you with that. And then for the podcast listeners, we are going to be diving into this much deeper as we move on with the podcast, but what I so appreciate, Sheila, is that today you were so willing to get clear about who your client was, and not just from a superficial demographic piece. I mean, it's important to know that too, but you were really willing to dive deep and get in touch with their, their values and their drivers and their motivations and allow that to inform their struggles and their deepest desires. 

Once we know all of those things, then we can really paint a picture for the client that demonstrates we know where they are today. We know what they are today looks like, that's their before picture, and we know what they most want for tomorrow, and that's their after picture. And then we become the guide between today and tomorrow. We become the tool that the client can use to help move from before to after, and then we can talk more about how we do that, and for you, it's going to be very much about creating a process that addresses the external systems and structures needed in one's business, but also the internal boundaries as well. 

That's going to be like, your special sauce right there. And framing it in terms of both the outer work and the inner work is what is going to attract the right client to you, that's going to speak to them on an energetic level, and it's not going to be for everyone. And that is okay. We cannot be afraid to say no to the wrong people in order to say yes to the right ones, and that starts with getting really clear in our messaging, the language we use the energy we use, because that is what attracts people to us. And I love that you're already kind of thinking in those terms. And you're going to take that and really start writing content for your website, for your blog, because that is how people are going to connect with you.

SHEILA: Yeah, it's exciting to have a direction. 

Lee: Excellent. So let's like, really get granular here. What is the very next step you're going to take after we hang up our call today?

SHEILA: I am, I'm going to, I'm going to start generating some blog topics, is one of the things I want to do today. I'm also going to start writing kind of like a homepage of sorts, right, of who this person is and their needs and their wants, and what that all looks like. How I can help. 

LEE: I love it. I love it, and as you're writing both the, you know, when you're thinking about your topics, and you're writing your homepage, be really clear about who you are writing to. And it may be helpful even to take everything we've talked about today and really distill it into one person, this idea and give them a name. And as you're writing, really think about writing to them, almost like a love letter to them. What do they need to hear in order to feel like they belong and that they can do whatever it is they most want to do?

SHEILA: I like that. 

LEE: Excellent. Oh my gosh, Sheila, this has been so powerful. Thank you so much for for coming on the show. I'm so grateful.

SHEILA: Thank you. It's been amazing.

LEE: We will make sure to include your contact information and where people can find you in the show notes. And I'd love to know kind of how this goes for you. Maybe we can even do an update in the future, if you're game. 

SHEILA: Yeah, yeah, definitely game. Thank you.

LEE: All right. Thanks so much, Sheila. 

SHEILA: Thank you. Have a great day. 

***

What an amazing coaching session. I am so grateful to Sheila for allowing us a glimpse into her business and the journey that she's on, clarifying her audience and her niche. This is a great example of the work I most love to do with my private coaching clients and in the Hot Seat Coaching Calls for the Coach with Clarity membership. 

So if you would like my eyes and ears on your business, then I would love to connect with you more about the Coach with Clarity membership or my private coaching services. So you can head to https://www.coachwithclarity.com and in the menu you'll see “Contact.” Click on Contact, fill out the form, and let's connect. Let's explore your vision for your coaching practice and how I can help you bring that vision to life. 

I hope you will join me next week as we continue the Getting Started series. Next week we are going to explore exactly what you need to do to create that ideal coaching offer for your ideal coaching client. So join me here next week. Again, my name is Lee Chaix McDonough reminding you to go show the world what it looks like to be a Coach with Clarity.