32: [Coaching Call] Creating Systems in Your Business with Kristina Faulkner
I'm so excited to welcome you back to another coaching call episode. I know I say this every time but these episodes really are my favorite to do because it allows me to connect one-on-one with another coach and get inside their business to help them see what's working and how they are effectively utilizing their strengths, as well as to help them work through some stuck points and find new opportunities in their business.
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Show Notes
I'm so excited to welcome you back to another coaching call episode. I know I say this every time but these episodes really are my favorite to do because it allows me to connect one-on-one with another coach and get inside their business to help them see what's working and how they are effectively utilizing their strengths, as well as to help them work through some stuck points and find new opportunities in their business.
Today's call is a special one because I am featuring one of my Coach with Clarity members, Kristina Faulkner. Kristina is a licensed health professional specializing in disturbed eating habits, unhealthy body image, anxiety, depression, low self-worth, and strained relationships.
Kristina is also a devoted coach who wants to make sure that she's setting herself up for success, because she knows that when she's got clear systems and clear approaches to use with her clients, it's going to allow them to achieve their goals faster, and with more fun and more fulfillment. So that's where we start with today's call and I think you'll find as we get deeper, it goes beyond systems and into really the heart of the work that Kristina loves doing.
Topics covered
- How a lack of defined systems is affecting Kristina's mindset and practice
- The current system Kristina has in place in her therapy practice
- The system-based clarity Kristina is seeking from this call
- Why the issue of systems is important to Kristina
- Gaining perspective on whether a goal is in alignment with you versus an external “should”
- Why it's important you to understand the different aspects of your business as a small business owner
- The question to ask yourself when you're wondering whether a task is worth outsourcing
- Reframing Kristina's problem
- Understanding when you need to tweak your plans
- Creating a system that works with your strengths
- How working with the right VA benefits everyone involved
- Why you shouldn't wait to feel confident before taking action
- Kristina's next steps in her practice
Resources mentioned
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TRANSCRIPT
Well, hey there, my friend. Welcome to the Coach with Clarity podcast. My name is Lee Chaix McDonough, and I am very excited to welcome you back to another coaching call episode. And I know I say this every time, but these episodes really are my favorite to do for the show, because it allows me to connect one on one with another coach and get inside their business to help them maximize their proficiency and their potential. And today's call is a special one because I am featuring one of my Coach with Clarity Members, Kristina Faulkner.
Kristina is a devoted coach who wants to make sure that she is setting herself up for success because she knows that when she's got clear systems and clear approaches to use with her clients, it's going to allow them to achieve their goals faster, and with more fun and more fulfillment. And so that's where we start with today's call, we're really looking at what kind of systems Kristina can implement within her business to streamline everything for both herself and for her clients. And I think you'll find as we get deeper into the call, it goes beyond systems, and into really the heart of the work that Kristina loves doing. So I am so excited to introduce you to Coach with Clarity Member, Kristina, and share our coaching session with you. So let's do this.
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LEE: Well, hello, Kristina, thank you for coming on the Coach with Clarity podcast. I'm really excited you're here today.
KRISTINA: Thank you, Lee, I'm happy to be here.
LEE: This is going to be a great call, I have a great feeling about it. Before we dive in, though, I would love for you to share a little bit about yourself and the work that you do.
KRISTINA: Sure. So I'm Kristina Faulkner, I live right outside Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm a licensed clinical mental health counselor, my therapy practice is Get Inspired Therapy. And I work with teens and young adults that engage in self-destructive behaviors. And I mostly run groups and a lot of DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) groups, body image groups. I do have a parenting coaching course that I just implemented, which I'm really excited about. But I'm kind of redirecting some of my passion towards my coaching practice, which is Get Inspired Coaching, and which I want to work with perfectionist mothers that need to kind of end the cycle of that generation, a message about how we feel about ourselves. And so, a lot of the parents that I would like to work with are those mothers in particular that I have noticed that some of the messages have never been passed down to their own teens, and they're seeing it in their teens. And then realizing that, you know, in order for me to raise a really competent teen, I need to do some work myself. So I'm really excited about that endeavor because, with the teens that I worked with in therapy practice and kind of seen on that end, I love to redirect it now towards back to the parents and see what I can do to help them.
LEE: I love that so much. I love how personal that mission feels. I love that we're looking at legacy work, even ancestral work, helping parents kind of break those generational cycles. And I can see how that would be such a strong niche for a coaching practice. I love how dialed in you are on that.
KRISTINA: Yeah, I'm excited.
LEE: Yeah, so tell me what you would like to talk about during our session today.
KRISTINA: So the base problem having it's been really evident the last few weeks because as a therapy practice continues to grow, and I'm at a point where I could probably say I'm full, I am realizing that my systems are just non-existent. And it takes an emotional toll on me because it makes me feel like I'm not successful in that way because I feel like I don't have anything to ever look back at. Like, I feel like I'm reacting in the practice, and I feel bad for the practice. I feel like I'm not treating it as good as I need to. And sometimes I'm surprised that I'm doing as well as I am because of that, and I just don't want to make the same mistake in the coaching practice. Somewhere along the line, I need to kind of be able to hone in and make sure that I'm doing the best for both businesses because right now I feel like I'm gonna fail the coaching practice before I even start it and I feel like I'm not doing my therapy practice any services either.
LEE: Yeah, so it sounds like the chief desire here for today is to walk away with either a system in place or direction for what your next steps would be to establish some processes that will work for you – both in the therapy practice and in the coaching practice.
KRISTINA: Absolutely.
LEE: Okay. How are you feeling right now about the way you are engaging when, say a client calls, and is interested in exploring working together?
KRISTINA: The initial interaction, actually, I feel good about because what I have learned early on in the practice is, because I'm an introvert, I don't like phone calls. And so what I have done is create an onboarding system in which clients come to my website or referrals, and they schedule a consultation call, which goes right to Simple Practice, and from there, they schedule a call, and then I send them a new client phone consultation form. And so this way, I feel like I can be as effective as possible when I'm on the call with them. So it avoids all that back and forth nonsense, and at least the call feeling really strategic, and I would say 9 times out of 10, I'm able to implement an intake from there.
LEE: That sounds extraordinary. I mean, that's quite a system.
KRISTINA: Yeah, and the only system I have at that point.
LEE: Let me just stop and give you credit for having that system in place. That's a pretty robust system, and that's something that we can build from in terms of modifying it for your coaching practice, and then building out what comes next. But we are not starting from square one here. We're starting from like, square four, at least. I think you need to give yourself a little pat on the back for that you're further along than you think.
KRISTINA: I'm not good at that.
LEE: I know. I know, I know that a lot of us aren't. That's why we have coaches who remind us, look at what you've accomplished already. And you've done this once you can do it again. All right, so you have a fairly strong initial intake process for your therapy practice. What I'm hearing, though, is it's the, “What comes next?”, is that right?
KRISTINA: Exactly.
LEE: Okay, what would be the ideal outcome, then for you from today's session?
KRISTINA: I would love to have some sort of system because everything is in my head. And so I need something from once I onboard them, kind of either a checklist because I'm not even keeping track of my referrals. And a lot of my therapy practice is referral base, and I would imagine that a lot of my coaching will be too, and I don't even have a system set up where I'm even tracking, like where they're coming from. So I just need right from the gate, to be able to take all the information that I gathered from the intake and insert it into different areas, just so I have an idea of like my marketing money if that's even being well spent on Facebook ads, if it's even worth it, to be able to go back to my referrals and say, “Thank you so much for referring”, so they keep doing it. I mean, it's all these little things that I feel like are starting to add up, and every time someone refers I always have to apologize, “I'm so sorry, I didn't get back to you and tell you how much I appreciate it.” and, and I'm just so sick of that backtracking piece of it, you know, so something right in place right in the beginning.
LEE: Okay, I have so many thoughts. I have so many thoughts about this, Kristina. But before we even get into that, let me ask you why this issue, in particular, is important to you, and how does it represent who you are, and what matters most to you?
KRISTINA: I think because I don't like feeling like a hypocrite. And I feel like one of my strengths as a therapist and coach is that I walk the walk, and I talk to talk. And I feel like I'm not doing that. I feel like, you know, I'm all about action, focus and solutions and things like that, and I'm doing completely the opposite, where I'm just kind of flying by the seat of my pants, and it's causing a lot of anxiety. For me, it's causing a lot of feeling of, I don't know if I would be ashamed, but I just don't feel like even when I get validation, I'm feeling very undeserving of it because I know in the back of my mind is, “You should be doing this”, and “You should be doing that”. So a lot of those perfectionist type of thoughts and feelings are coming up through that, and so I would love to be able to kind of dissipate some of that stuff and actually feel like I'm doing really, really well.
LEE: That makes a lot of sense, and actually, that really resonates with me. And what I'm sensing is that yes, we, of course, want to get some systems in place in your business so that it becomes easier and more efficient, and you can access the data that you need fairly easily. So that's definitely something to work towards. And wrapped up in this is this kind of sense of, “Am I doing it right? Am I good enough?”. There's some worthiness baked in there as well, and I just want to kind of highlight that I have a feeling that's going to come back again as we talk today. So yes, let's work on systems, but let's also kind of look at, where are these “shoulds” coming from, and who says that you have to do things this way? Especially if it's not in alignment with your natural strengths. Because what I sense from you, Kristina, is that you are someone who is exceptional at seeing the big picture and making connections between things. That is a huge strength. It doesn't necessarily lend itself to like really detail-oriented systems and processes, but that doesn't mean that you're doing something wrong or that you're bad. It simply means your strength lies elsewhere.
KRISTINA: No, you're right.
LEE: Yeah. So I just want to kind of set the stage with that. And also, I want to ask you, how important is it to you that you are the one responsible for doing all of these things?
KRISTINA: I'm not a delegator, and I'm not a, I just am not a team player, because I am. But I am one of those people where I just want to do it all, it's important to me because I have thought about that like, maybe getting a VA or something like that. But to me, I'm avoiding the issue at hand, you know, I don't mind doing that down the line, if it makes sense for the business. But I still feel like I need to know, you know, it's my responsibility. This is my baby, it's like, almost like, I can't just hand it off to somebody else to raise it. I need to know what it's like to take care of it and things like that. And then if it makes sense, down in line, that's fine. But I still want to have always a hand in it. It's probably controlling, but I just, I don't know, if I would be comfortable any other way.
LEE: I think that's totally understandable. And actually, I think it's really wise for small business owners to have familiarity with everything that's going on in their business. It's the same reason why let's say you were going to run Facebook ads to something, I think it's important that you have a general knowledge of how Facebook ads work and audiences and targeting and cost per lead all of that, you need to know that. So that when you hire someone to do it, and they're providing you with reports and information, you understand it. And I think we can take a similar approach here, in that you know your business very well. You can be the one who's taking the lead on creating systems and standard operating procedures and that sort of thing. And then if and when it comes time for you to hand that over to someone you can do so knowing like, this is a robust system that I've created. How does that sit with you?
KRISTINA: Yeah, that makes more sense to me, because I would still feel like it's still my system versus somebody else's, that I don't even know whether personality would work for me or not.
LEE: Right, I get that. I am planting the seed, however, because I know that you have this really successful growing therapy practice, and you want to carve out time to build this coaching practice as well. And because time is a limited resource here, at some point, you are going to need to ask yourself, what are the $10 jobs I'm currently doing that's keeping me from investing in the $1,000 work I need to be really focused on. Does that make sense?
KRISTINA: Right. Yeah, definitely. Because like, as I was doing templates the other day, I thought to myself, I’m wasting a lot of time creating templates, when I could just be giving it to somebody that could probably knock it out in like a half-hour when I'm spending hours on it. It doesn't make any sense.
LEE: Yeah, I get that. And so at the end of the day, it's not that you're doing something wrong by spending time creating a template. But you do need to ask yourself the question, “What am I not doing right now because I'm doing this?”, and “Am I okay with that?”. For you, the answer might be for right now, “Yes, because I want to create a strong foundation. I want to know what's going on so that when I hand it over, I feel confident.” And if that's the case, then you're absolutely making the right decision right now, at some point, you may get to a point where it's like, nope, this is stuff where I need to outsource. So again, I just want to come back to this idea that there's no one right way to do this. It's the way that's going to work best for you right now, at the stage you're at in your business. How does that feel?
KRISTINA: No, that makes sense, makes total sense.
LEE: So what if I said to you, because I know you said I need systems, I don't have systems. What if I said to you, actually, you do have systems. Maybe what you don't have is documentation. What do you think, am I right? Am I wrong? How does that sound?
KRISTINA: That's a good question. I mean, I guess it is a system like, it's in my head. And so you're right because I'm doing something because I mean, I wouldn't have grown to this point if I didn't have something that I'm doing consistently. So I guess in a sense, that is a system. But you're right, there's nothing on paper that would ever show any of this.
LEE: So let's start from that place of, actually, I do have systems, they may not be documented, perhaps there's room for it to be more consistent. But again, we're not starting from square one here. There are things that you are doing and clearly things you're doing well if you're continuing to grow your practice. So if we come from this place of, “Alright, I do already have systems that I'm doing. They're just not documented. They're not organized, they're not efficient.” Then we can start brainstorming, alright, well, what action steps would help you achieve those things? Does that make sense?
KRISTINA: Okay, yes, it does.
LEE: So what's coming up for you as we kind of go down this path?
KRISTINA: I'm thinking, like with my DBT groups that I run for the teens and adults, you know, there's very specific things that I like to kind of set them up with so they start strong into the group and so one of the things as they get binders. For the teens, there's a certain email that I send out to kind of help prepare parents for having a teen in DBT therapy. So there's all these little things that, again, I'm thinking about it in the moment, and I'm sending it out. But I'm trying to think of like, okay, there's a lot of little things right there that could be either in a checklist form or something. But I guess my concern is, are you going to really do it, Kristina, you're gonna really be consistent with it. Like, that's my biggest fear with it.
LEE: So my response to that would be if you're not doing it, it's not because there's a problem with you. It's because there's a flaw in the plan. It just means you have to tweak the plan. Clearly, there's something in there that's making implementation difficult. So again, we want to create a system that's going to work with your strengths and highlight the work that you're already doing. So what I'm hearing you say is there are a lot of pieces and parts that you're already keeping together like it's working. And so I'm curious, would it help to do, like a brain dump of, “Okay, when someone walks in, I'm going to visually imagine it, and I'm going to write everything down”, and do it that way? Or would it make more sense the next time you have a client, writing it down, as you're going? I mean, I'm just wondering, like, how can we get the ball rolling here on the actual documentation of the process?
KRISTINA: I mean, as you're talking, I'm kind of brain dumping.
LEE: Okay, awesome.
KRISTINA: I know the specific things that I do.
LEE: Brilliant. So that brain dump can very easily translate into a checklist.
KRISTINA: Okay.
LEE: And that checklist could even pull in information from that beautiful kind of phone interview questionnaire that you're providing your clients, I mean, there might be opportunities there where you can kind of pre-populate some of that information as well.
KRISTINA: Okay, because I'm thinking you're right, like, because, in the intake paperwork, there's my referral right there. One of the things too, I feel like I'm dropping the ball on is because I'm a private pay therapist, and so I do provide super bills. But what's happening is not all families want it, and so then I'm kind of getting emails after the fact of like, “Can you send it to me?”. So there's got to be something in there, too, regarding billing, and whether they want super bills or not. So I can actually put that on my productivity days, kind of thing.
LEE: Yeah, and whether that's on that initial survey you send them or whether that's a part of the intake, that could be a really good place to capture that information. I know earlier, you mentioned the referral process and circling back with your referrals was something that you wanted to focus on as well, the referral information, remind me, is it on the intake? Or is it on that pre-questionnaire? Where are you sourcing that from?
KRISTINA: Sometimes it's on the initial client questionnaire, they tell me where they're coming from, or how they heard from me. And then in the intake paperwork, I have a release of information. So I have even more information about where they were sent from, and my goal is always to send a letter, or an email, or just something because there's some therapists that are constant referrals for me, and I feel like I'm not showing my gratefulness at all.
LEE: And it's important to you to express that gratitude?
KRISTINA: Oh, absolutely. I feel like you know, it takes a village to do this job, you know, between therapy and coaching. And so I feel like we all have a hand in and we all work together. So I'm so grateful, they helped me and I help them. And so I want to make sure I keep those relationships as healthy as possible.
LEE: I love that, and I asked simply to kind of clarify that this is a value for you that this is one of the reasons why creating the system matters is because it maintains that sense of connection, and mutual support and service with your colleagues.
KRISTINA: Absolutely.
LEE: Okay. So knowing that the information is there. I'm just curious, you kind of know how you're operating right now, what would be a possible strategy for collecting that information and then acting on it?
KRISTINA: So this is where I get stuck because I feel like I'm like, “Alright, well put it in a Google Sheets form”. I don't want to say I'm not tech-savvy, I know I could figure it out. I think it really comes down to, it feels like laziness, but I know it's not laziness. I know I'm gonna be kinder to myself to say that, I don't know if it just comes down to lack of scheduling to actually make time to actually put those things into place. That's probably where it feels more than anything and I think that's where I always feel like I drop the ball, because there's just, where's the time to actually do that? And I guess that's where I'm concerned.
LEE: And again, coming back to this idea of not just, “Where's the time?”, but, “Is this task worth my time? Should I be spending my time on this task?”. And I guess that's a question I would have for you too is, this kind of task, could you outsource it? Could you have a VA whose job was referral management say, and they would be responsible for mining those intake forms or mining those questionnaires and determining where did each client come from? Then they give you the data and you can act on it as you see fit. You can send thank you notes, you can send whatever, that might be one option if time is really the limiting factor here, but I know how important it is to you to kind of have that sense of control and be the one doing these things. So I'm curious how that sits with you.
KRISTINA: I think right now, like, my biggest thing is, I feel like I don't have enough work to give them, and so that would be my concern is like, you know, I have some weeks where it's, yeah, it's just non-stop. Like I onboarded five teens to groups last week, but this week, it's only been one so far. And so I guess I would feel like this need to always give them work, and I'm not sure if I don't know if that's going to cause more stress on the other end of like now trying to find stuff for them to do, kind of thing.
LEE: Right, and so maybe you work with someone where it really is kind of more of a project base, rather than a retainer base. So it's, I have this project for you to do, and it may become a monthly project, maybe they're mining that data monthly, and keep track of the hours. And you know, we'll pay for however long it takes for this month. So it doesn't necessarily have to be like I have a VA and I have to use her five hours a week, you could look at doing a project-based as well.
KRISTINA: Okay, I didn't know that was an option.
LEE: You know what, the sky's the limit with how we'd work with independent contractors, and sometimes the project base is really nice because as an independent contractor, they get to set their own hours in their schedule. So if you let them know, I have this project, I need it done by this date, give me an estimate on how many hours you think it's going to take and then go do it. There's some real freedom and flexibility in there.
KRISTINA: Okay.
LEE: And again, push back if this isn't something you want to explore, but if tasks like this might be worth considering outsourcing.
KRISTINA: I mean, it makes sense. And then as we're talking too, I'm thinking, is this a systems problem or a time management problem? And that's why I'm now starting to reflect on that, like, is this really a matter of, “You really don't have the time, and so you do need a VA?” or is it just, “Your management of your time is the problem?”
LEE: Well, you tell me, what resonates with you on that?
KRISTINA: I think it's time management.
LEE: I thought you might say that. And you know, let's be honest, this may not be an “either, or” it may be a “both, and”. Sure, there may be areas where you can be more efficient with your time management. But there's also probably areas where your time is being eaten up by tasks that as a clinician, it's time for you to outsource.
KRISTINA: No, right. I agree. I agree.
LEE: So that's something else I would be considering as you are kind of doing your brainstorming and jotting down all of the steps that you need to walk your clients through post intake and all of that. And then you're starting to realize, “Okay, it would be helpful to capture this data”, and “It would be helpful to capture that data”, start thinking about, “Okay, and this is something a VA could do. This is something I could outsource as a project.”
KRISTINA: Okay, you're making me think to like, even with the groups, I plan to do groups in the coaching practice as well. That's why I'm kind of focusing on that, with the groups that I do now, they're ongoing, and so it's a matter of too, of making sure that I'm keeping track of all the sessions, and kind of even their progress throughout. And I feel like that's another piece where I feel like I could do a lot better. And I don't want again, want to repeat that in the coaching practice. So I'm thinking, that's another project, probably, the VA could probably do for me of helping me, making sure like, “Okay, now this person's coming up to their 20th session”, and just kind of getting those reminders and things like that, again, it would help me feel more proactive, and that's the ultimate goal. I just want to feel proactive in the business.
LEE: Yes, and this may be an area where, if you find the right VA, whose skills and strengths complement yours, who is more detail-oriented, who really digs this kind of systemic, how do I create this so that it automatically pings me at session 20 kind of thing. Then it's benefiting everyone involved, it's benefiting the VA because they're doing something they love, and they get paid for it. It's benefiting the client because they're a part of a robust, comprehensive system. And it's benefiting you because you've got time, and now you can be the CEO in your business. And you can really start working in your business with your clients, but then on your business as the visionary who's kind of seeing the big picture and can direct the activities that are happening within it.
KRISTINA: Okay.
LEE: But here's the thing, Kristina, I think you are right on time, because you are experiencing growth in your business, and you're starting to realize that to bring in these additional revenue streams, like coaching and to look at growth, there's only so much a one-woman shop can do. Now, it becomes a question of certainly systematizing in order to increase your efficiency, but also really looking at managed growth, and how bringing on team members could actually support you, give you time back, and allow you to expand into these other services you want to provide.
KRISTINA: Okay, I think because I don't feel like the CEO, I guess this is where it kind of goes back to the mindset piece of I don't feel like I don't have a right to bring on somebody but I almost would feel that's probably where the shame would come in of like, I don't want anyone to judge me and go, “How do they make it this point?”. You know, that's I guess where I'm feeling like I need to almost like, have all this done before you bring someone on. And this is where again, I have to put some pride aside and be like, I was never trained to do this. I know my value as a therapist and a coach, and it's okay that I'm not that strong in this, you know, and whatever I've done has been good. But it could be better, you know?
LEE: Yes. Oh, yes, I totally get that I'm thinking back a couple of years ago, where I hired my first VA before I was really ready to, and I was terribly embarrassed because I felt like I wasn't doing things right, and I didn't have the systems and everything I needed to turn over to her so that she could really be effective. So I get that, I've lived it. And because I have that experience, now I know, okay, I'm not doing that, again, here's what I need to get in place. The other thing I might suggest you too, Kristina, is that you do not need to reinvent the wheel. And I suspect that there are other people and even other programs out there that may have created some of these systems and standard operating procedures that you can use perhaps as a template for your own practice. So whether it's looking to see, is there someone out there that is selling a package of procedures that you can use and implement? I know also, sometimes they're called OBMs or online business managers, OBMs, or Director of Operations, a DOO, those people are experts at creating systems. And you wouldn't even need to hire them to be in your business, you could hire them just on a consultation basis so that they can help you create the systems for your business as well. So even if you didn't want to hire a VA, a DOO, or an OBM, might be willing to do some consultation with you, so that you can then kind of take it and run from there, that might be something else to consider as well.
KRISTINA: Okay.
LEE: You know, it's kind of a chicken and egg thing, because if you wait until you feel confident to do something, then you're going to be waiting a while because it's the doing that leads to the confidence. It's the making the mistakes, it's the learning from the mistakes, it's trying again and doing it right. Like, that's where we grow.
KRISTINA: Great. That's true. The perfectionist doesn't like that.
LEE: No, no, my perfectionist doesn’t like it either. It is scary. When you've got other people that you're serving and other lives on the line, you don't want to let them down.
KRISTINA: Right, and I guess sometimes where I feel like the time management does go, right? Because I feel like, to have a referral list is not as you know, important than, you know, helping these teens stop cutting and things like that. So sometimes I think I redirect the energy to where it needs to go, but my business also won't sustain this years down the line, because I'll be so burnt out, and then who's gonna be there for them anyway? So it is important that this gets done just as much as you know, me looking at different ways to help these guys.
LEE: Absolutely. I'm glad we're recording this because I want you to go back and listen to what you just said. Because that's really important. This idea that it's not a matter of, “Am I worthy of doing this? Am I worthy of having a VA or doing systems?” it's, “No, this is actually going to allow me to serve the people I care about even more powerfully.” You know, yes, you're doing it for you, but you're doing it for them as well.
KRISTINA: No, that's true. That's absolutely true.
LEE: And the answer is, yes, you are worthy. But that's, that's a whole nother conversation.
KRISTINA: Now, that makes a lot of sense.
LEE: So tell me what your key takeaways are from our conversation today.
KRISTINA: My key takeaways are, first of all, what I've been doing is good. I'm not as “in the hole” as I thought I was. So that's some great validation there. You know, what I'm learning is I'm not really that far off, as I thought I was, I want to do some more brain dumping to really kind of solidify, what actually do I want and need from this business to show, to grow. I definitely like the idea of looking on someone project base, because I don't want to have somebody on a weekly basis. I like the idea of, help me through this, and then kind of taking the reins back again. And then kind of see where I am like, there's something I can assess maybe months down the line of whether it's maybe something more permanent than I want to bring on. But I like the idea of just at least asking for some initial help and getting organized, and then kind of going from there.
LEE: I love that too.
KRISTINA: And then just honestly, time management. I just think I need to look back at my schedule and just see right now where I can implement some administrative time and not look at it like this is a waste, or well you're not making money, it's all part of it. And my business deserves that.
LEE: Yes, your business does deserve that, and it's an investment in your business. You know, we're gonna invest time, energy, or money, or some combination of the three in our businesses. And so that admin time, maybe we do view it as an investment in your business.
KRISTINA: Yeah.
LEE: Excellent. So what's your very next step?
KRISTINA: So my very next step is going to be the brain dumping. As we were talking, I kind of like, broke it down to like, intake system, the onboarding, and then I broke it down to DBT groups, the onboarding, and start dumping that way. And the same thing for individuals like do I have something specific that I do with them, and then just kind of breaking all that down. And I think that groups is probably going to take the most time just because it's kind of like coaching, like, because it's a six month group. There's a lot of pieces to it, and so I think breaking that one down specifically is really going to help me define my packages and with the coaching, and doing the system piece on that end too.
LEE: I think you're exactly right, I was just sitting here thinking, you know, once you get all this work done for your therapy practice, you are going to be able to lift so much of this structure, and modify it for your coaching practice as well. So again, coming back to this idea of admin time, and you know, is this a waste? No, it's not. And you're really doing double duty right now. Because as you're developing this for one business, you're going to be able to apply it in the other.
KRISTINA: Exactly. I'm getting two for one.
LEE: Yes. Yes, you are. And that my friend is pretty efficient and pretty smart. Anything else you need for our session today to feel complete?
KRISTINA: And I know I can look this up. But I mean, as far as VA is, I know people have talked about going overseas, or I mean, is there a recommendation of what you think would be helpful even pursuing a VA?
LEE: Yes. So first, I would start with word of mouth. And again, within the Coach with Clarity Membership, you've got other coaches in there that you can connect with, many of whom are also therapists to see who they're working with, and I can think of a couple of possible referrals as well. So I always like to start first with word of mouth, then I have found some really good options in places like Upwork. Upwork is the good option for finding administrative support, and then there are also people out there who train VA's, so they have courses where they train VA’s and then they will kind of maintain a roster and refer people accordingly. So for example, you could submit a request for a VA to someone who runs one of these programs, and then they could either share it with their students, or they could send you back a few referrals. So that's another option as well. And within the Membership, I can post some links to that. That's how I found a couple of people that I'm working with.
KRISTINA: Okay, that helps.
LEE: Excellent. Kristina, I want to thank you for coming on the show and being so open and honest about everything. It's a real honor to have been here today to serve you.
KRISTINA: Thank you, I appreciate you so much.
LEE: My pleasure.
KRISTINA: Do you want to let people know where they can find you or learn more about the work that you're doing?
KRISTINA: Sure. So my therapy practice is Get Inspired Therapy, www.getinspiredtherapy.com. My coaching practice is Get Inspired Coaching. I don't have a website as of yet, but give me a month or two. It’s coming, it’s in the works! But yeah, as of now, just going through the therapy practice, you can definitely get a hold of me.
LEE: Excellent. All right, Kristina, thank you so much for being on the show.
KRISTINA: Thank you.
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Oh, my goodness, what a fantastic coaching call. I am so grateful to Kristina for coming on the show, and for allowing us to see behind the curtain into her business, and for allowing me to show up and support her so that she can continue doing the good work with her clients. I really love conducting coaching calls because it gives me an opportunity to really get into someone's business to help them see what's working and how they are effectively utilizing their strengths. And also to help them work through some stuck points or find some new opportunities in their business. So if you would like some support from me as you are building and growing your coaching business, then I would love to invite you to the Business Basics for Coaches Workshop. This workshop is a three-part live event, during which we are going to focus on how to clarify your niche, who you serve and how you serve them, how to create a business plan that will guide you as you make decisions moving forward, and then finally how to develop a marketing plan so that you can get out there and connect with your ideal clients in a way that really plays to your strengths, your values, and your preferences. We cover all of that during the Business Basics for Coaches Workshop, it is such a great time. And at just $99 it is one of the best investments you can make for your coaching business, especially because you will get lifetime access to all of the recordings, workbooks, and additional materials that I provide. And plus, I'm even creating a pop-up Facebook group exclusively for people who are registered for this workshop. So we will be able to communicate with each other between the sessions, you can ask me questions and get my feedback. It is going to be a great time, and it all kicks off on October 12. So to learn more and register for the Business Basics for Coaches Workshop, just had to CoachwithClarity.com/BBworkshop – that's BB for Business Basics – workshop. And full disclosure, I am limiting registration to 40 participants, so if this sounds like something you're interested in, I wouldn't wait. I would get right over to CoachwithClarity.com/BBworkshop and secure your space today. I really hope you will join us for this workshop on October 12, and I can't wait to see you there. If you have any questions about the workshop, or if you'd like to share your feedback about today's podcast episode, come find me over on Instagram. I'm @CoachwithClarity and let me know what you think of the show. That's it from me today, but don't worry, I will be back in your podcast feed next week with a brand new episode of the show. Until then, my name is Lee Chaix McDonough, and I'm encouraging you to get out there and show the world what it means to be a Coach with Clarity.