35: [Coaching Call] Growing Your Coaching Practice with Aisha Shabazz
We have another coaching call on deck for you today, with an extraordinary coach who started out in a psychotherapeutic setting, Aisha Shabazz. Aisha Shabazz studied neuroscience & social work in school and has had a really interesting career, becoming a therapist, consultant, coach, facilitator, and yoga teacher.
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Show Notes
We have another coaching call on deck for you today, with an extraordinary coach who started out in a psychotherapeutic setting, Aisha Shabazz.
Aisha Shabazz studied neuroscience & social work in school and has had a really interesting career, becoming a therapist, consultant, coach, facilitator, and yoga teacher. Aisha supports those in the helping professions to improve their lives, with a focus on healing from burnout and compassion fatigue.
Like so many of you, Aisha is transitioning into coaching and has a few questions about how to move forward in a way that attracts her ideal client and allows her to grow. We cover so much on this call and I know you'll find at least one takeaway you can use in your own business. Let's get right into it.
Topics covered
- Aisha's dynamic career path that led to her transition into coaching
- Why working with others in the helping professions is so meaningful for Aisha
- Clarifying Aisha's messaging to communicate that she is offering coaching services, not therapy
- Using your website copy to tackle objections head-on
- The advantages of getting clarity on the who, the what, and the how
- Aisha's one-on-one client milestones
- How Aisha incorporates mindfulness into her coaching practice
- Improving your messaging by focusing on your framework
- Normalizing your audience's experiences without leaving them feeling defeated
- Why I love “who do you know”
Resources mentioned
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TRANSCRIPT
Well, hi there, my friend. Welcome back to another episode of the Coach with Clarity podcast. I'm your host, Lee Chaix McDonough, and we have another coaching call on deck for you today. Today, I am thrilled to introduce you to Aisha Shabazz, who is a really extraordinary coach, and I'm excited to share her story with you. She talks a little bit at the beginning of our call about her background and how she initially was interested in neuroscience, and how that ultimately led her into working with people in more of a psychotherapeutic setting. And now like so many of you, she is transitioning into coaching and has a few questions about how to move forward in a way that attracts her ideal client and allows her to grow. So we cover a lot in this coaching call, and I can't wait to share it with you. So without further ado, let's get right into it.
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Lee: Well, hi there. Thank you so much for coming on a Coach with Clarity podcast, I'm really excited about today's coaching call.
Aisha: Thanks for having me.
Lee: My pleasure. In fact, why don't we start off, I'd love to know a little bit more about you and the work you do, and I'm sure that people listening would as well.
Aisha: Sure. So I have a very dynamic career path that has spanned 13 years. I started my career path shortly after I graduated college, and it's just been very, very dynamic in the sense that I wasn't expecting the twists and turns that happened. I was a pre-med major in college, studied neuroscience and chemistry, and thought that I was going to become a medical physician. And then my last semester at college, I realized that there definitely things in the works in the medical community that were unpredictable, and that were not allowing me to really serve people in the way that I wanted to. At that point in time, in 2007, the healthcare industry was leaning more towards insurance companies dictating care, aI wanted to be part of the preventative side of medicine as opposed to the prescriptive side. So years and years passed, and I attended graduate school for public health, and then switched over to social work and started my career as a health care social worker where I was working in hospitals and really love that work. And I noticed that there was a lot of things happening within the industry where we were expected to show up for our patients fully and there wasn't room leftover for us to take care of ourselves and take care of our friends and family. And at first I thought it was a fluke and anomaly, and then I realized that that was the industry in and of itself, and I talked to a lot of people and saw a lot of things that just really broke my heart. So I knew at that point that I wanted to stay connected to helping professionals and help them find this sense of fulfillment without it resulting in them burning themselves out and really sacrificing their lives for the sake of the world.
Lee: That is such a powerful and much-needed niche, and I found myself nodding along with everything that you were saying right down to I mean, my background is also in social work and in public health. My early jobs were as a hospital-based social worker working in a neonatal ICU. So I imagine you and I probably have some similarities in our background, and also saw similar things regarding burnout and what was expected of providers. And so the fact that that is now informing your desire to get out there and serve this audience in a different way, I think is really exciting, and the fact that you have such a personal connection to it, I think is important as well. Awesome. All right. So what are we going to talk about today?
Aisha: So today, I really want to talk about how I have connected with my professional network. I built a private practice this year and it's going really, really well. I specialize in treating folks who are experiencing anxiety in a very intense way and helping them move through those moments and figure out how to manage that, and I focus on working around confidence. And so, because of the time that I spent in cultivating a community around learning about mental health and learning how to provide support to people in different ways, similar to how I was doing the hospital, but a different level of care, for sure. I'm noticing that now as I'm taking the time to build my coaching practice that is geared towards helping professionals that I'm really not sure which direction to go because everybody at this point knows me as a therapist, as a social worker, they know my background, and yet trying to do this shift of, “Okay, now it's your turn to receive support and how through your career and through your life”, I'm finding myself chasing my tail almost to speak, and I'm really just not sure how to communicate to my peers, my colleagues, my community, in my industry on, “I have services that are available for you, that are curated just for you”, I just don't know how to do that outside of what I've already been doing, which is telling people that I'm doing it.
Lee: Okay, so what would be an ideal outcome then of our conversation today?
Aisha: One of the things I was hoping to talk about was, how do I connect with my network in a different way so that they see me as a coach and a consultant, and not only as a therapist?
Lee: Okay, so it sounds like if we can gain some clarity around your messaging so that when you're talking to people in your current network, even making new connections, you feel really confident and really strong about what you're saying, and knowing that it will lead to the next step, which is working with you.
Aisha: Yes.
Lee: All right. So if we can kind of get some clarity around message, maybe even some wording, that would be a successful outcome, then?
Aisha: Yes.
Lee: All right. Before we hop into that, I want to learn a little more about why this work matters so much to you. What is it about coaching and specifically coaching this population of providers that is meaningful for you?
Aisha: One of the reasons why it's meaningful to me is because I have experienced burnout in my career, and I really love what I do. For me, it was never about the patients, it was never about the clients, and how challenging that work can be in the emotional labor that comes with it. It was the other stuff that came with working in this industry, and so I want to be able to provide that opportunity to recognize that the experience that you have with burnout is not an innate intrinsic flaw of you. It could be and it, in my opinion, it's most likely the other factors that come along with being a helping professional. You know, toxic working environments is one of those things, unrealistic boundaries, oftentimes, its temperament as well, where those of us that skew on the side of Type A, or even that, quote, unquote, like “workaholic” tendency, we vibrate at a frequency at which we're more likely to experience burnout because of our baseline. And so I want to be able to support people through that, who are ready to move through it, because I've been through it, and it was awful. I want to be able to be supportive of people in that way, and especially with the pandemic happening, everything is even more intensified and I believe that if our patients and our clients really understood the amount of pressure that we were putting on ourselves, they wouldn't feel good about it. You know, they would feel as though like, “I don't understand why you're treating yourself this way, you are the one that I go to for guidance,” and yet, there's no one there for us as the helpers. So that's why it's important to me.
Lee: That's such a fascinating point that you just made, the idea that if our own patients or our own clients knew that we were suffering to this extent, they wouldn't be happy with that. So kind of baked into that I hear this idea of living and working in integrity. So that if we are showing up for our clients in one way, or our patients in one way, that we're showing up for ourselves in that same way. And through your personal experience, you're able to harness that to serve others and so this idea of service and integrity just feels so woven into what you just shared with me. Aisha: Absolutely.
Lee: All right. So where should we begin? What do you think we first need to tackle in order for you to feel more comfortable in connecting with your network?
Aisha: So one of the more recent piece of feedback that I received, I have worked on my homepage, and I have an About Me page, and one of my peers said, “it sounds like therapy”. I'm like, “Okay, this is not therapy,” and I don't know how to make it not sound like therapy. I don't think I have to inherently say that I am a coach, or I'm offering coaching, as there are plenty of coaches out there that like the word coach doesn't even show up on their homepage, or their About Me page, but people know what they're doing. So I want to get more clear about how do I communicate to my audience that this is not therapy, this is coaching, this is support, this is consultation, this is personal development, right? Like, how do I do that?
Lee: Okay, so I'm just jotting down support, consultation, guidance, what are some other ways you would describe the work that you want to do with them?
Aisha: I've heard the term personal development, in contrast to professional development, and I really like that a lot. There's also a training component to my practice, where there are going to be opportunities for people to enhance skills in certain ways. One of the biggest pitfalls that I noticed is, folks are uncomfortable with saying no because they feel as though that’s rejecting an opportunity for them to provide service. There's also this very close connection with, “my profession is my identity,” and so to take time away from their work, it's as if they're separating a part of themselves. So there's going to be a huge training component to re-learning and unlearning certain things that we've been socialized as helping professionals.
Lee: Yes, and it's interesting to me that the feedback you've received was that it sounds like therapy. What you're describing to me, I can see how there might be some overlap, but the idea of coming at it from a personal development with the training component, as well, with consultation and support and guidance, feels less like therapy, maybe more akin to coaching meets mentoring meets consulting, so this kind of hybrid holistic wraparound service.
Aisha: Okay.
Lee: And I'm curious though, one of the things we can do on a homepage, or an About Me page, or a sales page, is really face the objection from our ideal client head on. And so most objections tend to be about time, or money, or can this really work for me? And I think this, “this sounds like therapy,” piece is a little bit of “can this work with me?”, coupled with, “I'm not really clear on what it is you do.” So maybe it would be helpful to look at that objection head on and talk about, how is this not therapy? How does this differ? And so I'm curious as we kind of explore this, what comes up for you around that question?
Aisha: Sure. So the one way that I know that it's not therapy is that I'm not providing a diagnosis, and that's inherently built into therapy. The second thing that comes to mind is that our connection is time limited. And there seems to be a trend in therapy, where the expectation is that it will be endless, you know, you might have a therapist at one point in your life, and then put it down and then pick it up. But essentially, with consultation and coaching, it's very pinpoint focus of, “This is a challenge that I'm experiencing, this is an opportunity for me to meet that challenge head-on”, and then once I've completed this very specific, regimented way of doing things, I will have more clarity, I will have some sort of transformation on like, “Oh, I feel equipped to move forward”. Now, certainly, I approach my therapy with my clients in that way, but I feel as though that I'm more of an anomaly in that situation.
Lee: What I really appreciate about what you just shared is that we are already getting to the “how” of what you do, what your approach is. And when it comes to creating a message that speaks to your ideal client, we do want to be clear on the “who”, the “what”, and the “how”. And so the “who”, of course, is that ideal client themselves. What makes them tick? What drives them? What motivates them? What do they want most? What do they want from you? So we want to be sure we're clear on the “who”, and it sounds to me like you are, we might be able to do a little refinement there, but I think you're pretty solid on your client. Where we're heading is exploring the “what” and the “how”. The “what” is, what can they expect from this experience with you? What would their ideal end result be? What would they be able to do differently as a result of having worked with you? So we want to make sure we're really clear on that. That's one area where we can definitely differentiate it from therapy. And then the “how”, is what they can expect in terms of the journey of working with you? Where are they now? What is their life look like? Now? What are they struggling with? What do they want to change? Versus, what will it look like, at the end? So I think, for you, Aisha, if we can make sure we've got clarity around the “what” and the “how”, I think that's going to help you as you are putting yourself out there talking to your existing network, creating new connections, and people are really going to get, “Oh, okay, I see what this is now”. How does that resonate with you?
Aisha: That sounds great.
Lee: Excellent. So, where would you like to start? We've got the “who”, the “what”, and the “how”, where are you feeling called to explore?
Aisha: I would say the “how”.
Lee: Okay, let's talk about your client's journey then, what it looks like to work with you. And something that really stood out to me was how you talked about the pinpoint focus that you have. It sounds like it's a really targeted approach and a targeted time period. Is that right?
Aisha: Yes.
Lee: Okay, so great, we have this pinpoint focus, this targeted experience. And for you, the time limited factor is important too. How long of an experience do you want to have with a given client?
Aisha: So from an individual coaching standpoint, I would say, six months would be the average length of time that I would be with a one on one client, or a group coaching experience, where it's, I have a series of group events that I'm hosting three months, and in those three months, it's essentially every other week, we're meeting together, there's a collective coming together around a specific topic, and we're going through this journey together.
Lee: Excellent. I want to come back to this idea of individual versus group, because I think it will also be important to clarify, which offer best suits which client, because presumably, you'll have clients who will do best starting with you in a group format, and then maybe they'll become an individual client. Or you may have clients that are really best suited for one on one work. So let's plant the seed there that we're going to revisit this idea of which client belongs in which track, but okay, so we've got either kind of this three-month group modality or a six-month, on average, one on one experience. Let's talk about some of the milestones that your client can expect to reach during their work with you, and for the time being, let's focus on the one on one client, if that's okay with you.
Aisha: Yes.
Lee: Okay. So what milestones can they expect to reach?
Aisha: One milestone that I think would be important to reach in one on one work is reprioritizing.
Lee: Reprioritizing. Okay, excellent. So tell me a little bit more about that.
Aisha: So the folks that I have a desire to work with prioritize work above all else. So the reprioritizing effort would be that work is not necessarily at the very top of the list. It might be that something replaces work at the top of the list, or maybe someone doesn't have themselves on the list at all. It's work, it's family, its friends, and they're not on the list. So trying to just reprioritize based on where they currently are that's not serving them well, and then moving to a place that is serving them well through reprioritizing.
Lee: Excellent. Would you say that that is the first stage that they go through in their work with you is this reprioritization process?
Aisha: I would say the first stage is, it sounds very therapist-like, but the first stage is admitting that you have a problem.
Lee: Yes. And actually, it's really funny you say that, because I agree with you that that's the first stage, but that probably needs to happen before or as they are becoming your client. Like once they're there with you, like essentially, they've already said, “Yes, I need to work on this,” but the reason that's such an insightful realization is because that's what you're going to want to focus on when you're creating content, when you're marketing, when you're connecting with people, is just helping them realize, “Oh, my life doesn't have to be this way, like I've kind of accepted this as a given, and maybe there's another way forward,” and earlier when you were talking about your experience with burnout and what you're seeing among your colleagues, all I could think of was this idea of like, “it's not you, it's the system”. So if we can kind of normalize the fact that it's not surprising that you're having this experience, you're almost set up to have this experience based on how the medical model is being rolled out in our country. So it's not you and it's not something that's wrong with you or deficient about you. It really is the system. So what do we do? Well, we can certainly advocate for changes in the system, 100%. But we can also figure out, alright, how can I work within this given system, so that I'm not killing myself, and I'm not burning out and my patient care isn't being harmed either. So this idea, then of reprioritizing seems like such a natural first step from this idea of, how do I want to engage differently? Alright, what comes after reprioritizing?
Aisha: I would say, I don't know if this is the immediate next step, but certainly implementing, so implementing change. And maybe that could be the step that they work towards, on their way towards our time ending together, is implementing the chain so that they can practice the skills that we work on. So I would say reprioritizing, skill-building, and then implementation.
Lee: Okay – reprioritizing, skill-building, and implementing the change. Love it. So the skills that they're learning, are these brand new concepts to them? Are these new skills?
Aisha: No.
Lee: Okay, so these are things that they're familiar with. Why have they not been able to create that change already? Where's the obstacle or the block?
Aisha: One of the blocks is that the messaging that's being sent to them is, “Well, this is the way that it is”. So there's nothing new to expect, there's no alternative to what you're experiencing – sure, burnout is happening to you. That's expected. Let's keep on keepin’ on, I'll give you the list of the self-care techniques, and if this doesn't work, then, you know, sorry about your luck, sort of thing. So that's why it's not working there are these passive, like gaslighting messages being sent like, “Oh, if you just do this, it'll work”, “Oh, that didn't work? Well, then you're, you know, you're at a loss”,
Lee: Right, or there's something wrong with you, that it didn't work. You know, there's this other piece here that I'm hearing, which is your compassionate approach to this. There's a real lack of blame and shame and finger pointing from you, you're not looking at the person saying, you've done this wrong, let me show you the right way to do it. It's more like, “No, you're doing the very best you can inside a broken system, so let's talk about how we can tweak some things so that you are more effective, you're more efficient, and you feel better about the work that you're doing”, and I think that compassion piece is going to be really important too, especially when you're dealing with people experiencing burnout, because they're feeling guilty and ashamed enough as it is. And so I think if we can speak to that piece – “it's not you, you're not doing anything wrong” – even though it feels like you know, or you've been told that you have been, there's another way, and that's where you come in, you're that other way. And I think the other piece is the support that you're able to provide in that implementation phase that you talked about, as well. So we go from reprioritizing into, not just learning new skills, but kind of looking at these skills through a different lens. And then, okay, now that we see them in this new light, how do we apply it? What does that look like? You know, where does the rubber meet the road? I'd love to hear from you. What kind of support do you envision providing around the implementation phase?
Aisha: So one example that I can give is the work from home piece. So we've heard over and over again, work-life balance is the key to avoiding burnout, and that's not entirely true. There's other pieces to that, and when work from home became the new normal it's, “Okay, how do I have work-life balance when my home is not my workspace?”. Where you know, my children are in the next room trying to do their online learning, I'm in a client confidential session, the dog is barking, and all of the other things on top of the pandemic, and the racial injustices, right? So this compounding pressure of not getting any relief. So I would say as far as the implementation process goes, we would start with the physical and look at physically, is there something that we can can change about your environment to make it more conducive for these skills to be applied in a way that, if you do leave the work from home situation that will go with you, as opposed to like, “Oh, those are only my pandemic skills that I learned now that things are back to what I'm used to, I can let those things go because they don't apply”.
Lee: Yes. Okay. So starting with the physical piece, the physical environment, with the implementation process makes a lot of sense, what comes next?
Aisha: I am very focused on having a value-based business and providing value-based services, and so one of the values that I hold very near and dear is mindfulness and the application of mindfulness. So I feel like there's a missing component to this world of self-care that is not talked about enough. So myself, I'm trained as a yoga teacher, I teach yoga, and I practice meditation. And so there are principles of those two very dynamic ways of living, like lifestyles and ways of being that I practice and apply to my life and was helpful for me to move away from that burnout situation, heal from my burnout experience. And I want to invite that more in so after the physical implementation piece, really working on the intangible components, and I would say introducing that through mindfulness practice.
Lee: Excellent. I’m synthesizing everything that we've been talking about over the last 20 minutes or so, and here's what's coming out for me. You have a really clear framework on how you want to work with people, and it's a phased approach, you know, and that starts before they even become your client. It starts with that marketing piece, where we're helping them recognize not just what the problem is, because they probably know they’re burned out, but also why they're experiencing that, and that it's not necessarily because of something intrinsically wrong with them. So we're already normalizing it, and then it becomes the, “Okay, what now, what next? How do I manage all of this?”, and that's where working with you can be a solution. And you've got this three-phase process that you can guide your clients through the reprioritizing of what matters most and dethroning work from that number one slot. I think this is also a piece where you can introduce the idea of value-based living, and do some values work, some identification, some clarification with your clients, and have that be a part of helping them understand why reprioritizing is probably where they need to start. Because for many of them, that lack of balance that they're experiencing, probably means that there's a misalignment with their values, and that also contributes to the guilt and the shame and all of those feelings. So that's phase one. Then we move into phase two, which we said was the skill-building phase. And really, that's like looking at self-care and these other strategies that we've all been taught, through this new lens, right? And so you're not saying you have to learn something new, what you're saying is, we have to look at different ways of understanding and applying this. And so that's the second phase is really kind of breaking down, what self care means, what it looks like for you as the individual, how it supports this valued lifestyle, and what specific skills are going to work for you. And then once you've got that honed in, then we move into phase three, which is implementing, seeing what works, tweaking as we go. And so having that clear framework, I see really answering the question of, “What can I expect from working with you?”, not just the end result, but like, really, what does this journey look like for me? And it's like, here it is, this is my process. This is my framework. Let's go. How does that sit with you?
Aisha: That sounds beautiful.
Lee: Okay. Excellent. Excellent. And you know, it's funny, because when we have a framework to describe, then we feel more confident, and our clients feel more confident too, because they know that there's this trusted system that they're going to be guided through. So that might be something to consider as you are talking about what you do with your existing network. Instead of talking about, “I'm a coach/consultant/whatever, for burnout”, it becomes more about, “No, I have this three phase process that helps providers deal with or recover from -”, or whatever language you want to use but, “helps them navigate through burnout so that they can…”, and then we'll fill in the blank with whatever really holds meaning for them. So what questions you have? What's coming up for you around this?
Aisha: Yeah. So you mentioned that the content of helping people recognize that they are, in fact, burnt out, that there is this misalignment – how focus do I get? Because I don't want it to lead into that shame/blame cycle. How much exposure do I do so that it invites them in as opposed to like, you're right, things are really bad.
Lee: Yeah. Yes, and that's such a great question because we do want to normalize what they're experiencing without making them feel like defeated about it. And so that's where, and this might sound a little odd, but it's like, well, how do we bring the joy into talking about burnout? And it's like, how do we make it seem a little lighter, and a little less dire, that intensity that you mentioned earlier, that's already present. So maybe what we need to do is, show what's possible, and how bringing in a little more joy and a little more lightness can be a path forward, that can start with how you are talking about what you do, whether it's doing something like a quiz, you know, and creating a quiz around your burnout. I would not use this word actually, but like, I'm just thinking about like your burnout preferences or your burnout tendencies. Like, when you feel burned out, what do you do, and so we're starting to help people identify how burnout is showing up for them. And the fact that there's a quiz result that would match that is in and of itself, normalizing because it's like, “oh, I'm not the only one who experiences this, because it's a quiz result, therefore, other people experience this, too”. So even doing something like that could be a way to address a very heavy topic in a way that doesn't feel so heavy. What do you think?
Aisha: I like that idea.
Lee: Okay, and that's just one example. There are other ways that we can approach this too, but I think, if what we want to avoid is that feeling of like downtrodden, like, I'm never going to get out of this, then let's bring some lightness to the actual marketing as well. I would also say, let's really lean into your personal story, as an example of change. Because you mentioned like you've been here, you've lived this, you know just how awful it was, and you've made it through, you're on the other side. And this is what life is like for you now. And here's what's possible. And here's how my three-part system helps do that. So there, we can weave the personal story in with your professional experience, and this three-part program that you have. So now you've got credibility on multiple levels. That's kind of what's coming up for me. I'm curious that when we think about your existing network, and the people that you're already connected with, what questions or what thoughts do you have about tailoring this message for them?
Aisha: Yeah, more or less, like, how do I announce that I'm doing this? Because typically, when I'm connecting with my peers, we're talking about our therapy clients. And I know authentically, I can just let them know like, “Oh, I'm working on this new thing”. Most of my, you know, they already know, it's not like I'm waiting for this big like launch date, it's been happening passively in the background. And now that my private practice is up and running, I wanted to focus on one thing at a time. So it's not going to come as a shock to the rest of the world, like, “Oh, I didn't realize that was an interest to you”. I guess more so…is it appropriate, or okay, to just talk to them about, do you know anybody that would be a good fit? Or do I just continue to write my blogs and post them in groups and share them? And I'm just really not sure how to delicately go about it.
Lee: Yes. Well, two things came up for me while you were talking. The first is, you've created this based on a need that you've seen in your network. So I think we can really position this as I know, I created this, because I heard you, like I've been listening. I've been taking it all in, and so I have cultivated this program that really meets all of the needs that we've been talking about. So that's kind of the first thing is really anchoring it in them and centering the client and saying, I'm listening, I’m there, because they are your clients, or they're your ideal clients. They may not be clients yet, but these are the people you want to work with most. So really centering their experience and saying I created this for you, I think is maybe one way to talk about it. And then yeah, I think the second thing, you're exactly right. One of my favorite questions is, who do you know? So when we're engaging with people, even if it's someone we want to work with, even if it's someone we think would be our perfect client, I still will treat them as if they are a potential referral source, and the person they're referring hopefully is themselves. But it just feels a little more gentle and a little more natural to say, “Hey, I've created this really amazing program, especially for healthcare providers who are dealing with burnout. I, myself used to be one, and so I know what that's like and I know the way through. And so this is what my program addresses, who do you know, that would benefit from this? Who do you know who might be interested in learning more?”. Then all of a sudden, it just feels a little less pressure, and the person can either identify themselves as the person or even connect you with other people as well. So I really like that idea of just kind of asking, like, “who do you know that would benefit from this?”. The other thing, too, is looking at other ways to get the message out. So we can kind of let your existing network know that you're doing this, but I can see this being an incredible topic to present on at like professional organizations. So whether it's the National Association of Social Workers, your local chapter, they're always looking for speakers for CE in service activities. Even now, I mean, they've moved virtually but I know here in North Carolina, our chapters are having monthly meetings where sometimes CEs are offered, that could be a really great way for you to talk about burnout with part of your ideal population. So I would also think, alright, so I've got my existing network, I can share with them, how can I grow my audience? And, again, for professionals right now, that might be one avenue – how does that sit with you?
Aisha: Yes, I'm happy that you said that because that was the training component of my practice where I am in the process of submitting an application to offer CEs. The idea that I have in my head is me not being the provider, but inviting people to present and then creating opportunities for people to feel connected, because that's also part of this whole burnout cycle is feeling isolated, and feeling like you're not connecting with people that are of like-mindedness and similar value. But I appreciate you suggesting that I take the lead role in putting myself out there, which is challenging at times, to say, like I have something to offer, and you know, I'm going to do this. I'm more of the ilk of, I want to share, you know, I want to make the tent bigger for more people to be under, you know, I want to shatter the glass ceiling, and then send the elevator down for the next round of folks. So I appreciate that push.
Lee: Yes, and you know, I think maybe it's not “either, or” maybe it's “both, and”, and another thought I had, as you were talking, is given that that is your value of wanting to serve and support others and a rising tide lifts all boats. You could even look at doing like a virtual summit, where you are the summit host but you are featuring speakers who can talk on different topics related to burnout and self-care, and so forth. You can also present within your own summit, and then it would lead into the next step, which could be individual, this actually could be a really good funnel into a group program, having a summit that leads into the group program. So I think you've got a lot of options here, but now that we're really clear on the “who”, and the “what”, and the “how”, now it's about, okay, what are the ways I want to get out there and really market myself?
Aisha: Okay.
Lee: So let me ask you, how are you feeling about the work we've done today? What are your key takeaways?
Aisha: I feel great. I had a list of things of just like overarching topics, and you really helped me figure those things out. I mean, structuring coaching, we've covered that very deeply addressing the “sounds like therapy” concern that I had, connecting with my current network in a new way, building my audience, which we've talked about numerous things to do with that.
Lee: Oh, wow. We have covered so much today, and I want to close by letting people know how they can learn more about you and the work that you do. So where is the best place for people to connect with you?
Aisha: Yes, so the best place to connect with me is on my website. It's inrealtimecoaching.com, and there are going to be so many exciting resources, and I love writing. So lots of blog posts that you can check out and hopefully find something that's meaningful to you through your journey. Lee: Excellent. Aisha, thank you so much for coming on the show today. It's been such a pleasure getting to speak with you and getting a little behind the scenes view of your business. I'm really grateful for you coming on today.
Aisha: Thank you, Lee.
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Wow, we covered so much in that coaching call, and I suspect there's at least one takeaway in there if not more, that you can apply to your coaching practice as well. So again, many thanks to Aisha for coming on the show and allowing us to look behind the curtain at her business because I know it is going to serve so many of you so powerfully, listening to her story and learning from her experience as well. These on-air coaching calls are some of my favorites to do, and it also gives you an idea of what it's like when you are a member of the Coach with Clarity Membership because every month I conduct hot seat coaching calls exclusively for my members. During those calls, members can apply to sit on the hot seat and receive one on one individualized coaching that really addresses their goals, their values, and their hopes for their coaching businesses and for their lives. So if you would like the opportunity to receive and witness even more powerful coaching, then I strongly encourage you to join the Coach with Clarity Membership. You can learn more at CoachwithClarity.com/membership, and while you're there you'll see everything that comes with the membership. So in addition to the monthly hot seat coaching calls, we have Q & A calls, guest expert trainings, co-working sessions, and a toolkit filled with templates, guides, resources, and yes, an attorney prepared, individual coaching contract that you can use in your business for an additional layer of legal protection. Add to that the extraordinary community of coaches who are a part of the membership, who are there helping each other build, grow, and scale their coaching practices, my friends, that's really the magic of this Membership and it's such an honor for me to be a part of that and I would love for you to be a part of it too. So head over to CoachwithClarity.com/membership to learn more and to join today. I cannot wait to see you in the Membership. Until next time, my friends, my name is Lee Chaix McDonough, and I am reminding you to get out there and show the world what it means to be a Coach with Clarity.