It’s been 2 years since I decided to run my coaching business full-time.
I was terrified when I made that decision. I watched my annual income drop to almost zero, a steep decline from my cushy tech salary.
Although I already coached on the side for two years with some paying clients, questions like ‘will I make it?’ or ‘what if I have to go back?’ left me feeling anxious all the time.
Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to work at ego-driven, white-dominated tech companies. I didn’t want to seek approvals or build alignments only to have them changed by politics.
Life is too short. I felt I had no better choice than to follow my heart.
So, I took tiny steps:
- I signed up for a coaching program I didn’t think I could get into.
- I wrote weekly blog posts to share what I had learned.
- I declared on LinkedIn that I started coaching full-time.
- I reached out cold to people to initiate conversations.
- I put myself out there to podcast hosts to start speaking to the world.
- I dealt with my own emotions, judgments, doubts, and resistance along the way.
200+ conversations, 76 blog posts, 50+ clients, 2 group programs, 6 workshops, 9 podcasts, a YouTube channel, and one Amazon-bestselling book later, I’m still here doing what I LOVE.
I finally earn more than what I made at my first job after grad school.
I’ve experienced freedom, peace, and fulfillment in a career that I didn’t know was possible.
And I’m still early in my coaching solopreneur journey. 😉
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy.
But it’s totally worth it and I have no plan to stop.
Here are the top 13 lessons I’ve learned in the past two years of running a full-time business:
- Nobody is here to save me. I am the only one who can save myself, and that’s a GREAT news!
- Running a successful business is a long-term game. There is no magic formula or funnel. Stop looking for shortcuts (or promises from social ads). It takes 3+ years to build a sustainable coaching business. Move my ass and get to work!
- Don’t do it alone. I surround myself with 1-1 coach, group coaching, peer groups, accountability buddies, and a loving partner to keep me going when things get tough.
- Being needy is creepy; people can smell the neediness and it pushes them away. I need to take care of my own issues so I show up with clean energy to serve deeply.
- Fears and judgments will always come up. That’s called being human. I forgive myself so the fears and judgments let go of me when the time is right.
- The best way to break a barrier is taking FULL responsibility. Be an owner, not a victim. That’s when I am truly empowered.
- Follow my fears because underneath them are my true desires. When I follow my desires, I expand immediately, knowing that I matter 100% of the time!
- Ask for what I really want and stay open to receiving in any form that the universe wants to respond.
- Confidence is the RESULT of taking actions, not a prerequisite.
- Failing forward (and learning from it) is the surest path to success.
- People choose to work with me and it has nothing to do with me. It has EVERYTHING to do with where they are in their journey. I happen to show up at the right time. Stop taking things personally.
- My business is ALL ABOUT ME! I show up authentically and diligently. I take the time to build deep relationships. I earn people’s trust BEFORE they work with me.
- The real earnings come from cleaning up my mistakes. When I mess up, I apologize and ask for a do-over. This earns me more trust and helps me grow.
Which ones do you resonate with?
If you have experience running your own business, what would you add to the list?
Love,
Wen
P.S. DM me when you want to experience more freedom, peace, and fulfillment at your work and life!