The Top 10 Signs You’re Ready to Invest in (an Anti-Capitalist) Business or Mindset Coach
Investing in a coach can be a mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and of course, monetary investment. Maybe you found yourself here because you’ve been googling, “Anti-Capitalist Business Coaches,” and found me along with some other really rad people doing this work. And to that I say, fuck yeah! How exciting that you’re on your journey of taking your creative energy and business more seriously.
Deciding on whether or not it’s time to invest in a business coach is a lot like deciding on whether or not to buy that new pair of climbing shoes, or if you should sign up for the advanced technique class, or if you should enlist the help of a climbing coach to work 1:1 with you to break through your “plateau.” (Since I’m a climber I’m going to use climbing as a metaphor, but insert whatever activity you do here).
When you’re first starting out as a climber, much like building a business, you don’t need to to buy all the fanciest equipment, the latest Arc’Teryx Goretex Atom Hoody, the most supreme chalk, and a bi-pattern, 80m rope (for that day in the future when you’re ready to tackle long, multi-pitches and alpine climbs) right from the start. You just need to get a hand-me-down pair of climbing shoes from your friend or local gear shop, or the most basic Black Diamond Momentum’s, and you can get your bearings by taking pointers from your friends as you go.
Similarly, when you’re in the first few months of incubating your business or creative, entrepreneurial endeavor, you just need what’s called a “landing page,” a social media page if you’re into that kind of marketing, some kind of way for people to pay you for your products/services, and you’re off!
When you’re a newb climber, you typically “learn the ropes” from a friend who’s been there, or you google Youtube videos about basic technique and how to get stronger. Likewise, in your business, taking the DIY approach is a great strategy in the first phase of your journey. Going down Youtube rabbit holes, reading blogs, and researching on your own how to create offers, courses, programs, or sell your products from the endless stream of tutorials on the web is the way to do it.
But then there’s that one day, you look down and you see that your climbing shoes are a little worn, a little bald, and the rubber isn’t as sticky as it was on the first day you got them. You’ve also been talking with friends and climbing gym staff about more technical climbing shoes that make all the difference when you want to climb more advanced terrain. You’ve also noticed that you’ve been climbing for a year or two and you’re feeling stuck in your progress. You’ve hit a “plateau” as they say.
As an entrepreneur, you might be getting to a point like this too when you think to yourself, “Okay, I’ve done everything I can from a DIY approach, and now I’m feeling like there are some key business and mindset skills I’m missing. I feel like I’m really stuck when it comes to how to really leverage my community.”
Or maybe you’re thinking to yourself, “Now that I’ve built this brand I don’t know how to charge for my work. I’m feeling really stuck and guilty about making money, but I’m also so sick of working for free. Something needs to change. I just don’t know how or what.”
You want to “level up” your climbing game, so, you go on the internet and you start researching more technical shoes. There are a variety of shoes for a variety of purposes, so you have to get clear on what kind of climbing you want to be doing too. Do you want to get a shoe for crack climbing at the Creek? Bouldering at Joe’s? Edging? Overhangs at the Red? Sport climbing on tiny nubbins at Smith Rock?
In your business, you’ll google and research different coaches. Do you need help with your mindset? Your tangible, business goals? Are you struggling with work/life balance? Do you want to learn the business side of things without skimping on the somatic and nervous system healing? Do you want to incorporate divination practices like astrology and tarot to hone in on your purpose?
Then you’ll want to look into the various climbing teachers and coaches out there who have programs or work 1:1 with folks to help them push through that plateau, so they can unlock and achieve the next level or grade of their climbing.
Similarly, as an entrepreneur you’re ready to work with a coach that can help you go from DIY-business-mode to having a clear, coherent marketing strategy or business, a grounded and healthy relationship with your money, and a realistic and achievable map of hitting business milestones.
You’ll know it’s time for a coach when you’re ready and committed to go from treating your entrepreneurship as a hobby you do on the side, to a serious, dedicated, business endeavor.
Just like in climbing, it’s totally valid to do something just as a hobby and just for fun! But if you want to achieve and unlock that next level and be held accountable to your goals, then investing in a coach can help you get there smarter, with less flappers (climbing lingo for a popped blister on your hand — sorry gross metaphor), U-turns, less roundabouts, and they can help you avoid getting lost or stuck in the desert on a rocky, rabbit-infested dirt road at twilight (if you know you know).
Coaching is a powerful experience when done with integrity and resonance. Finding a coach that is a good match for you is a lot like dating or finding a good therapist. You’re going to have to do a lot of research, get incredibly clear about what you want and need, and pinpoint exactly what you’re hoping to get from the connection and exchange.
Here are the top signs that you’re ready to invest in a coach (in no particular order):
You’re saying to yourself, “I feel like I haven’t built the business skills that I need at this point. Going back to school/work/etc. sounds extremely hard and unsatisfying. I really don’t want to do that. My goal is to make my business work.”
You’re suspicious that you’re undercharging. You feel like you need to shift what and how you’re working in order to make more money, and you need some guidance on how to do that.
You just can't find much time to brainstorm, dream, and strategize about what you could change, and want a dedicated space to do this with guidance and support from someone who’s been right where you are.
You think to yourself, “I wish I had more energy and time, so that I could show up in all parts of my life more fully.”
Your current business structure is not working. You feel like your programs, courses, offerings lack coherence and structure. They might be a little confusing for your ideal client. You worry you have too many offers or not enough variety. Or, for the amount of clients you see, and the amount of cancellations you get, you just can't earn as much as you need to.
You’re having a hard time setting boundaries around your time, work load, cancellations, payment expectations, etc.
Marketing up until this point has been word-of-mouth, random Instagram posts, yelling into the void, crossing your fingers someone finds your work and wants to pay you, pulling tarot cards and looking at your astrology transits to predict when your big break will be…
You’re a daydreamer and "ideas" person who has a hard time letting go and asking for help on a project. You’re afraid it won't come to fruition, so you end up hiding, stalling, or getting burnt out.
You resonate with this: “I struggle completing personal projects even if I'm really excited about it. I have a tendency to switch up projects a lot, and my overwhelm and anxieties can get the best of me. I worry my excitement about a project will wear off, so I feel pressure to get it done all at once, sort of instant gratification. I end up getting overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to get done, and then a project will just sit in limbo.”
Material things may not be what's important to you, you’re staunchly anti-capitalist and look for ways to work outside the realm of capitalism through bartering, sharing, reusing as much as possible, but bills still need to get paid, and you’re sick of feeling shame and guilt for wanting to make good money for you work. You’re hoping to gain tools and strategies around healing your money trauma, so you can feel secure and confident in promoting your business moving forward.
If you feel attacked by this list, then it’s probably time to consider working with a coach! You don’t need to be a “business-oriented” person to have a thriving business and do work that fulfills your soul. Sometimes, we just need the right guidance and support, a space to bounce ideas around, and an opportunity to see our work through a fresh perspective.
