One of the people I am so pleased to have met on my own coaching journey is Melissa Ford. I first met her at Steve Chandler’s ACS school in the States when I was just starting out as a coach. At first, I was intimidated by her because of the success she was already having in her business. However, her kindness and generosity melted any insecurity I had and helped me see that I could, too, build a prosperous practice from a place of deep service and care for others.
In this conversation that we recorded recently, Melissa mentioned a quote from British author Neil Gaiman: “Follow your obsession.” My family often says I’m obsessed with coaching. Over the past year, my focus has evolved beyond helping coaches grow their practice. My mission is now to shift the consciousness of the planet by up-levelling the coaching profession. I want coaching to be as well-paid and prestigious as any other. Coaching is more than just a profession for me; it’s a calling.
In our profession, making a difference and running a profitable business go hand in hand. Money will follow the impact you make and the conversations you have. Being obsessed with this outer purpose while running a business is essential. It’s about setting monetary goals that are fun and exciting without losing focus on the bigger picture.
In this short video, Melissa talks about fees and coaches’ insecurities around them, being obsessed with the impact we make for our clients, having fun and shifting from competition to inspiration. It’s no surprise that we had to have Melissa back as faculty again this year.
In the AJC Coaching Career school, we encourage everyone to also see one another with compersion, which means to be genuinely happy for their success as if it is your own.
Whether or not you join the next AJC school, keep surrounding yourself with colleagues who inspire and challenge you, embrace your obsession and keep growing. And share this video with any colleague who would benefit from watching it.
