I’m not a fan of the word ‘coach’……cue awkward silence.

It’s not that I hate coaches, I actually love them and will encourage any serious minded business owner to invest in one; but the word coach gives me an uneasy feeling. It’s because it gives some unscrupulous people permission to come out of the woodwork and perform ‘coaching miracles’ on the unsuspecting, and by miracles I mean watching your money disappear.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a few that are worth every penny and can steer you in the right direction, whether it’s in business, relationships or even life. They are the few who actually have the knowledge and the experience to truly give their customers real results over time.

 

I’ve met a few, however, who are nothing more than expensive cheerleaders who enthusiastically shout phrases such as: OMG!! That’s great!!! Good job!!! Awesome news!!! and my personal favorite “You rock!!!” While these are great to hear, if they are ALL YOU HEAR, tell yourself that you have nothing more than someone who’s on the sidelines with no real clue as to how they can truly help you.

I once had a run in with an online business coach, who I trusted based on what I saw online and subsequent conversations with her.

 

Note: DO NOT TRUST WHOLEHEARTEDLY WHAT YOU SEE ONLINE. MOST OF IT IS AN ILLUSION.

 Anyways, I joined her group coaching program and early on, I realized it wasn’t for me. She would not respond to my questions, would always try to sound upbeat by posting maybe a flower or the sunrise and talk about how awesome it was, but never really gave real direction as to move forward with my business.  Quite frankly, she just seemed to be ignoring me. I sent her an email suggesting that instead of continuing, I would much rather put the monies owed into something else. As the information was being sent on a weekly basis, I honestly saw no reason why this couldn’t happen……silly me right?

The day I sent the email, all my questions were immediately answered (I guess the threat of losing money was just too much to bear), then I received an email where she apologized and offered a one on one conversation as compensation…….great……if only it had stopped there……but she went on to say and I quote:

 

Here’s why I want us to chat:

 You joined the group coaching for a reason and while I totally get that life happens and things come up, the fact of the matter is that I’ve seen this happen to others and I’ve even had this struggle myself – RESISTANCE.

Joining was (I imagine) a huge step for you and a big investment. Anytime we do big, scary things, it pushes us outside our comfort zone and starts to make us second-guess and doubt out decisions.

 

HERE’S WHERE IT GETS JUICY……

 

I know you mentioned wanting to leave, but when you signed up you agreed to it being a 100% non-refundable 6 month group coaching commitment. This means that even if you want to quit, you’re still legally required to complete the payments, whether you participate or not, as those were the terms you agreed to when you signed up.  Carla, I WANT YOU TO SUCCEED.  I BELIEVE IN YOU.  In fact, I probably believe in you more right now than you believe in yourself. 

I’m here to help support you and I’m not giving up on you.  Please don’t give up on yourself.

 

UTTER CRAP!!!!! Which brings me back to my original point of someone who claims to want to help you but has no real understanding. Here is an excerpt of my response:

I assure you there is no ‘resistance’ or ‘second guessing’ on my part as evidenced by the fact that I have not only been first to launch in the group  but have come back to you immediately for feedback so that I do not make the same mistakes again. 

I have been in full idea/launch mode in spite of all that is going on in my life (aka pregnancy), and while you have no clue of this, I am actually investing in another mastermind that is four times that of what I am investing in you. There really is no issue concerning ‘pushing myself out of my comfort zone’. The fact is, I will invest in anything I feel will give me value and help me with my journey.

 I have been ready and rearing to move forward and have not because you had not given me timely responses to my questions. The comments about ‘you believing in me more than I believing in myself’ and ‘not giving up on myself’ is a testimony that you have not been truly tuned into me and what I am currently struggling with as a business owner and entrepreneur. Your words of motivation, though great, are severely misplaced and further solidifies that you have no clue as to the root of my issue.

 Coupled with the fact of late responses and an over saturation of motivational and inspirational posts that do nothing for  me when I am looking for specific, actionable answers to move forward, I believe the program is not for me. I would much prefer to pay you for something that works for me instead of being forced into something that is not mutually beneficial.

 

Needless to say this fell on deaf ears and I was forced to continue paying this cheerleader as she ‘Whoop Whooped’ the clients from the sidelines, knowing that a few of us were not happy and were not getting  our money’s worth. I also heard afterwards that she copied and pasted the exact same email to another person (typos and all) who was feeling the exact same way as I did.

 

So how do you protect yourself from these pom pom princesses?

Well you have to do your research. Take your time to get to know your perspective coach and study their references. Do they have a proven track record of success stories? Meet with them (virtually or in person) and determine if they are the right fit. Ensure they’re not just about telling you what you want to hear but what is best for you and your brand, and, above all, make sure they’re qualified in both knowledge and experience in the field they’re coaching you on.

 

Speaking of which, I want to encourage you to sign up for Strategic Marketing Coaching with Carli where, as the name implies we focus exclusively on marketing your business. With over a decade working on building and promoting global brands such as Coca Cola, Unilever and Nestle,  I am excited to share with you my wealth of knowledge and experience. Marketing and advertising is not a onetime thing and, as the business grows, your strategies will change. You need someone who will grow and change with the business as well. Trust me, I will not let you fail. Hurry to click the link because I am only opening this up to five persons for over a 90day period.

 

As always, if you’re interested in Keep up with Carli to get free marketing training and advice feel free to like my Facebook business page at Carli Communications. (Don’t forget to click the follow button and set your notifications so you don’t miss a thing)