Category: money

I learned the hard way. When I first started my coaching practice I thought of lots of really cool ideas for my business…and did them!  I picked folks up from the train from Manhattan and took them to the beach to coach! I heated my pool to ninety two degrees and they got 30 minutes alone (naked) in my back yard on my pool float and then a shower and frozen drink with a paper Chinese umbrella in it! Then I had groups of women in my home who got Greek salad and group coaching for $15 for a three hour evening! Wow! I had lots of happy clients!

I had my own coach who questioned me about my ROI. What? ROI? What was that? Return on investment…Oh!

I jokingly explained I had sort of a ‘non-profit’.  He said “Lisa, even non-profits make money”. “Well, I had created a non-profitable non-profit!” I retorted.

It wasn’t that funny. I could not afford the cool things I thought up. In fact I was losing money, and I was losing precious time I needed to raise and educate my three homeschooling children.

I had a vision and a better way to serve my clients and I thought I would follow the philosophy “Do what you love and the money will follow”  and it would all work out. Need I say, it did not?

I did get one of those ‘learning experiences” we are supposed to take comfort in. What did I learn? “Do what you loveto increase revenue and  the money will follow.”

Cool!

When I was young, I just hated having to do the girl thing. I imagined how I would act if I were a boy. I’d spot a girl, tell her she was beautiful, ask for her phone number, pick her up and kiss her right away. But it was the 60’s and Mom said a girl had to “play hard to get”. I hated the delays involved in this methodology although I practiced it with strict discipline. I found it effective and efficient and left a trail of tormented males wherever I went. When I became acquainted with the law of karma in the 1970’s, it did give me pause, but I was determined to win in the battle of the sexes and deal with universal forces later.

So when I went into business for myself and it dawned on me that getting customers was something I had to do- I was excited!  It was something like dating only now I would be the aggressor! I would have my chance to be a male chauvinist pig!  (I was a feminist the 80’s. That’s what we called men then…and exactly what I wanted to be now!)

No more waiting by the phone-I’d be in charge. I’d get those phone numbers and do the calling myself.

I was now a trained personal and professional coach. I learned in coaching school to get started by practicing on folks for free. My business plan? Ask everyone out! That meant whenever I left my house I talked to strangers, got their phone numbers and set our date… and they got empowered!

I was indiscriminate. I coached hundreds of people…for free.

Problem was, I was meeting spiritual and creative types in open mics and Starbucks … I mean who is hanging around all day and easy to meet? People that don’t work.

But by now I had my fill of folks that could not pay me (or anyone) so I moved on to… barter!

I provided coaching and in return I received hip hop dance lessons for my daughters and I in our living room, stereo rewiring, two or more massage visits per week, personal training, brown rice pillows to heat in the microwave to relieve pain, minor carpentry, a few apple pies, piano, drum and flute instruction and sewing lessons and facials for my daughters, Wild Mushroom Risotto in my favorite restaurant for me, computer lessons for me (a total failure), I even tried the ocarina (a cute little instrument that comes in animal shapes) but discovered I had no musical talent (a total failure). I got a twelve foot Evergreen for my backyard. One client (a soon to be American Guru) told me he removed my negative karma (now no more worries about all the hearts I broke!). I also had several past life readings (I was Joan of Arc in case you are curious.). I also had five web designs but never a website completed, copy writing, business cards…the list went on.

I was busy! I had a business! Endless clients…but sadly no money at all.

Try paying bills with enriching life experiences, increased zest, a tree and brown rice pillows.

Solution? Try working people!

I became a workshop facilitator, adult education teacher and then speaker on everything I could think of a title for… and my plan worked; gainfully employed people showed up! And yes, they wanted empowering and paid me …money!

What did I learn?

“Don’t be promiscuous”?

Maybe… “Identify your ideal client”?

No, it was “Don’t sell yourself cheap.”

Or… “Play hard to get.”

Wait a minute…didn’t I hear that somewhere before?