142: How Long Will it Take You to Reach Coaching Business Success?

I was having the last session of my signature program with a favorite client the other day. This short episode is inspired by that conversation. Find the full show notes at prosperouscoach.com/142It’s bittersweet having a final session with a client. For them, they’re losing an accountability partner and the structure that helps them stay inspired and make things happen. From here on out they’ll have to hold themselves accountable.For me, I lose their unique presence in my life session-to-session. I’ve been holding space for their growth. I’ve been responsive to emails and getting comfortable with their learning style, their work style.All my clients are truly brilliant in their own way. And I come to feel a kinship with them.My signature program is 5 months long so I have the honor of seeing my clients transform – not only the nuts and bolts of their niche, business model, website and program but also in mindset and approach.There’s a lot of teaching and learning. That goes both ways.For most of my clients there’s enough room in my program for at least one pick-my-brain session. You know, they ask me a bunch of questions about little things related to client management and the like. Little details from an experienced coach that will help them avoid pitfalls or shorten more learning curves.And sometimes it’s the big questions that get asked. The ones on every coach’s mind but they are afraid to ask until the last minute. Not because they are intimidated but because we’re busy workshopping their business from the ground up.So this client, a smart man with a family, full time job and the chutzpah to start a business of his dreams asked me the ubiquitous question that has no satisfying answer.It goes something like this … how long will it take me to be successful? He said with humor in voice. Is it three months, six months, two years?Here’s more or less what I said:Yes. All of that and more. At three months and before you’ll have a slice of success. At six months if you’re consistent and congruent, leveraging what we’ve created, you’ll have bigger successes. Success comes moment to moment and you must celebrate those moments. Because if you do not, the long-term success you crave won’t arrive.Your business is your baby. It’s like a living entity – a part of you. And you need to nurture that baby every day and you can attract good things – a following, social proof, Discovery Calls, ideal clients and of course income comes with that.Neglect that baby and it won’t thrive.And then my client said something like “Yeah but with a kid don’t they eventually grow up?” And we laughed about that.It gets easier but they are always your child. And with each phase you need to learn how to parent differently, right? You adjust as they grow.With a business as with a child as with your body you grow with it and it grows with you. You calibrate to the new phase. You learn what works and what doesn’t. You learn to live with limitations.Successes happen. Then things change and you have to figure out the new way. Test and tweak. Incremental improvement.There is no magic number. Could I say it takes about 18 months? Read the rest of the show notes here.