What is a Coach and Why is Investing in One a Vital Step to Escape the 9-5? Sharing the Free At 50 Experience.

Taking Time to Breathe. It will be OK.

Today I am downshifting a bit. I have a call set with my business mentor and coach, Tegan, a week from Thursday. And I cannot wait. Getting a coach to keep me focused and help me on the path to earning income was a vital step to take and today is a perfect example of why.

First, things feel like they’re going well- really, they do!

That being said, I’ve been working on this little side to blogging that is every new blogger’s nightmare: search engine optimization, commonly known as SEO. I even have a post already published about my step down into the abyss of SEO. (And I sounded so much more upbeat about it than I feel today!)

I had to re-read it and remind myself, as I dealt with the realization this week that Google wasn’t “fetching” my sitemap and that I had Google Search Console and Google Analytics set up slightly differently with blog URL (thanks to my WordPress. com situation which will end when I move over to Groove) ….it all takes time.

I have a great coach who understands it at a high level and I’m following her lead. Take a breath. Chill. It will work out. But those moments of sheer terror can happen: have I wasted a whole mess of time on something because of one or two things being “off” on the backend of the technology?

And then, I remember, I have Tegan. Do not sweat the small stuff because there is a roadmap to success she is helping me build my future from.

Disclosure: As a blogger, I use affiliate links sometimes! I may receive commission from purchases I share, but it does not change your price.

What is a coach?

I referenced the words (paraphrased) of Corporate to Calling’s Nora Luke in my post about my 2020 layoff being a blessing: an expert is someone who knows more than someone else on a topic.

So here it is, my definition of a coach: an expert on something I need to learn more about; someone who can give me guidance. For me, my decision towards the end of 2020 to go all-in with the blog meant I needed a customized roadmap to monetization.

For you it could mean getting clarity on what type of business you can create using your skills or learning how to create a course or how to set up a business online or marketing yourself through social media. What I have found in the online world: there are coaches for just about everything you need to get you through to the next step in professional freedom.

No matter your “title” in the corporate world, you have skills you may not even realize you possess, and a coach can not only help identify them, but match them up with a way to quit corporate life and use them for your future. And that same coach or another when you get to the next step, can help you execute your business launch.

Mentors Count: Have them on Speed Dial!

Tegan is my overall coach for designing my lifestyle a la 4-Hour Workweek, but it doesn’t end there.

I also found a mentor from the Groove Facebook Group to guide me on the tech stuff and while it still is overwhelming, I have a more specific roadmap there on the actual technology. Without Gayanna, who has been an online entrepreneur since the early 2000s (she is a crazy-early tech adopter I trust), I would definitely be feeling much more overwhelm about the backend of the technology I’m relying on for my future! In fact, specifically, I’m using her advice on updating photo sizes (in process…at the very beginning of updates) and comments I received in response to a question I posted in Facebook on Becoming a Blogger for specific follow-up.

In fact, I have a few people I have been drawn to in this journey out of corporate that are kind enough to assist me in times of overwhelm or need. Learning SEO is a process. Luckily, through a Facebook group, I met Chris and am in his Minimalist SEO group and taking the course that goes with it.

Through his guidance and quick response to questions I post in the group, I corrected my Google Console situation, mentioned at the opening of this article. Clearly, Facebook has offered me a lot of help, not feeling so alone on the island of building a business outside of corporate life!

In fact, I wrote about using it daily in my new role as a blogger. I will be launching my own Facebook group for those wanting to or having escaped the 9-5. In the meantime, I have a Facebook page dedicated to this blog I encourage you to like by clicking here.

And…your Tribe:

You all know who you are for me. A phone call, Facebook message or text away, I keep myself surrounded with support.

This includes people I’ve met on the journey who are learning with me, are coaches, or may be way ahead of me as online entrepreneurs, my family and significant other for encouragement, and friends who offer everything from support to practical advice as they may be on the same path, have an expertise such as accounting or legal and so on.

Get a Coach.

I will close with this: get a coach. Here is how:

Plan to invest:

When you plan your budget for starting a business or to explore the option, set aside funds for it.

Explore online:

I’ve mentioned this before- research…for free! Learn who and what is out there. You will see so many niches, personalities, prices, and approaches. Get to know your options. Check out this article about escaping the 9-5 if you haven’t already and get on track.

Decide what you need right now:

Once you’ve gotten to know what is available and who is a good fit for your needs and personality, hire a coach for whatever step you are at right now. I don’t regret it and am guessing you won’t either.

Take action:

Book a call with me (free of charge!) if you want to explore if the 3-2-1 take ACTION program I created is for you.

Click here to schedule a call and type COACH in the booking notes!

If you enjoy the blog and want to support both my ability to continue it and my habit for caffeine, click below to buy me a coffee using my online tip jar!