Coach Pony

Do you enjoy embarrassing stories? How about learning from my mistakes so you don’t have to? Then this is the episode for you!

I’ve done several retreats now in my business and in hindsight, they were super fun. However, two of them started out as absolute disasters.

So I want to talk about what happened and, more importantly, what I did to fix them.

Our story begins back in 2013 with my first retreat attempt. I had seen a lot of people doing retreats, and I thought they looked like so much fun. Who doesn’t want to get paid to go on vacation with their business? Not this girl. I love the idea of getting paid to go on vacation! (!!)

With that in mind, I randomly decided to have a retreat.

So I booked a place in Costa Rica because I really wanted to go there. I threw up a very simple webpage with limited information, and I chose a whole lot of lovely photos of parrots to sell the idea that Costa Rica was a place that was going to be super fun to visit.

You can already tell this is going to end well, can't you?

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

• Why a great location isn’t enough to get people to pony up to attend a retreat
• How to use multiple marketing approaches to fill spaces if your initial outreach fails to sell out
• Why selling a retreat will almost always require a more hands-on, personal sales process
• Four lessons for planning and hosting a successful–and super fun–retreat

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE MARKETING MASTERCLASS
• Coach Pony
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

And if you have some chocolate worth reviewing on the show, we are easily bribed!

You can send it to us at: Christie Mims, 3630 High Street, #19286, Oakland, CA 94619

A retreat can sound like an absolute no-brainer for you to do as a coach.

Taking your business on a fabulous vacation? Yes, please.

And they do have some fabulous pros.

You get to do intense hands-on work with clients, some of whom will even become retreat regulars, which makes it easier to sell out your retreats over time.

There’s group bonding and the magic of taking yourself and your business out of your regular routine. New locations and new people can revitalize you and your business, and your attendees aren’t the only ones who will leave with new ideas and insights!

There are also some potentially steep upfront costs and other downsides. Hotel rooms, meals, AV equipment, conference room fees, your own travel–it adds up quickly.

And what happens if you don’t sell it out? A retreat for twenty could turn into a retreat for two. Yikes.

Today we'll be taking a much closer look at hosting retreats, and we'll unpack some of the pros and cons, some of which will surprise you, and to close out we’ll give you a basic road map for hosting your own. Because they can be so worth it.

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

• How retreats can scratch the itch for hands-on client work if you’ve transitioned to larger groups or evergreen courses
• Why retreats can be a great add-on for private clients who have graduated from your programs
• The realities of the upfront costs of hosting a retreat, and how they can make retreats the least profitable money path
• Seven steps for planning, launching and hosting a retreat
• Six tools you’ll need to have in place to host a retreat

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE MARKETING MASTERCLASS
• Coach Pony
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

And if you have some chocolate worth reviewing on the show, we are easily bribed!

You can send it to us at: Christie Mims, 3630 High Street, #19286, Oakland, CA 94619

Our story today starts, like most of my stories, on my couch.

In the last episode, we talked about the gritty details behind the group coaching business model. Today, I want to tell you the origin story of my very first group coaching program–one that eventually grew to over 500 people!

Our story begins with another company. It’s true! Because besides Coach Pony, I also own and operate a career coaching business called The Revolutionary Club. It was my first business, and it still exists today. That’s where I fell in love with group coaching.

So, there I was on my couch. I knew that private coaching wasn’t going to be for me long-term, and I also knew I wanted to build toward group coaching, but I was also incredibly unsure. My coaching business was still so new –only a few months old! Who I was to be launching a group program with very little experience?!@!

So how did I get off the couch and get started without making myself feel like a fraud?

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

• Why I did my first group coaching session for free–and also what I asked for in return
• Adapting a private coaching program for a group setting
• Balancing structure and flexibility so you can hone your program as you go
• Adding value–and upping your price–through each iteration of the program
• Lessons learned from growing from a free program with five people to $1200 and 500 people

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE MARKETING MASTERCLASS
• Coach Pony
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

And if you have some chocolate worth reviewing on the show, we are easily bribed!

You can send it to us at: Christie Mims, 3630 High Street, #19286, Oakland, CA 94619

I personally love group coaching.

There’s something magical about working with a group.The community that grows in a session, the support and validation participants get from each other–these programs fuel me in a special way.

And group coaching was how I first reached multiple six figures in my business and beyond seven figures now. Group coaching programs are the backbone of my business for a reason beyond how much I love doing them.

But that’s me. Group coaching may not be for you, and that’s okay.

To help you figure it out - let’s dive in!

Here’s a big pro: Group coaching can give you room to become an even better coach. Working with a more diverse group of people can present you with better questions and new challenges that really hone your programs and skills in ways it might not with private coaching.

It also has tons of flexibility in schedule, size and pricing, and the scalability makes it a very profitable model. But it does have its drawbacks...one of which is that the market has changed, and it’s not quite as easy to stand out if you want to do a big group program.

Today let’s take a closer look at group coaching and some of the pros and cons that come with it, some of which might surprise you.

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

• How flexibility and accessibility in group coaching can help you beat burnout
• Why you have to be even more comfortable with marketing yourself and facing rejection with group programs than one on one coaching
• Seven steps to build your curriculum and sell your program
• Upfront costs and money math you might not have considered
• The top six tools you need to get a group coaching program off the ground

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE MARKETING MASTERCLASS
• Coach Pony
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

And if you have some chocolate worth reviewing on the show, we are easily bribed!

You can send it to us at: Christie Mims, 3630 High Street, #19286, Oakland, CA 94619

A private hotel suite, room service, a $5000 client…

That definitely sounds way dirtier than I thought it would. But it’s part of the story of how I grew my business to six figures all those years ago.

In the last episode, we talked about the gritty details behind the private coaching business model. Today, I’ll share the inside story of how I got to a stable six-figure income from just private coaching, and the ah-ha moment that changed the game (plus what I actually did to - you know - change the game!).

We’ll also talk about why if you’re curled up in the fetal position on your couch worrying about doing your best for your clients, it probably means you probably already are, why you should give your packages an extra session or two, and why you should probably raise your rates!

And you’ll get that whole hotel story...

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

• Raising your rates and adding value in a way that feels right and ethical to you
• Keeping your client pipeline full without relying on social media
• The top 5 lessons from my journey to six figures in private coaching

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE MARKETING MASTERCLASS
• Coach Pony
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

Resources:

• Coach Pony S01E01: How I Got My First Paying Client

And if you have some chocolate worth reviewing on the show, we are easily bribed!

You can send it to us at: Christie Mims, 3630 High Street, #19286, Oakland, CA 94619

Low overhead, high profit potential. Private coaching can sound like a dream. But is it your dream?

In season two of the Coach Pony podcast, we’re exploring all of the different ways coaches can make money. And we’ll take a brutal look at the pros and cons and how much you can actually expect to make as a coach on each money path.

If you’re debating between group coaching and private coaching, writing a book or hosting a retreat, but you’re not sure how much money you can make at any of them? This is the season for you.

In this episode, we'll take a close look at private coaching.

We’ll dive into the pros and some unexpected cons, break down how much you can really expect to make as you’re starting out, and if you should even do it in the first place.

And of course the tools you need to get started!

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• What’s to like about private coaching, from low cost to entry to building your confidence
• What’s less rosy about the private coaching picture, from hitting your client capacity to hiring legal help
• Some money math on costs of doing business so you know what you can expect to earn
• Simple steps and essential tools to get off the ground as a private coach!

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE MARKETING MASTERCLASS
• Coach Pony
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

And if you have some chocolate worth reviewing on the show, we are easily bribed!

You can send it to us at: Christie Mims, 3630 High Street, #19286, Oakland, CA 94619

As a life coach, one big question you've got to answer right away is how will you make money? Should you coach privately, group coach, write a book, host a retreat or something else?

Frankly, it's an important question because if you choose the wrong money path, you could waste time, energy and money. For instance, you don't want to spend months trying to write a book only to discover you hate writing and you won't make enough money to pay your rent when you're done.

So, how do you figure it out? How do you choose which money path is right for you? Well, don't worry; we'll tell you.

In season two of the Coach Pony podcast, we'll dive into all of the different ways coaches make money–everything from private coaching to retreats. And we'll look at the pros and cons, how much you can expect to make on each path and what you need to do to get started.

Along the way I'll share personal stories of my own journey on each money path, including the good, bad and ugly, so you know, you aren't alone.

Bottom line, our goal with this season of the podcast is to help you figure out which business path is absolutely right for you. Let's get you some paying clients.

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE MARKETING MASTERCLASS
• Coach Pony
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

Specificity is everything.

Knowing who your client is inside and out connects you with the right people. The ones who you know you can really help. The ones you’re excited to work with. The ones who will tell their friends about how you’re a total game changer.

It’s more than demographics. It’s knowing their pain points, their worries, their fears and how you’re the best person to help them fix it.

Sometimes you know it because you lived those same paint points, worries and fears. And if that’s you, you are not alone.

All season, we’ve been talking to experienced 6 and 7-figure coaches from different niches about how they got that very first client and how they attract new clients today.

In this episode, we're going to reenter the world of health coaching with Steve Adams from Tiger Performance Institute.

He's a former corporate banker and veteran entrepreneur whose passion lies in helping high achieving entrepreneurs, professionals, and CEOs achieve sustainable peak performance through his hyper-personalized precision health optimization system and performance training.

Listen in to hear about how Steve got his start in health coaching, his biggest mistake in his first year, and his simple ways of getting clients today.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How his own experience with burnout showed Steve who is ideal client is
• Why you need to ask your clients for referrals, and EXACTLY how to do it
• How he realized he needed to make a major pivot in his first year and how getting hyper-specific helped him do it
• Steve’s top two tips for entrepreneurs and their health

Book Recommendations:

• Game Changers: What Leaders, Innovators, and Mavericks Do to Win at Life, Dave Asprey
• That’s a Great Question: Are You Asking the Right Questions In Business? In Life?, Greg Bustin

Resources:

• HeartMath Institute
• Institute for Functional Medicine

To learn more about Steve Adams:

• Tiger Performance Institute
• Steveladams.com
• Steve’s Book: Unleash the Peak Performer Within You: A Guide to Lowering Stress, Eliminating Distraction, and Massively Expanding Your Productivity
• Facebook

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE 26-Page Guide On How to Land Your First Clients
• Coach Pony
• The Revolutionary Club
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

Know your power. Know your worth.

When you’re first starting out, it feels amazing to get paid at all, but amazing can turn into agonizing when you’re taking on the wrong clients just to get paid.

Your worth isn’t just about the number of clients you have or the size of your bank account, it’s about making sure you have the right clients for you.

Attracting the right clients means getting clear on what you offer, how you work, and the personalities and projects you want to work with and on.

All this season we have been chatting with experienced 6 and 7-figure coaches from different niches and delving into how they got that very first client and what advice they might have for you today.

In this episode, we are going to peer into the world of business coaching with Shenee Howard from HeyShenee.com.

Shenee is a brand strategist and writer living in sunny Long Beach, California. I love her because she's created so many interesting products and programs in her business. And when she's not helping businesses create their own content, she's walking her dogs and talking about K-pop on Tik Tok.

So listen in, as Shenee talks about one of her big struggles, which may sound familiar to you, as well as offers incredible words of wisdom to any new coach who's starting out.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• The biggest mistake Shenee sees new coaches make when they’re developing offers
• Her top advice for dealing with social media platform fatigue
• How she follows her gut to know when it’s time to move on from a product or offering
• Leveling up your business by being strategic about networking.

Book Recommendations:

• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

To learn more about Shenee Howard:

• HeyShenee.com
• Infinite Content Agency
• The Done Club

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE 26-Page Guide On How to Land Your First Clients
• Coach Pony
• The Revolutionary Club
• Instagram @christiecoachpony

We became entrepreneurs so that we can do the work that we love.

If you're going to have a crappy job and be miserable, have a regular old jobby job! There is no reason that you have to build a business model that makes you miserable.

A lot of people want to get out of doing client work because it’s a model that they don’t love or they have just gotten tired of it.

There is no shame in looking for a change.

And for some, teaching online courses is just the change that they are looking for–a way to start fresh and rediscover the love that brought them to coaching in the first place.

Today, we are continuing our series of conversations with 6 and 7-figure coaches about how they got their first paying client and what they would do differently today.

And this episode is a little different: I’m talking with the founder of Paperbell Coaching Software, Laura Roeder.

Laura is a lifelong entrepreneur and founder of several multi-million dollar bootstrap companies – MeetEdgar, Marie Forleo’s B-School, and LKR Social Media.

Here’s the thing: Laura didn’t get started coaching. She started as a web designer and realized that coaching and consulting on social media was a better model for her than running a design agency.

But she didn’t choose a conventional coaching path. Instead, she discovered online courses and the rest, as they say, is history. Or rather, the rest is in this episode of Coach Pony!

By simply following a business path that excited her she has been able to build a business model that she loves.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How a client in the fashion industry led her to discover the world of online business courses
• How Laura has built up an audience through guest posting, blogging, newsletters, and social media
• How Laura’s lowest moment as an entrepreneur involved trudging through blizzards to brave chamber of commerce meetings
• What Laura sees as the top pitfalls with online courses and membership sites

Book Recommendations:

• The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham.
• Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman

To learn more about Laura Roeder:

• Paperbell Coaching Software
• Twitter @lkr
• MeetEdgar
• Marie Forleo’s B-School
• LKR Social Media

To learn more about Christie Mims:

• FREE 26-Page Guide On How to Land Your First Clients
• Coach Pony
• The Revolutionary Club
• Instagram @christiecoachpony