What Business Are You In? (Hint: It’s Not Coaching)

I've been a little obsessed with this question for a couple of weeks now (if it's possible to be "a little" obsessed):

What business am I in?

Like Goldilocks—a girl after my own heart, who knew what she wanted and wouldn't settle for anything less--I've explored and discarded several options:

• The obvious-easy-answer version: "Duh -- coaching, of course!" Yawn.
• The just-like-every-other-coach version: "I'm in the business of making a difference." Yep. Here's your t-shirt, go stand in line.
• The logical-Mr. Spock version: "I'm in the business of helping coaches get more clients." More yawning.
• The quirky-woo-woo-non-conformist version: "I'm not in a business, my business is in me." Muffled snickering.
• The impressively-marketingish-and-tongue-twisty version: "I'm in the business of making, monetizing & marketing a signature coaching system." Zzzzzzzzzzzz…
• etc.

I'm already IN this business, whatever it is. I've got clients, and they're loving what they're getting. It's not like I don't know my business! (I just don't know WHAT business...)

Like a fish that can't see the water it's swimming in, I'm having a hard time seeing the true essence of it. The "eau d'eau", if you don't mind a really bad french phrase.

The Mr. Spock version was technically correct, but energizing? Not so much.

I mean, I spend most of my waking hours immersed in this business. I've sunk a lot of time, money and sweat into it; I'm really, really committed to it. I'm in love with it, for Pete's sake! The mere thought NOT being in this business (whatever it is) makes me feel like my heart might just break into a gazillion pieces, you know?

Surely the answer to this question of what business I'm in will hit me like a lightening bolt when I finally figure it out!

So I tried sleeping on it, I wrote in my journal, I meditated--I did all the usual things a person does to try and force an epiphany. Thinking that maybe I was trying too hard, I then tried to forget it by remembering not to think about it. (You know what I mean!)

Nope. No lightening bolts. Not even a mild static electric shock from shuffling across the rug in my socks.

So I did what any good coach would do: I gave the question to some of my clients and sat back to see how they'd answer it.

Of course, they were brilliant. They knocked it out of the park like it was a tennis ball.

"I'm in the business of fulfillment."

"I'm in the business of empowered connection."

"I'm in the business of delight."

"I'm in the business of creating families."

Elegant, heartfelt, uniquely and unquestionably THEM, every single one. It took some discussion, of course; no one had it on the tip of their tongue. It just emerged as they talked about what they cared about, what they were most committed to in life. They thanked me for asking the question. The clearer they got, the more energized and animated they sounded.

Inspired by my clients, I stumbled onward, hopefully towards my own elegant, heartfelt, unique answer, but the lighting bolt of clarity stubbornly stonewalled me.

And then I happened across something Naomi Dunford wrote recently about her own business:

What if we turned our secret mission — getting people out of the crazy ass rat race of doom and death — into our not-so-secret mission.

Now, if you just look casually at her site, you might assume she's in the business of helping people create a home business. I mean, it sort of says that all over the place (her business is called "Ittybiz").

But that's just the store front. She's REALLY in the business of getting people out of the crazy ass rat race of doom and death. Every time she gets an email from a client saying "My own business is doing so great that I quit my crazy ass job!", Naomi gleefully rejoices.

And suddenly, the lightening bolt hit and my Spock ears burst into flames. I realized what the problem was: I needed to come out of the closet about my secret mission and start doing my gleeful rejoicing in public.

What if MY secret mission—getting people into high gear about stuff that matters to them—is the business I'm really in?

From the street, it might look like I'm in the business of helping coaches get more clients with signature products and programs, but in the back room, it's the morning after the long, dark night of the soul, and folks are waking up, jumping out of their comfort zone and going for it, Big Time.

I know this is it, because every time I hear from a client that THEIR clients are getting into high gear, I do a happy dance. Just thinking about it puts a grin on my face.

So let it be known: I'm officially in the business of getting people into high gear about stuff that matters to them!

Now - what business are YOU in?

 

Comments

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1019945783]

I love this fresh look at what you do. I can say I was really inspired by your description of your discovery process. I came away thinking this is not just what Kathy "does". This is where her love of her business connects with her clients. The words that come to mind are that this is the "emotional essence of what Kathy's practical assistance inspires". It is so true that we make decisions emotionally and support them logically.

I think it's time to go contemplate the same essence for my business.

Thank you for the inspiration.

[Renee Barnow]

As I am rebuilding my business I think I am in--helping people master the art of thriving in challenging and tough times--I will definitely integrate your approach Kathy.
I "received" my title, Agent of Calm by asking clients how they would describe who I am. Your approach will go the next step to better describing what business I am in.
Thanks so much.

[Dave Meyer]

This is really a great question and one that gets at the heart of why some businesses are successful and others are not. Having the "right words" to describe our business is part of our marketing process. But the reality is, it doesn't matter if we have the right words if our clients have them for us. I believe that if we spent more time listening to our clients and less time trying to define ourselves, we may actually discover what our clients see in us that is so valuable.