RIGHT ON, Erin!

First things first, having had the pleasure of coaching with you; I can tell you first-hand that you are an awesome coach and anyone would be lucky to work with you

Now, here's my take on coaching – you can get guidance and mentorship until you turn blue in the face, but to me so many people seem outright stubborn and downright UNTEACHABLE – taking the advice they often pay good money for and tossing it right out the window, opting to do things their own way!

That's not to say a business owner shouldn't think for themselves and what best suits their business (they absolutely should); but rather so often it seems people downright ignore their coaches and go along on their merry way with big egos (and tiny, stagnant little businesses!)…where's the use in THAT?

What's worse; like you said, so many business owners (and I've been guilty of it at times) seem to think THROWING MONEY at their business is going to solve problems – finding that “magic pill”…be it coaching, a high-ticket event, that flashy new infoproduct, piece of software…and so forth. Money doesn't make things happen, ACTION makes things happen!

*hops off soapbox*

Thanks for sharing your experiences with giving 1-on-1 coaching a try. Of course coaching someone who is not yet prepared to implement is going to be utterly ineffective. Whether it's coaching or teaching or training, if the student is not ready to fly they won't get off the ground no matter how many tricks of the trade a great coach shows them. It can be really frustrating to coach someone unwilling to practice implementation. However, in my experience there can be honest and real disconnections when it comes to coaching style and our clients. Some people like collaborative coaches, some like to be told exactly what to do, some like it when the coach rides them to get things done… the list goes on and on. That's why I believe that the ideal client for a coach is much more than someone who can pay for one's services. I agree with Alan, giving a client small tasks first to see if they're actually ready for implementation on their own is key. Also, some folks are well served by progressing from one kind of coach to the next.

It sounds like you've discovered that your ideal 1-on-1 client is someone who's ready to hit the ground running and knock all obstales out of the way!

Best to you in your continued success! ~ Denise

Some people are addicted to information and never act. A good example is Article Marketing. I tell clients all the time that article marketing is a good way to get traffic to their site. But many just do not see the point and do not want to do it. I don't feel like a failure that they do not do it. It's their choice.

When I have a client who is a non implementer I have been letting them go. At first I was afraid to do that, but it has worked out wonderfully. I just feel too bad taking money from people who aren't going to do what needs to be done, so I stopped.

I am not sure if I will be speaking at WordCamp but I'm definitely on the agenda to speak at WebCom Toronto on April 7.