Since starting my business in 2018, I have participated in so many courses and group programs.

I thought this is what I needed in the beginning. I mean I guess I did learn a few things and maybe it was the price point that attracted me, but nothing really started happening for me until I hired a coach to work directly on a 1-to-1 basis. 

The first course I ever purchased was with a career coach. I thought my problem was that I needed a better job. I followed her course to the letter… and I did get another job. A job that I thought was my dream, but it ended up being a total nightmare. This of course wasn’t the coach’s fault. This was a problem with my mindset and I firmly believe that if I had worked with this coach directly, she would have caught it before I jumped into a new position. 

The next course I purchased was a business course. Over 100 other entrepreneurs were in this 12 week course and it was overwhelming AF. The group coaching calls were a complete disaster. My questions were never answered because we always ran out of time. I would often post in the Facebook group and get feedback from other students, but rarely the coaches. 

I found out later that there was a self study option for this at a reduced cost and damn I wish I had done that!

A little shell shocked, I joined a group program about 8 months later. The thing about this program is that only 12 women were accepted into it. The coach was super involved and I really felt like I was getting the attention I needed. I even hired her for a couple of one-off sessions. 

The only problem I had was that I couldn’t attend any of the group calls because of my job. So, the only feedback I could possibly get was from what I posted in the group. 

A few months later I was somehow convinced to join a mastermind. And by somehow, I mean I convinced myself that this was a good fit for me. I wanted what was being offered and I was sold on the community being full of my ideal clients who would potentially buy from me. I was also under the impression that these women were further along in their businesses and that I would learn so much from their successes.

Holy shit was that wrong!

What I ultimately learned from THAT experience is that no one knows wtf they’re doing. People are multi-passionate and when not being held accountable, they easily get shiny object syndrome and switch gears so quickly.

We’re all a bunch of effing squirrels, really.

I’m not going to knock these programs completely, I did make some really great friends and connections from them all. But it was ALWAYS the 1-to-1 coaching I received that moved the needle the most in my business.

Hiring a mentor to keep me grounded, support my ideas, and hold me accountable is the best investment I’ve ever made.

This could be the Leo in me talking – I do love the attention – but it’s the direct attention to my business that really brought in clients!