Ready, steady, launch

This month marks the official launch of Sarah-Beth Bianchi Coaching.

What? Haven't I been running this practice for a while? I've registered a business name and created a website. I've got a back catalog of blog content that I've been sharing with my audience. I'm actively working with clients. Yes, all of this is true. And at the same time I have been taking every step forward in this project with a milestone in mind: Launching in September.

Nice to meet you! I'm Sarah-Beth!

One of the ways that I'm meeting this intention is by rolling out my practice in phases. The first phase, which I dubbed the Pre-Launch phase, I offered my services at a discounted rate with the transparent understanding that I was early in this journey. My availability was less predicable, the user experience of booking sessions was a work-in-progress, and I was still completing the last few phases of my coach training. And, most importantly, I was offering my services based on assumptions I made about what the community needs.

In the lead-up to my launch, I have been running a survey to gathering input from the community I'm intending to serve. I crafted questions to test my assumptions, invite feedback, and create a pathway to learn more about what I don't know about the community of folks I want to serve. I am thankful for the 25 people who took time to provide input thus far, as well as others who I've spoken to directly to gather feedback. I have used all of this input to inform the adjustments to my services as I launch my business. The survey is still open, and I'm still gathering feedback from folks who opted to also provide direct input through informational interviews with me. I'll keep making adjustments as time goes on. Which speaks to another intention I have for running this business: to have an agile, continuous improvement mindset. I'm listening and learning, and I will continue to adapt as I build this practice.

I've learned a few critical things from the information I've gathered so far. In no particular order, here are some key lessons.

Shorter sessions needed

The feedback was clear - people need shorter blocks of time for coaching. I had assumed that folks would want a full hour for their coaching sessions, and that's all I offered during the pre-launch phase. But between busy schedules, the attention span and emotional energy to focus on your topics, and the cost effectiveness, I heard loud and clear that 60 minutes was too long for most people.

In response, I now offer 45-minute sessions. I continue to offer 60-minute sessions for those who prefer them. I'm continuing to listen and consider other duration options as well.

Value and pricing

I got a lot of feedback in my survey questions around pricing. A clear takeaway is that, for most people, coaching would be an out-of-pocket expense. Most folks aren't aware of explicit sponsorship of coaching through their benefits or professional development budgets. All of these factors indicate that cost and value for the money are top of mind when folks are deciding whether they can pursue coaching. I am alert to this cost sensitivity.

One of the ways I'm hoping to address this challenge is to go directly to the source. I now offer Corporate Coaching Packages so that I can work directly with human resources, learning & development, and leadership teams to create pathways to sponsor coaching for staff. Coaching is one way to impact staff wellbeing and improve retention, and I intend to help organizations meet these needs while directly benefiting the individuals I want to reach through my coaching practice. I'll share more about my corporate offerings and the benefits for organizations and individuals in future posts.

Building community

Meeting other people in similar phases of life, similar roles, and learning about other local companies was an important part of my career development. I attended several networking groups that, unfortunately, no longer operate. I miss having the option to share a meal, listen to a speaker or panelist share their story, and then talk about the takeaways with others. I was never one for networking for networking's sake - I have some cringey memories of my attempts. But having conversations and meeting people with shared interests who'd become familiar faces at the downtown lunch spots or in my office was a definite benefit to my wellbeing and my career over the years.

The responses in my survey validated what I have been feeling. There's still an appetite to make connections and build community, even with new constraints. The pandemic has really shifted our ability to get together. And many people aren't keen or able to get together in person. We have a pent-up desire to connect, and it's going to take creative solutions to meet that need.

I want to play a role in contributing to the rebuilding of some of the social infrastructure we've lost in recent years. And I know people in my network who are also keen to contribute and participate. I'll talk more about what I have in mind in future posts. And I will ask for more input to build, measure and learn as we go. If this is an area of interest for you, please reach out and let's see what we can build!

Continuing this journey

From the outside, this launch might look like a few tweaks to my website and booking system. Behind the scenes, it's the product of a mindset shift for me so that I can roll out this coaching practice in alignment with my intentions and values. And it's the product of valuable insights provided by people in the community I intend to serve. Thank you again to anyone who has been part of this phase of my journey. I've received a lot of input, encouragement, and interest. I'm thankful and excited about the momentum and direction this journey is taking!

If you want support to approach your leadership to sponsor coaching for you, I can help! Email me or book a discovery call to talk about the possibilities. Or, if you think I should approach your organization to discuss the value-add that corporate sponsored coaching can bring, let me know.