Courage and Spice for Coaches: build your Self-belief and Business in under 30mins a week

Content note: This episode includes discussions around intentional weight loss and diet culture, and therefore contains swearing.This episode is part of a podcast series: The Body Stories. I’m joined by my beloved friend and fellow coach, Ali Shapiro. Over the year, Ali and I are engaged in an occasional and ongoing conversation about the nuanced relationship with our bodies. These are tender conversations, and at times, I will be in the coaching client seat. We hope that listening in will spark your own exploration of your body story.- At about 75% of the way through, I'm reflecting on the pace of change (it's been both slow and so fast) and how I'm in no rush to get to the 'end'. We talk about self-compassion, the horror show of The Biggest Loser (that I watched religiously!), and finding a way through the sneaky and pervasive all-or-nothing thinking around food and movement.Resources for you:Meet Ali Shapiro.Fit For TV: The Reality of The Biggest LoserSelf-compassion books from Kristin NeffTrain with JoanPast Episodes:Body Stories 1 - Can you love yourself and still want to lose weight?Body Stories 2 - Under-nourished to moderately activeBody Stories 3 - Emotions, embodiment and protein popcornBody Stories 4 - Becoming High Maintenance

I've decided that 2026 is going to be my most abundant + satisfying year yet! As I wrap up 2025, I’m sharing the five decisions I’m making right now to set myself up. If you’re a thoughtful coach who loves the work but sometimes struggles with leadership, decision-making, visibility, or selling, this one’s for you.Resources for you:🎁 Bold Not Beige: Why your coaching offer isn't selling (and what to do about it) a FREE private, 5-episode podcast packed with immediately actionable ideas for how to make your coaching offer compelling, clear, and unmistakably sellable.👉🏼 Sign up for instant access: https://saspetherick.myflodesk.com/bold♥️ Love Your Offer  https://www.saspetherick.com/love/

This week I’m in conversation with one of my favourite humans, Stephanie McKinnon — certified life and liberatory leadership coach, community educator, and all-round balm for these late-stage capitalist times.If you’ve ever wondered “Is it just me, or is this system WRONG?” this episode will feel like a long exhale. Steph brings a rare mix of grounded theory, lived experience, and big-hearted pragmatism. We explore what it means to navigate (and gently resist) capitalism as coaches, creatives, and humans who care about each other.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why so many of the struggles we face (lonlieness, isolation, buying shit we don't need, feeling separate) aren’t personal failings, they’re by designHow overwhelm, perfectionism, and the myth of the “hero individual” keep us isolatedWhat community, care, and creativity offer as quiet (and powerful) forms of resistanceWhy art and beauty matter deeply in absurd timesPractical, hopeful ways to influence change in your tiny corner of the worldHow reconnecting with your values, neighbours, and imagination can disrupt capitalist conditioningSteph’s perspectives are spacious, compassionate, and deeply human. This is the conversation to listen to when you need reminding that you’re not alone, you’re not doing it wrong, and there are so many more liberating ways to live and work.Links & ResourcesFind Steph on Instagram: @stephmilomackSteph's Website: https://www.stephaniemackinnon.com/Books mentioned: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall KimmererAdrienne maree brown, Emergent StrategySarah Jaffe, Work Won’t Love You Back

If you’ve been sensing that the coaching industry is shifting - that clients are craving something deeper, the world feels more complex, and the glossy old models of “success” aren’t quite landing anymore - you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m naming five emerging themes I’m seeing in our industry. These aren’t predictions pulled out of thin air; they’re real trends already unfolding that are reshaping what coaching is, how it works, and what clients genuinely want from us. If you’re a thoughtful coach who cares about depth, ethics, context, and meaningful client outcomes, this conversation will help you understand where we’re headed and how to position yourself for the year ahead. Listen in!For you!I’m creating a private podcast for coaches who love coaching but find the business side crunchy. It’s designed to help you turn your thoughtful, meaningful coaching into a thriving practice in 2026. Want first access? ➜ Join the waitlist here: [https://saspetherick.myflodesk.com/privatepod]

If you’re in Season One of your coaching practice (the delicious, terrifying, uncertain beginning) this episode is for you.I’m taking you behind the scenes of my own “still comes up after 12 years” self-doubt moment, as well as what I’m seeing right now inside Ripen with a couple of coaches who are ready to move from practice clients to paid clients.This episode is a little pep talk! I share:✨ Why waiting for confidence is a trap ✨ The messy, awkward identity shift from “I trained as a coach” → “I am a coach” ✨ How to protect your tiny seedling of a business  ✨ The real early signs your business is working (and why we overlook them)For you!I’m creating a private podcast for coaches who love coaching but find the business side crunchy. It’s designed to help you turn your thoughtful, meaningful coaching into a thriving practice in 2026. Want first access? ➜ Join the waitlist here: [https://saspetherick.myflodesk.com/privatepod]