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

If you're starting 2026 on the struggle bus, listen in. I share about news overwhelm and the very human resistance to move when the world feels heavy. 
We talk about why effective coaching work matters especially now, and how to get going! There is also a story about a 1000-year-old rimu tree I met last week :)
I share how I have been doing the things I’ve been avoiding, and the thing I recommend you do first, to bring in clients and income so your nervous system can exhale. 
If you want 2026 to be abundant, satisfying, and rooted in work that actually matters, this is a good place to start!

Connect with Sas: 
♥️ Love Your Offer ♥️
Apply now for Ripen www.saspetherick.com/ripen 
Join The Coaching Well for Group Supervision here
FREE Private Podcast Bold not Beige: Why your coaching isn’t selling and what to do about it  here

Website: www.saspetherick.com
Instagram:  @saspetherick

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.
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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 Loser
Self-compassion books from Kristin Neff
Train with Joan
Past Episodes:
Body Stories 1 - Can you love yourself and still want to lose weight?
Body Stories 2 - Under-nourished to moderately active
Body Stories 3 - Emotions, embodiment and protein popcorn
Body 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 design
How overwhelm, perfectionism, and the myth of the “hero individual” keep us isolated
What community, care, and creativity offer as quiet (and powerful) forms of resistance
Why art and beauty matter deeply in absurd times
Practical, hopeful ways to influence change in your tiny corner of the world
How reconnecting with your values, neighbours, and imagination can disrupt capitalist conditioning
Steph’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 & Resources
Find Steph on Instagram: @stephmilomack
Steph's Website: https://www.stephaniemackinnon.com/
Books mentioned: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Adrienne maree brown, Emergent Strategy
Sarah 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]