The Outreach Myth - why its not ‘salesy' if you get it right
As it turns out, the biggest blocker to outreach isn’t time, strategy, or even knowing who to contact. It’s fear, specifically the fear of being (or feeling) ‘salesy’.
In fact, when I ran a LinkedIn poll, 70% of coaches said this was their number one concern. That fear shows up as discomfort, as overthinking every word of a message, and as procrastination that leaves outreach undone. And still, outreach is not optional if you want to grow your business.
Inside this episode, I share why this fear is so common, how to work through it, and the mindset and systems that will help you do outreach without it feeling out of alignment with your values.
Listen in to hear more about:
✅ The tension coaches feel when outreach feels “push-y.” ✅ How perfectionism and fear keep you stuck in avoidance. ✅ How outreach can grow your business if you do it consistently. ✅ Ways to view rejection so it feels like part of your growth. ✅ A free set of 30 outreach templates to get you out of overthinking and into action.
Even if only a portion of your messages get replies, you’ll be building conversations, creating opportunities, and moving your business forward.
➡️ Grab your copy of the 30 customizable outreach templates at elliescarf.com/templates and start sending messages without the overthinking.
As always, I’ll be back next week with more practical ideas for growing your executive coaching business. And don’t forget to reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.
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26:45
Dr Saba Hasanie on using origins in your coaching work
Welcome to our BONUS episode of the Business of Executive Coaching Podcast. I am delighted to have a repeat guest with us today, Dr. Saba Hasanie.
You may have listened to the previous episode where Saba shared her corporate to coach story. Today she is back for many reasons, and especially because she has a book out. Saba’s book is called Unfolding: How Biographical Inquiry Informs Meaning Making in Coaching Psychology and I think it is a must read for executive and leadership coachesIn this conversation, we talk about what it feels like to publish this book, why origin stories matter for coaches, and how the past is always in the room in coaching. Saba explains how her doctoral research developed into the Biographical Dimensions of Meaning Making model and how this has now evolved into what she calls Origins.
We also explore how coaches can work safely when the past comes into coaching, why our own journeys of self-discovery are essential to how we show up, and how Origins work supports both the coach and the client.
In this episode, we cover:
✅ Saba’s journey to writing Unfolding.✅ Why the past inevitably shows up in coaching.✅ The Origins approach.✅ Practical examples of how Origins can be used in coaching.✅ Saba’s training programme to bring these concepts to life.✅ How this approach helps coaches build confidence and presence.
Purchase your copy of Unfolding, by Dr Saba Hasanie here:
Americas, Europe, and
Africa: Ihttps://ideasforleaders.com/product/unfolding/
Asia, Australia, and New Zealand: https://globalosc.com/solutions/bdmm/E-book: https://www.amazon.com/Unfolding-biographical-meaning-making-psychology-Revelations/dp/191552928X
🌐 Learn more about Origins and the certification program at www.globalosc.com
Connect with me: 💼 Visit elliescarf.com/bookacall to take the next step in your coaching journey.📧 You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
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41:26
Why executive coaches struggle to book clients beyond initial referrals (and how to fix it)
Do you remember the excitement of hanging out your virtual shingle? Maybe it was launching your website or a LinkedIn update saying that you are in business. Maybe you are on the verge of doing this! The likes probably poured in, the congratulations messages rolled through, and you landed that first paying client by referral. Amazing. But then the referrals slowed down. And suddenly what felt like momentum started to feel like waiting, hoping, and refreshing your inbox.
Inside this episode, I share why referrals are fabulous for getting started but not enough to keep you consistently bringing new corporate clients in the door, and what to do instead.
Listen in to hear more about: ✅ The wake up call coaches face when referrals dry up. ✅ How to shift from passive to proactive client generation. ✅ The mindset every executive coach needs. ✅ How outreach is the missing link to build more real business development conversations. ✅ A free resource with 30 customizable outreach templates to help you take action instead of getting stuck in perfectionism, procrastination or fear of being ‘salesly’.
If you can spend even 10 to 15 minutes a day on outreach, at the end of the month you will have a very different business with so many more conversations. This tool will help you do just that - with no overthinking.
➡️ Download your free outreach templates at elliescarf.com/templates and connect with me on LinkedIn to let me know what you think.
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13:11
Emma Clark on Building a Coaching Business After Healthcare Leadership
In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Emma Clark. Emma is a member of the Corporate to Coach Accelerator and brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare to her work as a coach.
Emma shares her Corporate to Coach story, from nursing in London to senior leadership roles at the top of government health agencies. She talks about the challenges of COVID, the turning point of redundancy, and how when she first listened to this podcast… she was angry!!
We also chat about how she now supports leaders and organisations with one-on-one coaching, leadership workshops, and consulting. I interrogate Emma on exactly why her clients value her insider knowledge, and Emma reflects on what she has learned about wellbeing, boundaries, and building the right support around her business.
In this episode, we cover: ✅ Emma’s journey from nurse to senior health leader to coach. ✅ How redundancy created the space for her business. ✅ Coaching, workshops, and consulting for healthcare leaders. ✅ Supporting leaders with stress, career growth, and succession planning. ✅ Building a business while protecting wellbeing and boundaries.
Emma also talks about the blend of coaching and consulting in her work, how she helps leaders build capacity in their teams, and why surrounding herself with the right people has been essential in her business journey.
Connect with Emma:💼 Find her at https://www.empoweringhumans.com.au/group-coaching-for-health-leaders📧 You can also connect with her on LinkedIn
If Emma’s story resonates with you and you are ready to take the next step in your own coaching journey, I’d love to help. Visit elliescarf.com/bookacall and lets discuss your next step.
You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
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38:44
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38:44
Emma Clark on Building a Coaching Business After Healthcare Leadership
In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Emma Clark. Emma is a member of the Corporate to Coach Accelerator and brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare to her work as a coach.
Emma shares her Corporate to Coach story, from nursing in London to senior leadership roles at the top of government health agencies. She talks about the challenges of COVID, the turning point of redundancy, and how when she first listened to this podcast… she was angry!!
We also chat about how she now supports leaders and organisations with one-on-one coaching, leadership workshops, and consulting. I interrogate Emma on exactly why her clients value her insider knowledge, and Emma reflects on what she has learned about wellbeing, boundaries, and building the right support around her business.
In this episode, we cover: ✅ Emma’s journey from nurse to senior health leader to coach. ✅ How redundancy created the space for her business. ✅ Coaching, workshops, and consulting for healthcare leaders. ✅ Supporting leaders with stress, career growth, and succession planning. ✅ Building a business while protecting wellbeing and boundaries.
Emma also talks about the blend of coaching and consulting in her work, how she helps leaders build capacity in their teams, and why surrounding herself with the right people has been essential in her business journey.
Connect with Emma:💼 Find her at https://www.empoweringhumans.com.au/group-coaching-for-health-leaders📧 You can also connect with her on LinkedIn
If Emma’s story resonates with you and you are ready to take the next step in your own coaching journey, I’d love to help. Visit elliescarf.com/bookacall and lets dicsuss your next step.
You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
The executive coaches out there know that coaching is very rewarding, but the business of executive coaching can be confusing, frustrating and unnecessarily opaque.
Join senior executive coach Ellie Scarf each week as she shares practical business advice, tips she’s learnt from her mistakes and her mentors, and the latest business ideas translated for the executive coaching context.
Join Ellie and her guests and be inspired by the possibilities for your executive coaching business!
New Zealand