The Business Of Coaching

In a departure from the usual focus on coaching metrics and client acquisition, Sarah Short takes a step back to examine a profound trend that will inevitably shift the entire professional landscape: the rapid acceleration of Artificial Intelligence. This episode centres on a massive 15,000-word essay titled The Adolescence of Technology , published by Dario Amodei , the CEO of Anthropic (the crea...

In this thought-provoking solo episode, Sarah challenges a widespread myth in the coaching industry: the idea that staying quiet and avoiding marketing is the "ethical" high ground. She unpacks the psychological roots of why coaches remain hidden, the danger of "Coach Speak," and the real ethical dilemma facing qualified professionals today. The Ethics Smokescreen vs. Procrasti...

In this episode of The Business of Coaching , Sarah sits down with the inspiring Dr Wendy Nicholls . Wendy pulls back the curtain on her 20-year career as an academic psychologist, details a massive market pivot she had to make, and shares how she built a highly successful, multi-stream coaching business. About the Guest: Dr Wendy Nicholls Dr Wendy Nicholls is a Chartered Coaching Psychologist and...

In this thought-provoking solo episode, Sarah challenges a major industry misconception: the idea that being an excellent, highly credentialed coach is enough to guarantee a successful business. She dives into the harsh reality of global coach oversupply, the systemic flaws in traditional credentialing pathways, and the single skill that separates struggling coaches from thriving business owners....

In this solo episode, Sarah breaks down the critical distinction between having a passion project and building a commercially viable business. She addresses a common trap: confusing a coaching problem you love to work with with an actual, findable market niche. The Headline Trap: Why Your "What" Is Not Enough Sarah highlights a quick search she conducted on LinkedIn regarding coach headl...

In this solo episode, Sarah Short breaks down the four core pillars that make coaching effective: structure, process, accountability, and support . She explores why coaches readily provide this transformational framework to their clients, yet routinely fail to apply it to their own business-building efforts. The Transformational Power of All Four When clients first seek coaching, they are typicall...

In this episode, Sarah explores a painful reality for many coaches: investing high five-figure sums into business programs that fail to deliver the promised results. She dismantles the popular industry belief that lack of clients is a "mindset" issue and identifies the true culprit: a professional skills gap in client acquisition. The Five-Figure Investment Cycle Sarah describes a recurr...

In this episode, Sarah explores a common but damaging myth in the coaching profession: the belief that hitting a specific milestone - whether it’s 75 coaching hours, ACC, or PCC - is the gateway to a thriving business. Sarah discusses why building hours is not the same as building a practice and how the current credential-focused culture can actually bypass the essential skill of client acquisitio...

In this inspiring episode, Sarah Short sits down with Fran McSweeney , a veteran of the UK charity sector who transformed her career at age 60. Fran shares her unique journey of navigating leadership with hidden disabilities and her passionate mission to bring the next generation of disabled leaders into senior roles About the Guest: Fran McSweeney Fran has dedicated over 30 years to major UK char...

If you have done the research, read the books, and followed the webinars, yet seven months in, you are still not seeing inquiries, this episode is for you. Sarah explores why intelligence - the very thing that has likely made you successful in other professional areas - can actually become a roadblock when building a coaching business. Why Intelligence Can Work Against You Many high-achieving coac...

In this eye-opening episode of The Business of Coaching , Sarah speaks with Susanne Muller-Hubsh , a former mayor in Brussels whose journey into coaching began under the most extreme of circumstances. Susanne shares her transition from the high-stakes, often dangerous world of politics to becoming a specialist coach for leaders navigating intense public pressure. About the Guest: Susanne is a Germ...

In this solo episode, Sarah tackles the number one roadblock facing almost every coach: The paralysing fear of niching. Sarah breaks down the psychological trap of "staying broad" and explains why your desire to keep every door open is actually the very thing keeping you invisible to the clients who need you most. Key Takeaways: Possibility vs. Opportunity: Many coaches protect "pos...

About the Guest Janet Davis began her professional journey at the age of 15, driven by a motivation to become a pharmacist. After studying at Nottingham University and completing clinical training in the NHS, she transitioned into the pharmaceutical industry, where she spent the majority of her career. Janet climbed the corporate ladder to reach global leadership levels, managing teams and navigat...

In this episode of The Business of Coaching , we sit down with Beverley (Bea) McCloskey , a former corporate pharmaceutical professional turned successful coach. Bea shares her powerful journey from the high-stakes world of big pharma to a catastrophic burnout that eventually became the "gift" that launched her business. If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning 25 plates at once—or keepi...

In this episode of The Business of Coaching , Sarah Short is joined in the studio by Dorothée Dorsch , a high-level communications specialist turned executive coach. Doro shares her powerful story of how a high-stakes corporate career led to a dramatic physical wake-up call and how she used that experience to build a professional coaching practice that resonates with senior leaders. About the Gues...

In this solo episode, Sarah breaks down exactly why now is the best time to learn how to market your coaching business. She explores the surprising similarities between the art of coaching and the art of marketing, and explains why the average coach's website completely misses the mark. If you don't have a corporate black book full of contacts, and you are tired of relying on "mates r...

In this episode of The Business of Coaching , Sarah sits down with the inspiring Angelina Blackwood Hernandez to discuss her remarkable journey from a 20-year career in Higher Education HR to running a thriving coaching and yoga business. About the Guest: Angelina Blackwood Hernandez Angelina spent two decades navigating the complexities of HR within the university sector. Despite reaching a manag...

In this solo episode, Sarah tackles one of the most common - and frustrating - misconceptions in the coaching industry: the idea that your coaching certificate automatically entitles you to high-paying clients. While qualifications are an absolute non-negotiable for professional standards, they aren't what actually gets clients through the door. Sarah breaks down the crucial difference between...

In this "Success Leaves Clues" episode, Sarah sits down with Julija Martinkeviciute, a structural engineer turned coach who is already making massive strides just a few months into her journey with The Coaching Revolution. Julija shares her major "penny-drop" moment about the power of marketing and why stripping away coaching jargon is the ultimate key to connecting with your i...

In this solo episode, Sarah dives into the concept of pastoral care and why it’s the missing ingredient in most coaching business programs. Using her signature "blanket of security" metaphor, Sarah explains how to bridge the gap between what clients think they want and what they actually need to succeed. What Does "Pastoral Care" Look Like in Practice? Sarah details the high-to...

There are plenty of people in your LinkedIn DMs promising "six figures in 90 days," but what does the reality of building a coaching business actually look like? In this episode of Success Leaves Clues , Sarah sits down with Kirsty Fitzscott, a former head teacher now 15 months into her coaching journey. They strip away the hype to discuss the practical, pragmatic, and sometimes messy wo...

Does the word "niche" make you cringe? You aren't alone. In this solo episode, Sarah tackles one of the biggest sticking points for new coaches: the fear that narrowing your focus means excluding people. Sarah reframes niching from a constraint into a "magic wand" - one of the fastest paths to securing paying clients. Key Takeaways 1. Reframing the "Niche" Concept...

Do you feel "grubby" or "salesy" when you think about marketing your coaching business? You are not alone. In this short episode, Sarah challenges the common belief that marketing requires being "shouty" or "braggy". She explains how marketing is actually just as client-focused as coaching itself, simply requiring a shift in perspective to help your ideal cl...

About The Guest: Yulianna Vilkos is a career journalist with over 20 years of experience in market-moving financial journalism in London. Originally moving from Ukraine to build a career in a major financial hub, she specialised in debt capital markets and bond deals within emerging markets. Her reporting was influential enough to move bond prices and market trends quite literally. Driven by a lif...

Success Leaves Clues: From Biology Teacher to Menopause Expert with Helen Clare In this episode of the "Success Leaves Clues" series, Sarah sits down with Helen Clare , a senior mentor at The Coaching Revolution and the founder of the thriving business, Menopause in Schools . Helen is the perfect example of how choosing a specific niche and understanding your ideal client can supercharge...