Sometimes your business stalls. You’re not sure where to go next and you can’t quite see the forest for the trees.
Been there? Yeah, so have I.
Honestly, I think we all have. You’re not alone in feeling like you’re stuck in the mud. So what do you do when that’s where you’re at?
4 reasons to think about creative business group coaching
Group coaching is a great way to dip your toe in if it’s time for an outside perspective but you (or your wallet) just aren’t quite ready for a one-on-one business coach. Here are a few great hidden benefits that come with group coaching:
1 | Group coaching means you have a sounding board for new ideas and strategies
When you’re in a group, there are more minds to come up with ideas. Once someone gets the ball rolling, the ideas start flowing and while not all of them will be winners, you’re bound to get some ideas that you didn’t think of before. You’ll also get a chance to get your own creative juices going when you’re brainstorming for someone else. A lot of times, an idea you have for another group member will trigger an idea for your own business – win-win!
With more people to pool ideas, group coaching offers a great chance to bounce ideas off of others, too. You’ll know you’re in a safe place, so you can ask for input on spur-of-the-moment ideas that you might not be comfortable sharing in other places. Having that sounding board of fellow entrepreneurs who won’t judge you can be invaluable.
Your coaching group can also be a place to find out what’s working for other entrepreneurs. While they may not be in the exact same field as you are, their strategies can still transfer over to you. Often the fact that you are in different industries can yield even more new ideas because you have less overlap in influencers that you’re learning from! Take the differences in your coaching group as strengths rather than weaknesses.
2 | Group coaching gives you real-time responses from other entrepreneurs
Having a group of fellow entrepreneurs at hand can be so helpful. Just knowing that you have a place you can go to get honest feedback and input can make a huge difference. You’ll be able to learn from others who have walked this entrepreneurial road and share the experiences of the entire group. Everyone will experience things differently, even if you’re at relatively the same stage of business and each person’s strengths can compliment others weaknesses.
Another great thing about group coaching is that you’ll be able to learn about other creative industries! Remember how the differences within your coaching group can be strengths rather than weaknesses? Getting those outside perspectives can be exactly what you need to grow. What may seem obvious to you may be something that someone outside your niche has lots of questions about – which gives you content to write about, FAQs to share, and shows you where your blind spots may be. In the same way, things that may be stumping you could be obvious to someone else! Having that group around you can shed light on places in your business that you might have otherwise passed right by.
Some group coaching programs, like mine, also feature co-working sessions. While this may not seem particularly exciting at first, it can be fantastic! You get the chance to be on a live session (usually over video or voice chat) with other group members and work together. Whether it’s a themed co-working session (e.g. you’re all planning your social media or other marketing) or a general co-working session where everyone’s working on their own projects, it gives you a chance to have face-to-face (so to speak), real-time feedback. You get to know the other group members better and get more comfortable with them. And just knowing that others are checking in on you periodically throughout the session is a HUGE motivator to get things done! 😉 You might be surprised how much your productivity skyrockets when you jump into a co-working session.
3 | You’ll receive personalized advice from the coaching group facilitator
Whether your group’s facilitator is a business coach or, like me, a business strategist (a lot like a coach, but also there to ‘translate’ left-brain business for right-brain creatives!), having that one-on-one time to put together a plan is a game-changer.
Working with your group’s coach or strategist gives you a chance to put together a personalized roadmap for business success. When I work with my group coaching members, we focus goals and break them down into actionable steps that will propel your business success. Each group coaching program will work a little differently, but for mine, each member gets a one-on-one session each month where we make their action plan. We update and refine it on follow-up sessions so that it’s adjusted based on what worked and what didn’t. That gives you the chance to learn and grow rather than getting stuck in a single plan that’s based on goals that may have evolved in the meantime!
Through your group’s coach or strategist, you can also learn about topics that you may not have known about. In my group coaching program, we have a growing library of masterclasses and resources from other business experts. These resources are available to the group members and we have weekly discussion topics to drill down into these areas even further. There are often things you didn’t even know you were missing, so having someone who can bring these topics to the surface can set you up for even more success.
4 | Group coaching plugs you into a community of entrepreneurs
We already talked about how your coaching group can be a sounding board and provide you with real-time responses. There’s something to be said for just having that community around you, too, though. Throughout your group coaching experience, you’ll get to know the other group members in a different way than you may with other business acquaintances. I’ve known people who have made lifelong friends through group coaching programs! Honestly, this is one of my favorite things about group coaching – the chance to meet people who might never have crossed your path otherwise.
That community of entrepreneurs is also somewhere you can to turn to for encouragement. You’ll all be able to share your struggles and success; you’ll celebrate and cry with each other. Since you’re all going through this business roller coaster, you know that your fellow group members will understand in a way that non-entrepreneurs may not. When things get rough, this in and of itself can be worth being part of a group coaching program. And when things are great, it’s fun to have a place to share those wins where people will be genuinely excited and not just trying to understand your glee! 😉
If you’re considering joining a group coaching program, having a sounding board and real-time responses from other entrepreneurs can be invaluable. Getting personalized advice and actionable strategies from the group facilitator can make a big difference in your business. A group coaching program also plugs you into that crucial community of fellow entrepreneurs who understand what you’re going through! If your business feels like it has a flat and you need someone to help you change that tire and get you on the road again, it’s time to invest in a group coaching program.
Are you an artist, photographer, designer, or maker? The CE L.A.B. offers group coaching programs just for you! We match you with other creative entrepreneurs for a 3-month program to help you get a jumpstart for your business. During those three months, you not only get a community of wonderful creative entrepreneurs, but you’ll also get a personalized action plan through one-on-one coaching sessions. Want to learn more? Just click here!
Leave a comment with your thoughts on group coaching! Here are a few ideas:
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What would you want to get out of group coaching?
What’s holding you back from group coaching?
