As the year winds down, you might be noticing that familiar tension. The desire to finish strong combined with the reality that you are tired. You need a break.And if you are like many coaches, you might also be feeling the pressure to build the “perfect” strategy for 2026 so you don’t start the new year on the back foot. This episode (and indeed the new few episodes on this series) are about how to do both. To honor the fatigue of the end of year AND to use our time well to prepare..And so I am pleased to share six intentional and coach friendly actions you can take before the year ends that will strengthen your identity as a business owner, expand your future capacity and set you up beautifully for a powerful 2026 without adding hustle, urgency or overwhelm.These are small, doable shifts that support both your business and your wellbeing.Check out the episode now and let me know which ones feel supportive for you as 2025 winds down.If you’re ready to grow your executive coaching business and work with more of your ideal corporate clients, join the Corporate to Coach Accelerator. It’s a 12-month,hands-on programme that helps you replace your corporate income sustainably.👉 Book a call at elliescarf.com/bookacall or learn more at elliescarf.com/cca.And connect with me on LinkedIn.
I’m thrilled to be joined in this episode by Lisa Saunders. Lisa is an extraordinary and experienced coach, supervisor, team coach and facilitator whose career spans more than two decades across corporate HR, leadership development and deep transformational coaching work. In our conversation, Lisa shares her journey into coaching and consulting via a senior HR roles. She talks about the pivotal moments that shaped her path as well as the serendipity that propelled her business. Lisa brings so much depth to her clients through executive coaching, due in no small part to her deep passion and commitment to her continued personal growth. Here’s what we cover: ✅ Lisa’s corporate to coach story✅ The power of coaching for leaders in roles that seem impossible to sustain✅ Why authenticity, safe exploration and unfiltered thinking matter in effective coaching✅ How Lisa works at a transformational level by going beneath the conscious layers to unlock impact✅ The surprising influence that competitive horse riding has had on her coaching presence, relational skills, leadership lens and resilience✅ How the pandemic transformed her business and why it ultimately became a gift✅ What it looks like to build a coaching business that supports the life you want✅ The balance between deliberate effort and being in the right place at the right time If you’re building your coaching business or supporting high performing leaders, this episode offers a refreshing and very human perspective on growth, resilience, presence and the power of saying yes. You can connect with Lisa Saunders on LinkedIn to explore her work in leadership coaching, supervision, team coaching and equine facilitated development. If you'd like support to help you grow your business, you may like to join Lisa with me inside The Corporate to Coach Accelerator, a 12-month hands-on program designed to help you replace your corporate income more quickly and sustainably. Book a call with me at elliescarf.com/bookacall or learn more at elliescarf.com/cca.
I’m delighted to be joined in this episode by leadership and branding expert Janine Manning, who brings nearly two decades of experience supporting executives and entrepreneurs to show up with clarity, confidence, and credibility. In our conversation, Janine shares how she helps new and emerging executives as well asbusiness owners navigate visibility challenges. From imposter syndrome to personal brand development and beyond, authenticity is key in Janine’s approach to tackling these challenges. You’ll also hear all about Janine’s career journey, from PR and marketing roles to executive coaching - and how that has shaped her passion for helping others lead and communicate. Here’s what we cover: ✅ The three anchors every leader and entrepreneur needs. ✅ How imposter syndrome shows up for executives and coaches (and how to work with it). ✅ Why visibility isn’t about being loud. ✅ The importance of understanding your strengthse. ✅ How to navigate comparisonitis. ✅ Practical ways to stay connected to your purpose and track your wins. Janine also shares her journey of transitioning from corporate leadership to running her own coaching business, including what she’s most proud of, how she manages the tech and systems side of entrepreneurship, and the mindset shifts that helped her grow sustainably. If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, comparison, or the challenge of being more visible while staying genuine, this conversation will give you a grounded, strength-based approach to showing up as the leader and business owner you want to be. Connect with Janine Manning at janinemanning.com or on LinkedIn, where she shares valuable insights on leadership, confidence, and executive presence. Janine also shared details of 2 books on Imposter Syndrome: The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women - Dr Valerie Young Own Your Greatness - Lisa Orbe-Austin If you’re ready to grow your executive coaching business more of your ideal corporate clients, I’d love to support you inside The Corporate to Coach Accelerator. It’s a 12-month hands-on program designed to help coaches to replace their corporate income quicker. You can book a call with me at elliescarf.com/bookacall or learn more at elliescarf.com/cca.
If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to leave a successful corporate career and build a thriving coaching practice, this conversation with Louise Zawada will resonate deeply. Louise has spent her career leading large-scale transformation projects, guiding executives through uncertainty and building high-performing teams. Today, she brings that same depth of experience to her coaching work, helping leaders navigate complex organisational change. In this episode, Louise shares her honest reflections on moving from employee to business owner, how she balances variety and structure in her work, and the role of community, relationships and systems in creating sustainable success. Here’s what we cover: ✅ How Louise’s career in HR and transformation naturally evolved into executive coaching. ✅ What it felt like to take the leap from corporate life into entrepreneurship and why it felt inevitable. ✅ The lessons she’s learned about managing self-doubt, fear and the pressure to do it all. ✅ How she balances variety, structure and systems to create calm and consistency in her business. ✅ The power of connection and why genuine curiosity is her most effective business strategy. ✅ What she’s most proud of in her journey so far, and what she’d tell new coaches just starting out. If you’re a coach, leader or professional in transition, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that clarity, courage and connection can guide you through any season of change. Connect with Louise Zawada 🔗 Website: louisezawadaleadership.com💼 LinkedIn: Louise Zawada **We have reopened doors to the Corporate to Coach Accelerator for just 48 hours based on lots of requests! You can book a call now at www.elliescarf.com/bookacall to find out if the Accelerator is a good fit for you and also to get access to that discounted launch pricing.**
If you’re an executive coach who wants to grow your business, especially with more corporate clients, but you think you just might be getting in your own way? This episode is for you. You might notice that you’re not doing the things that would really move the needle, like reaching out to people in your warm network, posting on LinkedIn, or showing up more visibly. It’s not that you don’t know what to do; it’s that something deeper keeps getting in the way. In this episode, I’ll share the subtle ways fear and self-protection limit your growth, and the emotional, financial, and even personal cost of staying stuck in that pattern. Here’s what I cover: ✅ How fear shows up as “reasonable excuses” in your business. ✅ Why playing it safe on LinkedIn or avoiding outreach keeps you stuck. ✅ The hidden energy drain that comes from inaction. ✅ How negative beliefs about sales and visibility quietly hold you back. ✅ The real cost, in time, opportunity, and confidence, when you keep yourself small. I’ll also talk about what it looks like to step into a bigger version of yourself as a business owner, one who embraces discomfort, visibility, and bold action without getting caught in perfectionism. If this episode resonates with you and you’re ready to stop playing small, I’d love to support you inside The Corporate to Coach Accelerator. It’s a 12-month hands-on coaching program that helps executive and leadership coaches attract more corporate clients with a marketing and growth strategy you can maintain in under five hours a week. Doors are open until October 30, and early enrollment includes $1,500 off the annual program price. You can book a call with me at elliescarf.com/bookacall or learn more at elliescarf.com/cca. I’ll be back next week with more tools, mindset shifts, and strategies to help you grow your executive coaching business with clarity and confidence.
In this 100th episode (I can’t quite believe it!), I’m celebrating the incredible community of coaches who tune in every week and taking you behind the scenes of the Corporate to Coach Accelerator. Inside this episode, I share what really happens inside the program, from the curriculum and coaching calls to the community and accountability that help you move from “Where do I even start?” to real, consistent momentum in your business. Listen in to hear: ✅ The full walkthrough of the Accelerator, what’s included and how it all works.✅ The Quick Start Challenge that helps you create your foundational assets without perfectionism or overwhelm.✅ My Business Development Framework, the system I teach for growing your corporate client pipeline in just five hours a week.✅ How our group coaching, supervision, and Slack community help you stay focused, supported, and accountable every step of the way. ➡️ If you’d like to actually see the Accelerator in action, head to elliescarf.com/cca where I’ve included a link to the full video of this walkthrough. And if you want to find out more about the system I teach inside the Accelerator, join my free live masterclass Business Growth for Executive Coaches: Your Pipeline to Consistent Clients. Sign up at elliescarf.com/pipeline and if you join live, you’ll go in the running to win a 90-minute strategy session (valued at over $1000) with me. As always, I’ll be back next week with more tools, insights, and strategies to help you grow your executive coaching business with clarity and confidence. If you’re ready to take the next step, you can book a call at elliescarf.com/bookacall or message me on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear about your goals and explore how we can get you there.
Bonus Episode! This episode is a short and sweet heads up ahead of doors opening to the Corporate to Coach Accelerator next week. Before doors open, make sure to do these 3 things to get the most our of our launch events and set your business up to get more corporate clients (regardless of whether you are interested in joining the Accelerator!). 1. Sign up now for the free live masterclass - Business Growth For Executive Coaches - Your Pipeline to Consistent Corporate Clients (without constantly selling). Sign up here now! 2. Book a call to get in my diary ahead of the public opening! Get your time locked in to discuss your business, get my advice on your next move, and discuss whether the Accelerator is the right step for you right now. Book your call here. 3. Take a moment to reflect: What is going well in my business? What are my biggest challenges? How do I want to feel in my business? Where is the gap that I need help with? Sign up, book in, reflect - and I can't wait to see you during our launch next week! Ellie
If you’re an executive coach looking to grow your corporate client base, building a predictable business development system is key. In this episode, I walk through three essential components that make client growth predictableListen in to learn why you need strong business assets, that you must understand your numbers, and that building rituals and routines to operationalise your system might just make or break it all.These components are at the heart of what I teach inside the Corporate to Coach Accelerator and are just part of the exact system that I will be teaching in my upcoming free masterclassExciting updates in this episode: Free Masterclass: Business Growth Workshop for Executive Coaches - Your Pipeline to Replace Your Income with Corporate Clients Without Constant Selling 👉 Sign up at elliescarf.com/pipelineThe Corporate to Coach Accelerator opens right after the masterclass, with a special bonus (think - a big discount!) for those who book a call to learn if it's a good fit for them. You can jump the queue and book in now if you are ready - elliescarf.com/bookacall.
High income earning coaches aren’t working harder (I promise!). But they are working differently. In this episode, I share the five specific strategies I’ve identified that set them apart, and they’re all things you can start applying right away to create more momentum in your own coaching business. What we cover: ✅ Why the most successful coaches sell to corporate clients instead of individuals. ✅ How they see LinkedIn as just one part of the ecosystem, not the whole picture. ✅ The importance of leaning into unfair advantages and personal networks. ✅ How systems save time, energy, and reduce the emotional weight of business development. ✅ Why daily warm outreach is the backbone of consistent client growth. I also share two exciting updates:➡️ A free live masterclass, The Business Growth Playbook for Executive Coaches: Your Pipeline to Consistent Clients, happening on October 21st (October 20th if you’re in the US). Sign up at elliescarf.com/pipeline.➡️ The Corporate to Coach Accelerator opens right after the masterclass, with a special bonus (think - a big discount!) for those who book a call to learn if its a good fit for them. You can jump them queue and book in now if you are ready - elliescarf.com/bookacall.
If you are a coaching business owner, you probably want more corporate clients. But, the gap between that goal and where you are now can feel very hard to bridge. This gap often shows up in two ways. You might overthink and overwork on tasks that just don’t have the impact you want, or you might procrastinate because it all feels scary and high stakes. Both create stress and emotional labor that make activities like posting on LinkedIn or connecting with potential clients feel heavy. Inside this episode, I share why this happens, and some practical steps to create a consistent client pipeline. Listen in to hear more about: ✅ The overwork vs. procrastination cycle and how it shows up for coaches. ✅ Why you instinctive responses don’t work. ✅ Three strategies to bridge the gap. ➡️ And if you’d like a deeper dive, join my upcoming masterclass - The Business Growth Playbook for Executive Coaches. Sign up now at elliescarf.com/pipeline. You’ll walk away with a clear, tailored framework for building your client pipeline with confidence and clarity.As always, I’ll be back next week with more practical tools and strategies for growing your executive coaching business. And if you’d like to take the next step to discuss your business growth, book a call with me and connect with me on LinkedIn.
When it comes to business development, outreach is a hugely important part of your strategy. Over the last few episodes, I’ve shared why warm outreach is so powerful and how the fear of being ‘salesy’ often gets in the way. In today’s episode, I explain why I will never be the business coach who tells you to do cold outreach. Cold calls, cold LinkedIn DMs, and mass cold emails rarely work for executive coaches selling to organisational clients. Instead, I’ll walk you through why warm outreach is more effective and how it creates trust, momentum, and a more sustainable system for growing your business. Listen in to hear more about: ✅ The difference between cold outreach and warm outreach ✅ Why cold outreach rarely works in the organisational client context ✅ How warm outreach can lead to higher response, higher conversion, and stronger motivation ✅ The ripple effect warm outreach has on your content strategy and network growth To make warm outreach easier, I’ve created 30 client generating outreach templates for executive coaches. These message examples are completely free and give you practical ways to start conversations without staring at a blank screen. ➡️ Grab your copy at https://www.elliescarf.com/templates➡️ Book a call with me to explore how we can grow your business together➡️ Connect with me on LinkedIn I’ll be back next week with more practical ideas for growing your coaching business.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Are you an all-or-nothing person? I think I am. I like to sprint and then rest. I like to go hard, and then I like to go home. The challenge many coaches face is that in business, most of our deadlines are self-imposed.And without urgency or external accountability? It can be hard to get into action. Inside this episode, I share five ways that I use sprints, streaks and batching to maintain momentum and get things done when there is no external pressure. Listen in to hear more about: ✅ The power of an action orientation.✅ How to create a marketing hour of power. ✅ Content posting sprints. ✅ The importance of ‘CEO time’.. ✅ Batching through theme days. ✅ How to use constraints to move forward. If you want creative strategies to get into action and keep moving in your business, this episode is for you. Listen in, try some of these ideas, and if you have other ways you apply sprints, streaks or batching, please send them to me on LinkedIn to collate and share! If you would like to chat about whether my group coaching program, the Corporate to Coach Accelerator, could be a good fit for your business, head to elliescarf.com/bookacall to book a call.
For so many of the coaches I work with, there’s a pivotal moment in their career journey. They have that burning desire to start their own coaching business, but they are not sure how to make the financial leap. They know they want to move from corporate to coach, but the risk and uncertainty feel huge. In this episode, I share eight practical financial transition strategies you can use to support your move from employee to business owner. This is not financial advice - , but real options to consider and discuss with your own advisor. Inside this episode, I talk about ideas such as ✅ The gradual ramp down strategy o create time for your business while reducing risk. ✅ Quasi-employment and why contracting back to your current employer can shift how you think about yourself as a business owner. ✅ Turning your current employer into your flagship client. ✅ How voluntary redundancy or timing your exit with bonus payments can help fund your move. ✅ Using part-time work, a savings buffer, or even a loan to bridge the gap as you ramp up your business. And more! If you are in the “yes, I really want to start a business, but how am I going to do it” space, this episode will give you options to think about and steps you can take to prepare. Listen in and if you want to talk through your own situation, head to elliescarf.com/bookacall You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
Of all of the clients who come through my metaphorical door, about 70% come with a particular experience. They have been attempting to sell coaching to individual leaders. They are not getting the traction they want.. They know that there is an opportunity to sell to corporate clients, but pursuing those seems overwhelming.. In my opinion, the solution that I generally see work? Rip the bandaid off, stop selling to individuals and prioritise selling to corporate clients.. Inside this episode, I talk about: ✅ The vast chasm of total budget spend on coaching by organisations vs individuals. ✅ The mismatch between the number of coaches targeting individuals and the small percentage of coaching spend they represent.✅ Reasons why it seems sensible to target individuals (but isn’t!). ✅ What changes when you shift from marketing to individuals to marketing to organisations. If you have been focusing your marketing energy on individuals, even just as a fallback, this episode will show you why it is time to pivot. Listen in. Reflect honestly. And if this hits home, book a call with me at elliescarf.com/bookacall. We can talk through how to make this shift inside your business. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
In today’s episode, I’m talking about what we do as coaching business owners when the worst (or even just the crappy) happens. This is something I raised on LinkedIn a while ago, and it struck a nerve for lots of folks. So I wanted to explore it more deeply here on the podcast. Because the truth is, there’s no getting out of business or life without the hiccups. From the mild to the devastating, it is all part of the human experience. And as business owners we all bring our ‘human selves’ along for the ride. This week, I’m walking you through: ✅ How manage when things go wrong in business, both on a macro and micro level. ✅ Real-life examples that you might face. ✅ Why being self-employed can make hard times feel even harder. ✅ The importance of contingency planning. If you’d like to talk through your business and how to prepare for these scenarios, you can book a call with me at elliescarf.com/bookacall You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
In today’s episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes with a more personal update. After a few weeks of travel, I’m back and reflecting on my time away including the moment I quite literally fell into a bush in Budapest! And well, I guess there was a lesson there for me, and hopefully you too. I walk you through: ✅ The highlights of our three-week family adventure through Europe. ✅ Why this holiday felt different and what it reminded me about being present. ✅ A chance encounter with Nick Cave in Paris (yes, really!). ✅ The surprising life and business lesson I took away from an unexpected fall. ✅ How this applies to navigating the ups and downs of running a coaching business. ✅ Why we often handle challenges better than we expect. ✅ A quick update on what’s coming next for the Accelerator and how you can join. Book a call with me if you’re ready to start the next phase of your business and want to explore whether the Accelerator could be right for you. Book here. You can find me on LinkedIn.Learn more about the Accelerator at elliescarf.com/cca.