Coaching: On The Radio!

Over the past few months, I became aware of a little voice talking to me in the background, after most of my coaching sessions.

It is not enough, it whispered.

Be quiet, I shouted back.

You see, while my book is selling steadily and speaking engagements provide great windfalls, my income is made up mostly of a string of coaching sessions.

In addition to this, I have worked hard, the last six years to make sure I HAD a string of coaching sessions.

So what is this business of “not enough?”

Well, I would tell any client ever so wisely: that’s growth.

As life coaches, we know all about growth and we are quick to recognize the perfect timing in other people’s lives. Often times, we excel at it. And yet, this was hard.

When I took a little time to converse with that nagging voice, I was quick to hear that while I still love coaching, doing it one, one, one, was the part that no longer felt like enough.

I wanted to reach more people at one time. I wanted … more.

And that is how, one day in early August, I got the idea in my head that I wanted to “do a radio show.”

The idea was quiet at first. It lived within my thoughts for a day or so. And then it asked for more room.

So, I mentioned the idea to my partner, Chris who is always great at hearing what I don’t say. In a way, I was hoping he would tell me that it made no sense. He did not.

Being a guy, he started doing some research on “what kind of equipment we should buy.” I think that he relished the notion of creating a full blown recording studio in our house and could already envision all the wires (he loves wires) that would make this whole thing possible.

Me, I hate wires.

While he jotted down the names of various important electronic “things,” I googled “how to start a radio show very simply.” This lead me, within three clicks, to a site that claimed I could start my own radio show, from my home, using only my telephone and my laptop.

AT NO COST.

I recognized the flow; it was familiar. Creation was at work, here, and if I remained available, plenty of good stuff would be on its way to me. I had experienced this before many times.

I mentioned this site and its promises to Chris, who seemed a little skeptical and yet, knowing the way things sometimes happen around here, decided to take a break from his research and watch what would happen next.

The idea was that by spending a little time learning my way around BlogTalkRadio, I could have the whole thing set up and ready to go within a few hours.

I LOVE being able to speed ahead with a project!

So I did.

I signed up and started inventing a radio show. Being able to just “play” on the site without any financial commitment gave me a lot of freedom and allowed the concept to develop gently.

I really did not know how I would do this… would I pick a topic and discuss it?

Would I ask my clients to call in and ask me questions?

Would I discuss my book? I had no idea.

But somehow, it felt like fun and I also sensed that I had very little to lose.

Before I could schedule the first (and possibly last) episode, I needed to give the show a name. Chris asked me what I would call a situation where I would have a few people come over to my place to chat. Immediately, my native tongue jumped up and said “Chez Laura!” While it did sound a little bit like the name of a restaurant, I loved the idea of giving this new adventure a French name and the more I said it, the better it sounded. “Chez Laura” means “at Laura’s place” and that had a flavor of intimacy and comfort that felt just right.

Then it was a matter of picking a date and now that the whole thing was starting to emerge into an exciting form, I did not want to wait.

I scheduled the show for Aug 22, sent out announcements to everyone I knew and spent a few days wondering excitedly what the heck I was doing.

The day of the show arrived and I sat at my desk, phone in hand and staring at “the switchboard” on my computer … ready to go!

The automatic system let me know that my show would start in 5 seconds and there I was, on the air!!!!

Also, on the air, as it turned out, were the Navy jets that sometimes fly over our island.

As soon as the show started, they started too! They were SO loud, I could not help but laugh at the timing.

Pretty soon a couple of clients called. They had great questions and I found myself doing a couple of mini-coaching sessions right there on the radio! It was a blast. We all laughed at the technical difficulties of dealing with the jets and of me learning the system while talking with them.

By the time the show was over, I was hooked and decided that I would definitely want to do it again.

Maybe I would even do one a month. Chris suggested that I do one a week. That seemed crazy.

And then, within a few days, I heard from people who had listened in and had loved it and had gotten a lot from hearing me work with the callers.

Once a week it would be. But what would I talk about?

Once again, Chris came to the rescue: “Just talk with your friends. They’re an interesting bunch.” I wasn’t sure how to take this but … I did talk to them.

I booked my best friend who is a health wizard and who shared her great knowledge. I booked another friend who is a successful artist – and  who was told in kindergarten that she had no talent. I booked another life coach. And little by little, I found myself booking anyone who has an interesting story to tell. Friend or not.

I am finding more confidence in inviting guests and guess what? Barbara Sher will be my guest on Nov 3 at 2PM (come listen!)

The show has taken off like wildfire. Every week, I run into someone who has heard it and this always surprises and delights me.

I found that the skills learned through life coaching are the perfect skills needed to interview someone in a genuine, curious way. In fact, I never prepare for an interview and try to have minimum contact with my guest before the show because I want to be 100% fresh and ask the same questions my audience might be asking.

 To tell you the truth, I am still not sure why I am doing this. I do not get paid and it takes quite a bit of my time. But I know, for sure, that it is the right thing for me to be doing right now … and if there is any part of you that feels that you want to share your gifts in this way too … I highly recommend you go for it!