The Business of Executive Coaching

Hosted by Ellie Scarf

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133

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Jun 2026

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July 5, 202648 min

Stephanie Abbott on the Human Side of Change (for Coaches and Clients!)

Today I'm joined by Stephanie Abbott, a coach, consultant, facilitator and strategist with decades of experience in knowledge management, learning and development, and legal transformation. In this episode Steph shares her corporate to coach story and the unique blend of expertise that she now brings to clients across the legal world (and beyond). Steph and I discuss her work, but also dig into the real impact AI is having on leaders right now, and what it actually takes to build a sustainable coaching business, including pushing through the sales ick and getting comfortable with not being the right fit for everyone. If you'd like to connect with Stephanie Abbott, you can find her on LinkedIn or via her website: stephanieabbott.com.au If you want to grow your business with more corporate clients, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator at elliescarf.com/cca and if you'd like to discuss whether the Accelerator could be a good fit for your growth agenda, let's chat! elliescarf.com/bookacall

June 28, 202658 min

Pod O’Sullivan on the Business of Building a Practice that Lasts (and so much more!)

My guest today is Padraig O'Sullivan (Pod to his friends!. Pod is an executive coach, team coach, author and international leadership specialist with nearly three decades of experience working with CEOs and top leadership teams across multinational organisations. In this episode Pod shares his corporate to coach story and his framework for building a business that can sustain his passion for the work that he does. Pod’s pre-coaching career spans intensive care nursing, medical device sales, recruitment and headhunting.  It was his transition into coaching though that has brought out his passion and entrepreneurial spirit. Pod and I discuss his work, but also our takes on the details of business building including things like value-based pricing, and what it really takes to build a sustainable coaching business. If you'd like to connect with Pod O'Sullivan, you can find him on LinkedIn or via his website podosullivan.com If you'd like to work with me to grow your own coaching business, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator at elliescarf.com/cca and if you’d like to discuss your business and whether the Accelerator could be a good fit for your growth agenda, lets chat!  elliescarf.com/bookacall

June 21, 202645 min

Jo Saies on Elite Sport, Disability and Performance in the Workplace

This week I'm sitting down with the brilliant Jo Saies, a highly experienced PCC credentialed coach with 15 years of experience supporting leaders and organisations across the public and private sectors, including government, regulatory bodies and for-purpose organisations. In this episode Jo shares her corporate to coach story, including the two things that have shaped her life: a vision impairment and a spirit of adventure that saw her represent Australia as a disabled downhill ski racer. We cover Jo's business building journey, her support for leaders in aged care, disability and the public sector, and her passion for helping subject matter experts step into leadership roles. We also dig into the realities of running a coaching business and the power of community and connection built over a long career. If you'd like to connect with Jo Saies, you can find her on LinkedIn or via her website pbperformance.com.au. If you'd like to work with me to grow your own coaching business, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator at elliescarf.com/cca or book a call at elliescarf.com/bookacall

June 14, 202623 min

Why is it so hard? How to reduce the emotional toll of marketing your business.

Marketing your coaching business shouldn't feel heavy. But for most of us, it does. For most of us there are a series of decisions, doubts and fears that attach a whole heap of emotional labour to the marketing and business development that we do. In this episode I look into why you might be experiencing that (you aren’t alone!) and I share practical shifts to help lighten the load. If you'd like support to build and implement a marketing system that takes the emotional labour out of growing your coaching business with more corporate clients, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator here and please book a call with me to discuss whether it makes sense for your business. And don't forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know what your experience with marketing is!

June 7, 202637 min

Unlearning - Zsofia Juhasz on the MCC coach evolution

In this episode, I'm joined by the extraordinary Zsofia Juhasz, ICF MCC coach with over 9,500 hours of coaching experience, mentor coach, coach supervisor, and creator of a Level 3 training program for PCC coaches journeying towards MCC credentialing. Zsofia shares her corporate-to-coach story, from her HR days to building a thriving practice after relocating to Australia 14 years ago and why she calls herself an "accidental MCC."We cover the two pillars of her practice, executive coaching and coach development and why the path to MCC is as much about unlearning as it is learning. We also get into the realities of business building including saying no, building systems, trusting yourself, and finding the community that carries you through. If you'd like to connect with Zsofia Juhasz, you can find her on LinkedIn here and on her website becomingamasterfulcoach.com. You can also find Zsofia's podcast for coaches on the MCC journey, linked here. If you'd like to work with me to grow your own coaching business, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator at elliescarf.com/cca or book a call here: elliescarf.com/bookacall  

May 31, 202618 min

5 practical ways to build your rejection resilience (and grow your business)

Rejection is the cost of entry to business ownership. But what if you could get so used to it that it stopped stopping you? In this episode I share five practical, gentle ways to expand your tolerance for rejection, and the not-so-secret bonus is that every single one of them will also grow your business. If you’d like support to build your rejection resilience and grow your coaching business with more corporate clients, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator here or book a call with me. And don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know what stood out for you from this episode!

May 24, 202644 min

Quiet Leadership in a Loud World with Jenny Toh

In this episode, I’m joined by Jenny Toh, hot off the back of her recent trip to present at the ICF Converge Summit 2026 in Paris!  Jenny and I cover all sorts of territory - from  her transition from law and banking into coaching, to how her experience as an introvert shaped the work she does today and the business she has built. In this episode Jenny shares why she’s passionate about supporting quieter leaders who are navigating visibility, executive presence, and influence in environments that often reward louder leadership styles. We also talk about the realities of building a coaching business, including perfectionism, rejection, sales conversations, and the importance of systems, structure, and community support. Jenny shares how her mindset around business development has evolved, and why focusing on being of service changed the way she approaches coaching conversations. Jenny also shares insights into her work as a mentor coach and supervisor in training for other coaches. If you’d like to connect with Jenny Toh, you can find her on LinkedIn here You can also learn more about River Life Coaching here: www.riverlifecoaching.com If you’d like to work with me to grow your own coaching business, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator at http://elliescarf.com/cca or book a call here: http://elliescarf.com/bookacall

May 17, 202615 min

How to build business momentum before you leave your full time job

I’m often asked for tips about starting coaching businesses, and one of my biggest tips is one you might not expect. In this episode I’m talking about how taking some tangible business building steps  while still employed can create momentum, build confidence, and help things move faster once you officially launch. Listen in for real tips on what you can do to set yourself up for the best corporate to coach transition possible. If you’d like support as you grow your coaching business, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator here or book a call here. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. I love hearing from you about your business challenges and  what stood out for you in this episode.

May 10, 202643 min

Executive Coaching, Resilience & Reinvention with Kirsty Grace

In this episode, I’m joined by Kirsty Grace to talk about her transition from financial services into executive and leadership coaching, and the experiences that shaped the work she does today. Kirsty shares how a difficult period during the GFC pushed her to reassess what mattered most and ultimately led her into coaching psychology and organisational development. Kirsty shares why she is so passionate about working with leaders and teams, and also shares what she’s learned from building her own coaching business, including the value of patience, networking, and staying focused on the bigger picture while growing something sustainable. If you’d like to connect with Kirsty Grace, you can find her here: https://leadwithgrace.com.au  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstygrace/ If you’d like to work with me to grow your own coaching business, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator at http://elliescarf.com/cca or book a call here: http://elliescarf.com/bookacall

May 3, 20267 min

Is a self-trust gap holding your business back?

What if the reason your business isn’t growing at the rate you want it to isn’t because of anything you are doing or not doing? It is possible that you are getting in your own way, and in this episode I want to talk about self trust - and how a lack of it might just be holding your business back.Of course I am sharing some practical tips for what to do if you think this could be you. If you’d like support as you grow your coaching business, you can learn more about the Corporate to Coach Accelerator at http://elliescarf.com/cca or book a call here: http://elliescarf.com/bookacall