The Coaching Edge: A Business Building Podcast

Hosted by Wendy McCallum

Business Entrepreneurship

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111

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Oct 2026

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October 26, 202634 min

Ep 111 Fit Over Formula: Finding the Marketing Strategy That Actually Works for You

A while back, I hired a business coach I really loved to help me launch a new program. Her launch formula included a live webinar with a sales section that kicked in at a set point on the clock. I went along with it even though my gut was telling me it wasn't me, and the selling felt so awkward and out of sync with everything else that I re-recorded that part before I sent out the replay. It taught me a lesson I've carried ever since: there isn't one right way to market a coaching business. In this episode, I share what almost 17 years of coaching, and working with coaches inside the Business Building Boutique, have taught me about finding the marketing approach that fits you . You'll hear how coaches I've worked with have built successful businesses through writing, research, corporate speaking, Reels, in-person events, monthly presentations, podcasting, and more. Not one of them did it the same way. I also walk you through three steps to finding your own lane, and the questions I'd ask before you invest in any coaching business program. In this episode, I cover: The webinar I re-recorded, and what it taught me about ignoring my intuition Why the "follow my formula" promise is everywhere, and what it can cost new coaches Why a formula usually works for the person teaching it, and not necessarily for you How knowing your special sauce shapes the marketing that fits you Real examples of coaches who built their businesses through Substack and magazine writing, book deals, paid corporate presentations, Instagram Reels, in-person roundtables, face-to-face practices, monthly presentations, and podcasting How to keep the parts of a strategy that work for you and change the parts that don't Why doing marketing you enjoy is what builds know, like, and trust, and leads to sales Questions to help you find your marketing lane What to ask before you buy another business program Resources mentioned: Ep 66: Nail Your Special Sauce: Standing Out as a Coach in a Crowded Market LISTEN HERE Ep 69: You Get to Change Your Mind: How to Build a Flexible & Responsive Coaching Business LISTEN HERE Ep 62: Is This Business Coaching Program Worth It? LISTEN HERE The Business Building Boutique (BBB): LEARN MORE HERE

October 19, 202642 min

Ep 110: Your Psychological Signature: Positioning Beyond Messaging with Lauren Balterman

This week I'm doing something a little different — I have a guest on the podcast, which doesn't happen very often around here. Lauren Balterman is a psychology-driven brand strategist, creative director, and positioning expert who helps experienced women turn their expertise into a brand that people recognize, trust, and hire. With 15 years of experience in psychology, leadership, and entrepreneurship, Lauren blends human behavior, brand strategy, and creative direction to help experts become known for how they think — not just what they do. Lauren and I had a great conversation about what she calls your "psychological signature" (what I've always called your special sauce) — the unique combination of your experiences, beliefs, and worldview that sets you apart from every other coach out there. We talked about why clear messaging isn't enough anymore, how to know if your brand is blending in, and practical steps you can take to start showing up as the real you. If you've ever felt like your content could have been written by anyone, or you're struggling to articulate what makes you different, this episode is for you. In this episode, we cover: What a psychological signature is and how to uncover yours The difference between messaging and positioning (and why you need both) Why "be authentic" advice falls flat — and what to do instead Lauren's signature stance concept — and examples from Tony Robbins and Brené Brown Our similar 2020 pivot stories and why that year changed everything The five Ps: positioning, process, proof, persona, and presence How to audit your content to see if you're blending in Why testimonials need to connect to your process, not just say you're great How to use AI without sounding generic Permission to market your way — not someone else's formula Resources & Links: Take Lauren's free Hidden Expert quiz - https://laurennicole.life/quiz Find Lauren on Instagram: @laurennicolebalterman

October 12, 202641 min

Ep 109 What Happened When I Doubled My Rates

In 2020, I doubled my rates — and then doubled my client load. That year, I roughly tripled my income. I was terrified it wouldn't work. I almost talked myself out of it. But it turned out to be one of the best business decisions I've ever made. In this episode, I'm sharing the full story — what led to the decision, what I actually did, why it worked, and what you should consider before raising your own rates. This isn't about arbitrary price increases or "just believing in yourself." It's about aligning your pricing with your value and building a business that's actually sustainable. In this episode, I cover: The backstory: why my rates had barely moved in nine years What I actually did: the rebrand, the new offers, the podcast, the price increase What happened: doubling clients, tripling income, fully booked for the first time Why higher prices often lead to more clients, not fewer What this isn't: I'm not telling you to double your rates tomorrow Five things to consider before raising your rates Why your rates should go up over time — and what happens if they don't The hidden cost of undercharging Resources & Links: The Business Building Boutique: www.wendymccallum.com/bbb $27 Pricing Your 1:1 Coaching Masterclass: HERE Mini-Offers and Free Coaching Resources HERE

October 5, 202636 min

Ep 108 What I've Learned From Coaches Who Quit (and Coaches Who Made It)

What separates coaches who build sustainable businesses from those who don't? After working with over 75 coaches in the BBB — plus countless others over the years — I've noticed real patterns. Not motivational platitudes. Actual differences in how coaches approach this work. In this episode, I'm sharing what I've observed in the coaches who made it, and what I've seen in the ones who quit. Some of it might be hard to hear, but I'd rather be honest with you than sell you a fantasy. In this episode, I cover: Why realism is a competitive advantage in this industry The 7 things I've noticed in coaches who succeed Why business or professional background helps (and what to do if you don't have it) The importance of having a financial plan for the business-building stage Why the coaches who make it are willing to have hard conversations What "close to the money" means and why it matters The trap of over-investing in certifications Why community is strategic, not just nice to have What I've noticed in coaches who quit Questions to ask yourself if you're stuck Resources & Links: The Business Building Boutique: www.wendymccallum.com/bbb $27 Pricing Your 1:1 Coaching Masterclass: HERE Free download: Launch Fundamentals Checklist: HERE

September 28, 202637 min

Ep: 107 Your Special Sauce: Building Coaching Offers Around What You're Actually Great At

What are you actually great at as a coach — and are you building your offers around it? This episode is about leaning into your strengths when creating programs and offers. Not what you think you should do, not what other coaches are doing — but what you're uniquely good at and what energizes you. I'm sharing my own recent realization: after stepping back from live group work for a couple of months, I noticed how much I missed it. Group facilitation and community building is my special sauce — and I'd walked away from it. Now I'm figuring out how to bring it back in a way that fits. I'll walk you through how to identify your own special sauce, how to make sure it aligns with what your clients actually need, and why your offers should evolve as you learn more about yourself. And I'm asking for your help: I want to hear what you would want from a coaching community. Your answers will shape what I build next. In this episode, I cover: The outside-in trap: building offers based on trends instead of strengths How to identify your special sauce as a coach Common strength categories: 1:1, group facilitation, teaching, connecting, accountability Signs you're building against your strengths (and signs you're building with them) My example: realizing I missed group work and designing Coach Connect Calls Aligning your strengths with what clients actually need Permission to evolve — your offers should change as you do Questions I'd love your input on: what would your ideal coaching community look like? Resources & Links: Register for the Coach Connect Call on September 30: REGISTER NOW The Business Building Boutique: www.wendymccallum.com/bbb Send me your thoughts: wendy@wendymccallum.com or DM me @wendymccallumcoach

September 21, 202639 min

Ep 106 The Life-Changing Magic of Selling It Before It's Done

Last week we talked about how to know if that offer you've been sitting on is worth building. This week: what to do once you've decided yes. And the answer might surprise you. Most coaches wait until everything is ready before they sell. The modules are recorded. The sales page is polished. The tech is perfect. And then they launch — and sometimes no one buys. There's a better way: sell it before you build it. In this episode, I'm sharing why pre-selling is the fastest way to get out of perfectionism and into action, what you actually need to have ready to sell (less than you think), and real examples from my own business and my clients. In this episode, I cover: • The trap of "I'll sell it when it's ready" — and what it's really costing you • Why selling first creates energy, validates demand, and gets you out of your head • Charlotta's story: how she sold her fall group program before building it • How I've used this approach with almost every offer I've created • What you actually need to sell (spoiler: not much) • What to do if no one buys • What to do if you're scared you can't deliver • How to start this week Resources & Links: • Business Building Boutique — learn more: www.wendymccallum.com/bbb • Coach Connect FREE Community Zoom Call (register here) • The Confident Coaching Skills Intensive — now available self-guided: www.wendymccallum.com/ccsi

September 14, 202639 min

Ep 105 The Offer You Haven't Built Yet (And How to Know if You Should)

You've had the idea for months. Maybe years. The group program, the course, the membership, the retreat, the new offer. It lives in a Google Doc or in your head, and you keep coming back to it — but you haven't built it. The question is: should you? This episode is about figuring that out. Because sometimes the idea is a genuine next step — and sometimes it's a shiny distraction from selling what you already have. I'll walk you through the questions to ask yourself, the signs it's not time to build, and the signs that it is. By the end, you'll have more clarity about whether to pursue this idea, put it on the shelf, or finally take action. In this episode, I cover: Why most coaches have an offer idea they've been sitting on (and why they haven't built it) The shiny object problem: how to tell the difference between inspiration and avoidance Questions to ask yourself to evaluate whether the idea is worth pursuing Signs it's NOT time to build the new thing Signs it IS time to build A note about timing — why "good idea" doesn't always mean "right now" How to make a decision and end the limbo Resources & Links: Business Building Boutique — learn more: www.wendymccallum.com/bbb Upcoming Coach Connect Call (Free Community Call): Register here

September 7, 202639 min

Season 4 Opener: Ep 104 Your Business Is Allowed to Evolve (And So Are You)

I've been running the Business Building Bootcamp for years. It's been my signature offer. It's helped hundreds of coaches build sustainable businesses. And this summer, I decided to change it. Not because it was broken. Not because it stopped working. But because I've changed. My clients have changed. The market has changed. And what I built a few years ago doesn't quite fit anymore — for them or for me. So I'm evolving it. Restructuring it. Renaming it. And in this episode — the first of Season 4 — I want to tell you why. Because I think there's something in this story for you too. This is an episode about permission. Permission to let your business evolve. Permission to stop running something that no longer fits — even if it used to work beautifully. Permission to be responsive to your life, your clients, and the market — without making it mean you did something wrong before. We'll talk about the myth of "set it and forget it," the signs that something might need to change, and how to know when it's time to evolve an offer, a structure, or even your whole business model. I'll share what I've been building this summer — the Business Building Boutique — and why I made the changes I made. And we'll talk about repurposing: how to use what you've already created instead of starting from scratch every time. In this episode, I cover: The myth of "set it and forget it" — and why your business should evolve with you Signs it might be time to change: in yourself, in your clients, in the market My example: why I'm transforming the Business Building Bootcamp into the Business Building Boutique What I kept, what I let go of, and how I made the decisions The underrated power of repurposing content you've already created Being responsive to your real life — not just the market Why your clients are allowed to evolve too (and how to build offers that flex with them) Practical questions to help you decide if something in your business needs to shift Why evolution isn't failure — it's leadership Resources & Links: Learn more about the new Business Building Boutique here Get free and low-ticket business building resources here Upcoming Coach Connect Call (Free Community Call): Register here

August 31, 202630 min

Best of Re-Release EP 2 My Biggest Coaching Mistakes! (What Not To Do) Pt 2 of 2

This week I'm bringing back Part 2 of the very first episode series of The Coaching Edge — where I shared all the mistakes I made in my early years as a coach so you don't have to make them too. If you caught last week's re-release (Part 1), you heard me talk about niching, branding traps, and creating too many offers. This episode picks up where that one left off — covering social media myths, the long game of marketing, pricing, perfectionism, financial goal-setting, systems, and why asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. T hese episodes are where The Coaching Edge began, and they're still some of the most practical, honest advice I can offer coaches who are building their businesses. In this episode, I cover: Why social media won't save you (especially in your first year) The long game of marketing — and why what you do today might pay off years from now Why your pricing should reflect the value of the transformation, not your hourly rate Perfect is the enemy of good: why you should sell before you're "ready" How to set financial goals (and why playing it safe held me back) Creating systems that save you time and sanity Why getting help from someone who's been where you are can be the difference between success and failure Resources & Links: Free download: Launch Fundamentals Checklist: GET IT HERE $27 masterclass: How to Price Your 1:1 Coaching GET IT HERE The Business Building Boutique — self-guided courses, All Access, or VIP with private coaching: GET ALL THE INFO HERE

August 24, 202630 min

Ep 102: Best of Re-Release EP 1 My Biggest Coaching Mistakes! (What Not To Do) Pt 1 of 2

This week I'm doing something special — I'm bringing back the very first episode of The Coaching Edge. When I recorded this episode, I had no idea what this podcast would become. I just knew that coaches needed practical, honest information about building a business — the stuff that certification programs don't teach you. Now, almost 100 episodes later, this podcast has become something I'm incredibly proud of, and this community of coaches has grown into something really meaningful. This episode is where it all started. I share my story — how I went from burnt-out lawyer to coach, all the pivots and mistakes along the way — and I dig into some of the biggest mistakes I made in my first few years of business so you don't have to make them too. If you're newer to the podcast, this is a great place to start. And if you've been listening for a while, I think you'll enjoy hearing where it all began. In this episode, I cover: My story: from law to nutrition to life coaching to coaching coaches Why niching down earlier would have saved me years of struggle The branding trap: why your logo doesn't matter (and what to do instead) Why I recommend using your own name as your business name The mistake of creating too many offers and programs Why one-on-one coaching is the smartest place to start Resources & Links: Free download: Launch Fundamentals Checklist: GRAB IT HERE The Business Building Boutique — now available as self-guided courses, All Access, or VIP with private coaching: ALL INFO HERE

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