#029: Top 5 Mistakes Coaches Make

Words I Believe: Mistakes are expensive teachers. But if you listen, they’ll make you unstoppable.

The $35,000 Mistake That Taught Me How to Build Smarter

I still remember the day I checked my financial reports and realized I’d spent over $35,000 trying to grow my coaching business.

Thirty-five thousand dollars gone.

And it didn’t happen all at once. It happened over three years of testing, experimenting, and chasing new strategies that promised growth.

At the time, I told myself it was all part of the process. But if I’m honest, it was chaos disguised as progress.

I was doing everything the experts said I “should” do.

Hiring help before I was ready.
Investing in complex marketing strategies I didn’t even understand.
Buying every new course that promised a faster path to success.

It all sounded good in theory. But when I looked up, I was exhausted, over budget, and no closer to clarity than when I started.

The worst part? I couldn’t even use half of what I paid for.

I remember one night sitting on the floor of my office with my laptop open, staring at a half-built funnel and thinking, how did I end up here?

That was the moment I realized something had to change.

Because I wasn’t just losing money.
I was losing myself in the noise.

So, I stripped everything back. I deleted the 15-step marketing plan. I canceled the contractors. I sat down with a blank page and asked one simple question:

“If I could start this business again, what would I do differently?”

That single question changed everything.

And the answers I uncovered didn’t just rebuild my business, they’ve helped hundreds of my clients rebuild theirs too.

When you step back and simplify, you start to see the patterns. The mistakes that quietly keep you stuck, frustrated, and spinning your wheels.

So today, I want to share the top five mistakes coaches make (the same ones that cost me $35,000) and what to do instead.

The 5 Mistakes That Keep Coaches Stuck

1. Not niching down

You think being broad means more opportunity, but it actually creates confusion.
You’re trying to speak to everyone, so no one feels like you’re speaking to them.

When you narrow in on a specific person with a specific problem, everything becomes easier — your content, your sales calls, your messaging.

Fix it:
Look at the results you’ve helped people get.
Find the common threads.
Speak directly to that person every time you show up.

2. No outreach strategy

For a while, I waited for leads to “find me.” I’d post content, get engagement, and then silence. Inbound is great, but you can’t rely on the algorithm to build your business.

Fix it:
Mix inbound and outbound.

Connect with new people daily.
Conversations build connection, and connection builds clients.

If you reach out to just 10 ideal clients a day, you’ll never run out of leads again.

3. Trying to do everything yourself

When you first start, you wear every hat. But if you stay there too long, you become your own bottleneck.I learned the hard way that doing everything doesn’t make you efficient. It makes you exhausted.

Fix it:
Focus your energy on coaching, content, and conversations.
Automate or outsource everything else once you can.

Your time is your most valuable resource. Protect it.

4. Assuming your offer is better than it is

Here’s a truth I learned the hard way:
What you think people want doesn’t always match what they’re actually willing to pay for.

Your offer can sound amazing to you, but if it doesn’t solve the real pain your audience feels, it won’t convert.

Fix it:
Get on calls. Ask better questions.
Let your clients tell you what they need, then build from there.

5. Believing you’re bad at sales

So many coaches convince themselves they’re not good at sales because they hate being “pushy” or “salesy”.  

But real sales aren’t about pressure. They’re about presence.

It’s about listening, understanding, and showing your prospect that you can help them get what they truly want.

Fix it:
Shift your mindset from selling to serving.
When you focus on helping, your confidence rises and so do your conversions.

If any of these mistakes hit home, it’s time to fix them for good.

Your Next Step

I’m opening up a few 1-hour business strategy calls this month to help you uncover your biggest growth blocker and create a simple plan to overcome it.

By the end of our session, you’ll walk away knowing exactly what’s keeping you stuck and what to do next to create consistent results.

Click here to schedule your call

To smarter moves and simpler systems,
Valincia

P.S. If you’re not sure what’s holding your business back, reply to this email with “audit,” and I’ll personally help you figure out your next step.

P.P.S. Missed previous editions of this valued packed newsletter. No worries! You can check them out here: The Savvy Coach Newsletter