Ellen Donnelly’s Post

14 strangers talking about money at 9am? That's exactly what happened this Tuesday when I hosted a breakfast discussion for those exploring self-employment, had recently taken the leap, or were already doing their own thing but had questions its financial viability. I shared anecdotes and experiences from supporting hundreds of people through these decisions and questions as a coach and what it really means to 'Fund your Founder Journey' when you aren't relying on external investors. (Psst... most people aren't!). Questions and fears around money, future employability, managing different projects, having a job AND a business... everyone opened up about their genuine feelings, experiences and questions ands and it was .... SO REFRESHING. This is exactly more of the conversations I want us to be having. There will be more of these to come if you're interested - ping me for an invite! And thank you to Fabrik for being the best community space possible and gathering for something like this!

I'm running a beta round of Authority Club (group programme helping 14 experts build market-leading services and brands) I asked for feedback at the month 2 mark. Here's what they've told me about their experiences so far.... Teresa Beehan "Writing my Authority Story unlocked my business and what I offer. I also feel more confident putting myself out there - I re-wrote and branded my LinkedIn, posted on LinkedIn for the 1st time (ever!), put out a lead magnet, re-connecting with my network as coach and business owner instead of corporate employee, I have 3 offers ready to market and I have a website that is 75% near completion instead of 0%." Alan Rutter "It’s challenging in a really good way. I am having to make decisions about what I do (and more importantly what I don’t do). These are decisions that are really tempting to dodge when you’re working solo. You want to be ‘for everybody’, just in case you miss out on work. In reality ‘for everybody’ means ‘for nobody in particular" Nika Talbot "It is good for keeping me accountable, to time, and in good company, as easy to put these things off. I’ve got something up, not finalised but it’s there. It was useful to chat this through with my group." Susannah Worth "I know I’ll keep tweaking my sales page a bit but right now I feel incredibly proud of it. It feels so much more like me - like I’m better at giving myself permission to do it my way. The language, the spirit, the values. I have gained so much clarity and confidence through Authority Club, and have tons of ideas about where I’m headed" Rachael Chrystal "I’ve taken action and moved forward with greater clarity and insight which is great! Having the deadlines to submit work is really useful" As with any beta programme are changes I'd make next time around, but am pretty chuffed to read how much progress can be made with a powerful combination of learning, community and accountability. Go crew 🔥 [P.S if you're interested in building your Authority and a market leading service, jump on the waitlist for first dibs when the next round launches, link in first comment]

This week in The Ask newsletter, an interview with the ever- inspiring Nikki Trott I sat down with Nikki for another one person business interview.... to hear all about how she runs an multi-faceted operation bridging brand strategy, coaching, investing, podcasting and advisory. Across her work, Nikki helps bridge purpose and profit for her clients, and lifted the lid on her own business building strategy in this interview. Check it out to discover Nikki's take on.... - How the future of business will operate at the intersection of brand culture and social movements - Bringing her femininity into founder coaching - The role of intuition in business and what happened when she made business decisions with her body for one whole year - As well as the backstory to getting to where she is today, leaving a high flying career in fashion to pursue what makes her light up 👇 https://lnkd.in/e9aNc5QH

Struggling to motivate yourself? 🤔 With summer around the corner you may want to get your head down but find yourself procrastinating. If that sounds familiar, try these exercises I give my coaching clients on for size… 1. Know your ‘so that’ It’s not enough to know you want to achieve something. Know your ultimate North Star why behind this … so that what? You can quit your job? Buy a home? Be financially free? Leave a legacy? Be specific and tap into your intrinsic motivation. 2. Separate ‘CEO you’ from ‘employee you’. Assign your responsibilities (CEO you does this) at a different time to when you sit down and do the work (that’s employee you). These two versions of you have different incentives - don’t expect them to sit down together and agree when the working day comes. 3. Create the right conditions. That could be your environment, tools or timings. Set yourself up for success by having what you need to do your best work. 4. Force accountability. You’ll be suprised at how much will power you have to do a task when others are counting on you to do it. You can share this publicly (like my current 20 day email series) or use a coach or accountability buddy 5. Measure the process Count yourself as successful for following the steps laid out and showing up to the work consistently. This can be more empowering than judging success based on a goal you set that you can’t control (the outcome). Eg in a launch I have helped a client set a goal for the interactions with customers, not the sales figure. This is more motivating as it’s within your control. [with an 11 hour day ahead, I sent employee me out for an early morning walk for those endorphins and fresh air to set me up for the day 🌞]

Five reminders for the self-employed this bank holiday weekend 👉 Work or don't work... it's up to you. Don't let the judgements of those with salaried jobs stop you from doing what you need to do (maybe a day at work to get your head stuck into a project when there are no meetings on the calendar is exactly what you need). It might not be 'normal' to work a long weekend, but you didn't choose normal. 👉 If you decide to take the time off, ENJOY it. You deserve a rest and rest is often the most productive thing you can do for yourself to come back stronger. You won't fall behind. 👉 Take self-care seriously. It can be easy to over work when you love what you do or are trying to make ends meet in the early days. A double dose of self-care is not selfish, its necessary. Whether that's a spa, digital detox, cooking your favourite food, 12 hours sleep... you earned it 👉 Connect with people who lift you up. Self-employment gets lonely, but there is nothing lonelier than being with people who question your motives and don't support your path. Go connect with the ones who got your back. 👉 Celebrate yourself. We're over 1/3 into a really tough year and economy. You are still going? Good for you. Your manager might not be able to tell you how amazing you are so can I? 😉 Enjoy the BH all!

Showing up on LinkedIn is great but... I do more than just write posts. I've been busy cooking up a new batch of goodies at The Ask HQ in recent months. If you’ve been wondering how I can support you further on your entrepreneurial path, let me update you as to what's on the menu... and p*ss off LinkedIn algorithm by throwing in a load of external links in the comments, too 🤠 (Half of these are free and the first even includes baked goods...find the corresponding link numbers below) 👇 1. If you are... figuring out the financial side of self-employment Whether you have a job on the side, are a full-time founder or something in between... Come have a (free) breakfast with me and others for real talk about the numbers side of business building. You'll leave with actionable advice on making your business work financially. 1️⃣ MEET FOR BREAKFAST 2. If you are... curious about my path growing a six-figure business If you are a coach, or just curious about my path, you may just want these emails. Starting tonight I'm sharing an email a day for 20 days; the biggest lessons learnt from building The Ask. The raw and unfiltered realities of running a coaching and content business with no prior business building experience. 2️⃣ GET THE 20 LESSONS 3. If you are... a new coach who wants to be fully booked When you are still building up your coaching practice with clients, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by all the (often contradictory) advice online. As I approach my 4th anniversary being a full time coach, I am sharing my own experiences of what has and hasn't worked for me, in a series of masterclasses to help up-and-coming coaches. As a reader of this newsletter you are invited for free.   3️⃣ ATTEND THE MASTERCLASS 4. If you are... an expert who wants to grow their reach and income Join the only members club where you'll learn how to get paid for your best ideas... alongside a community of smart people. Join the next Authority Club cohort with emerging industry leaders building market leading messages and services in their field. Join the waitlist for updates. 4️⃣ EXPLORE AUTHORITY CLUB 5. If you are... a service provider yet to replace your corporate salary A sustainable business requires you to master three essential steps i) knowing exactly what you stand for/how to position yourself in a compelling way, ii) Crafting a signature offer that reliably pays your bills and iii) Creating a repeatable sales and marketing system you ENJOY. If you are seeking a 1-1 business coach and mentor to support you build a profitable one person business, rock-solid mindset and systems, we'll start with a no obligation consultation. 5️⃣ APPLY FOR 1-1 COACHING Not sure what you need? Let's have a chat and figure it out together!

If you want to create wealth by pursuing your purpose (and work for yourself) you'll want to join these 350 people ... 👇 Last year I wrote a LENGTHY Guide that breaks down the five stages requires to grow a one person business. A business that meets the following criteria: -> Connects to your purpose (the big mission you have in the world) -> Uses only your best skills strengths and talent (your Unique Contribution) -> Can be created without external investment and is *profitable* from day one -> Allows you to replace (and exceed) your corporate salary in earnings and ultimately, create wealth It's been downloaded over 350 times. I've had people email me out the blue to say how valuable they found this guide. If you're on this path - what are you waiting for? (It's free). https://lnkd.in/g7H7Y4vZ

Are you a new coach? Coaching is a rapidly growing industry and the career paths for qualified coaches are plentiful. I have been coaching for four years and, as a business coach, have coached many new coaches to set up their practices. (Meta - I know!) To celebrate being fours into this field, and to help out those starting out on their coaching path... I am hosting a free masterclass next month. The Path from Certified to Fully-Booked. I'll be sharing everything I know about believe to help you learn how to: — Establish your authority as a new coach — Defining your 'good enough' niche and ideal persona — Lean into your intuition for decision making and fast progress — Figure what is worth your time and energy to worry about in the first 120 days (and what really isn't) — Identify the signs that your new coaching business is on track You'll leave armed with confidence, direction and actionable-take aways to set you on the path from certified to fully booked. Spaces are free - can't wait to see you then! Please share with a loved one you know who is in coach training or recently started their journey as a coach. https://lu.ma/dyncyxhx

The mess *is* the work. So true. If you're doing work that pushes the edges of innovation or creativity, or are trying to do the work of an entire company on your own, of COURSE it won't always look pretty. The freedom comes when you decide to embrace this fact and keep showing up anyway. You create your own method out of the madness and leverage your quirks to make your work stand out. It's fun - I promise! 😅

In 2020 I went 'all in' on building my coaching business, The Ask. Fast forward from being a naive 27 old with zero business building experience to four years later, have made hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of business: individual coaching packages to an impressive client base of founders, entrepreneurial professionals, founders and career changers. Along the way I've made a ton of mistakes, and at times, thought about packing it all in. But, month in month month out in the end, have always made it work. As I approach my 4th business anniversary thought I'd share the realities of what it takes to run a coaching business full time. (When you don't come from wealth or have anyone else funding your new venture/lifestyle). I'll be sending 20 short emails every day for 20 days about what I’ve learnt to any one who signs up for this email series. The raw unfiltered lessons about how this business has changed me. And, has impacted my hundreds of my clients lives, too. You might have just started coaching or are building towards a full time income being a coach. If you want honesty and genuinely practical advice about what it takes to survive in a more crowded market then ever... Sign up via the first link in comments. You'll get one short anecdote, lesson, tool or embarrassing story a day to guide your path. The Good (and often, amazing) but also, The Bad and The Ugly. First email drops Wednesday 1st May.