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On your professional journey, there may come a point where your current role starts to feel limiting or constrictive. For me, that moment arrived quietly—after years of coaching individuals through transitions, clarity sessions, and vocational planning. I began to notice a shift: not in them, but in me. I wasn’t just focusing on individuals anymore. I was thinking bigger. I was offering frameworks. I was mapping processes and training new instructors. I was developing programs, curriculums, toolkits and solving problems using replicable solutions. And while my heart was still rooted in the transformative space that coaching holds, my desire to influence at a higher level began prompting me into consulting. At first, I resisted the label. "Consulting" sounded clinical. Detached. Impersonal. I didn’t want to become someone who just delivered PowerPoint decks and walked away. But the truth is, I wasn’t that kind of coach either. I was already blending roles—guiding from the heart and helping clients build structures, strategies, and systems. And that’s when it hit me: This isn’t about choosing between coaching and consulting. It’s about integrating what I’ve become. Letting go of the “coach” identity isn’t easy. It has served me and my clients so well for so long. But what I am shedding is the limitation of a role, not the essence of it. I am keeping: The deep listening The commitment to honoring the client’s journey The belief that growth begins within Today, I am still a coach but also a builder, a pattern-seer, a collaborator and innovator. Someone who still holds space—but now also creates it through systems, strategy, and shared action. My work has evolved because I’ve evolved. And if you’re reading this, you might be evolving too. If you’re a coach who finds yourself giving more tangible tools than you used to; or thinking higher level and more from a systems perspective; if your clients are asking for more structure than just insight; or if you feel pulled toward new ways of serving—but don’t know how to talk about it yet, you’re not alone. There’s a name for this space between roles, and a path through it. And I’ve created something to help. As I walk through this transition, I have built a reflective framework to help clarify what I am becoming professionally. It’s called the Coach to Consultant Integration Framework, and the sampler is now available as a free download. Inside, you’ll find: Reflective prompts to clarify your evolving role Key distinctions between coaching and consulting Language to help you express your new identity with confidence A gentle roadmap to help you integrate and move forward [Click here to download it now] When you can bring your full self—insightful, intuitive, and strategic—to an expansive approach which increases your impact and influence, it will feel like a natural evolution in your professional growth process. Thank you for joining me on this journey of self-discovery and service to others. Look for me in the forums on Create Coach Consult where we can engage in real time on this and many other topics!

On your professional journey, there may come a point where your current role starts to feel limiting or constrictive. For me, that moment arrived quietly—after years of coaching individuals through transitions, clarity sessions, and vocational planning. I began to notice a shift: not in them, but in me. I wasn’t just focusing on individuals anymore. I was thinking bigger. I was offering frameworks. I was mapping processes and training new instructors. I was developing programs, curriculums, toolkits and solving problems using replicable solutions. And while my heart was still rooted in the transformative space that coaching holds, my desire to influence at a higher level began prompting me into consulting. At first, I resisted the label. "Consulting" sounded clinical. Detached. Impersonal. I didn’t want to become someone who just delivered PowerPoint decks and walked away. But the truth is, I wasn’t that kind of coach either. I was already blending roles—guiding from the heart and helping clients build structures, strategies, and systems. And that’s when it hit me: This isn’t about choosing between coaching and consulting. It’s about integrating what I’ve become. Letting go of the “coach” identity isn’t easy. It has served me and my clients so well for so long. But what I am shedding is the limitation of a role, not the essence of it. I am keeping: The deep listening The commitment to honoring the client’s journey The belief that growth begins within Today, I am still a coach but also a builder, a pattern-seer, a collaborator and innovator. Someone who still holds space—but now also creates it through systems, strategy, and shared action. My work has evolved because I’ve evolved. And if you’re reading this, you might be evolving too. If you’re a coach who finds yourself giving more tangible tools than you used to; or thinking higher level and more from a systems perspective; if your clients are asking for more structure than just insight; or if you feel pulled toward new ways of serving—but don’t know how to talk about it yet, you’re not alone. There’s a name for this space between roles, and a path through it. And I’ve created something to help. As I walk through this transition, I have built a reflective framework to help clarify what I am becoming professionally. It’s called the Coach to Consultant Integration Framework, and the sampler is now available as a free download. Inside, you’ll find: Reflective prompts to clarify your evolving role Key distinctions between coaching and consulting Language to help you express your new identity with confidence A gentle roadmap to help you integrate and move forward [Click here to download it now] When you can bring your full self—insightful, intuitive, and strategic—to an expansive approach which increases your impact and influence, it will feel like a natural evolution in your professional growth process. Thank you for joining me on this journey of self-discovery and service to others. Look for me in the forums on Create Coach Consult where we can engage in real time on this and many other topics!

On your professional journey, there may come a point where your current role starts to feel limiting or constrictive. For me, that moment arrived quietly—after years of coaching individuals through transitions, clarity sessions, and vocational planning. I began to notice a shift: not in them, but in me. I wasn’t just focusing on individuals anymore. I was thinking bigger. I was offering frameworks. I was mapping processes and training new instructors. I was developing programs, curriculums, toolkits and solving problems using replicable solutions. And while my heart was still rooted in the transformative space that coaching holds, my desire to influence at a higher level began prompting me into consulting. At first, I resisted the label. "Consulting" sounded clinical. Detached. Impersonal. I didn’t want to become someone who just delivered PowerPoint decks and walked away. But the truth is, I wasn’t that kind of coach either. I was already blending roles—guiding from the heart and helping clients build structures, strategies, and systems. And that’s when it hit me: This isn’t about choosing between coaching and consulting. It’s about integrating what I’ve become. Letting go of the “coach” identity isn’t easy. It has served me and my clients so well for so long. But what I am shedding is the limitation of a role, not the essence of it. I am keeping: The deep listening The commitment to honoring the client’s journey The belief that growth begins within Today, I am still a coach but also a builder, a pattern-seer, a collaborator and innovator. Someone who still holds space—but now also creates it through systems, strategy, and shared action. My work has evolved because I’ve evolved. And if you’re reading this, you might be evolving too. If you’re a coach who finds yourself giving more tangible tools than you used to; or thinking higher level and more from a systems perspective; if your clients are asking for more structure than just insight; or if you feel pulled toward new ways of serving—but don’t know how to talk about it yet, you’re not alone. There’s a name for this space between roles, and a path through it. And I’ve created something to help. As I walk through this transition, I have built a reflective framework to help clarify what I am becoming professionally. It’s called the Coach to Consultant Integration Framework, and the sampler is now available as a free download. Inside, you’ll find: Reflective prompts to clarify your evolving role Key distinctions between coaching and consulting Language to help you express your new identity with confidence A gentle roadmap to help you integrate and move forward [Click here to download it now] When you can bring your full self—insightful, intuitive, and strategic—to an expansive approach which increases your impact and influence, it will feel like a natural evolution in your professional growth process. Thank you for joining me on this journey of self-discovery and service to others. Look for me in the forums on Create Coach Consult where we can engage in real time on this and many other topics!

Have you ever thought about becoming a consultant? What exactly is a consultant, really? The term can feel vague—almost like a catch-all for anyone running a solo business. The truth is, consulting can look very different depending on your industry, your focus areas, and the types of solutions you offer. How do you want to share your expertise? Are you clear on what your expertise even is? I’ve been pondering these questions myself, having recently stepped into the world of consulting. It’s both exciting and overwhelming! Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be sharing more about my personal journey into consulting—what I’m learning, what’s working, and where I’m still finding my way. Full disclosure: I do have the benefit of being married to a man who’s been a consultant for 25 years. His sharp business mind and constant availability are definite assets. That said, our fields are completely different, and the model I’m developing is uniquely my own. Along the way, I invite you to join the conversation. I’d love to hear from seasoned consultants who’ve found their rhythm, as well as those just starting out. Together, we can explore the common challenges of launching a consultancy, share best practices, learn from one another, and grow into our evolving roles—as thought leaders, impact makers, experts, mentors, and more. I’m excited to get started—with you.

Have you ever thought about becoming a consultant? What exactly is a consultant, really? The term can feel vague—almost like a catch-all for anyone running a solo business. The truth is, consulting can look very different depending on your industry, your focus areas, and the types of solutions you offer. How do you want to share your expertise? Are you clear on what your expertise even is? I’ve been pondering these questions myself, having recently stepped into the world of consulting. It’s both exciting and overwhelming! Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be sharing more about my personal journey into consulting—what I’m learning, what’s working, and where I’m still finding my way. Full disclosure: I do have the benefit of being married to a man who’s been a consultant for 25 years. His sharp business mind and constant availability are definite assets. That said, our fields are completely different, and the model I’m developing is uniquely my own. Along the way, I invite you to join the conversation. I’d love to hear from seasoned consultants who’ve found their rhythm, as well as those just starting out. Together, we can explore the common challenges of launching a consultancy, share best practices, learn from one another, and grow into our evolving roles—as thought leaders, impact makers, experts, mentors, and more. I’m excited to get started—with you.

Have you ever thought about becoming a consultant? What exactly is a consultant, really? The term can feel vague—almost like a catch-all for anyone running a solo business. The truth is, consulting can look very different depending on your industry, your focus areas, and the types of solutions you offer. How do you want to share your expertise? Are you clear on what your expertise even is? I’ve been pondering these questions myself, having recently stepped into the world of consulting. It’s both exciting and overwhelming! Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be sharing more about my personal journey into consulting—what I’m learning, what’s working, and where I’m still finding my way. Full disclosure: I do have the benefit of being married to a man who’s been a consultant for 25 years. His sharp business mind and constant availability are definite assets. That said, our fields are completely different, and the model I’m developing is uniquely my own. Along the way, I invite you to join the conversation. I’d love to hear from seasoned consultants who’ve found their rhythm, as well as those just starting out. Together, we can explore the common challenges of launching a consultancy, share best practices, learn from one another, and grow into our evolving roles—as thought leaders, impact makers, experts, mentors, and more. I’m excited to get started—with you.

Large businesses do a lot of strategic planning. They have the resources. And they have a lot of stakeholders who will be displeased if something fails. So they need to think things through to ensure success. Small businesses, on the other hand, only have their very survival on the line. They don’t have resources. And what resources they have are often working outside of their area of expertise. The number of things they have to react to now is so high, that thinking things through becomes a luxury. Escaping the Catch 22 Small businesses have to constantly react. They can’t fulfill their potential without thinking things through. Strategy can feel like a luxury, even when you know it’s a necessity. It helps to develop strategic planning habits. If you don’t and your businesses gets lucky and does well, it can all suddenly come crashing back down. This happens all the time. How many small businesses do you know that looked like they were doing well and then one day they were just gone? Strategic planning the small business way One of the things that small businesses can do to prepare for success is to learn from large businesses. Both the good and the bad. Because small businesses simply can’t do strategic planning the way large businesses do it, and even if they could it just wouldn’t make sense. Small businesses don’t need a document that’s going to sit on a shelf that they can show their stakeholders. Spending time creating something like that diverts your attention from a hundred other things that need it. So skip the strategic planning and embrace strategic thinking instead. What small businesses should do is replace the word “planning” with “thinking.” Small businesses should leverage the fact that their decisions don’t need to be made by committees. They should always be thinking about their product compositions, positioning, messaging, and value. They should always be thinking from the customer’s perspective. They should always be thinking about how to better make, improve, clarify, simplify, deliver, track, administer, train, reach out, build relationships, collaborate, and discover. They should be always changing. Adapting. Improving. Without change there is no growth. The trick is to do all this while finding customers, delivering on your promises, and paying your bills. It does not take extra time or slow you down to always be observing, aware, and in consideration. This is potentially your biggest strength. Large businesses have trouble observing and being aware because they have to follow scripts. They only change when they have to. You set the pace for your business. You control the direction. You have complete freedom in how you respond. You are also overwhelmed. Always be doing more than one thing at a time. Make each thing that you do count twice. Make each piece of content you write find multiple uses. Make each thing you create for a customer also be an example, a photo, a demonstration, a new story, or a proof of something strategic for your business. The very act of coaching and consulting is the development and testing of ideas that can inform your future services and messaging. Even the simple act of record keeping and financial planning can lead to insights about where you have been and where you should go from here. Becoming strategic Practice makes perfect. Large businesses often prepare their strategic plans annually. Small businesses who learn to think strategically do it every single day. Constantly. The more you practice, the easier it becomes until it is simply how you approach the things you do. When there is no difference between thinking and thinking strategically, you will find that you are also constantly implementing your strategies. And instead of strategic planning being a luxury you don’t have time for, you’ll find your business has made a shift from being too busy and overwhelmed to do strategic planning and simply reacting to everything, into a business that simply does everything strategically. Look at successful businesses. How many of them are reactive and how many of them behave strategically? Which do you want to be?

Large businesses do a lot of strategic planning. They have the resources. And they have a lot of stakeholders who will be displeased if something fails. So they need to think things through to ensure success. Small businesses, on the other hand, only have their very survival on the line. They don’t have resources. And what resources they have are often working outside of their area of expertise. The number of things they have to react to now is so high, that thinking things through becomes a luxury. Escaping the Catch 22 Small businesses have to constantly react. They can’t fulfill their potential without thinking things through. Strategy can feel like a luxury, even when you know it’s a necessity. It helps to develop strategic planning habits. If you don’t and your businesses gets lucky and does well, it can all suddenly come crashing back down. This happens all the time. How many small businesses do you know that looked like they were doing well and then one day they were just gone? Strategic planning the small business way One of the things that small businesses can do to prepare for success is to learn from large businesses. Both the good and the bad. Because small businesses simply can’t do strategic planning the way large businesses do it, and even if they could it just wouldn’t make sense. Small businesses don’t need a document that’s going to sit on a shelf that they can show their stakeholders. Spending time creating something like that diverts your attention from a hundred other things that need it. So skip the strategic planning and embrace strategic thinking instead. What small businesses should do is replace the word “planning” with “thinking.” Small businesses should leverage the fact that their decisions don’t need to be made by committees. They should always be thinking about their product compositions, positioning, messaging, and value. They should always be thinking from the customer’s perspective. They should always be thinking about how to better make, improve, clarify, simplify, deliver, track, administer, train, reach out, build relationships, collaborate, and discover. They should be always changing. Adapting. Improving. Without change there is no growth. The trick is to do all this while finding customers, delivering on your promises, and paying your bills. It does not take extra time or slow you down to always be observing, aware, and in consideration. This is potentially your biggest strength. Large businesses have trouble observing and being aware because they have to follow scripts. They only change when they have to. You set the pace for your business. You control the direction. You have complete freedom in how you respond. You are also overwhelmed. Always be doing more than one thing at a time. Make each thing that you do count twice. Make each piece of content you write find multiple uses. Make each thing you create for a customer also be an example, a photo, a demonstration, a new story, or a proof of something strategic for your business. The very act of coaching and consulting is the development and testing of ideas that can inform your future services and messaging. Even the simple act of record keeping and financial planning can lead to insights about where you have been and where you should go from here. Becoming strategic Practice makes perfect. Large businesses often prepare their strategic plans annually. Small businesses who learn to think strategically do it every single day. Constantly. The more you practice, the easier it becomes until it is simply how you approach the things you do. When there is no difference between thinking and thinking strategically, you will find that you are also constantly implementing your strategies. And instead of strategic planning being a luxury you don’t have time for, you’ll find your business has made a shift from being too busy and overwhelmed to do strategic planning and simply reacting to everything, into a business that simply does everything strategically. Look at successful businesses. How many of them are reactive and how many of them behave strategically? Which do you want to be?

Large businesses do a lot of strategic planning. They have the resources. And they have a lot of stakeholders who will be displeased if something fails. So they need to think things through to ensure success. Small businesses, on the other hand, only have their very survival on the line. They don’t have resources. And what resources they have are often working outside of their area of expertise. The number of things they have to react to now is so high, that thinking things through becomes a luxury. Escaping the Catch 22 Small businesses have to constantly react. They can’t fulfill their potential without thinking things through. Strategy can feel like a luxury, even when you know it’s a necessity. It helps to develop strategic planning habits. If you don’t and your businesses gets lucky and does well, it can all suddenly come crashing back down. This happens all the time. How many small businesses do you know that looked like they were doing well and then one day they were just gone? Strategic planning the small business way One of the things that small businesses can do to prepare for success is to learn from large businesses. Both the good and the bad. Because small businesses simply can’t do strategic planning the way large businesses do it, and even if they could it just wouldn’t make sense. Small businesses don’t need a document that’s going to sit on a shelf that they can show their stakeholders. Spending time creating something like that diverts your attention from a hundred other things that need it. So skip the strategic planning and embrace strategic thinking instead. What small businesses should do is replace the word “planning” with “thinking.” Small businesses should leverage the fact that their decisions don’t need to be made by committees. They should always be thinking about their product compositions, positioning, messaging, and value. They should always be thinking from the customer’s perspective. They should always be thinking about how to better make, improve, clarify, simplify, deliver, track, administer, train, reach out, build relationships, collaborate, and discover. They should be always changing. Adapting. Improving. Without change there is no growth. The trick is to do all this while finding customers, delivering on your promises, and paying your bills. It does not take extra time or slow you down to always be observing, aware, and in consideration. This is potentially your biggest strength. Large businesses have trouble observing and being aware because they have to follow scripts. They only change when they have to. You set the pace for your business. You control the direction. You have complete freedom in how you respond. You are also overwhelmed. Always be doing more than one thing at a time. Make each thing that you do count twice. Make each piece of content you write find multiple uses. Make each thing you create for a customer also be an example, a photo, a demonstration, a new story, or a proof of something strategic for your business. The very act of coaching and consulting is the development and testing of ideas that can inform your future services and messaging. Even the simple act of record keeping and financial planning can lead to insights about where you have been and where you should go from here. Becoming strategic Practice makes perfect. Large businesses often prepare their strategic plans annually. Small businesses who learn to think strategically do it every single day. Constantly. The more you practice, the easier it becomes until it is simply how you approach the things you do. When there is no difference between thinking and thinking strategically, you will find that you are also constantly implementing your strategies. And instead of strategic planning being a luxury you don’t have time for, you’ll find your business has made a shift from being too busy and overwhelmed to do strategic planning and simply reacting to everything, into a business that simply does everything strategically. Look at successful businesses. How many of them are reactive and how many of them behave strategically? Which do you want to be?

Yes. Content marketing is vital. And worthless. This is because it’s the wrong question to ask. A better question is what do you need to prove to your customers so that they can trust you enough to buy from you? Don’t try to answer this question in terms of how can you persuade them or claims you can make. But do think in terms of what does the buyer need to realize to even consider what you have to offer. Don’t try to answer the question with a pleasant sounding platitude about how great you are. Do you have to prove anything? It is entirely possible that you have nothing to prove. If the customer knows what they want, knows where they can get it, knows it when they see it, and doesn’t care where they buy it from then they don’t need you to say anything. They may need you to show it to them. But if you’ve got it and the price is right they will buy it. This only happens with businesses that sell commodities. And publishing a lot of content can get in the way of the customer completing a transaction. Helping the customer to decide that you are their best alternative For other businesses, the customer needs to make a decision. And they need information to make it. But how much information does that customer need to determine whether you are their best option for getting their needs fulfilled? This will vary. If it can be explained in less than a page, then content marketing has little to contribute to the sales process. The content you need will help them complete their sales journey. Helping the customer understand how to get their needs met The larger the value and the more complicated the customer’s needs and selection process, the more information they need to understand that your offering meets their needs and is their best alternative. This is where content marketing comes in. Content marketing is how you earn their trust so that they will be willing to do business with you. The content they need helps them understand their needs and how to get them met. Helping the customer understand why they should select you For large value offerings with customers who have complicated needs, it’s not enough for them to understand how to get their needs met. They also need to understand why you are their best alternative for getting those needs met. Why should they select you? The higher the value and the more complicated the needs, the more they need to be able to trust that you can fulfill those needs. It’s not as simple as you can help. You must prove your expertise. You must prove your understanding. You must demonstrate good judgment. It helps to prove that you have done it before and that your customers would do business with you again. Taken together, this is how you prove trustworthiness. Customers do business with those they know and trust. This is where content marketing is vital What you publish demonstrates that you know what you’re talking about. It brings in examples from where you have done it before. It shows new customers why previous customers selected you and how well it worked out for them. It shows the tradeoffs that must be considered and informs them of the options. It helps them not only decide, but advises them on every step of their journey. It earns their trust. Content marketing isn’t simply proving that you know stuff. It’s proving that you know how to deliver.

Yes. Content marketing is vital. And worthless. This is because it’s the wrong question to ask. A better question is what do you need to prove to your customers so that they can trust you enough to buy from you? Don’t try to answer this question in terms of how can you persuade them or claims you can make. But do think in terms of what does the buyer need to realize to even consider what you have to offer. Don’t try to answer the question with a pleasant sounding platitude about how great you are. Do you have to prove anything? It is entirely possible that you have nothing to prove. If the customer knows what they want, knows where they can get it, knows it when they see it, and doesn’t care where they buy it from then they don’t need you to say anything. They may need you to show it to them. But if you’ve got it and the price is right they will buy it. This only happens with businesses that sell commodities. And publishing a lot of content can get in the way of the customer completing a transaction. Helping the customer to decide that you are their best alternative For other businesses, the customer needs to make a decision. And they need information to make it. But how much information does that customer need to determine whether you are their best option for getting their needs fulfilled? This will vary. If it can be explained in less than a page, then content marketing has little to contribute to the sales process. The content you need will help them complete their sales journey. Helping the customer understand how to get their needs met The larger the value and the more complicated the customer’s needs and selection process, the more information they need to understand that your offering meets their needs and is their best alternative. This is where content marketing comes in. Content marketing is how you earn their trust so that they will be willing to do business with you. The content they need helps them understand their needs and how to get them met. Helping the customer understand why they should select you For large value offerings with customers who have complicated needs, it’s not enough for them to understand how to get their needs met. They also need to understand why you are their best alternative for getting those needs met. Why should they select you? The higher the value and the more complicated the needs, the more they need to be able to trust that you can fulfill those needs. It’s not as simple as you can help. You must prove your expertise. You must prove your understanding. You must demonstrate good judgment. It helps to prove that you have done it before and that your customers would do business with you again. Taken together, this is how you prove trustworthiness. Customers do business with those they know and trust. This is where content marketing is vital What you publish demonstrates that you know what you’re talking about. It brings in examples from where you have done it before. It shows new customers why previous customers selected you and how well it worked out for them. It shows the tradeoffs that must be considered and informs them of the options. It helps them not only decide, but advises them on every step of their journey. It earns their trust. Content marketing isn’t simply proving that you know stuff. It’s proving that you know how to deliver.

Yes. Content marketing is vital. And worthless. This is because it’s the wrong question to ask. A better question is what do you need to prove to your customers so that they can trust you enough to buy from you? Don’t try to answer this question in terms of how can you persuade them or claims you can make. But do think in terms of what does the buyer need to realize to even consider what you have to offer. Don’t try to answer the question with a pleasant sounding platitude about how great you are. Do you have to prove anything? It is entirely possible that you have nothing to prove. If the customer knows what they want, knows where they can get it, knows it when they see it, and doesn’t care where they buy it from then they don’t need you to say anything. They may need you to show it to them. But if you’ve got it and the price is right they will buy it. This only happens with businesses that sell commodities. And publishing a lot of content can get in the way of the customer completing a transaction. Helping the customer to decide that you are their best alternative For other businesses, the customer needs to make a decision. And they need information to make it. But how much information does that customer need to determine whether you are their best option for getting their needs fulfilled? This will vary. If it can be explained in less than a page, then content marketing has little to contribute to the sales process. The content you need will help them complete their sales journey. Helping the customer understand how to get their needs met The larger the value and the more complicated the customer’s needs and selection process, the more information they need to understand that your offering meets their needs and is their best alternative. This is where content marketing comes in. Content marketing is how you earn their trust so that they will be willing to do business with you. The content they need helps them understand their needs and how to get them met. Helping the customer understand why they should select you For large value offerings with customers who have complicated needs, it’s not enough for them to understand how to get their needs met. They also need to understand why you are their best alternative for getting those needs met. Why should they select you? The higher the value and the more complicated the needs, the more they need to be able to trust that you can fulfill those needs. It’s not as simple as you can help. You must prove your expertise. You must prove your understanding. You must demonstrate good judgment. It helps to prove that you have done it before and that your customers would do business with you again. Taken together, this is how you prove trustworthiness. Customers do business with those they know and trust. This is where content marketing is vital What you publish demonstrates that you know what you’re talking about. It brings in examples from where you have done it before. It shows new customers why previous customers selected you and how well it worked out for them. It shows the tradeoffs that must be considered and informs them of the options. It helps them not only decide, but advises them on every step of their journey. It earns their trust. Content marketing isn’t simply proving that you know stuff. It’s proving that you know how to deliver.

This stirred up some sweet memories. 😊 As one of the “kids” in the story, I can say that learning to shift from “what can I do?” to “how can I serve?” laid the foundation for everything I do now. When you start seeing business as an act of alignment and contribution, everything changes. Grateful for the early wisdom—and the journey it sparked.

This piece is a powerful reminder that identity can become a trap, especially in business. As a Human Design coach, I see this all the time: we confuse what we do with who we are, and that can block growth without us even realizing it. You are not your title. Not your niche. Not even your offer. You’re an evolving being—and your business should be allowed to evolve with you. 🔗 Read my full response here: “You Are Not Your Niche” — how Human Design helps entrepreneurs stay aligned, flexible, and free.

Carl’s latest article, Is the way you identify your business limiting it?, struck a deep chord with me. The railroad analogy is powerful—not just in how it applies to business strategy, but in how it quietly mirrors something I see in nearly every entrepreneur I work with: We over-identify with what we do, instead of honoring who we are. We say: “I’m a coach.” “I’m a creative.” “I only work with [type of client].” “I don’t do sales.” “I’m not technical.” These might seem like harmless statements, but they often act like internal walls. And like the railroad companies who refused to evolve into logistics providers, we unknowingly box ourselves into roles we’ve outgrown. Identity vs. Energy In Human Design, we explore the difference between form and frequency. Your job title, your business model, your niche—these are forms. They’re useful, but they’re temporary. Your energy, your truth, your unique blueprint—that’s what endures. That’s what leads. You are not your niche. You are not your offer. You are not the method you learned in a certification program five years ago. You are what you’re becoming. You are what lights you up. You are the frequency that pulls others in—not because of your label, but because of your alignment. Strategy Will Only Take You So Far You can have the best marketing plan in the world, but if your energy is stuck in a box you’ve mentally outgrown, your audience will feel it. And if your identity is so wrapped up in being “the coach who does XYZ,” you might miss the evolution that wants to happen in your work. Just like logistics companies looked at the broader need and expanded their vision, entrepreneurs who thrive tend to ask: “What’s really needed here—and how can I evolve to meet it?” A Living Business Requires a Living Identity Your business is not a static brand. It’s an extension of your own transformation. It’s okay to change directions. It’s okay to integrate your many gifts. It’s okay to step into a bigger role than you originally envisioned for yourself. Human Design reminds us that alignment isn’t something you define once and follow forever. It’s something you feel into, moment by moment, as your body, intuition, and inner knowing guide you forward. A Question to Consider: Where might you be clinging to an identity that once felt empowering… but now feels limiting? What if releasing it is the very thing that allows your next level to find you? This reflection is just the beginning. I’ll be expanding on this theme in the CreateCoachConsult forums soon, where we’ll explore how different Human Design types can navigate identity shifts in business and how to recognize when you’re outgrowing your own container. Let’s keep the conversation going.

Carl’s latest article, Is the way you identify your business limiting it?, struck a deep chord with me. The railroad analogy is powerful—not just in how it applies to business strategy, but in how it quietly mirrors something I see in nearly every entrepreneur I work with: We over-identify with what we do, instead of honoring who we are. We say: “I’m a coach.” “I’m a creative.” “I only work with [type of client].” “I don’t do sales.” “I’m not technical.” These might seem like harmless statements, but they often act like internal walls. And like the railroad companies who refused to evolve into logistics providers, we unknowingly box ourselves into roles we’ve outgrown. Identity vs. Energy In Human Design, we explore the difference between form and frequency. Your job title, your business model, your niche—these are forms. They’re useful, but they’re temporary. Your energy, your truth, your unique blueprint—that’s what endures. That’s what leads. You are not your niche. You are not your offer. You are not the method you learned in a certification program five years ago. You are what you’re becoming. You are what lights you up. You are the frequency that pulls others in—not because of your label, but because of your alignment. Strategy Will Only Take You So Far You can have the best marketing plan in the world, but if your energy is stuck in a box you’ve mentally outgrown, your audience will feel it. And if your identity is so wrapped up in being “the coach who does XYZ,” you might miss the evolution that wants to happen in your work. Just like logistics companies looked at the broader need and expanded their vision, entrepreneurs who thrive tend to ask: “What’s really needed here—and how can I evolve to meet it?” A Living Business Requires a Living Identity Your business is not a static brand. It’s an extension of your own transformation. It’s okay to change directions. It’s okay to integrate your many gifts. It’s okay to step into a bigger role than you originally envisioned for yourself. Human Design reminds us that alignment isn’t something you define once and follow forever. It’s something you feel into, moment by moment, as your body, intuition, and inner knowing guide you forward. A Question to Consider: Where might you be clinging to an identity that once felt empowering… but now feels limiting? What if releasing it is the very thing that allows your next level to find you? This reflection is just the beginning. I’ll be expanding on this theme in the CreateCoachConsult forums soon, where we’ll explore how different Human Design types can navigate identity shifts in business and how to recognize when you’re outgrowing your own container. Let’s keep the conversation going.

Carl’s latest article, Is the way you identify your business limiting it?, struck a deep chord with me. The railroad analogy is powerful—not just in how it applies to business strategy, but in how it quietly mirrors something I see in nearly every entrepreneur I work with: We over-identify with what we do, instead of honoring who we are. We say: “I’m a coach.” “I’m a creative.” “I only work with [type of client].” “I don’t do sales.” “I’m not technical.” These might seem like harmless statements, but they often act like internal walls. And like the railroad companies who refused to evolve into logistics providers, we unknowingly box ourselves into roles we’ve outgrown. Identity vs. Energy In Human Design, we explore the difference between form and frequency. Your job title, your business model, your niche—these are forms. They’re useful, but they’re temporary. Your energy, your truth, your unique blueprint—that’s what endures. That’s what leads. You are not your niche. You are not your offer. You are not the method you learned in a certification program five years ago. You are what you’re becoming. You are what lights you up. You are the frequency that pulls others in—not because of your label, but because of your alignment. Strategy Will Only Take You So Far You can have the best marketing plan in the world, but if your energy is stuck in a box you’ve mentally outgrown, your audience will feel it. And if your identity is so wrapped up in being “the coach who does XYZ,” you might miss the evolution that wants to happen in your work. Just like logistics companies looked at the broader need and expanded their vision, entrepreneurs who thrive tend to ask: “What’s really needed here—and how can I evolve to meet it?” A Living Business Requires a Living Identity Your business is not a static brand. It’s an extension of your own transformation. It’s okay to change directions. It’s okay to integrate your many gifts. It’s okay to step into a bigger role than you originally envisioned for yourself. Human Design reminds us that alignment isn’t something you define once and follow forever. It’s something you feel into, moment by moment, as your body, intuition, and inner knowing guide you forward. A Question to Consider: Where might you be clinging to an identity that once felt empowering… but now feels limiting? What if releasing it is the very thing that allows your next level to find you? This reflection is just the beginning. I’ll be expanding on this theme in the CreateCoachConsult forums soon, where we’ll explore how different Human Design types can navigate identity shifts in business and how to recognize when you’re outgrowing your own container. Let’s keep the conversation going.

Why aren’t railroad companies a thing anymore? The classic business school example of this features the railroad industry. We don’t think much about railroads. There’s a reason for that. Railroads used to be the best way to get cargo anywhere on land. Freight trains can be a mile or two long and carry much more, far more cheaply, than trucks. Airplanes were new and expensive. Railroads weren’t interested in trucks, air transport, or boats. They were railroads. What if something originated overseas and had to get to Denver, Colorado? It would travel on a boat and train. It might travel by truck to get to the boat or from the train to its destination. The buyer had to contact and coordinate with multiple transport companies. Schedules were difficult, resulting in delays. The inefficiencies raised the cost. This created an opportunity for companies that didn’t think of themselves as railroads, shipping (by boat), or trucking. They thought of themselves as logistics companies. They had their own trucks, boats, and railroad cars. With one call you could get things from source to destination. They even had warehouses, so if you wanted to store your stuff until you needed it and have it delivered, you could. Over time, the rise of companies with a broader vision that better matched the customer’s needs caused “railroad” companies to go into decline. Today, there are no railroad companies that don’t also do logistics. Avoid identity traps Have you ever heard of a person or business being “overly specialized?” It’s the same thing. It’s an identity trap. Specialization is just focus and can increase your capabilities. But if those capabilities aren’t relevant to people’s needs, then they do not matter. The lesson to be learned here is that when you identify your business with a label, you are limiting it. What happens when things change? What if the customer has other needs? Don’t let an identity or focus turn into something that avoids addressing the needs of yourself or your customers. The way you identify yourself can also limit your business When you say “I make (certain) things,” “I’m an artist,” “I don’t do [fill in the blank],” or “I only do [fill in the blank],” you limit the opportunities available to your business. You also limit the effectiveness of your management and oversight, if you don’t pay attention to those areas. Identity vs Reality You are not the role you play. You are more than that. You are not just a creator, coach, or consultant. Your business is not just what it’s called. It’s not just a store or a service, or whatever it’s doing right now. How you label your identity is not a limit on reality for you or your business. You are what you think, dream, feel, and do. Your business is a strategic direction, resources, and capabilities. When you stop dreaming, have no strategy for the future, aren’t gathering the resources you will need when it’s time, and aren’t leveraging the possibilities created by your capabilities, then you limit the growth of your business. And of yourself.

Why aren’t railroad companies a thing anymore? The classic business school example of this features the railroad industry. We don’t think much about railroads. There’s a reason for that. Railroads used to be the best way to get cargo anywhere on land. Freight trains can be a mile or two long and carry much more, far more cheaply, than trucks. Airplanes were new and expensive. Railroads weren’t interested in trucks, air transport, or boats. They were railroads. What if something originated overseas and had to get to Denver, Colorado? It would travel on a boat and train. It might travel by truck to get to the boat or from the train to its destination. The buyer had to contact and coordinate with multiple transport companies. Schedules were difficult, resulting in delays. The inefficiencies raised the cost. This created an opportunity for companies that didn’t think of themselves as railroads, shipping (by boat), or trucking. They thought of themselves as logistics companies. They had their own trucks, boats, and railroad cars. With one call you could get things from source to destination. They even had warehouses, so if you wanted to store your stuff until you needed it and have it delivered, you could. Over time, the rise of companies with a broader vision that better matched the customer’s needs caused “railroad” companies to go into decline. Today, there are no railroad companies that don’t also do logistics. Avoid identity traps Have you ever heard of a person or business being “overly specialized?” It’s the same thing. It’s an identity trap. Specialization is just focus and can increase your capabilities. But if those capabilities aren’t relevant to people’s needs, then they do not matter. The lesson to be learned here is that when you identify your business with a label, you are limiting it. What happens when things change? What if the customer has other needs? Don’t let an identity or focus turn into something that avoids addressing the needs of yourself or your customers. The way you identify yourself can also limit your business When you say “I make (certain) things,” “I’m an artist,” “I don’t do [fill in the blank],” or “I only do [fill in the blank],” you limit the opportunities available to your business. You also limit the effectiveness of your management and oversight, if you don’t pay attention to those areas. Identity vs Reality You are not the role you play. You are more than that. You are not just a creator, coach, or consultant. Your business is not just what it’s called. It’s not just a store or a service, or whatever it’s doing right now. How you label your identity is not a limit on reality for you or your business. You are what you think, dream, feel, and do. Your business is a strategic direction, resources, and capabilities. When you stop dreaming, have no strategy for the future, aren’t gathering the resources you will need when it’s time, and aren’t leveraging the possibilities created by your capabilities, then you limit the growth of your business. And of yourself.

Why aren’t railroad companies a thing anymore? The classic business school example of this features the railroad industry. We don’t think much about railroads. There’s a reason for that. Railroads used to be the best way to get cargo anywhere on land. Freight trains can be a mile or two long and carry much more, far more cheaply, than trucks. Airplanes were new and expensive. Railroads weren’t interested in trucks, air transport, or boats. They were railroads. What if something originated overseas and had to get to Denver, Colorado? It would travel on a boat and train. It might travel by truck to get to the boat or from the train to its destination. The buyer had to contact and coordinate with multiple transport companies. Schedules were difficult, resulting in delays. The inefficiencies raised the cost. This created an opportunity for companies that didn’t think of themselves as railroads, shipping (by boat), or trucking. They thought of themselves as logistics companies. They had their own trucks, boats, and railroad cars. With one call you could get things from source to destination. They even had warehouses, so if you wanted to store your stuff until you needed it and have it delivered, you could. Over time, the rise of companies with a broader vision that better matched the customer’s needs caused “railroad” companies to go into decline. Today, there are no railroad companies that don’t also do logistics. Avoid identity traps Have you ever heard of a person or business being “overly specialized?” It’s the same thing. It’s an identity trap. Specialization is just focus and can increase your capabilities. But if those capabilities aren’t relevant to people’s needs, then they do not matter. The lesson to be learned here is that when you identify your business with a label, you are limiting it. What happens when things change? What if the customer has other needs? Don’t let an identity or focus turn into something that avoids addressing the needs of yourself or your customers. The way you identify yourself can also limit your business When you say “I make (certain) things,” “I’m an artist,” “I don’t do [fill in the blank],” or “I only do [fill in the blank],” you limit the opportunities available to your business. You also limit the effectiveness of your management and oversight, if you don’t pay attention to those areas. Identity vs Reality You are not the role you play. You are more than that. You are not just a creator, coach, or consultant. Your business is not just what it’s called. It’s not just a store or a service, or whatever it’s doing right now. How you label your identity is not a limit on reality for you or your business. You are what you think, dream, feel, and do. Your business is a strategic direction, resources, and capabilities. When you stop dreaming, have no strategy for the future, aren’t gathering the resources you will need when it’s time, and aren’t leveraging the possibilities created by your capabilities, then you limit the growth of your business. And of yourself.

I run the business. I manage the finances. I take out the trash. Just like a lot of entrepreneurs. In the beginning I couldn’t afford to outsource anything. The biggest challenge is doing enough marketing, product development, and fulfillment to not only get by, but to also grow. Here’s how I did it. I created a marketing assembly line. Every week I created new content. My target was a 500 word article. It took me less than two hours to write each one. I featured the article in my newsletter. And posted it on my website. Every week my website grew. And that brought more and more people to subscribe to my newsletter. The most important secret to building a valuable content library is to get two or three uses out of every act of content development. Articles go in the newsletter. And posted on the website. And become the topic of webinars. And become materials in courses. And part of a future eBook. And conference presentations. And handouts. And get posted on LinkedIn. All of them link back to my website to build audience. Creating all this is easy once I wrote the article. Every single week I wrote a new article. And it only took two hours. Every couple of months, I had a new online course to sell that was built one article at a time. The same articles, turned into a tutorial became an eBook. Handouts were more marketing than product being designed to be pass around to others. The same article, posted on the socials were marketing pieces. I’ve done this for 20 years. 20 x 52 = 1040 articles. The total is actually higher because some weeks I wrote two articles. That's well over 500,000 words since I always exceeded the target. Google says a typical novel is 900 words. So if I chose to sell in the form of books, I'd have six of them. Once you have written a couple of hundred articles you'll have a library of sellable content with the possibility of subscription revenue, and enough content for a few tutorials, at least 10 online courses, and a book. This is how I was able, as a sole proprietor, to create product while delivering services, building my website, sending my newsletter, managing operations, and taking out the trash. Don’t just randomly create. Create so that things add up to something bigger and sellable. It’s a good idea to have an editorial calendar so that you cover all the topics you need to cover. It’s an even better idea to write the table of contents for a major creation and then nibble away at it with weekly pieces like articles so that in the future you can stitch them all together. Don’t forget that you can collaborate. Invite others to contribute a piece of what you’re building and compensate them by promoting the hell out of their contribution. When you have a team you appear larger, more credible, and deliver more value than just some person promoting themself. Just make sure that every piece you add grows your audience as well as gives you something to sell. When your audience stops growing, so do your sales. In fact, place a higher priority on audience building. Create to build an audience of potential buyers. If you don’t build an audience, then no one will be there to buy what you want to sell.

I run the business. I manage the finances. I take out the trash. Just like a lot of entrepreneurs. In the beginning I couldn’t afford to outsource anything. The biggest challenge is doing enough marketing, product development, and fulfillment to not only get by, but to also grow. Here’s how I did it. I created a marketing assembly line. Every week I created new content. My target was a 500 word article. It took me less than two hours to write each one. I featured the article in my newsletter. And posted it on my website. Every week my website grew. And that brought more and more people to subscribe to my newsletter. The most important secret to building a valuable content library is to get two or three uses out of every act of content development. Articles go in the newsletter. And posted on the website. And become the topic of webinars. And become materials in courses. And part of a future eBook. And conference presentations. And handouts. And get posted on LinkedIn. All of them link back to my website to build audience. Creating all this is easy once I wrote the article. Every single week I wrote a new article. And it only took two hours. Every couple of months, I had a new online course to sell that was built one article at a time. The same articles, turned into a tutorial became an eBook. Handouts were more marketing than product being designed to be pass around to others. The same article, posted on the socials were marketing pieces. I’ve done this for 20 years. 20 x 52 = 1040 articles. The total is actually higher because some weeks I wrote two articles. That's well over 500,000 words since I always exceeded the target. Google says a typical novel is 900 words. So if I chose to sell in the form of books, I'd have six of them. Once you have written a couple of hundred articles you'll have a library of sellable content with the possibility of subscription revenue, and enough content for a few tutorials, at least 10 online courses, and a book. This is how I was able, as a sole proprietor, to create product while delivering services, building my website, sending my newsletter, managing operations, and taking out the trash. Don’t just randomly create. Create so that things add up to something bigger and sellable. It’s a good idea to have an editorial calendar so that you cover all the topics you need to cover. It’s an even better idea to write the table of contents for a major creation and then nibble away at it with weekly pieces like articles so that in the future you can stitch them all together. Don’t forget that you can collaborate. Invite others to contribute a piece of what you’re building and compensate them by promoting the hell out of their contribution. When you have a team you appear larger, more credible, and deliver more value than just some person promoting themself. Just make sure that every piece you add grows your audience as well as gives you something to sell. When your audience stops growing, so do your sales. In fact, place a higher priority on audience building. Create to build an audience of potential buyers. If you don’t build an audience, then no one will be there to buy what you want to sell.

I run the business. I manage the finances. I take out the trash. Just like a lot of entrepreneurs. In the beginning I couldn’t afford to outsource anything. The biggest challenge is doing enough marketing, product development, and fulfillment to not only get by, but to also grow. Here’s how I did it. I created a marketing assembly line. Every week I created new content. My target was a 500 word article. It took me less than two hours to write each one. I featured the article in my newsletter. And posted it on my website. Every week my website grew. And that brought more and more people to subscribe to my newsletter. The most important secret to building a valuable content library is to get two or three uses out of every act of content development. Articles go in the newsletter. And posted on the website. And become the topic of webinars. And become materials in courses. And part of a future eBook. And conference presentations. And handouts. And get posted on LinkedIn. All of them link back to my website to build audience. Creating all this is easy once I wrote the article. Every single week I wrote a new article. And it only took two hours. Every couple of months, I had a new online course to sell that was built one article at a time. The same articles, turned into a tutorial became an eBook. Handouts were more marketing than product being designed to be pass around to others. The same article, posted on the socials were marketing pieces. I’ve done this for 20 years. 20 x 52 = 1040 articles. The total is actually higher because some weeks I wrote two articles. That's well over 500,000 words since I always exceeded the target. Google says a typical novel is 900 words. So if I chose to sell in the form of books, I'd have six of them. Once you have written a couple of hundred articles you'll have a library of sellable content with the possibility of subscription revenue, and enough content for a few tutorials, at least 10 online courses, and a book. This is how I was able, as a sole proprietor, to create product while delivering services, building my website, sending my newsletter, managing operations, and taking out the trash. Don’t just randomly create. Create so that things add up to something bigger and sellable. It’s a good idea to have an editorial calendar so that you cover all the topics you need to cover. It’s an even better idea to write the table of contents for a major creation and then nibble away at it with weekly pieces like articles so that in the future you can stitch them all together. Don’t forget that you can collaborate. Invite others to contribute a piece of what you’re building and compensate them by promoting the hell out of their contribution. When you have a team you appear larger, more credible, and deliver more value than just some person promoting themself. Just make sure that every piece you add grows your audience as well as gives you something to sell. When your audience stops growing, so do your sales. In fact, place a higher priority on audience building. Create to build an audience of potential buyers. If you don’t build an audience, then no one will be there to buy what you want to sell.

I run the business. I manage the finances. I take out the trash. Just like a lot of entrepreneurs. In the beginning I couldn’t afford to outsource at all. The biggest challenge was to do enough marketing, product development, and fulfillment to not only get by, but to also grow. My business relies on content marketing. Here’s how I built it. Finding the time to create massive amounts of content I created a marketing assembly line. Every week I created new content. And featured it in a newsletter. And posted it on my website. Every week my website grew. And that brought more and more people to subscribe to my newsletter. But the most important secret is to get two or three uses out of every piece of content you create. I promoted articles in my newsletter. And posted them on my website. And made them the topic of webinars. And turned them into materials in courses. They became part of a future eBook. And conference presentations. And handouts. And got posted on LinkedIn. All of them link back to my website to build audience. Creating all this was easy once I wrote the article. Which I did every week. Every couple of months, I had a new online course to sell that was built one article at a time. The same articles, turned into a tutorial became an eBook. Handouts were more marketing than product being designed to be passed around to others. The same article, posted on the socials were marketing pieces. The snowball affect One article each week is 52 a year and creates all the topics mentioned above. At the end of two years you've got enough content for a small book. The audience building that you do along the way gives you a channel to sell. Both the size of your audience and the value of your products increase over time as you manageably crank out one small piece every week. It’s how I was able to keep up with everything I needed to do as a sole proprietor. Don’t just randomly create. Create so that things add up to something bigger and sellable. It’s a good idea to have an editorial calendar so that you cover all the topics you need to cover. It’s an even better idea to write the table of contents for a major creation and then nibble away at it with weekly pieces like articles so that in the future you can stitch them all together. Don’t forget that you can collaborate. Invite others to contribute a piece of what you’re building and compensate them by promoting the hell out of their contribution. When you have a team you appear larger, more credible, and deliver more value than just some person promoting themself. Just make sure that every step, every piece you add, grows your audience as well as giving you something to sell. When your audience stops growing, so do your sales. In fact, place a higher priority on audience building. Create to build audience. And then also sell it.

I run the business. I manage the finances. I take out the trash. Just like a lot of entrepreneurs. In the beginning I couldn’t afford to outsource at all. The biggest challenge was to do enough marketing, product development, and fulfillment to not only get by, but to also grow. My business relies on content marketing. Here’s how I built it. Finding the time to create massive amounts of content I created a marketing assembly line. Every week I created new content. And featured it in a newsletter. And posted it on my website. Every week my website grew. And that brought more and more people to subscribe to my newsletter. But the most important secret is to get two or three uses out of every piece of content you create. I promoted articles in my newsletter. And posted them on my website. And made them the topic of webinars. And turned them into materials in courses. They became part of a future eBook. And conference presentations. And handouts. And got posted on LinkedIn. All of them link back to my website to build audience. Creating all this was easy once I wrote the article. Which I did every week. Every couple of months, I had a new online course to sell that was built one article at a time. The same articles, turned into a tutorial became an eBook. Handouts were more marketing than product being designed to be passed around to others. The same article, posted on the socials were marketing pieces. The snowball affect One article each week is 52 a year and creates all the topics mentioned above. At the end of two years you've got enough content for a small book. The audience building that you do along the way gives you a channel to sell. Both the size of your audience and the value of your products increase over time as you manageably crank out one small piece every week. It’s how I was able to keep up with everything I needed to do as a sole proprietor. Don’t just randomly create. Create so that things add up to something bigger and sellable. It’s a good idea to have an editorial calendar so that you cover all the topics you need to cover. It’s an even better idea to write the table of contents for a major creation and then nibble away at it with weekly pieces like articles so that in the future you can stitch them all together. Don’t forget that you can collaborate. Invite others to contribute a piece of what you’re building and compensate them by promoting the hell out of their contribution. When you have a team you appear larger, more credible, and deliver more value than just some person promoting themself. Just make sure that every step, every piece you add, grows your audience as well as giving you something to sell. When your audience stops growing, so do your sales. In fact, place a higher priority on audience building. Create to build audience. And then also sell it.