Stepping Out in Faith: Overcoming Your Discomfort with Sharing Your Business Coaching Gift

As business coaches, we're often called to this work by a deep desire to serve the business community. We feel a pull to guide entrepreneurs and leaders, to empower them to build thriving organizations, and to witness the positive impact on their profitability, leadership, and workplace culture. It's a calling, a true gift we’ve been given. Yet, for many of us, a shadow can creep into this beautiful purpose: the discomfort of marketing and selling our business coaching services.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. That feeling of awkwardness when talking about how you can help a business grow, the worry of sounding “pushy” when discussing ROI, or the lack of confidence in your ability to attract business clients – these are common struggles for coaches who lead with their heart and a desire to see businesses flourish. Perhaps you even wrestle with the idea of sales itself, wondering if it aligns with your values or feels somehow…unspiritual in the context of commerce.

But what if we shifted our perspective, viewing marketing and selling through the lens of faith?

Think about it: if God has placed this passion and these skills within you to help businesses succeed, isn't it your responsibility to share them? Just as a wise steward manages their resources to yield the best results, we too must make our coaching known to the business owners who need our expertise to increase profitability, strengthen their leadership, and cultivate a positive workplace culture. Hiding our light under a bushel doesn't serve anyone – not the struggling business owner, not their employees, and ultimately, not the wider community that benefits from thriving businesses.

The discomfort often stems from a misunderstanding of what marketing and selling truly are in the context of business coaching. It’s not about manipulation or aggressive tactics to get someone to sign a contract. When done authentically and with integrity, it’s about offering valuable solutions and connecting with business leaders who are actively seeking guidance to overcome challenges and achieve their strategic goals. It’s about being a trusted advisor for an owner wrestling with profitability issues, a mentor for a leader wanting to inspire their team, and a catalyst for a company aiming to build a more positive and productive workplace.

Imagine a business owner praying for wisdom in navigating a tough financial period, for guidance in leading their team more effectively, or for insights on improving their company culture. If they don't know you exist and the specific expertise you offer in these areas, how can you be the answer to that prayer? Your marketing is, in a way, an act of obedience, a step of faith to make yourself available to the businesses you are meant to serve and help flourish.

Here’s the shift in perspective we need: Instead of viewing marketing as a self-promotional activity, see it as an act of service to the business community. You are not pushing something onto business owners; you are offering a pathway to increased profitability, stronger leadership, and a healthier workplace – outcomes that benefit everyone involved. Your sales conversations are not about convincing someone; they are about discerning if your specific business coaching expertise is the right solution to help them achieve their unique objectives and steward their business well.

Your Faith-Fueled Action Item:

This week, I encourage you to take one small step in faith to share your business coaching gift. Identify one business owner in your network (or even a local business you admire) who you genuinely believe could benefit from your expertise in profitability, leadership, or workplace culture. Don't think about selling them a coaching package right now. Instead, reach out with a spirit of genuine connection and offer a valuable piece of advice, a relevant industry insight, or a helpful resource related to one of their potential pain points in these areas.

This simple act shifts the focus from "selling" to "serving the business community." It allows you to step out of your comfort zone in a way that feels authentic and aligned with your faith. As you practice these small acts of service and connection within the business world, you'll begin to see marketing and selling not as an obstacle, but as a natural extension of your calling to help businesses thrive and make a positive impact.

Remember, God has equipped you with unique business acumen and a compassionate heart for entrepreneurs and leaders. Step out in faith, share your gift boldly within the business community, and trust that He will guide you to the leaders and organizations you are meant to serve and help build stronger, more profitable, and more positive workplaces. Your discomfort doesn't have to hold you back from fulfilling your purpose and making a real difference in the world of business.