261. Evolving Your Coaching Business: When Letting Go Feels Hard but Right

Closing something you love is never easy. When I sat down to tell my Coach Lab members about its evolution, I found myself frozen at my computer, unable to push record. After 4½ years and 500 members, I’m closing The Coach Lab to launch something new.   In this episode, I’m sharing what it really feels like to evolve your coaching business, the ache of letting go, the beauty of growth, and the difference between relief and grief when something ends. You’ll learn why the heaviness of closing a program you love isn’t a mistake but a sign that you built something meaningful. If you’re facing your own business transition as a coach, this conversation will remind you that growth can feel both hard and right, and that’s exactly how it’s supposed to.   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf/

Sometimes you wake up and everything feels hard. The business you've been building suddenly feels impossible, your confidence wavers, and that little voice in your head starts questioning everything. This morning was one of those mornings for me, and it got me thinking about all the coaches out there who might be feeling the same way right now.   In this episode, I'm sharing 10 real strategies that have helped me reset when doubting myself as a coach. Whether you need a quick win to boost your confidence or a complete mental shift to get out of your own head, you'll find something here that works for you.   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf/

Community isn’t just a “nice-to-have” for coaches. It’s essential. It shapes how we grow, learn, and sustain ourselves in this wild world of coaching. That’s why I’m so excited to announce The Complete Coach, a membership program launching soon that combines coaching skills, business strategy, and personal integration, all built around cultivating meaningful community.   In this episode, I'll share five (plus a bonus!) ways a great community transforms your coaching. Whether it's practicing skills in a safe space, getting fresh perspectives, or just not having to figure everything out alone, community isn’t just support, it’s a game-changer.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/259   Learn more about The Coach Lab here: https://lindsaydotzlaf.kartra.com/page/the-coach-lab   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf/

Running a business is a constant cycle of making educated guesses, testing those guesses, implementing new strategies, evaluating what works and what doesn't, and then doing it all over again. This reality catches many coaches off guard - they expect to find one right answer that works forever, but that's simply not how business operates.    In this third part of my Launch Secrets series, I'm breaking down the decision-making framework that helped me turn two failed launches into a completely full program. You'll learn how to create strategic questions that actually move you forward instead of keeping you stuck in fear-based thinking. I share my exact 48-hour pivot timeline, the backup plan strategy that makes me braver with decisions, and why moving fast once you have clarity is crucial for momentum.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/258   Learn more about Reimagine here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/reimagine-mastermind-2025/   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf/

When your launch doesn't go as planned, your brain immediately starts creating stories. Stories about why no one wants your offer, why you're not cut out for this, why the price must be wrong. These stories feel true in the moment, but they're rarely based on actual evidence. They're based on fear.   In Part 2 of this series, you'll hear my exact framework for identifying where things are going wrong and how to form hypotheses based on real data rather than fear-based assumptions. Discover which specific data points to track (and which ones to ignore) based on your business goals, and the reason finishing your full launch plan matters more than immediate results.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/257   Learn more about Reimagine here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/reimagine-mastermind-2025/   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf/

This episode kicks off a three-part series on launching, but it's not about logistics. Instead, I’m diving into the foundation that makes everything else work: relationships. Whether you're a business, health, or relationship coach, the principles I’m sharing apply to how you sell your coaching, whether through formal launches or everyday conversations.   You’ll learn how unprocessed emotions can show up physically, why acknowledging failures is key for clear decisions, and how appropriate vulnerability builds genuine connections. I share how transparency (without trauma dumping) led to invaluable feedback and why consistency outweighs perfection when building trust.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/256   Learn more about Coach Unfiltered here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/coach-unfiltered   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf/

Launching an offer and watching it fail isn't just disappointing, it's a full-body experience that can leave you questioning everything about your business. After ten years of running a successful coaching business and filling countless groups, I found myself staring at the results of not one, but two failed launches of my Reimagine Mastermind.    This episode takes you through every messy detail of how I navigated these back-to-back launch failures and the complete pivot that followed. I'm sharing the exact data I collected, the emotional spiral I went through, and the scary decision to completely restructure my offer just days before it was supposed to start. Listen in to learn how I turned my launch failures into market research and launch success.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/255

This disconnect between how we think clients should behave and how they actually show up is something I see coaches struggle with constantly - whether they're brand new or have been coaching for years. We create these unspoken rules and expectations for our clients, then feel disappointed when they don't follow them.   The truth is, your clients' behavior isn't about you - it's about them being human. And the good news? You have way more influence over how your clients show up than you think. Through the four simple strategies I share in this episode, you can help your clients become better at being clients while also examining your own patterns and assumptions.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/254

Sometimes coaching sessions just don’t go the way you expect. Your client might show up overwhelmed, jump between topics, or even tell you, “I don’t have anything to coach on.” In those moments, it’s easy to doubt yourself, and wonder how to steer the session without losing your confidence or momentum.   That’s why I'm sharing a simple coaching skill I call the 3 Question Reset. It's part of my new podcast series, Coaching Tools, where I teach practical frameworks and methods you can start using in your sessions right away to get real results. The 3 Question Reset helps you refocus the conversation and turns tricky, confusing moments into actionable insight - no matter the client or situation.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/253

You know that feeling when you hit a milestone in your business and suddenly everything feels different? In this episode, I'm exploring what I call the "vulnerability tax" - the hidden cost of success that makes established coaches close off just when they need openness most. The more success we create, the more we feel we have to lose by admitting we don’t have all the answers.   Through my own experiences – like that first $100k year when everything suddenly stopped working – I’ve learned that the most successful business owners are actually the most open to being wrong. Discover why the vulnerability tax exists and how to break out of the performance cage that's keeping you from the strategic support and authentic connections you need to keep growing.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/252