Kevin Stafford 0:02
Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of the conversations with coaches podcast. I am your host, Kevin and I have been having a conversation with rich Stephen and I’m really glad to start sharing that conversation with you. Rich helps entrepreneurial minded business owners that are not experiencing the growth income or time freedom. I like this phrase time freedom, they expected to discover and develop the three fundamentals that will enable them to build the businesses they originally envisioned. I really liked the way that you phrase that. Because that, that that reenvisioning that reinvigorating, I feel like that’s so core to what what good coaching does for a person and for our business. So Rich, I’m really grateful to hear thanks for talking to me today.
Rich Steffen 0:42
Yeah, appreciate the opportunity. Glad to be here.
Kevin Stafford 0:45
Let’s let’s start with your I’d like to it’s a tongue in cheek, I like to call it the superhero origin story, how you became a coach, or in some cases, people just kind of discover that they have like, sort of not the words for it yet, but they discover they are already coaching in their present role in this kind of move into doing that professionally. So how did you get your start in coaching? How did you discover or realize that coaching was something that you were good at and something that you wanted to do?
Rich Steffen 1:10
Well, I I started getting interested in coaching probably about 15 years ago, when I when I got into it sort of looking at it, I was looking, it was kind of a train wreck, to be quite honest, not certified or being controlled in much ways I kind of backed down a little bit, but I’ve always been a human behavior nut, I kind of liked to know why people do what they do, because because everybody does what serves them. Anyway, so as time kind of went on, you know, I stayed keep my fingers in there looking around. And and, you know, I’m not a spring chicken, you know, I’ve had seven different businesses and when I look back, but by connecting the dots from where I am now back to where I got started. In advance inadvertently, no matter what business I was in whether it was W tude or 1099 position, I always managed to find myself in a training or mentoring capacity. And, you know, I always remember, you know, how much I enjoyed that part. And it just seemed like I’d be willing to stay later than I had to, in order to just do that park. And, and then, as time has gone on, as of recent, probably about 10 years ago, the company I’m with right now basically started a coaching division and, and they wanted someone to be the chair of that I took that over, and kind of got their platform started, and have been coaching their employees for probably the last eight years. And, and then decided now I’m going to kind of go out and do it on my own and not work for somebody else. And that’s what brings me to today.
Kevin Stafford 2:38
I like that there’s such a it’s so funny. It’s like at first blush, it might seem like a paradox. But there’s such an independent streak and coaches, that I find that obviously you have to be an entrepreneur to start your own business, you have to have that sort of independent that fire that desire to go forward in that particular way. And coaches are such great team players and team growers and guides and collaborators. It’s like I said, like at first blush, it might seem like a paradox. But really it goes hand in hand with quite frankly, every coach I’ve ever spoken to
Rich Steffen 3:06
the collaboration aspect is huge. And I think that that’s the one where I don’t know that there’s a another group of people that when they get like minds together, or explosive, or synergistic as coaches are, which I find it, that’s what I really enjoy.
Kevin Stafford 3:24
Just being being adjacent to and part of the overall like coaching industry, it’s one of the things that really drew me to it is that I use this analogy pretty often, I think it’s like it’s there’s this very rising tide raises all boats, kind of kind of approached from coaches and people who respect and admire and, you know, participate in coaching, where there’s, and this is something I’ve bumped into a lot too is like a lot of coaches know, a lot of other coaches. And they’re also very, very, very mindful of being a good fit for the people who are coming to them for help for coaching for training for whatever it is. And if they’re not the right fit for the person who’s seeking out that coaching. They’ll say they’ll say, You know what, I don’t know if I’m the right coach for you. But I think I know who might be and they’ll have one to 10 recommendations of people who might be able to help them with exactly what they’re looking for, but exactly what they need. And I I can’t I can’t say enough how much I love that. That collegiality, rising tide.
Rich Steffen 4:15
I think the other thing too, I like about the coaching environment is the level of curiosity. I mean, they’re I mean, they’re constantly wanting to know more, tell me more, tell me more, tell me more. And they never hear enough, you know, and so it’s just that’s really the key to the business anyway. In my opinion, I think that then others I think will agree when you take the the real true generic definition of what a coach is. A coach is one that asks the right questions, not necessarily gives the right answers.
Kevin Stafford 4:51
That’s something that’s a theme that comes up so often. And I in fact had something that coach told me a while ago for an interview actually is I don’t how did he play it? I Don’t answer your question so much as a question your answers, you know that, that kind of it’s like it’s really about questions and it right curiosity is quite frankly, a virtue, where you’re just like, Okay, so let’s think about actually, I was talking to someone earlier today, interviewing them for this podcast, actually. And they were talking about how they made their jump into coaching. And there was this pivot point at which they begin to rather than kind of bring their answers to their life and try to like solve, like this equation they came into, it’s like, okay, so what are my options? And I was like, Oh, so you basically just ask yourself some questions, and then explore the answers. He’s like, Yeah, it’s exactly what I did. found the answer that best suited the question that had the best answer, went in that direction, for you know, his life and his career, and then kept on asking questions, that spirit of exploration and curiosity permeates the coach’s journey. And it’s, I love that you can, you can sense it immediately. And that’s, I think that’s a good way for you to know that you have a good, you’re talking to a good coach, and you’re having a good coach coachy relationship is that spirit of exploration and curiosity is just everywhere.
Rich Steffen 6:02
I think the other thing too, is that with coaching, one of the sort of silent or in the background, benefits that you get with coaching, is the objectivity that you can’t do on your own. I mean, we have to solve our own problems in a lot of ways. But the old phrase of like, everybody’s the expert is somebody else’s problem. But if they have that problem, they can’t figure it out. Yes, is that see objectivity that you get when someone is not emotionally attached? Or has no attachment to the outcome? Just only that it’d be accurate and correct. I mean, that’s really the goal. And and so, by asking the right questions, that’s that’s what you come up with, is you come up with this this awareness on your clients part of the objectivity and helping confirm with them in their own mind what the right answer is, because they have lots of answers, they just don’t know how to choose.
Kevin Stafford 7:00
Too many, too many answers can be worse than none at all. Yeah, it’s got me thinking about the dichotomy there that in the coach, the way I like, the way you spoke about it, that attachment there, there’s investment from the coach, like there’s, it’s very invested a very invested kind of relationship. But yeah, without the potential obstacles and hurdles, that closer attachment can bring, you know, it’s like how so like, you know, you don’t often go to a close relationship for advice in certain kinds of places, because there might be too close, you know, that’s why a coach is so ideal because they have investment, not just because they’re paid, but there’s a capacity for emotional and intellectual investment, that really allows so many otherwise very sensitive topics to be explored and pursued. I just love that.
Rich Steffen 7:43
And I think that, you know, one of the real keys of being a good coach, is when there’s a lot of tools and techniques and methods out there that you can be trained on. And those if just administered in their own right, would sound like very functional and very, you know, black and white, and not real, encouraging or receptive to people. And so being able to take those and convert those or mold those into questions that come across as being one very specific to the conversations being had, but also in a very caring and concerning way that can be, you can uncover the things that will help the client you’re working with. And it’s just a matter of, it’s kind of like you say, you know, you you memorize the technique first, then you professionalize it, then you personalize it, you know, or becomes your technique and your method and what experience they experienced with you specifically, depending on how you deliver.
Kevin Stafford 8:46
I can stay on this in this area of conversation all day. I love it. But I do I want to bring it up to the present. And also get into I mean, I say nuts and bolts, but get into like the day to day of what your practice looks like these days. And I’ve been kind of noodling around with a good way to ask this question to kind of both be specific, but open it up to wherever it needs to go. So here’s how I’ve been asking it. Who do you coach and how do you coach them? It’s almost like a like, I got you in the interrogation room. And I’m like, you know, what did you know and when did you know it? But really like, who being who you for who you focus on coaching or maybe it’s a particular type of person, or it’s a person in a particular position or type of position or on a particular professional journey? And then the how being, you know, one one small group coaching, masterminds, keynote speeches, coursework, and all the above. So who do you coach and how do you coach them today?
Rich Steffen 9:36
Yeah, it for me is a solopreneur up to probably about 40 employees that at margin right there a phrase that has come up and I mean, you’ve probably heard it yourself and that is as the be do have. And, you know, and ironically enough, if you look at that, and when people when other businesses use that phrase, and they hold and they have accountability For your be doing your have typically the only focus on the doing the half it’s a stuff that you know is like how many phone calls do you make? How many sales did you make? How many whatever, my focus is really on the beat? How do you personally show up in your business? How does your business reflect who you are? Are you using all of your innate gifts that you have that you really have no control of, and you couldn’t give away? If you wanted to? You know, how do you capitalize on the things that you can leverage day in and day out and say, Gosh, I had a great day, I feel rejuvenated versus exhausted. That’s my focus. And this will be the idea is to be able to get business owners to basically realize that they’re the biggest asset they have in their business, but and to look in the mirror, and because not only do you look in the mirror and find out what your strengths and your the areas you shouldn’t be playing in. But you also when it comes down to making selections of tools and methods and techniques that you may use and have to pay for out there. Not all of them are going to be for you. And so how do you go about determining which one? Well, the clearer you have a picture of yourself, the better filter you have for filtering out what you do, what would work well, and what you would not. And that’s another piece. And so by really gaining some clarity of you know, look in the mirror first and then now that’ll give you everything that you need the clarity that you have, which when you have clarity, that eliminates procrastination, because procrastination is a result of lack of clarity. Well, and so if you can continually move in the moving without a second guessing or having to go, oh, gosh, I wonder if that was right or in a dilemma, then that enables you to time freedom, be able to control your time you figure out where your time is best spent, so that you’re doing the things that you’re really best at in your business, and your business will have a tendency to take on predictability from that point.
Kevin Stafford 11:57
Yes, and it’s, there’s so many different, different places for me to jump in and jump off there. I respond very, very strongly to that clarity, as sort of a cure if what have you for procrastination, but I think about procrastination a lot. Because if, regardless of what its inspiration is I use inspiration loosely for the procrastination, it’s such a big obstacle to especially that kind of personal like self awareness change. That’s despite quite quickly requirements for any growth you or your company want or need to do. And I think a lot about like, I really liked clarity position there, I thought, um, there’s a quote that has been noodling around in my brain for a little while now, ever since I first encountered it. That’s the, what’s momentum is the antidote to procrastination. And I was like, oh, because as soon as you as soon as you put clarity and reference, I was like, Ooh, clarity on momentum, have a have a lot in common, they might be siblings, at the very least first cousins. So I’m thinking about that. I think I want to sit with that for a little while. And maybe I’ll journal on that too. I like to explore I like I like to leave those kinds of questions open and like, see what kind of answers fall out. But I just, I was very drawn to that, to that part of what you had to say about clarity.
Rich Steffen 13:03
And I think that one of the things that you know, if someone comes to manage to So what exactly do you coach on, if I had to have a word be clarity, and then automatically that, that brings up a conversation, and clarity on what, and we tend to get into the clarity aspect of it. It’s just, and it’s a pretty fun exercise, actually. And people are willing to embrace it. It’s an aha moment for them. It’s also going to be very confirming to the fact that Yeah, I mean, I’ve got what it takes is this, you know, my struggles here of you know, poor cash flow, running on the treadmill, trying to keep up trying to push the boulder uphill. I don’t need to do that. And it’s not because someone else has more talented than me. The reality is the people that are not going to struggle, just use more of what they have that you’re using right now. So now we need to find out all of what you have to bring to the table and use all of it in your business. So that now you own your business. Your business does not own you.
Kevin Stafford 14:02
Love as soon as you start soon as you started that I was like I know where he’s going with this one. Business Owner flip flop and apparel.
Rich Steffen 14:10
I didn’t come up with that phrase, needless to say, but anyway, but that’s uh, but it’s that people understand it. It’s I mean, they go Yeah, I understand. I think it was that so many business owners get into business for the opportunity. And the opportunity doesn’t always stay an opportunity because market shift and when market shift, then it comes down to okay, if the opportunity is gone now why am I in business and now it’s so the only thing that bails them out of that position is purpose. I have a purpose for being in business. I have an internal motivator that gets me up. Because right now when things are good, all the motivation is external. I can make more money I can do this. I can do that. Well the dip but to really keep you going that internal motivate internal motivation is essential. And so that comes from being able to sort of one, understand your strengths and your skills and your talents. And then also, you know, what is it that is your personal story and I hate to kind of get to woo or crazy about it. But people store is mean they have a lot of power in our stores more so than they realize. And if they could find a way to, to use that, to gain a permission card for to have influence with the people they wanted work with. I mean, it’s a it’s a given. And then it’s a gift. And once they you get to the point where that’s really ingrained in their process, gosh, they’ll tell you, their niche will come to them.
Kevin Stafford 15:45
It becomes more about attraction at that point, but the will people will gravitate, because they’ll still sense people sense that kind of vulnerability and availability and authenticity, all words, we used to describe exactly what you’re speaking about that willingness, first an understanding of your story, which is kind of where that internal self awareness work goes. And then a willingness to share it. And that just that goes, I have to say that goes a long way is an understatement.
Rich Steffen 16:08
And I think it will, you know, what, and how, and, you know, everybody has worked with somebody, they go, man, that’s my favorite client. A lot of favorite clients, and as opposed to just the one.
And that’s it, give them something to resonate with you that is deepest Lee is you, I mean, resonate with you, and then what you do and what you provide, and the service that you that you give.
Kevin Stafford 16:33
I can I can do this all day. I love this, this conversation is already like I warned you before I hit record that this would probably happen. Because there’s just like, there’s so many different ways we could go. But we’re already coming up on we’re already past our usual scheduled time. So before I let you go, and then once I stop recording invite you back on for part two later on. Where can people I kind of asked us as a two part question as well. Where can people find out more about you disinformation and learn about you your business what you do, how you do it? And where can people best connect with you if you have a preferred social media for places you’d like people to go to make connection, maybe like a free strategy call you off or anything of that nature?
Rich Steffen 17:10
Yeah, I think at this point is LinkedIn is going to be my best source. And I’ll tell you why. Because I don’t I don’t have a website at this point yet. Just because all the coaching I’ve done up to this point has pretty much been under somebody else’s umbrella, for the most part. And it’s only been about the last 910 months, that I’ve actually put myself out there as a my own 1099 and self employed individual and coach. And so I’m still kind of like putting some of those other pieces. But my my bit my biggest piece right now is just getting out talking to people communicating networking. I mean, I came from an era that when I built my first business, all I had was a pager. So it’s like, I’m used to shaking hands and talking to people
Kevin Stafford 17:58
pagers and payphones.
Rich Steffen 18:01
You, you know, and then, but so anyway, but it’s I have somebody working on some of that stuff for me now. But LinkedIn is, is probably the best place to read a bit about me and also to connect with me.
Kevin Stafford 18:15
Excellent. That sounds great. Yeah, I love I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud. But I love spending time on LinkedIn. But it’s just, it’s just true. It’s like I go there, it’s it’s probably the only social media platform I engage with that feels additive, like I feel more positive after having spent time on it. Which is, you know, I might be damning with faint praise here, because social media, you gotta be careful with how you use it and how it uses you just like the whole business owner owned about your business dichotomy, something to watch out for. But I just find LinkedIn to be such such a healthy place to really connect with people in a in a meaningful way. And begin relationships, you know, like, like a coach thrives on. So shoot, yeah, I want to, I want to keep going. But I kind of feel like I need to let you go and get you off. Kev, any final words for the for the audience before I let you go?
Rich Steffen 18:58
Just as far as like what you end up doing? You know, when I meet with business it you know, wouldn’t be nice to do that every time. Every task that you had to do in your business was something you say I want to do that versus I have to do that. That’s the goal.
Kevin Stafford 19:11
That’s the goal. And that’s not an unreasonable goal. That’s That’s what people will tell themselves that that’s a pipe dream. couldn’t be further from the truth. Just takes it takes work to get there.
Rich Steffen 19:20
Yeah, objectivity, clarity.
Kevin Stafford 19:23
Mm hmm. All right. I’m gonna let you go. Thank you so much for sharing talk with him. I wasn’t kidding about that part, too. I’ll probably wait a little while obviously, we’ll let this episode post. But I would love to continue this conversation. And just kind of continue to follow up where it goes, I’d love to chatting with you. And I’m formally encouraging the audience to check you out on LinkedIn and learn a little bit more about you because you’re the you’re the real deal. So thanks for thanks for sharing with me today. I appreciate it. Appreciate the time and to that audience. We will talk to you again very soon.
