In this episode of The Coach Trap, I sit downwith Leyla Holmes, a coach who specializes in working with early-stagefounders. What makes this conversation particularly interesting is Leyla'scandid discussion about her transition from trying to serve everyone to findingher specific niche—and how that single decision transformed her entire coachingpractice.
We explore the psychology behind why foundersand high achievers require a different approach compared to other clientgroups. Leyla shares her framework for leveraging past experiences as acompetitive advantage, rather than viewing them as baggage. There's afascinating section where we discuss how to train social media algorithms towork in your favor through strategic client engagement and authentic personalbranding, which I think will be immediately actionable for anyone building anaudience.
The conversation moves into personal brandingterritory, examining the difference between authentic connection andsales-focused content. Leyla makes a compelling case for why coaches shouldshare their struggles and failures openly—not as a marketing tactic, but as agenuine way to shortcut the learning curve for their clients.
We also investigate the evolution of leadgeneration strategies, particularly the shift from traditional lead magnetstoward community building. Leyla explains how she's seen this transition playout in real time and why it matters for coaches looking to build sustainablepractices.
One of the more nuanced discussions centers onbalancing intuition with strategic planning. Too many coaches lean entirely onone or the other, and Leyla breaks down how to integrate both for betterdecision-making in your coaching business.
What I appreciated most about thisconversation was Leyla's willingness to discuss what didn't work. She talksabout the early coaching experiences that taught her the most, the positioningmistakes she made when starting out, and how she refined her approach overtime.
If you're a coach struggling with positioning,audience building, or wondering whether you should narrow your focus, thisepisode will give you a framework to think through those decisions. Theinsights here apply whether you're just starting out or looking to pivot yourexisting practice.
CONNECT WITH LEYLA HOLMES
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/theleylaholmes/ Website:https://holmeslifeconsulting.com/
DON'T FALL INTO THE COACH TRAP
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ABOUT THE COACH TRAP
The Coach Trap is a podcast hosted by GregStyan and Dan Williams that examines the reality of building a successfulcoaching practice. We have conversations with coaches who have navigated thechallenges of positioning, client acquisition, and sustainable business growth.The goal is to provide practical insights without the usual coaching industryhyperbole.
