Cambridge Money Coaching
Bringing together your public profile is quite daunting. Especially when it involves confidential data and the difficult subject of money. Working with a business mentor was the space needed to cultivate vision and a fresh approach.
The Brief
It’s easy to see how coaching, counselling and therapy can be so incredibly helpful. Unless of course you are the one in need. It’s natural to recoil from exposing ourselves, believing we should have all the answers, and moreover, the skills to make ourselves ‘better’.
In this situation Dennis Harhalakis is extremely gentle and highly skilled at identifying where the difficulties with money began and correcting the thought paths that lead us astray.
However, this was a sensitive situation when we needed to look into the histories of happy and confident clients of Cambridge Money Coaching. And bring their stories to life, alongside the reasons they had sought out Dennis Harhalakis as their ideal coach.
The Journey
Sometimes what we least expect is the start point of conversation. Dennis was honest that he had reservations about working with me and I respected that. We were going to talk about his business, ways of working and himself.
There’s only so much we want to reveal and that’s precisely how we worked. Taking each segment of our agreed program and breaking it down into gentle, manageable segments.
Tailoring the business model framework to fit exactly our needs and provide a pathway that provided us with a comprehensive history of how Dennis came to be the Cambridge Money Coach. Understanding his experiences, and similarities to those who seek his help, and how to showcase and connect with potential clients.
After our first session, and I was surprised and happy to note that we had talked non-stop for the entire session, Dennis had enjoyed our time together and was very happy to proceed. He was already aware of what would improve his ways of working and communicating. He was seeking a sounding board, and intelligent questioning, when it came to thinking as a client instead of a coach.
Not someone to tell Dennis how, but to adapt existing systems and behaviours.
Initially planning was a key area for us to tackle. Like most business owners, responsible for every single task, it’s all too possible to become sidetracked or overloaded. With many ideas and tasks already outstanding, flicking between them, finding that we haven’t completed many satisfactorily. Leading to a feeling of frustration or failure, and the difficulty of knowing if we are actually not great at this particular task or just hadn’t given the focus needed to complete it well.
Dennis looked at time tracking, working his weekly calendar to ensure key tasks were allocated and had dedicated times. We also talked about the creative thinking process and that it’s important sometimes to just think. Not force the answers or ideas if it’s not the right time. Away from the many open browser tabs and phone distractions.
Next we sought to uncover Dennis’ journey and what had brought him to the point of setting up his business. Why he feels so passionate about helping individuals, families and children, with their money confidence. And where would we share this, how much to reveal and the right time to bring it to the attention of his clients during their search for the right coach.
The results were brilliant. A newsletter created, a website refreshed, valuable and regular LinkedIn activity, podcasts given, networking flowed. All without the previous multi-tasking, juggling and frantic activity.
The work we completed was captured using a cloud based project software, available anytime to review, recap and refresh.
Results & The Future
Dennis has since created courses for financial advisers, been a guest on many podcasts, and strengthened his online and personal persona.
His dedication to continued self development, for the success of his work with clients, is testament to his passion to provide support and comfort to those in financial distress. And being part of this journey has given me a great appreciation of the knowledge and kindness that goes into sharing, often uncomfortable, moments with money.
I am pleased to recommend Dennis repeatedly to those struggling for financial confidence, and for his insight and knowledge.
“After just an hour with Clare, I came away with a renewed vision for my business and a clear set of next steps.
She has a great ability to see and articulate your value proposition, and then organise the way forward.”