The Coaching Crowd® Podcast with Jo Wheatley & Zoe Hawkins

What if the thought of training as a coach has been sitting with you for years for a reason you have not yet fully acknowledged? As the new year begins, we slow the conversation down and ask a bigger question than whether coach training is a good idea. We explore whether 2026 is the year you finally make a clear decision either to step forward or to consciously let the idea go. In this episode, we reflect on why coach training often stays on people's mental to do lists for far longer than expected. For many, it is not about gaining a qualification. It is about meaning, connection, identity, and the desire to do work that feels more aligned with personal values. We talk openly about the emotional and practical drivers behind the decision to train as a coach, including career pivots, leadership development, self-awareness, and the longing for deeper conversations at work and in life. We also address what can quietly hold people back. Waiting to feel ready. Decision paralysis when comparing training providers. The pressure to have a fully formed plan before taking the first step. We share why readiness is rarely something you feel before you act and how clarity often follows commitment rather than precedes it. Drawing on our own experiences, we reflect on how coach training develops far more than coaching skills. It builds emotional intelligence, confidence, boundaries, ethical practice, and the ability to work with human complexity in a grounded and responsible way. We discuss what coach training really involves and why discomfort and growth are part of the process rather than signs you are doing it wrong. We also offer a balanced perspective on when coach training may not be the right choice. If you are seeking a quick financial fix, external validation, or if working with emotion actively drains you, this may not be the right investment at this stage of your life. Equally, we share why coaching continues to grow in relevance as human centred skills become more valuable in a world shaped by artificial intelligence and rapid change. Throughout the conversation, we come back to a simple decision framework. Does it make sense in your head? Does it feel meaningful in your heart? Is there space in your calendar to make it work? When those three align, 2026 may well be the year you move forward. This episode is an invitation to stop circling the same question and to make a conscious choice that frees up energy, whether that choice is to train as a coach or to redirect your focus elsewhere with confidence.   Timestamps: 00:00 Why this question keeps returning year after year 01:21 Understanding the deeper needs behind coach training 03:09 Common reasons people feel drawn to coaching 04:03 What coach training actually involves 05:24 The myth of waiting until you feel ready 06:22 Choosing a training provider without paralysis 07:42 Questions to ask before committing to a programme 08:55 When coach training may not be the right choice 09:49 Sampling coaching before making a decision 12:37 Career strategy, confidence, and professional identity 14:26 How coach training can change your direction 15:49 Human skills in an AI driven world 18:32 A simple framework for making the decision 20:17 Taking action rather than waiting   Key Lessons Learned: Coach training is rarely about the certificate and more about meaning, identity, and growth Waiting to feel ready often delays clarity rather than creating it Decision making improves when you listen to both head and heart Coach training develops emotional intelligence, boundaries, and self-awareness You do not need a full plan for how coaching will fit into your future to begin Conscious decisions free up mental and emotional capacity Human centred skills are becoming more valuable, not less   Links and Resources: https://mycoachingcourse.com https://igcompany.com   Keywords: coach training, train as a coach, coaching career, coaching skills, becoming a coach, leadership coaching, personal development, emotional intelligence, career change coaching,

2026 CPD Accelerator: https://igcompany.com/CPD2026 What if the way you approach your CPD this year could fundamentally shape your confidence, energy, and impact as a coach? In this episode, we sat down to have an honest, grounded conversation about what continuous professional development really looks like for coaches in practice, not theory. As Master Accredited Coaches and founders of an accredited coach training provider, we reflected openly on our own CPD journeys, including the years of intense learning, the quieter phases focused on business growth, and the moments where CPD crept up on us through deadlines, reaccreditation reminders, or a deep need for stimulation and renewal. We explored why so many coaches fall into reactive CPD patterns, binge learning one year and neglecting it the next, and what happens when CPD becomes something you chase at the last minute rather than plan with intention. Throughout the conversation, we found ourseleves reflecting on how powerful it feels when CPD is aligned with who you are as a coach, the clients you serve, and the impact you want to have, rather than driven by fear, comparison, or industry pressure. We talked about compassion fatigue, confidence dips, and the quiet anxiety that can show up when CV requests or accreditation deadlines land unexpectedly. We also explored the joy of learning for learning's sake, the gift of community and connection that comes from cohort-based CPD, and the way one programme can open doors you did not even know existed. This episode is also about practicality. We discussed the importance of anchoring CPD into your diary, planning financially, and understanding your own learning preferences, whether that is bite-sized learning, intensive programmes, or facilitated cohorts. We share reflections on how CPD can reignite momentum for early-stage coaches, support experienced coaches returning after time away, and help those who trained years ago feel current, capable, and confident again in today's coaching landscape. As we step into 2026, this conversation is an invitation to pause, reflect, and choose your CPD with clarity and intention. We also introduced the CPD Accelerator, a short, focused experience designed to help you map out your CPD for the year ahead in a way that feels supportive, energising, and achievable.   Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and why CPD matters at the start of a new year 00:57 Our personal experiences of binge learning and CPD cycles 01:50 Why coaches need CPD that reflects real client issues 03:36 Planning CPD with intention rather than urgency 04:35 Compassion fatigue and filling your own cup as a coach 06:18 Missing opportunities and the cost of not planning ahead 08:30 Choosing CPD from confidence rather than fear 09:49 The power of community and cohort-based learning 11:28 CPD for early-stage and returning coaches 14:37 When CPD is imperfect and still valuable 18:15 Introducing the CPD Accelerator for 2026   Key Lessons Learned: CPD has the power to shape not only your skills, but your confidence, energy, and identity as a coach. Planning CPD early creates focus, financial clarity, and space to choose learning that truly fits. The best CPD is aligned with your strengths, gaps, and the clients you want to serve. Community and connection are often as valuable as the content itself. CPD works best when entered from a place of intention rather than panic or comparison.   Links & Resources: CPD Accelerator: https://igcompany.com/CPD2026   Keywords: Coach CPD 2026, coaching continuous professional development, CPD planning for coaches, coach accreditation CPD, coaching confidence development, professional development for coaches, coaching CPD programmes, coach learning and development,

What does a year of growth really look like when you step away from the highlight reel and tell the truth? As we reach the end of 2025, we wanted to pause and pull back the curtain on what this year has genuinely been like for us behind the scenes. This episode is an honest, reflective conversation about the reality of running a values led coaching business through a year of challenge, change, and deep learning. We talk openly about the tension between what people often see from the outside and what it has actually felt like to be inside the business. This year has asked a lot of us. There have been moments of momentum and celebration alongside periods of complexity, uncertainty, and sustained effort that few people ever witness. We reflect on how a trip to Dubai at the start of the year became a catalyst for significant shifts in our thinking. Stepping into a different environment gave us the space to see long standing business bottlenecks with fresh eyes. What had felt heavy and immovable suddenly became solvable. That experience reshaped how we approached systems, automation, and the role technology plays in supporting rather than draining a coaching business. We share what it took to bring our Neurodivergent Inclusive Coaching programme to life, both in its full facilitated form and later through the Essentials offering. These programmes hold enormous meaning for us, not only because of their impact on coaches and clients, but because of the care, collaboration, and emotional labour involved in creating them well. This year reminded us why programme creation is so demanding and why integrity in delivery matters deeply to us. Much of 2025 has been about strengthening the foundations of the business. We talk about the unglamorous but essential work of refining processes, documenting systems, onboarding team members, and rebuilding parts of the business from the ground up to support scale. This included changing payment systems, migrating our website from co.uk to com, securing trademarks, and rethinking how we structure qualifications and CPD. Alongside all of this, there has been personal growth. We reflect on stepping back into facilitation, reconnecting with learners, and the fulfilment that comes from being closer to the heart of the work. We also share how this year has prompted bigger questions about brand identity, marketing, and how we want to be known as a global coaching organisation. This episode is an invitation to reflect on your own year with honesty and compassion. Whether you are running a coaching business, leading in an organisation, or navigating change, we hope our reflections offer reassurance, perspective, and a reminder that progress is often quieter and messier than it appears.   Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and why we reflect at the end of each year 01:24 Why 2025 felt challenging as well as successful 01:54 The Dubai trip that changed how we saw our business 02:53 Gaining fresh perspective on systems and processes 05:17 Launching our Neurodivergent Inclusive Coaching programme 06:42 Creating accessible pathways through Essentials 08:04 Rebuilding systems and standard operating procedures 09:52 Moving from co.uk to com and what it represented 11:48 Returning to facilitation and reconnecting with learners 14:32 Securing trademarks and protecting the brand 15:29 Refreshing our ILM Level 3 coaching qualification 16:55 Corporate partnerships and ripple effects of coaching 18:22 Scaling responsibly and supporting hundreds of learners 21:29 Looking ahead to 2026 with clarity and optimism   Key Lessons Learned: Stepping away from the day to day can unlock solutions that feel impossible when you stay too close Strong systems are not restrictive, they create freedom and sustainability Inclusive programme design requires time, care, and collaboration Scaling a coaching business often means rebuilding rather than adding on Reconnecting with clients and learners keeps the heart of the work alive Brand decisions are as emotional as they are strategic Continuous improvement is demanding but deeply worthwhile   Links and Resources: www.igcompany.com/ilmcall www.mycoachingcourse.com    Keywords: coaching business growth, behind the scenes coaching, neurodivergent inclusive coaching, coaching qualifications UK, coaching CPD programmes, emotional coaching practice, coaching business systems, coach training programmes, coaching leadership development, The Coaching Crowd podcast,

What might become possible if you gave yourself space to pause, reflect, and listen this Christmas? This episode feels like a quiet exhale at the end of a full year. As we sat together, we wanted to offer something gentle, playful, and meaningful. Something that could be shared around a Christmas table, or held privately in moments of stillness during the festive period. We recorded this episode with the intention of creating connection. Connection with ourselves, with the people we love, and with the parts of us that have carried a lot this year. Rather than small talk, we wanted to invite deeper conversation and reflection. The kind that nourishes rather than drains. Throughout the episode, we read out eight Christmas inspired coaching questions. Each one is designed to open up reflection around rest, gratitude, celebration, self awareness, and letting go. As we shared the questions, we noticed how they landed in our own bodies. Some felt soothing. Others felt stretching. A few made us pause because we did not immediately know the answer, which often tells us there is something important waiting there. We also held in mind that Christmas can be complex. Not everyone experiences it as joyful or full of people. These questions are offered with compassion, whether you are surrounded by family, working through the festive period, or spending time quietly on your own. Coaching questions can be powerful companions, especially when the rest of the world slows down. This episode is shorter by design. It is not about teaching or fixing. It is about offering reflective prompts you can return to, share, or sit with over the holiday season and beyond.   Coaching Questions and Reflections 1. What part of you deserves to rest and be replenished this holiday season? This question invites permission. Permission to notice where you are tired and to honour that need for rest without guilt. It encourages listening to your body, emotions, or energy rather than pushing through. 2. If you could wrap up this year as a gift, what would be inside? A playful question that opens reflection on what the year has truly held for you. Lessons, moments, relationships, challenges, or growth may all feature, often alongside a sense of meaning that only becomes clear in hindsight. 3. Whose light has helped guide you this year, and how might you thank them? This question centres gratitude and relational awareness. It often leads to naming people who have made a difference, sometimes those sitting in the same room, and recognising that being seen and acknowledged can be a profound gift. 4. Imagine you are at Christmas next year. What are you celebrating, and why? An invitation to look forward with intention. This question shifts focus from only big achievements to the quieter milestones such as calmer relationships, self connection, or emotional resilience. 5. What truth about yourself have you quietly met this year, and how will you honour it going forwards? One of the deeper questions. It encourages honesty and self respect, particularly around insights you may have noticed but not yet fully acknowledged or acted upon. 6. If you could hear the quiet wisdom of your future self this Christmas, what would they thank you for doing now? This question draws on future focused reflection. It helps surface choices, boundaries, or actions that your future self may already be grateful for. 7. If you could gift somebody a belief or mindset shift this Christmas, what would that gift be? Rooted in compassion, this question explores how we see others, often revealing care, understanding, and a wish for people to be kinder to themselves. 8. If you could leave something under the tree or send something back this year, what would it be? A powerful letting go question. It invites reflection on beliefs, habits, or emotional weight that no longer needs to be carried into the year ahead.   Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and setting the intention for Christmas reflection 00:30 Why meaningful conversation matters at this time of year 01:00 Question one on rest and replenishment 01:19 Question two on wrapping up the year as a gift 01:52 Question three on gratitude and guiding lights 02:22 Question four on celebrating next Christmas 03:28 Question five on meeting personal truths 05:17 Question six on future self wisdom 05:57 Question seven on gifting a mindset 07:40 Question eight on letting go and leaving things behind 08:10 Closing reflections and festive gratitude   Links and Resources: www.igcompany.com/ilmcall www.mycoachingcourse.com    Keywords: Christmas coaching questions, Reflective coaching, End of year reflection, Coaching for self-awareness, Emotional coaching, Personal growth reflection, Festive reflection questions, Coaching conversation starters, Mindful Christmas, Life coaching podcast,

What happens when coaches slow down, listen deeply, and answer the questions they are rarely asked out loud? This episode felt different from the outset. This week we sat down without scripts, without rehearsed answers, and without certainty about where the conversation would land. What we had instead was trust. Trust in the coaching process, trust in each other, and trust in the questions our listeners brought to us. We invited our listeners to share the coaching questions they find themselves holding, whether that is something they wrestle with in sessions, reflect on in supervision, or wonder about quietly in their own practice. What came back was a rich mix of practical dilemmas, reflective prompts, and deeply human concerns about confidence, emotional boundaries, challenge, and connection. As we read each question aloud, we answered in real time. That meant responding from lived experience rather than polished theory. At points we noticed ourselves pausing, reflecting, and even sitting with uncertainty. That felt important. Coaching does not always offer clean answers, and this episode honours that reality. We explored what it means to interrupt a client with care, how to think about failure when it does not feel like the real blocker, and what to do when a client triggers discomfort or resistance in us as coaches. We also talked honestly about homework in coaching, emotional load, negativity, and the blurred edges between coaching and everyday relationships with family. What stayed with us after recording, was a sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the honesty of our listeners, for the depth of the coaching profession, and for the privilege of being trusted with these kinds of questions. This episode is less about expertise and more about presence, reflection, and shared learning.   Listener Questions and Reflections How do you catch a client who talks incessantly and keeps going over old ground without feeling disrespectful We reflected on the power of contracting at the start of sessions and being intentional with opening questions. Clear focus, permission to interrupt, and shared agreement on how to work together can transform this dynamic. we were particularly struck by the invitation to explore our own beliefs about interruption and respect, and how supervision can help unpack what feels uncomfortable for us as coaches. What would you do if you could not fail This question opened a deeper exploration of fear, risk, and attachment to outcomes. Neither of us felt that failure itself was the real barrier. Instead, we reflected on decision-making, tolerance for uncertainty, and how detachment from outcomes can create freedom and momentum. What do you do if you do not like a client Rather than seeing this as a problem, we framed it as data. Strong reactions are information. They invite curiosity, supervision, and self-reflection. Often, the clients who challenge us the most offer the richest learning and some of our most impactful coaching. Is homework essential for progress in coaching Our shared view was clear. Homework is not essential and should never be imposed. Progress comes from what the client chooses to take forward. Suggestions can be offered with care and consent, but the relationship must remain adult to adult, not expert to student. How can coaches hold space without taking on emotional load This question led us into beliefs about emotions, responsibility, and energy. We talked about preparation, grounding practices, and trusting that clients are capable of holding their own emotional experience. Sustainable coaching starts with how we relate to emotions, including our own. Is coaching friends and family ever a challenge We shared honest reflections about boundaries, self-awareness, and knowing when to step out of the coaching role. Coaching training changes how we see the world, but discernment matters. Not every moment calls for a coaching response. How do you coach someone who always returns to negativity We emphasised the importance of contracting for challenge and being honest about usefulness. Coaching is not about forcing change. Sometimes the most ethical choice is to question whether the coaching relationship remains the right support. Are there clients who stay with you the most Rather than naming one individual, we spoke about groups of clients who shape us at different stages of our development. What stayed with us was the sense of privilege in being invited into someone's inner world and witnessing their growth over time. What keeps you awake at night This question brought humour, honesty, and insight. From ideas and inspiration to family life and physical rhythms, it was a reminder that coaches are human first, reflective second, and professional always.   Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and episode context 01:00 Coaching a client who talks incessantly 06:45 What would you do if you could not fail 11:36 What if you do not like a client 14:20 Is homework essential in coaching 18:30 Holding space without taking on emotional load 22:36 Coaching in everyday family conversations 28:04 Coaching clients who focus on negativity 30:33 Clients who stay with you the most 33:46 What keeps you awake at night 37:25 Closing reflections and invitation to listeners   Keywords: coaching questions, coaching confidence, emotional coaching, holding space in coaching, coaching supervision, coach client relationship, coaching boundaries, coaching reflection, coaching challenges professional coaching practice,   Links and Resources: www.igcompany.com/ilmcall www.mycoachingcourse.com