Here is why I am a F*ck NO!!!! to working for less then my normal rate and why you should not want me too, or any self- employed, commissioned based or entrepreneur ever too again…

Can I get some advice from you?

I want your opinion on this thing…

Scholarships.

Referral Discounts.

Promotions.

These are a few of my NOT so favorite conversations to have with potential clients. Yet, they happen and they happen more often then you may believe.

I am writing this brief article on this topic, NOT to be a bitch about it but to bring to attention the craziness of asking for such things. And I say this as a person who is ALWAYS telling people to ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT!

Here is the thing, you can ask, but asking DOES NOT assure that you will get. Especially, when you are asking someone to provide you with a service at a discounted or free fee.

Over and over again, I am talking like at least three times a week, I have to be a bitch and say, “No, I am sorry I am not working at a discount.” I mean, let’s look at this from the perspective of a salaried employee… or hourly….

You go to work, your boss says, ” Hey Sally or Rick…. listen, you are amazing and you have so much to offer the team. You are so knowledgeable and I really appreciate all that you do for the company, I am so happy  that you are here. You are a valuable member to our team. However, listen, I had some set backs come up at home, my refinance did not go through and my kid had to have a surgery, my wife is stressed out and things are tough. So I was wondering if I could get you to keep doing the fantastic job your doing, maybe even take on a little extra responsibility by overseeing this department over here, but I need you to do it for half your normal salary for the next six months to a year and it would be even better if you would consider doing it for free. What do you say?”

So what is your answer?

Come on be serious…..

Yeah, your a F*ck NO!!! Right?

Because….. Your life obstacle or challenge IS NOT reason enough for someone else to earn less, work for less or give a discount. We all have obstacles and challenges.

If you are not a F*ck NO! to the above scenario, then you are a door mat. And that is a whole other issue. For the majority of people out there I am pretty sure that you are an absolute no to this scenario, however when it comes to going out and getting help from someone who is self-employed or on commissions, you may have no real issue having them work for less.

Right, think of your waitress at your favorite restaurant. She depends on your tips for her survival. Think of your car sales man, he depends on your purchase for his survival. Think of the man who sold you your insurance, your roof,  or even your refrigerator. Guess what these people all work on commission. Sure some get an hourly rate, but after taxes, it barely covers their taxes.  Now let’s look at consultants, coaches and small business owners. We pay up front close to 10k just to have a business, no matter how much we make and then depending on what bracket we fall into, well things just go upward from there in our taxes.  Granted we get tax deductions if we keep track, there are plenty of expenses. But here is the thing, those business expenses do not pay our bills.

Now in truth, the taxes and the bottom dollar at the end of the day, has NOTHING to do with someone asking for a scholarship or discounted rate.

Nope, it does not.

But what it will potentially effect if one who ask’s for it get’s it is:

1. Your commitment to your own growth.
2. The one giving the the discount dedication and attention.

When someone gives something away, or at deep discount then it WILL NOT receive the same attention as the one’s that put full effort in on their side. Often, it is not about the money even. It is about the fact that it has been proven over and over gain, that if you give something away that it has less value to the one receiving it.

I wish this was not true, but it is.

Just this last 90 days, I gave away about $600 in courses to people that I knew needed the help.  I actually tried to give away $1,000 but four of the people that I made the free offer too, never even bothered to respond and take me up on it.  Out of the six who said, “Sure,” ONLY two accessed the course content so far.  From the four who have not accessed the content yet, two have asked me questions and shared down trodden tales of how stressed they are, wanting even more free advice and help, but NEVER thought to access the hours worth of content already given to them that could help.

This is normal. This is how we all are when it comes to free shit.

And yes, it is FREE SHIT!!!

It’s just another download to save on our computer or in drop box.

Here is the thought, “If it was worth something, then they would be charging for it.” – Or- “I will get to it some day.” Hence the massive number of items many of us have downloaded and saved for FREE on our computers… self included.

Well, when we coaches give our shit away at discount or for free, we under value ourselves. We over populate our schedules.  And we support our potential clients in remaining stuck in old programs and patterns of scarcity and lack.  There is GREAT value in paying for help,  education, and service. We value it more, we dedicate more of our time, attention and energy to it and we aim to incorporate the lessons into our lives better.

The way I look at it, is that if I agree to working for less then my normal fee I am doing a dis-service to you PLUS my other clients.

If you feel that working with me in whatever way it may be, is valuable to you and you would benefit from my offer and teaching, then there should be nothing stopping you from making this happen. Where there is a will there is always a way. Granted cost can be a barrier , I get that, I spend well over 25k a year in private coaching myself not including retreats or certification programs or extended education. That is just coaching!  So I get that it can be expensive and it can give one butterflies, but here is the gig, every penny I spend on my coaches, I get massive break through’s in my life. Without these phenomenal people’s assistance and insight, I would not be as strong, confident and focused as I am.  I would not have the direction that I do.

Nor the FREEDOM that I do.

Or the ability to help YOU.

Imagine if they ONLY gave me 50% of their knowledge, dedication, time, sharing that they do….

Imagine if they chose to not respond to my emails, or pay attention to them…

Coaching is all about moving forward through your shit. No matter what the topic of focus is, your moving through it. Having a coach at your side ensures that you have less set backs, that you get blindsided less, you get the unconditional tough love that you need from someone who HAS BEEN THERE and made it through. Or at least is far enough ahead of where you are at that they can show you how to get through what your in .

Asking for a discount or free service is dishonoring to the person that you are requesting it of. No matter how much you brag them up or tell them how much value you see in the service. Asking for a discount and asking them to over populate their schedule which translates to less time and energy to dedicate to each client, which in turn means that the coach is not able to be 100% their best with each client, but instead more like an over worked social worker who cannot keep a case straight and just wants to quit, has no heart in it anymore, is simply dishonoring to them, to you and all clients they have.

The best coaches out there average 6 to 15 clients max at any given time.

This is one on one clients granted.  Group coaching will vary and on line training’s typically do not pull that much over all energy to cause any significant effect.

I have found that I personally cannot handle more than 25 clients on my schedule for one on one consulting without there being issues with me being able to keep up and hitting burn out.  My ideal is 10 to 12 private clients.

Here I can make massive impact with the individuals that I am working with, not get burned out, keep my mind, heart and soul in the game and have a lot of SUCCESS STORIES…

And anyone who has worked with me over the years know’s how I LOVE SUCCESS STORIES!!! 🙂

After all, at the end of the day, we coaches don’t coach for the money.

We coach for the Success Stories.

We love seeing your success.

We love seeing you overcome the hurdles of your life challenges.

We love seeing you shining bright.

We love seeing you happy.

We love seeing you turned on, tapped in and tuned in to the F*ck YES!!! Life that you deserve and want at your core.

Yet often the only thing stopping you from having this, is that your being a little bitch about everything. 

It’s the excuses or reasons that you give as an alibi as to why you cannot work with a coach and take these strides.

It’s the excuses that you have bought into that you are not good enough, not deserving of, smart enough or some other…

It’s your fear of change.

It’s your fear of failure.

It’s your fear of SUCCESS, that truly holds you back.

And no matter what your alibi is as to why you cannot get started, money most likely being your favorite one to lean on, it will ALWAYS come back to you, making a choice to say yes or to say no, NOT TO ME or any coach, but to YOURSELF.

So the reason I suggest that you NEVER ask for a discount, promotional special, referral discount or scholarship again is because you deserve MORE.

You deserve to say YES to yourself and fight for your YES.

You deserve to know that you want it as much as you claim and that you value the support, education, and guidance as much as you claim.

You need to have some skin in on the game, or you will continue to find other alibi’s to hold you back from your desired life.

Where will you choose to claim your life?

As always, “STOP Surviving and START Living, You only have this life. Claim it NOW”