Client in the Spotlight: Cathy Simmons
I introduced a new series called Client in the Spotlight earlier in the year as a way to showcase the real “stars of the show” – my clients who are making a success of their heart-centred businesses.
I’m delighted to introduce you to our next Client in the Spotlight:
Cathy Simmons – Addiction Specialist & Business Mentor to Therapists
Over to you Cathy…
I work with therapists and change workers who have been in practice for a while and yet struggle to make their business viable and this is starting to drain the passion that got them started in the first place. They’ve been searching for the “one thing” that’s going to make all the difference to their business and not finding it.
I support them and help them to get their unique gifts and talents into the world and have a flourishing business doing what they love without compromising their values or worth.
Tell us why you do what you do
As an addiction expert, I have been helping clients for a number of years now, so I am all too aware of how difficult it can be to build a thriving business doing what you love.
Having left a successful career in the city to run my own therapy practice, I nearly gave it all up myself because I was always searching for THE magic thing that was going to make all the difference. Luckly I eventually recognised that I needed help and sought support and mentoring and it completely changed my business. Focusing purely on my niche of “The Addiction Expert” I found that my business started to flourish and I recently won The APCTC Therapist of the Year Award, which I am immensely proud of.
Since I began my practice I have been supporting other therapists, as a qualified hypnotherapy supervisor and also as a trainer, and as my business became more successful more therapists started to ask me to help them with their business too. So it’s been a natural progression, with a lot of encouragement from Catherine over the past couple of years, for me to start helping other therapists to achieve results and success in their business.
I am constantly amazed at the talent and experience that is out there and I am working with some truly inspirational people. It breaks my heart when people like this give up because they can’t find a way to earn a decent living doing what they love, because it means that people out there don’t get the help they need from the real experts. I have seen it happen too many times and the world is a poorer place as a result.
What’s been your biggest success in your business in the last year?
My biggest success has been making the transition from running my addictions practice day to day to launching my Flourish Mentoring programme for therapists. After some prodding from Catherine, I launched the programme in February and now have the privilege to work with amazing therapists who inspire me enormously.
Before I joined a mentoring group, I really didn’t really appreciate the importance and the real difference it can make, it certainly helped me to craft my offering and bring it to the world. Now I’m seeing my clients create some amazing results for themselves and this has been a great journey for me. I now really understand that business development is really a part of our personal development!
Creating the Flourish Mentoring programme has led to another great success for me – I now have greater flexibility so I can more easily balance my work commitments and personal commitments. And financially things have improved considerably.
Working with my therapist clients over a period of 6 months, rather than ad-hoc coaching has meant that I can support them far better as they continue to grow their business, and because I am working with fewer clients it means I have enough time to dedicate to each and every one. It’s been incredibly inspiring and freeing on so many levels.
How have sales conversations supported this success?
Learning how to sell in a heart-centred way has enabled me to put across my offering in a way that is authentic. It’s taken the pressure off of those conversations and I know that they are, indeed, part of my service. I am working from a heart-centred and authentic place and it means that both the client, and I, relax and enjoy the conversation whilst we explore whether working together is optimal for both of us.
What three tips would you give other business owners struggling with their sales?
- Sales is not a dirty word – it’s just a word, and we have to call this part of the relationship something! Realise that this is an essential part of bringing your service to the people who need you and can be helped by you; in other words, see it as part of your service.
- Enjoy the conversation and listen deeply to what your potential client is saying. Have unconditional positive regard for them – it’s about them, not you! If what you are offering is what they most need, then you will both know it and take it to the next stage, and if it isn’t, be assured that there is someone out there who is better able to help them and you may even be able to help them find each other.
- Understand your own value. So often we have our ‘stuff’ about money and feel wrong charging clients to help them. Take some time to really understand the impact that working with you can have for your clients. When you are congruent with your offer and your value, your potential client completely knows it, too.
How can people do more work with you?
If you love doing therapy and hate the sales and marketing, then sign up for the 5 Steps to Authentic Practice Success – and fall back in love with your therapy business.
Get in touch with Cathy:
Website: www.cathysimmons.co.uk
