We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lydia Baker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lydia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

When you hear the term “Life Coach” what do you think of?

I was quick to compare it to a fitness coach or maybe a therapist.
In the life coaching world, there are a few routes you can take to be a “pro” in your niche. Personally, I wanted to know how to structure consultation calls and gain clarity on how I could serve someone short-term and long-term in the best way possible. Instead of investing thousands of dollars on certifications that wouldn’t even be recognized in the U.S., I figured why not invest that money into coaches, mentors, and professionals I admired? Thus kick-started my 6-month journey of courses, psych classes, and hiring mentors and coaches in this field to build my skillset in this competitive industry.

While these investments made me the coach I am today there were moments when I had to reevaluate my morals and choose to make different choices than my peers because I felt it was the right thing.

The greatest struggle for profitability in any career usually starts slower when you do it RIGHT.
Here is what I mean. Almost 2 years ago I invested in a coaching program, and in it, I was taught to string my clients along so that I knew I would have them for 6 months, a year, maybe 2 years. This is how they taught coaches to create for themselves “financial stability” or even “financial freedom.”

However, profiting off people who are in need is not my intent or goal. So I did not do this. Instead, I worked with my clients for the periods they were able to commit to and helped them reach their goals in the time frame they wanted. This disappointed my coaches, but it boosted my confidence in being able to effectively work with clients in their home lives, work lives, or businesses to get them from point A to point B in their ideal time frames.

This made me stand out and built a foundation of mutual trust between me and my clients.

Because I do not believe in stringing clients along, and I work effectively with my clientele. I don’t have a million clients all the time and that can be financially challenging at times, but I have always gotten through those valleys when they come.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Four years ago I was reselling clothing during the pandemic and it blew up! I intended to make a business on sustainable clothing options for all sizes, and all genders, accessible, and more affordable. I went viral on Instagram a couple of times with reels hitting just over 2 million views. I curated my clothing into a coffee shop, sold style bundles worldwide, offered private calls to help scale other like-minded clothing resellers’ businesses, hosted pop-ups, hosted live events, partnered with Instagram with reel bonuses, and landed brand deals with other sustainable businesses. Phew- that was a lot to read right? Imagine being one person doing that! I bet you’re thinking didn’t that burn you out? And it did!

Every day was a huge struggle for me and one day in 2022 I was diagnosed with ADHD. It brought clarity to me why “normal tasks” like the shipping side of my business felt like DEATH. It was not stimulating, and it would trigger episodes of extreme burnout. After doing it for 2 years and struggling with my diagnosis, I hired a life coach who used to be a therapist in CA. Due to medical shortages and being unable to get medicine to help at the time. She helped find me natural solutions for managing my ADHD. I took what she said and ran with it, creating schedules, routines, and unique goal-setting tasks to help with my ADHD and with creating structure in my business. The results were astounding my ADHD was not cured but manageable, no more burn out, and no more unhealthy mechanisms.

I had energy I hadn’t had since I was a kid! With her encouragement, I decided I would retire from my clothing business and pursue coaching all kinds of women who are seeking balance in our hectic lives. Whether its stay at home moms, teachers, therapists, business owners, or striving entrepreneurs. My goal is to hold you accountable to your goals while supporting you every step of the way. The services I offer look like different packages of how often we meet and for how long. Working with me you should be confident in being able to leave our first session with clarity on your goals, a game plan for creating balance, new routines to implement at home, and unique visuals to help motivate you through every high and low. By the time my clients are finished working together they have left with businesses, leaving their 9-5’s, adding more routine to their lives to show up as better mothers, and have overall established structure in every part of their lives.

I know my need was feeling like I needed someone in my corner who understood exactly where I was and had the tools to help me get through it. With therapists, coaches, classes, and of course God I have been able to serve so many women in different stages of their lives who just need that additional support and accountability.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

A prayer I prayed when it pertained to this business was that God would always provide at least one client for me. If he did that then that was my sign that there is one more person I need to serve. To this day I have never not had someone to serve. I’m not too proud to admit that sometimes they have been for free. However, the Lord brings them to me. In his provision almost every time those clients (when free) have been my highest paying, longest, most loyal clients.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Not everyone who you think should believe in you will. My family doubted me and still would prefer I choose a career more common! When you face people who do not understand your vision go to the dreamers. Going to the realists will not be productive in encouraging your dreams, so surround yourself with dreamers.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: lydialifecoach
• Other: TikTok: Lydialifecoach

Image Credits

Alex Nena
Instagram : @byalexnena