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

Hi Maria, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Starting The Coaching Network wasn’t just a business decision, it was a calling that evolved naturally over time. It all began when I owned my own business, a Minuteman Press in Florida. As I grew it into a thriving enterprise, people in my community started noticing. They’d approach me at networking events or even during casual conversations, asking for advice on how they could achieve similar success.

At first, I saw it as an opportunity to give back, so I started teaching classes and workshops for local organizations. It was energizing to see how sharing my experiences helped others. But as these workshops gained traction, something unexpected happened, people started asking for one-on-one sessions. They wanted tailored advice, specific to their challenges, and it hit me, I was filling a gap that many business owners faced.

I knew this was a worthwhile endeavor because I was solving a problem I had faced myself. Running a business isn’t just about passion, it’s about knowing how to wear a dozen hats at once without losing sight of the bigger picture. I’d navigated those waters, learning through trial and error how to balance sales, time management, and strategic planning, and I knew I could help others do the same.

What excited me most was the idea of empowering others to succeed in their passions. I could see their potential, sometimes even before they could, and the thought of helping them realize it was incredibly fulfilling. That’s when I decided to take the leap in 2022, launching my coaching practice and becoming certified through the International Coaching Federation.

What sets me apart is that I’ve lived the entrepreneurial journey. I ran my business for a decade, grew it, and ultimately sold it in 2023. I don’t just teach theory, I teach from experience. I understand the sleepless nights, the trial-and-error processes, and the triumph of achieving a big milestone.

At the heart of The Coaching Network is my belief that business owners deserve to succeed in doing what they’re passionate about, and I’m here to help them do it efficiently, effectively, and sustainably.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Absolutely! Let me share a bit more about myself and The Coaching Network, the business I’ve poured my heart into building.

I’m Maria Medina, a Networking and Business Coach with over 15 years of experience in business strategy and marketing. My journey into coaching started organically while running my own business, a Minuteman Press franchise in Florida. Over a decade, I learned the ins and outs of entrepreneurship, wearing all the hats, from sales and marketing to operations and customer service. I grew the business into a successful enterprise and, in 2023, sold it, which gave me a unique perspective on the complete lifecycle of a business.

While I was running my business, people in my community began noticing my growth and asking for advice. What started as casual conversations evolved into workshops, classes, and one-on-one sessions. I realized there was a significant need for practical, experience-based coaching, and in 2022, I decided to formalize my work by launching The Coaching Network and earning my certification from the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

At The Coaching Network, I provide tailored coaching and consulting for business owners and professionals. My services cover a range of topics, including sales, time management, networking, goal setting, process improvement, and even preparing a business for sale. Essentially, I help my clients run their businesses more efficiently and effectively so they can achieve the success they’re passionate about.

The problems I solve often stem from the overwhelming demands of entrepreneurship. Many of my clients are juggling too many roles, feeling stuck in their progress, or unsure how to prioritize their time and resources. I guide them in clarifying their goals, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing actionable strategies to get results.

What sets me apart is my firsthand experience as a business owner. I understand the challenges my clients face because I’ve lived them. I don’t just share theory, I offer practical, real-world solutions that work. My approach combines a supportive, empathetic coaching style with clear, actionable advice.

What I’m most proud of is seeing my clients succeed. Watching someone achieve a milestone they once thought was out of reach, whether it’s hitting a revenue target, launching a new product, or creating a healthy work-life balance, is incredibly fulfilling.

For those considering working with me or following The Coaching Network, here’s what I want you to know: My mission is to empower you to succeed in doing what you’re passionate about. Whether you’re starting a new venture, scaling an existing business, or planning your exit strategy, I’m here to help you take control, work smarter, and achieve your goals.

The Coaching Network isn’t just about business growth, it’s about helping you grow as a person, a professional, and a leader. Together, we can create a plan tailored to your unique needs, so you can build the business and the life you’ve always dreamed of.

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

A lesson I had to unlearn was that winning isn’t everything, especially in business. Coming from a sports background, I had always been extremely competitive, with a mindset focused on victory at all costs. On the soccer field, success often came down to being the fastest, strongest, or most skilled. That drive to win translated into my early days in business, where I thought I needed to have all the answers and get everything right on the first try.

But business isn’t like sports, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The learning curve was steep, and I quickly realized that mistakes were inevitable. At first, admitting I was wrong or had made a mistake felt like a failure. It wasn’t easy to let go of that competitive instinct that saw every misstep as a loss.

Over time, though, I began to view mistakes not as failures but as opportunities to grow and learn. Business ownership taught me that no one gets it right all the time, and that’s okay. Each challenge or misstep was a chance to improve my strategies, refine my skills, and ultimately become better, not just as a business owner but as an individual.

This shift in perspective was transformative. I’ve learned to embrace the process of trial and error, to ask for help when I need it, and to use setbacks as stepping stones for growth. Letting go of the need to “win” in every situation has helped me approach challenges with curiosity and resilience, and it’s made me more empathetic and understanding, both in my personal and professional relationships.

Unlearning the need for perfection and constant victory has been one of the most valuable lessons of my journey. It’s allowed me to grow not just as a coach but as someone who can genuinely connect with and help others navigate their own learning curves.

Conversations about M&A are often focused on multibillion dollar transactions – but M&A can be an important part of a small or medium business owner’s journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with selling businesses.

Yes, I’ve sold a business, and it was an incredibly rewarding learning experience. I owned and operated a Minuteman Press franchise for 10 years before successfully selling it in 2023. Running the business taught me invaluable lessons about entrepreneurship, but the process of selling it offered a whole new level of insights, especially for entrepreneurs who might be considering selling their own businesses one day.

One of the most important lessons I learned is that your business will never sell for what it’s worth to you. As an owner, you’ve invested your time, energy, and emotions into the business, but buyers are looking at it purely from a financial and operational perspective. It will only sell for what someone else perceives its value to be, so it’s crucial to understand what drives that value from the buyer’s point of view.

If you’re planning to sell your business someday, start preparing early. Selling a business isn’t just about putting it on the market and finding a buyer, it’s about creating a business that someone else will want to buy. Here are a few key areas to focus on:

Processes and Procedures: Potential buyers want a business they can step into without reinventing the wheel. Having clear, documented processes and procedures is essential. Make sure the operations are streamlined and replicable, so the buyer can hit the ground running.

Reliable Staff: A strong, dependable team is a huge asset. If the business can run smoothly without you being there every day, it’s far more appealing to buyers.

Consistent Sales and Loyal Customers: Buyers want to see stability and predictability. Focus on building a loyal customer base and ensuring consistent revenue streams.

Reliable Vendors and Suppliers: Long-standing, reliable relationships with vendors and suppliers add credibility and stability to your business, making it more attractive to potential buyers.

Every industry has its own nuances, so it’s important to research what adds the most value in your field. Start working on these areas as early as possible, even if selling is years away. The preparation process takes time, but the more prepared you are, the smoother the sale will be.

Finally, I highly recommend the book Built to Sell by John Warrillow. It provides a practical guide to structuring your business in a way that makes it more valuable and sellable. For me, understanding these concepts and applying them to my own business made all the difference.

The takeaway? Selling a business is about planning and strategy, not just putting up a “For Sale” sign. Start now, knowing your end goal, and you’ll set yourself up for a successful transition when the time comes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thecoachingnetwork.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariamedinacoach
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachingnetworkofficial
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamedinacoach/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoachingNetwork